IllustrationBALL JOINT SEPARATION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. *TR
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Caliber years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
240–25K
4325–50K
5850–75K
5575–100K
83100–150K
31150K+
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
Suspension complaints
113 reportsHAVE ISSUES WITH BOTH FRONT STRUTS, BOTH BALL JOINTS, AND BOTH INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS. WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN FEEL SHAKING AND VIBRATIONS. ALSO STEERING IS STARTING TO BECOME BAD BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS AND SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR
FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY AND OUTER TIE ROD VERY BAD AFFECTING STEERING AND HANDLING. SHIMMIES ON THE HIGHWAY, COULD BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. MECHANIC RECOMMENDS A TRIP TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY SINCE I DID BUY EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR
FAILURE OF BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS. CAUSED PULLING WHILE DRIVE AND TURNING. *TR
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN TO APPROACH THE ENTRANCE OF THE EXRESSWAY, THE CAR STARTING SWERVING AND SCREECHING AND DURING MY MANUVERING AND ENGAGING OF THE BRAKES, IT CAME TO A HOLT. THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE HAD SNAPPED AND THE TIRE WAS SIDE-WAYS. I HAD TO GET THE …
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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN TO APPROACH THE ENTRANCE OF THE EXRESSWAY, THE CAR STARTING SWERVING AND SCREECHING AND DURING MY MANUVERING AND ENGAGING OF THE BRAKES, IT CAME TO A HOLT. THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE AXLE HAD SNAPPED AND THE TIRE WAS SIDE-WAYS. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT IN ALL HIS YEARS IN HIS PROFESSION HE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE AXLE WHICH IS MADE OF STEEL WAS BROKEN IN HALF. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANUVER IT WITHOUT CRASHING INTO SOMETHING, IT WAS QUITE A SCARY EXPERIENCE. IF I WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS OCCURRENCE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY INCIDENT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR, PLEASE REFER TO MY OTHER SUBMISSIONS FOR THIS CAR. *TR
AT 41000 MILES, OUR 4 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, SHOULD NOT HAVE NEEDED NEW BALL JOINTS. RESEARCH TELLS ME DODGE HAS BEEN VERY AWARE OF A PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT HAVE NOT DONE ANY TYPE OF A RECALL. ALL I CAN SAY IS THANK GOD WE FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE WE WENT TO THE MOUNTAINS. *TR
THE BALL JOINTS HAVE PREMATURELY WORN OUT ON OUR 2008 DODGE CALIBER. AT 40,000 MILES I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE TIE ROD ENDS AND THE BRAKE PADS. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE REAR TIE ROD AND STRUT HAVING DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE IGNITION ALSO FAILED AND COULD NOT BE TURNED. THE REAR TIE ROD STRUT AND IGNITION …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE REAR TIE ROD AND STRUT HAVING DEFECTIVE MATERIAL. THE IGNITION ALSO FAILED AND COULD NOT BE TURNED. THE REAR TIE ROD STRUT AND IGNITION WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED EXHIBITING A NOISE FROM THE REAR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,176.
BOTH FRONT AND REAR SUSPENSION-STRUTS/SHOCKS LEAKING AND BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED-MECHANIC STATED THEY HAVE REPLACED SO MANY SUSPENSIONS ON THESE VEHICLES, THEY CANT KEEP PARTS INSTOCK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE TIRES WERE BEING ROTATED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT STEEL WAS SHOWING THROUGH BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THE FAILURE TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, WHICH HAS FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE W…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE TIRES WERE BEING ROTATED BY A PRIVATE MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT STEEL WAS SHOWING THROUGH BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THE FAILURE TO THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, WHICH HAS FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.