2007 Dodge Caliber

I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION AND HEARD A THUMP ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. AS I STARTED TO PULL FORWARD THE STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND THE I HEARD A WHINING SOUND FROM THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I WAS ABOUT A MILE FROM MY REPAIR SHOP SO I HAD MY BROTHER FOLLOW ME WITH HIS EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND DROVE SLOWLY TO THE SHOP WHERE I FOUND OUT THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH. IN THE LAST YEAR, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND THE ALTERNATOR. *TR

STARTED TO HEAR SQUEAKING AND CLANGING NOISES IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR. IT WOULD MAKE THE NOISES WITH EVERY BUMP AND ESPECIALLY COULD HEAR IT GOING DOWN HILLS. THEN THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD WOBBLE AND IT FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING ON A FLAT TIRE, BUT TIRE PRESSURE WAS FINE. WHEN IT STARTED TO BE ALL OVER THE ROAD, LIKE I WAS CONSTANTLY HYDRO-PLANNING, I RESEARCHED ON LINE AND FOUND THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTROL ARMS, BALL BEARINGS AND TIE RODS. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY MECHANIC AND TOLD HIM I THOUGHT IT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM. HE CHECKED IT OUT AND IT WAS BOTH CONTROL ARMS WITH CONNECTED BALL BEARING, BOTH TIE RODS AND BOTH SWAY BAR END LINKS NEEDING REPLACED. HE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE TIRES THAT HAD BEEN PUT ON NOT EVEN 9 MONTHS AGO WHERE SHOWING THREADS. COST OF REPAIR NOT INCLUDING THE NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT WAS $887. WILL BE UP OVER $1000.00 AFTER TIRES ARE REPLACED AND ALIGNMENT IS COMPLETE. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE ON WET PAVEMENT, HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL OF THE CAR. WAS ALWAYS CORRECTING THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING, IT JUST PULLED AND WHEN I HIT A BUMP IT WOULD JERK TO THE SIDE WHERE THE BUMP WAS. *TR

WHILE UNDER MY DODGE I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF RUST. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I SAW THAT THEY DESIGNED THE AC CONDENSATION TO DRIP DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRAME. THIS BAFFLES ME SINCE ALL THEY HAD TOO DO IS DESIGN A TUBE TO DIRECT THE WATER ONTO THE GROUND. I AM NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THIS HAS EFFECTED THE STRENGTH OF THE FRAME BUT FROM THE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE SPOT WHERE THE WATER DRIPS I DON'T HAVE A WARM AND FUZZY THAT THE FRAME WILL LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR OR THAT THE FRAME WON'T JUST SNAP WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VERY UNSAFE PRACTICE AND WITH SUCH AN EASY FIX DON'T UNDERSTAND IT AT ALL. *TR

WOKE UP TO A FLAT TIRE. WHILE PLACING ON THE SPARE I REALIZED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DANGEROUSLY LOW ON EACH OF THEIR INNER TREAD. ALIGNMENT? MAYBE HOWEVER WAS ALIGNED 7 MONTHS AGO. TIRE TREAD IS WITHIN SAFE LIMITS ON THE OUTER SIDE. HAVE COMPLAINED FOR YEARS TO THE DEALER THAT THE SUSPENSION SQUEAKS AND WAS TOLD NEED NEW WHEEL BEARINGS, AT APPROX. 35,000 MILES. THE SUSPENSION HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ABOUT A YEAR AFTER WE BOUGHT IT. OF COURSE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY NOTHING WAS REPLACED OR FIXED. NOW OUT OF WARRANTY WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND FIX FOR WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH MONEY. MY COMPLAINT STEAMS FROM HAVING SUSPENSION ISSUES WITHIN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF OWNING THIS CAR. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? I HAVE SEEN MANY POSTS ON ONLINE FORUMS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT DODGE DOESN'T CARE OR WILLING TO FIX THEIR MISTAKE? WHILE WE HAVE DRIVEN IT TO OVER 100,000 MILES THE SUSPENSION ISSUES HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND NO DEALER EVER FIXED ANYTHING? NO RECALL? IT NOW IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WILL COST US AN ARM AND LEG TO FIX WHATEVER DODGE DIDN'T CARE TO PUT RESEARCH INTO BUILDING PROPERLY THE FIRST TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED HER THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

WHILE BACKING FROM DRIVEWAY ONTO STREET, THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DROPPED WITH A POP NOISE, STOPPING THE CAR. THE CAR REQUIRED A LOT OF ENGINE POWER TO MOVE. LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND OBSERVED A PORTION OF THE COIL SPRING PRESSING HARD AGAINST/INTO THE TIRE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. MANAGER INFORMED ME THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY OEM PARTS FROM DODGE OR ANY AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENTS. WHEN HE CONTACTED AFTER MARKET SUPPLIERS, HE WAS TOLD IT IS TOO SOON FOR THIS PART TO NEED REPLACED AND SUPPLIERS WERE NOT YET MANUFACTURING AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT PARTS. WAITED OVER 2 WEEKS FOR DODGE TO SUPPLY PARTS. THANK GOD THE COIL SPRING DID NOT BREAK WHILE MOVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY! IT SURELY WOULD HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! THE MANAGER SAYS HE HAS BEEN SEEING A HIGH INCIDENCE OF THIS TYPE OF PREMATURE FAILURE AND WOULD EXPECT DODGE TO ISSUE A RECALL SOON DUE TO THE OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. EVIDENTLY, THERE IS AN ABNORMALLY HIGH DEMAND FOR THE REPLACEMENT SPRINGS WHICH IS PROBABLY THE REASON FOR THE LACK OF AVAILABLE PARTS. THE SUPPLY IS BEING CONSTANTLY DEPLETED BY BREAKDOWNS. I WOULD GUESS MANY ACCIDENTS ARE BEING CAUSED BY THIS COIL SPRING FAILURE AND GO UNDOCUMENTED AS THE CAUSE BECAUSE THE COIL SPRING DAMAGE IS ASSUMED TO BE A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT AND NOT THE CAUSE! AFTER ALL, HOW OFTEN IS THE COIL SPRING GOING TO FAIL WHILE THE CAR IS SITTING STILL VS WHILE DRIVING?? I URGENTLY REQUEST YOU TO HASTEN YOUR INVESTIGATION OF THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR

I CALLED DODGE CHRYSLER ABOUT THE FACT THAT MY CAR NEEDS: 2 REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS, 2 LATERAL LINKS, STRUTS, BELLOWS, 2 SWAY BAR LINKS,BUSHINGS AND 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENTS. NOT TO MENTION THE ABNORMAL WEAR I'VE HAD ON THESE TIRES, WHERE, CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS HAVE TOLD ME YOU CAN'T DO WHEEL ALIGNMENTS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR. IT NEEDS 1700.00 WORTH OF REPAIRS. THE CAR IS NOT THAT OLD BUT I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD NEED THIS MUCH REPAIR. I UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T GET PARTS FOR THIS CAR. NO RECALL? THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER OF THESE CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

CAR IS HARD TO START CRANKS VERY SLOW AND THERE IS A TAPPING SOUND LIKE A BAD LIFTER UPON STARTING BUT GOES AWAY WHEN THE CAR WARMS UP. THE WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALIGNMENT WAS WAY OFF AND TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED. BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A HOLLOW NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER JACKING THE CAR UP TO CHECK THAT SOUND OUT THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WOULD NOT COME OFF THE GROUND. AFTER REPLACING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS AND NEW TIRES THE CAR NOW SHAKES AND VIBRATES IN THE FRONT END. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE REPAIR CENTER FOR 10 DAYS ON AND OFF. THIS LAST TIME IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 6 DAYS AND COUNTING. THESE VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND TAKEN OFF THE ROAD PERMANENTLY. THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND HOLD THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THERE IS A FATALITY! ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN NOW! *TR

WELL, I HAVE A FEW COMPLAINTS WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE SAME CONTROL ARM ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TWICE(ONCE AT 55,000 AND AGAIN AT 80,000) AND HAVE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE 2009. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES ABOUT MY DRIVER'S SEAT BELT COMING UNDONE WHILE BOTH HANDS ARE ON THE WHEEL DRIVING. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT PARKWAY TOLD ME I WASN'T HOOKING IT IN CORRECTLY BUT BEING 26 YEARS OF AGE AND ALWAYS USING A SEAT BELT I WONDER IF I HAVE BEEN DOING IT WRONG ALL ALONG AND IF I WAS, WOULDN'T THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN EVERY TIME I HOOKED THE BELT INSTEAD OF AT RANDOM? YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY GET SUED FROM SOMEONE DYING FROM IT UNHOOKING WHILE IN AN ACCIDENT. MY LATEST PROBLEM IS WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, I WAS HEADED TO A FRIENDS HOUSE WITH THE WINDOWS HALF UP AND WHEN I WENT TO PUT THE WINDOWS ALL THE WAY UP, IT WOULDN'T GO, IT WENT DOWN, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE BUTTON DID NOT WORK EITHER, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAD TO PARK IN THE PARKING GARAGE AND TAPE MY WINDOW WHEN I GOT HOME TO LEAVE IT PARKED IN THE STREET BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE STREET PARKING. THANK YOU DODGE FOR MAKING ME WITH I WOULD HAVE STUCK WITH GM. *TR