NHTSA Complaint #10644397 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

MY PARTNER AND I WERE AT FIRESTONE TO HAVE A OIL CHANGE FOR OUR CAR DONE. ONE OF THE REPAIR GUYS CAME OUT TO TELL US OUR TIE RODS ON OUR CAR WERE LOSE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON. OUR CAR HAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 61,000 MILES ON IT. TIE RODS ON A CAR ARE USUALLY REPLACED AT 120,000 TO 170,000 MILES. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WITH ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CARFAX WERE PROVIDED AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER BABIED THE CAR. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS CAR WRECKS AND WE HAVE HAD NO CAR WRECKS EITHER. WE ARE AT A DISBELIEF, AS THIS SERIOUS OF AN ISSUE ON A CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED UNTIL IT IS EXPECTED. WE TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF OUR CAR. WE CHANGE THE OIL BEFORE IT IS DUE AND REGULARLY SCHEDULE CHECK UPS TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO MAJOR ISSUES. NOW WE ARE TAKING OUR CAR IN THIS WEEKEND TO GET THE TIE RODS DONE AND TO SEE IF ALSO CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. FOR TIE RODS TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. WE COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HURT OURSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND DODGE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE MALFUNCTIONING PARTS OF THE CARS THIS IS HAPPENING TO. A TIE ROD SHOULD NOT GO OUT ON A CAR AT 61,000 MILES WHEN THE CAR IS TAKEN CARE OF. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN IN PLACE AND WHY DODGE HAS NOT COME FORWARD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ISSUES. THE TIE RODS WILL BE COSTING US $400 DOLLARS ALONE TO REPLACE AND IF BALL JOINTS AND CONTROL ARMS NEED TO BE REPLACED WELL OVER $1,000 DOLLARS FOR PARTS THAT ARE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. IF OUR MECHANIC HAD NOT CAUGHT THE FAULTY PARTS MY NEW WIFE AND I MIGHT BE LYING IN A HOSPITAL SOMEWHERE HURT OR WORSE. AS RESPONSIBLE OWNERS WE ARE HAVING THE PARTS REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF DODGE WOULD HAVE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR SAFETY AND OTHERS SAFETY. *TR