2007 DODGE CALIBER AWD Suspension Problems

THIS IS THE 2ND COMPLAINT I FILLED WITH CHRYSLER CORP. THRU NHTSA CONCERNING THIS ISSUE, 1ST COMPLAINT WAS #11186050 CONCERNING THE REAR CROSS MEMBERS/REAR AXLE CRADLE ROTTING OUT (CHRYSLER ACTION 23-012-14 THIS ACTION EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS). I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ACTION THRU TALKING WITH A FRIEND WHO WENT THRU THIS SAME ISSUE. CHRYSLER CORP. CONTACTED ME TO STATE "THAT ALL OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED !" THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW IN 2007 AT BERGER MOTORS IN HAZELTON, PA. NEITHER BERGER MOTORS OR CHRYSLER CONTACTED US ON THIS ISSUE, SO HOW CAN CHRYSLER CORP MAKE THIS STATEMENT THAT ALL OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED !!! THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 75,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT !

WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE I HEARD A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE, I TOOK THE CAR TO A GARAGE, THE MECHANIC CHECKED IT THEN CALLED ME ' NOT TO DRIVE IT ' THAT THE REAR AXLE/SUSPENSION CRADLE WAS ROTTED OUT. I CONTACTED A CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION EXTENDED THE WARRANTY DUE TO THIS ISSUE FOR 10 YEARS WHICH ENDED IN 2017. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER ONLY TO FIND OUT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLS, I ASKED HOW CAN THAT BE SINCE MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND I ASKED WHY WASN'T THE OWNERS OF THESE CARS NOTIFIED TO GET THEM CHECKED (NO ANSWER), I TOLD THIS WOMAN THAT THEY KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM (USING SUBSTANDARD STEEL) AND I KNOW THAT SOMEONE WILL BE HURT OR KILLED DUE DUE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE.

REAR CROSSMEMBER SUBFRAME RUSTED AND BROKEN CAUSING DRIVESHAFT AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO SHIFT DURING ACCELERATION. NOTICED A THUMBING SOUND WHEN DRIVING ON LOCAL CITY STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON DEC. 12, 2018.

RUSTED SUB FRAME

THE CROSS MEMBER ON THE UNDERSIDE IS BADLY CORRODED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BUT IS A LITTLE EXPENSIVE. I HAVE HAD TO ALREADY REPLACE BOTH CONTROL ARMS, BOTH BALL JOINTS AND ONE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BY AFTER MARKET BALL JOINT. THE STRUTS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. A CAR WITH THESE MILES SHOULD NOT NEED ALL THIS FRONT END WORK. I HAVE SEEN THIS TO BE NOT JUST MY SITUATION. MY CRUISE CONTROL WORKED WHEN WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WITH 85,000 NOW DOES NOT WORK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER AWD. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A YEAR LATER DUE TO THE SAME FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHAFT AXLE ASSEMBLY AND DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FRACTURING. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL...

FRONT END FELT LIKE IT WOULD WOBBLE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE STARTED WEARING BADLY. BROUGHT IT IN TO GET THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD AND A ARM WITH BALL JOINT REPLACED MECHANIC TOLD ME TO PARK IT AND DON'T DRIVE IT TILL I GOT IT FIXED. *TR

CAR ONLY HAS 71,000 MILES ON IT. ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF MY CAR SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. AFTER INSPECTION, MECHANIC REPORTED THAT SUB FRAME AROUND LOWER A ARM WAS ROTTED AND ENTIRE BACK SIDE OF CRADLE ALSO WAS ROTTED. EVERYTHING ELSE UNDER CAR LOOKS NEW, WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY JUST THIS PART OF CAR IS ROTTING. CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE THIS VEHICLE RECALLED, AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THIS VEHICLE AND FINDING THIS BEING ONE OF THE COMMON DEFECTS. *TR

WHILE TURNING THE CORNER THE REAR TIRE LEANED IN AND RUBBED AGAINST THE STRUT SPRING CAUSING TIRE DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE STRUT SPRING. THE CARS SUB FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND WILL NOT HOLD THE SUSPENSION PARTS THAT HOLD THE REAR TIRE IN PLACE AND STRAIGHT. TIRE FALLS IN AND RUBS ON STRUT SPRING. UNDER BODY PARTS ARE RUSTING FROM AIR CONDITIONING DRAINING INTO SUB FRAME. CAR WAS SO BAD IT HAD TO BE LOADED ONTO A FLAT BED AND BE HAULED TO THE MECHANIC TO SEE IF IT REPAIRABLE AND TO SEE HOW BAD THE OTHER SIDE IS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH ONLY 100,000 MILES ON THE FRAME. DODGE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS! *TR

I ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2007 DODGE CALIBER WITH THE FRONT SUBFRAME. I HAD IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MY MECHANIC (PRIVATE, NOT DEALER) SAID THE SUBFRAME WAS SO CORRODED THAT IS WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAD IT REPAIRED FOR APPROX $500.00. I WAITED FOR MY LETTER FROM DODGE STATING MY VIN # WAS PART OF THE RECALL AND WHEN I CALLED TODAY - THEY SAID IT WAS NOT. THEY ALSO STATED HAD I TAKEN THE CAR TO MY DEALER, PERHAPS SOMETHING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE. *TR

I HAVE OWNED THIS CARE FOR NEARLY 7 YEARS AND I AM CURRENTLY REPLACING THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOR THE THIRD TIME. I HAVE KNOWN MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME VEHICLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED IT WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3000 MILES, NOT IT HAS HAPPENED LESS THAN 30000 MILES EACH OF THE TWO OTHER TIMES. PLEASE HAVE DODGE RECALL THESE VEHICLES AS RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND SOMETHING NEEDS DONE TO FIX IT SO YOU CAN GET NORMAL WEAR. *TR

UPON DRIVING A LOUD METAL TO METAL CLUNK BEGAN. OWNER LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY PROBLEM. NOISE WAS SO DISTINCT THAT VEHICLE WAS CAREFULLY DRIVEN TO OUR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. HE STARTED TO GO OUT ON A ROAD TEST TO TRY TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO HIS GARAGE. HE FOUND ONE SWAY BAR LINK WAS UNATTACHED AT LOWER END. HE THEN USED A MIRROR TO VIEW THE TOP SIDE OF THE SUB FRAME AND FOUND IT WAS ROTTED OUT. UPON REMOVAL OF THE SUBFRAME A FIST SIZED HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE TOP OF THE SUBFRAME AND THERE WERE ALSO CRACKS RADIATING BACK THROUGH MORE OF THE FRAME. LOOKING AT THE REMOVED ITEM, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE DEGRADATION WAS SO SEVERE THAT HITTING A BAD ENOUGH BUMP OR HOLE COULD VERY POSSIBLY CAUSE LOSS OF INTEGRITY IN THE SUSPENSION, STEERING OR ENGINE MOUNTING....

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...

THE C/MEMBER-F OR SUBFRAME WAS CRACKED IN THREE PLACES AND SO ROTTEN THAT WHILE IN THE SHOP SOMEONE PUT THEIR THUMB THROUGH IT. IT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY OUR REPAIRMAN. THIS IS A 2007 RT, HOW MANY CARS FIVE YEARS OLD DOES THIS HAPPEN TO? THE NEW PART WAS $572.00 PURCHASED AT DEALERSHIP, NOT INCLUDING THE LABOR FROM OUR REPAIRMAN. WE DO HAVE SOME PICTURES TAKEN, BUT NOT VIEWED YET. THE REPAIRMAN HAS HAD THE OLD SUB-FRAME ON DISPLAY SHOWING EVERYONE THAT COMES IN, ONLY BECAUSE IT IS SO UNBELIEVABLE. I DID READ ON HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/FORUM/DODGE/CALIBER/CONSUMER+COMPLAINT/5641-5641 OF SOMEONE ELSE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY SAID SORRY NOT UNDER WARRANTY. ON DODGE ON FACEBOOK THEY ASKED FOR PHONE NUMBER AND VIN, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER CONTACTED ME. THE AIR CONDITIONING HOSE RUNS ONTO THE SUB-FRAME, THE OTHER PERSON INDICATED THIS IS THE PROBLEM. I KNOW MY WARRANTY...

CAR SWERVED TO THE LEFT SUDDENLY AND FORCEFULLY TWICE. FIRST TIME WAS ON A 3 LANE ROAD. IF ANOTHER VEHICHILE WERE IN THE LANE NEXT TO ME THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOIUS COLLISION. SECOND TIME NEARLY AVOIDED A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THEN WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVE WAY, THE U-JOINT ON MY FRONT PASSENDER TIRE BROKE COMPLETELY. CAR BECAME UNDRIVABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. *TT

I OWN A 2007 DODGE CALIBER AWD AND RECENTLY HAD THE TIRES REPLACED AND REQUESTED AN ALIGNMENT CHECK. THE TIRE COMPANY NOTIFIED ME THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS/ CONTROL ARMS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AND SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM IN THE CALIBER FREQUENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES, HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT THAT INVOLVED THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON HARD SURFACED ROADS. THESE COMPONENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE WITH THIS LOW MILEAGE. THE FAULT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND REPAIRED BY THE DEALER, BUT IF THE PART FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. *TR

2007 DODGE CALIBER AWD, TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO BE CHANGED WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES ON IT. BACK IN SEPT. 2009. NOW WITH ONLY 29,000 MILES ON IT . DURING A STATE INSPECTION ON 22, OCT. 2011 NOW I AM TOLD BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. THEIR SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR THIS . THE CAR DRIVES ONLY ON WELL PAVED ROADS. WHAT IS DODGE DOING ABOUT THIS ? DEALERSHIP KNOWS ABOUT THIS BIG PROBLEM. BUT CAN NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL A RECALL.! ! ( COST 800.00 DOLLARS ) *TR

2007 DODGE CALIBER - STEERING PULLS TO BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT FOR ABOUT FIRST 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING (FEELS VERY SLOPPY). PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT WHILE BRAKING. DOORS LOCK WITH CAR RUNNING. *TR

THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO ANY OF THESE FAILURES. I SIMPLY BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2007 DODGE CALIBER IN JUNE OF '06 AND TO DATE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1. A HUMMING NOISE (SIMILAR TO THAT OF A "RICE BURNER" CAR) IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT TOOK OVER THREE TRIPS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (FROM AUGUST 2006 TO JANUARY 2007) AND A TOTAL OF 20 DAYS BEING OUT OF SERVICE IS AT PRESENT REPAIRED. 2. THERE IS A RATTLE UNDERNEATH THE CAR, EITHER COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OR THE REAR WHEN NOT APPLYING THE GAS AND SIMPLY "CRUISING" DOWN THE ROAD. BUT WHEN I HIT THE GAS IT GOES AWAY. 3. THERE IS A NOISE IN THE FRONT TIRES WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 1 AND 3 RPMS. 4. THE CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT. 5. THE HEADLIGHTS DIM INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO REASON, AS IF...