2008 Dodge Caliber

TOOK OUR DODGE CALIBER 2008 (MANUFACTURER DATE: 11/2007) TO A MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS THOUGHT TO BE STRUTS AND WAS TOLD THE FRONT CRADLE WAS RUSTED OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED TO CONTINUE ANY SAFE DRIVING. THIS WAS A 2007 RECALL BUT WAS NEVER INCLUDED IN ANY TITLED 2008 CARS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED IN 2007. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND SEEMS TO BE REPORTED MORE OFTEN NOW AT THE 10 YEAR MARK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT A TRADITIONAL PROBLEM ON MOST VEHICLES AND SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RECALLED, BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT COST ON THIS IS IN THE THOUSANDS AND IT IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD.

I DO NOT LIVE IN A SALT STATE. I OWN A 2008 CALIBER SINCE 2012 AND IT HAS A BADLY RUSTED OUT FRONT FRAME/CRADLE ASSEMBLY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CHRYSLER ONLY REPLACES THIS PART UNDER A WARRANTY IN SALT STATES, NE IS NOT ONE OF THOSE STATES. THIS CAR HAS NO RUST ON THE BODY, HAS BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND I KEEP IT IN THE GARAGE WHEN NOT DRIVING IT. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, FIRESTONE DID A COMPREHENSIVE AUTO INSPECTION ON IT IN APRIL 2017, AND DID $1900 WORTH OF FRONT AND REAR END SUSPENSION WORK MAKING IT A SAFE CAR FOR ME TO GIVE TO MY 16 Y/O GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO'S BEEN DRIVING IT SINCE THEN DAILY WITH HER FRIENDS IN THE CAR. NEVER DID FIRESTONE MENTION THE RUSTED OUT CRADLE ASSEMBLY. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS MAKING STRANGE NOISES, I STOPPED AT LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP ON 7/28, AND AS SOON AS HE LIFTED THE CAR UP HE IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE DAMAGE, TOOK PICTURES AND ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY 0 RECALLS ON THE 2008 DODGE CALIBER 2.0. HOWEVER, A SIMPLE YOUTUBE SEARCH WILL BRING UP COMMON ISSUES WITH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, WHICH CAUSE EXTREME TIRE WEAR AND EVEN SEVERE PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITH VERY LITTLE CONTROL. THE ANTI-LOCK BREAKING SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE THROTTLE BODY ARE HUGE ISSUES AS WELL. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T A YOUTUBE SEARCH THAT BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION BUT INSTEAD DRIVING ONE AND LOOKING INTO IT. TO MY SURPRISE THERE ARE ZERO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE.

I DID SOME WORK ON THE FRONT END, I REPLACED TIEROD END AND BALL JOINTS,ALSO PUT NEW TIRES ON THE CAR. I WAS SCHEDULING AN ALIGNMENT WHEN THE FRONT WOULD MAKE A POP SOUND AND A SLIGHT SNAP WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO THE LEFT. I LOOKED TO SEE WHAT THE MATTER WAS AND THE SUB FRAME WAS CRACKED AND RUSTED...I WASH THE CAR 2 A MONTH ESPECIALLY IN WINTER. THE SUB FRAME ALSO CONNECTS THE SWAYBAR, STRUTS AND IT CANT GET ALIGNED DUE TO THE BROKEN FRAME.. ALL TOO PREMATURELY.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MAKING A RIGHTHAND TURN, I HEARD A LOUD POP THEN THE CAR STARTED PULLING HARD TO THE RIGHT. I HAD TO DECREASE MY SPEED TO 25 MPH DUE TO THE SEVERE PULLING. HAD DAD LOOK AT CAR AND FOUND THE SUB FRAME WAS CRACKED IN HALF ON DRIVERS SIDE. THE CAR HAS NOT MOVED AT ALL SINCE THAT WAS FOUND. MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IS OFTEN IN THIS VEHICLE!