2007 Dodge Caliber

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OUR CAR REPAIR TECHS THAT BOTH OF OUR TIE RODS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR HAVE GONE BAD. THE CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 ON IT, THE FIRST WENT BAD AT ABOUT 65K AND HAD THAT REPLACED. THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND WOULD LIKE THIS MATTER LOOKED INTO. I DID MORE RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THAT YEAR AND MODEL. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS OF DIFFERENT MAKES AND NEVER HAD A ISSUE LIKE THIS, NOT NORMAL AT ALL!

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 DODGE CALIBER IN APRIL 07. TODAY, WHILE REPLACING THE TIRES FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS HAD FAILED. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE THE FRONT WHEELS TO FALL OFF OR CREATE A SITUATION OF UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING. THE TIRE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN NUMEROUS CASES OF THIS WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF CAR. LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND BALL JOINTS ARE NOT NORMAL WEAR ITEMS, THEY ARE STEERING COMPONENTS THAT SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN A SET OF TIRES. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET BY GOOGLING DODGE CALIBER + BALL JOINTS, I FOUND MANY OTHER CALIBER OWNERS HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. DODGE HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VERY UNSAFE ISSUE. TOYOTA WAS SUBJECTED TO GOVERNMENT HEARINGS, MADE MAJOR NEWS HEADLINES AND FINED HEAVILY DUE TO THROTTLE STICKING. DRIVERS HAD THE ABILITY TO REACT BY PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL OR SHUTTING OFF THE CAR BUT WITH THIS STEERING ISSUE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO STEER THE AUTOMOBILE AT ALL. MY RESEARCH SHOWS CHRYSLER HAS MADE NO ATTEMPT TO FIX THIS ISSUE, RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS YOU CAN ONLY GET REPLACEMENT PARTS ONLY FROM AN AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER DEALER AND WHEN YOU PAY CHRYSLER TO FIX IT, THEY ARE USING THE SAME REPLACEMENT PARTS THAT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE CAR MUST BE JACKED UP AND TIRES REMOVED TO EVALUATE THE BALL JOINTS. THE BALL JOINTS FAIL SO BADLY IT DESTROYS THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS THEY ARE MOUNTED IN. THIS CANNOT BE CHECKED ANY OTHER WAY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY AND EVERYONE ON THE ROAD WITH THOUSANDS OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. THESE ARE ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME. THERE MUST BE A RECALL ON THE UNSAFE STEERING ISSUE.

I WAS STOPPED AT RED LIGHT,I WAS REAR ENDED AT APROX.45MPH BY SUV. THE CAR STARTED IN FIRE AT REAR OF CAR,FLAMES TOUCHED TO OF CAR INSIDE OF CAR. AFTER EMPTYING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER,FIRE RESTARTED 5 MORE TIMES,EACH TIME USING ANOTHER EXTINGUISHER,FIREMAN FINALLY FLOODED CAR TO STOP THE FIRE...JUST WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN? THE MUFFLER AND GAS TANK AREVERY CLOSE,AND WERE TOUCHING AFTER IMPACT.. *TR

SAFETY RECALL K11 ON MY DODGE CALIBER. I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE OVER A WEEK AGO, MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS AM 7/6/10 AT 10:30 AM AND DELIVERED THE CAR TO TACOMA DODGE IN TACOMA, WA. I ARRIVED EARLY AND CHECKED IN. 45 MINUTES AFTER MY SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT THEY STILL HAD NOT STARTED WORK ON MY CAR. THE RECALL LETTER SAID 30 MINUTES TO COMPLETE THE WORK. I WAS NOT APPRAISED THAT THEY WANTED TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE AT THEIR LEISURE. OTHER DODGE DEALERS IN PIERCE AND THURSTON COUNTIES HAVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE SERVICE IN THE PAST AS TACOMA DODGE WAS NOT AN "APPROVED" DEALER IN GM'S RE-ORGANIZATION AND I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR THERE BEFORE THE RESTRUCTURE. I HAD APPOINTMENTS AND NEEDED MY VEHICLE BACK. IT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR

COPY OF COMPLAINT LETTER ATTACHED: OCTOBER 25, 2006 DAIMLER CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION CUSTOMER CENTER PO BOX 21-8004 AUBURN HILLS, MI 48321-8004, PURCHASE DATE: MARCH 25, 2006, DEALERSHIP NAME: MANASSAS DODGE KIA SUBARU TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: AFTER CONSULTING WITH MY ATTORNEY, MR. THOMAS F. HENNESSY OF VIENNA, VA, I WAS ADVISED TO MAKE ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE MY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2007 DODGE CALIBER BEFORE TAKING LEGAL ACTION. AS OF TODAY MY CAR HAS BEEN SEEN BY DODGE DEALERSHIPS SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED REPAIR ORDERS). THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS A BAD VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL ONCE I HAVE REACHED 60 MILES AN HOUR AND ABOVE. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS 90% OF THE TIME WHEN DRIVING. I VIEW THIS AS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT OR AT THE LEAST A SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD IT WAS REPAIRED OR THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER HAD A CAR PERFORM THIS POORLY. I KEPT BRINGING THIS CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND STILL FEEL THIS WAY. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SLEEK STYLING AND PERFORMANCE QUALITIES. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. I AM NOW REQUESTING THAT YOU GET VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE THE TIME OR THE PATIENCE TO DEAL WITH THIS ANY LONGER. I EXPECT TO HAVE A RESPONSE FROM YOU WITHIN TEN DAYS OF YOUR RECEIVING THIS LETTER. *JB