NHTSA Complaint #10526408 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER AWD

I PURCHASE A USED 2007 DODGE CALIBER SE 4 DOOR SEDAN IN OCTOBER OF 2008. THE CAR HAD 14528 MILES AT TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CAR ALWAYS HAD A FRONT END ISSUE. IN 2010, WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES, I BROUGHT THE CAR FOR TIRES BECAUSE I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN ON THE INSIDE TREAD, AND IT WAS DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH THEM IN THAT CONDITION. I TOOK THE CAR TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED AT THE COST OF $600, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE CAR THAT THE TIRES WORE THE WAY THEY DID. I TOOK THE CAR, WITH NEW TIRES TO THE SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS BUILT TO ONLY BE ALIGNED IN TWO DIRECTIONS AND SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ALIGNED IN THREE WAYS.THE CAR ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH STEERING WHEN THERE WAS A SEAM IN THE PAVEMENT ON THE ROADWAY; THE FRONT END WOULD ?FOLLOW? THE SEAM IN THE ROAD AND HAD TO BE FORCED TO DRIVE PROPERLY. IN MARCH OF 2012, I STILL HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT END, BUT BY NOW IT SOUNDED AS IF THE FRONT TIRES WERE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE HOOD WITH THE AMOUNT OF CLUNKING FROM THE FRONT END EACH TIME IT HIT BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE FOUND THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT CONTROL ARMS WERE BAD, AND THE BUSHINGS WERE BROKEN THROUGH. THIS ISSUE COST OVER $500 TO REPAIR. THE FRONT END ISSUE WAS GREATLY DIMINISHED WITH THIS REPAIR, BUT NOT GONE. IN FEBRUARY 2013, THE FRONT END STARTED HAVING MORE PROBLEMS, I RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED THIS TIME IT WAS THE STRUT ASSEMBLY, FRONT STRUTS AND TIE RODS. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS SO BAD THAT HE WAS AMAZED THE FRONT TIRE DIDN'T FALL OFF THE CAR. THIS REPAIR COST OVER $1100, BUT ALSO MINE AND MY PASSENGERS? SAFETY WAS GREATLY AT RISK WHILE RIDING IN THE VEHICLE. *TR