NHTSA Complaint #10610316 — 2010 DODGE CALIBER

DATES & MILEAGE ARE APPROXIMATE. I'M NOT A MECHANIC AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHICH PART WOULD BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I GUESSED. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS. MY 16 YR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER RECENTLY TOLD ME HER OLDER CALIBER DID THE SAME THING! THIS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY/POWER ISSUE WITH THE MODEL. WHY WOULD THIS JUST BE HAPPENING TO OUR 2 VEHICLES? HER VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN GA AND MINE IN MI. I DO A LOT OF FREEWAY DRIVING. EACH TIME THIS OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAYS AT 70 MPH FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I TAKE AN EXIT. WHEN I DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO TURN OFF THE EXIT RAMP, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY "BOGS DOWN". THERE IS VERY LITTLE POWER. EACH TIME, I HAVE CALIBRATED TIME FOR SAFELY PULLING OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, EXPECTING TO HAVE NORMAL POWER. SUDDENLY, I HAVE LITTLE TO NO ACCELERATION AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT MAY STALL OUT! YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FEAR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEAR ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN TIME. THE LOW POWER CONTINUES FOR ABOUT A MINUTE, THEN RESUMES NORMAL OPERATION. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED, BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER. ACTUALLY, THIS IS SO DANGEROUS, I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY I HAVEN'T HAD IT CHECKED OUT, BESIDES INCONVENIENCE AND STUPIDITY. WHEN MY GRANDDAUGHTER TOLD ME ABOUT HER CAR, THAT REALLY SCARED ME AND PROMPTED ME TO ACT. I'VE ALSO COME TO REALIZE THAT I'M PUTTING OTHER DRIVERS IN DANGER OF INJURY OR DEATH. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP IF THERE'S BEEN A RECALL OR SHOULD BE ONE ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY MORE OUT THERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION AND POSSIBLY INJURIES OR DEATH. *TR