NHTSA Complaint #10946295 — 2007 DODGE CALIBER

I'VE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW, RECENTLY WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH A DEAD BATTERY. AFTER REPLACING THE BATTERY, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 20 MILES PER HOUR AND WE HAD ENGINE FAULT CODES. ONCE WE CLEARED OUT THE CODES, THE CAR RAN FINE. HOWEVER, WE NOW HAD A FRONT HEADLIGHT THAT WAS OUT. REPLACING THE BULB DIDN'T WORK. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BOTH ON WAS TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH FROM A DODGE DEALERSHIP AND ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THE ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD AND DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE FUSE BOX ON THESE VEHICLES, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TIPM. I BELIEVE THE DRAIN ON THE BATTERY WAS CAUSED BY THE POOR DESIGN OF THE TIPM AND WITH THAT ONE INCIDENT, STARTED THE FAILURE PROCESS. THIS VEHICLE HAS 150,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIPM WITH A USED ONE FROM A AUTO SUPPLY YARD, I STILL GET INTERMITTENT STARTING OF THE VEHICLE AND WHILE BOTH HEADLIGHTS ARE WORKING, THE HIGH BEAMS ARE NOW NOT WORKING.