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2008 Dodge Caliber

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Caliber years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Dodge Caliber are substantially higher than the model-year median of 165.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

294 reports with mileage · 66 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Suspension. Review the 113 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 87 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

21 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports

Structure complaints

87 reports
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127,000 miles · May 13, 2016
Structure

THE ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED OUT, WILL NOT PASS NYS SAFETY INSPECTION. I BELIEVE THE 2008 CALIBER SHOULD HAVE THE SAME BULLETIN AS THE 2007'S, #10055914.

NHTSA ODI #10864856

130,000 miles · May 4, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10863165

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2016
StructureSuspension

2008 DODGE CALIBER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REPAIR WORK NECESSARY TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. CONSUMER STATES REPAIRS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER PREVIOUS YEAR MODEL VEHICLE RECALL NOTICE. *SMD ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE FRONT CRADLE WAS RUSTED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10852652

113,000 miles · Mar 8, 2016
Structure

WHILE DRIVING CAR I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM BENEATH THE CAR. I LOOKED UNDER CAR AND SAW THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE CONNECTION OF THE SWAY BAR HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CROSS MEMBER BEING IN A SEVERE STATE OF RUST AND CORROSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVI…

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WHILE DRIVING CAR I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM BENEATH THE CAR. I LOOKED UNDER CAR AND SAW THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE CONNECTION OF THE SWAY BAR HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CROSS MEMBER BEING IN A SEVERE STATE OF RUST AND CORROSION. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPT. VERIFIED THE RUSTED CROSS MEMBER AND RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI #10845623

180,000 miles · Feb 16, 2016
SteeringStructureSuspension

ROTTEN SUBFRAME - MY CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AND MY TIRE/WHEEL WENT SIDEWAYS CAUSING ME TO SCREECH TO A STOP, LUCKILY I WAS COMING TO A STOP ANYWAY BUT IT EASILY COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT A HIGH SPEED AND KILLED MYSELF AND OTHERS

NHTSA ODI #10836379

89,000 miles · Jan 15, 2016
StructureCrash

MY CAR IS 8 YEARS OLD UNDER 90,000 MILES AND HAS SERIOUS AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE SUBFRAME (K FRAME) AND DAMAGE THAT IS MAKING THE CAR DEEMED UNSAFE. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED SEEING HOW THE 07 MODELS ARE IN THE SAME DEFECT AND HAS A RECALL

NHTSA ODI #10820562

100,000 miles · Oct 28, 2015
SteeringStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY EX…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THERE WAS A SLIGHT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE REAR CROSS MEMBER ASSEMBLY EXHIBITED RUST CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10786800

Mileage unknown · Oct 20, 2015
Structure

FRONT SUBFRAME ROTTED, HAS HOLES BIG ENOUGH TO STICK YOUR HAND IN. UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CHRYSLER RECALLED THE 2007 MODEL, NOT THE 2008.

NHTSA ODI #10783692

107,000 miles · Aug 17, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA ODI #10749270

51,000 miles · Aug 7, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A HOLE HAD DEVELOPED IN THE FRAME UNDER THE VEHICLE DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE K MEMBER FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A HOLE HAD DEVELOPED IN THE FRAME UNDER THE VEHICLE DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE K MEMBER FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

NHTSA ODI #10747023

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.