2007 Dodge Caliber

I HAD TO HAVE THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE REPLACED AT ABOUT 36,000 MILES, TIE ROD ENDS, BALL JOINTS, AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS. NOW ONLY 1.5 YEARS LATER (AT 53,000 MILES) ONE OF THE CONTROL ARMS IS BAD AGAIN. I'M NOT SURE WHY ALL OF THESE PARTS HAVE SUCH A HIGH FAILURE RATE BUT FROM DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO OTHER CALIBER OWNERS THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING AT VERY LOW MILEAGE. EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HURT DRIVING ONE OF THESE THINGS WHEN THE STEERING GOES OUT. I HAVE TALKED TO CHRYSLER PEOPLE ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THEY OF COURSE DON'T WANT TO ADMIT ANY FAULT AND INSTEAD IMPLY THAT YOU MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM YOURSELF DUE TO YOUR DRIVING HABITS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE TECHNICIAN DETECTED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS EXHIBITED SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION. THE SHIMS, FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE INNER TIE RODS LOOSENED FROM THE STEERING RACK AND THE FRONT CONTROL ARM BUSHING SEPARATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,167. UPDATED 06/05/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THAT CHRYSLER HAS SINCE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 06/06/12 *JS

MY SISTERS 2007 DODGE CALIBER ONLY HAS ONLY 32236 MILES ON IT AND THE BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED ALREADY, IT COST 800 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THEM, I LOOKED ON LINE AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS A 2007 CALIBER IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE BALL JOINTS, JUST LOOK ON LINE AND U WILL SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE BALL JOINTS, HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A RECALL DONE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, PLEASE JUST E MAIL ME BACK THANK YOU. *TR

REVERSED OUT OF PARKING SPOT PUT CAR IN DRIVE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. TURNS OUT MY TIE ROD AND BALL JOINTS ON PASSENGER SIDE BASICALLY FELL APART. GARAGE SAID OTHER SIDE IS JUST ABOUT READY TO GO TOO. THANKFULLY I WAS ONLY PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT...5 MINUTES LATER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN WRAPPED AROUND A TELEPHONE POLE. BEEN LOOKING ONLINE TO FIND MANY PEOPLE ALSO HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER! *TR

THESE CARS ARE DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE TO BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHLWAY. DODGE KNOWS THE CONTROL ARMS ARE DEFECTIVE AND THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO DO A RECALL ON THESE CARS. LUCKILY, I HAVE NOT HAD A WRECK IN THIS. VEHICLE. IF THE CONTROL ARMS BREAK WHILE DRIVING,IT WILL BE VERY BAD. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ON-LINE ABOUT THESE CARS, I AM SHOCKED NOBODY HAS MADE DODGE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THE TIE ROD, BOLTS AND JOINTS WERE FRACTURED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH LUBRICATION ON THE COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, AND AT 29K SERVICE DEALER REPLACED TIE ROD END AT OUR EXPENSE SAID TO BE OUT OF WARRANTY. 4 NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON THE CAR AND AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE PLAY IN FRONT END. CAR WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND IT FOUND THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS SEVERELY WORN TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS ALMOST FALLING OUT OF THE CAR. THIS ALSO WAS REPLACED AT OUR COST.WITH 6 MONTHS GONE BY AND 6000 MILES WE WERE TOLD THAT THE OTHER TIE ROD WAS BAD AND THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR IT AT THIS TIME. WE THEN CALLED CHRYSLER AND THEY SAID THE WOULD WORK WITH THE DEALER BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED ALSO. WHEN WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN THEY AGAIN FOUND THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS BAD ALSO. THIS ALL COMES AFTER THE CAR GOES OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FRONT END ALMOST EVERY TIME WE BRING IT IN FOR THE OIL CHANGE. IT WAS STATED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THE BAD DRIVING HABITS OF THE OWNER. AND THIS WAS ALSO THE SAME REASONING BEHIND ALL THE OTHER CALIBERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN QUESTIONED WHY THEY DID NOT FIND THIS EARLIER AND WHY THE FILL OUT A SPECIAL CHECKLIST THAT INCLUDES STEERING AND SUSPENSION, IT WAS STATED THAT THIS INSPECTION IS ONLY A VISUAL INSPECTION, AND THAT IF I HAD NOTICED THAT THE REPORT FORM POINT TO THE ACTUAL STEERING WHEEL NOT THE STEERING COMPONENTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A HOWLING NOISE WOULD BE HEARD FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BRAKES, TIE RODS AND A TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,500.