2008 Dodge Caliber

2008 DODGE CALIBER STEERING WHEEL ISSUE. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME MY DODGE CALIBER SRT4 STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND MOVES FORWARD AND BACK CALLED THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS ABOUT A HALF INCH PLAY IN IT. *TR

WENT SHOPPING CAME OUT FROM SHOPPING MY CAR LEFT ME STRANDED HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR OVER 3 HOURS THEY HAD TO SENT IT TO A DODGE DEALER THEY SAID THE ISSUE WAS FROM A STATIC LOCK WHICH CASED MY MODULE TO HAVE TO BE REST BUT THEN THEY TOLD ME IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I JUST NEED TO UNPLUG THE POSITIVE CABLE TO THE BATTERY AND IT SHOULD WORK WHICH IT DOES BUT THEY SAID THEY HAD TO RESET MY KEY TO IT SO I WAS CHARGED FOR THEM TO DO NOTHING AND THE CAR IS STILL NOT FIXED IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON JANUARY 7 2011 AND SO I CALLED THE DEALER I BOUGHT IF FROM AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IN AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT SOME COMPONENTS AND INSTALL A GROUND WIRE WELL I DID THAT BUT THEN THE THEY TOLD ME THE CAR COULDN'T BE WORKING SO IN OTHER WORDS THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM I BOUGHT IT FROM JERRERY KIA I NEED A RELIABLE CAR TO DRIVE AND I DON'T HAVE ONE AND I TOO WILL NEVER BUY A DODGE AGAIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINTS WERE CONTINUOUSLY FAILING AND BEING REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE BULK OF THE STRESS WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,358 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,990. UPDATED 03/16/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED AND THE CONTROL ARM WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES.

2008 DODGE CALIBER - CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR $700 IN REPAIRS. THEY STATE THAT THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY AND SUDDENLY BOGG DOWN UPON NORMAL ACCELERATION--VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC-- AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE EITHER MOMENTARILY OR FLASH. IT WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 10 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET HAS REVEALED MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. DODGE TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CLAIMING IT NOT TO BE A COVERED PART OF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WHEN QUESTIONED, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WHEN CARBON BEGINS TO FORM THAT "APPARENTLY THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE THROTTLE BODY UNIT CARBS UP". I ASKED, "DO YOU MEAN NORMAL CARBON FORMATION THAT HAPPENS IN ALL ENGINES." THE RESPONSE WAS, YES AND THAT THEY RECOMMEND A "CARB CLEANOUT" EVERY 30,000 MILES (MINE IS AT 53,000). I THEN ASKED (KNOWING THE ANSWER) IF THAT WAS MAINTENANCE THAT WAS INCLUDED WITH OTHER MAINTENANCE IN THE MANUAL. OF COURSE, THE REPLY WAS "NO". THIS FAILURE, WHEN IT HAPPENS, PRESENTS AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT ONLY HAD TO PUT ME IN A BAD PREDICAMENT ONCE BEFORE I HEADED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MERE FACT THAT THE DEALERSHIP SEEMED TO BE AWARE OF THIS EXCESSIVE CARBON PROBLEM MAKES ME FEEL THAT THEY DO, INDEED, HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS ISSUE. I HAVE READ COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. ONE UNFORTUNATE MAN WAS HIT BY A GASOLINE TRUCK WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT MORE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW TO COME HERE AND FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT RATHER THAN POSTING ON BLOGS TO TRY TO HELP OTHERS. I IMPLORE WHOMEVER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

FRONT LEFT TIRE PRESSURE DROPPED TO 25 PSI IN EARLY DECEMBER 2010. CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH FACTORY TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WHICH PROVIDES NUMERIC PRESSURE FOR ALL 4 TIRES PLUS AN AMBER WARNING LIGHT IF PRESSURE DROPS BELOW SAFE LEVELS. ASSUMED PRESSURE DROP WAS DUE TO LOW AIR TEMPERATURE - APPROX. 20 DEGF. ADDED AIR TO ALL 4 TIRES THE NEXT DAY, FRONT LEFT WAS FOUND TO BE 25 PSI CONFIRMED WITH A HAND-HELD MECHANICAL GAUGE, REMAINING 3 TIRES WERE 30-31 PSI. FILLED ALL TIRES TO 32-33 PSI (FACTORY PLACARD SPECIFIES 32 PSI COLD) OVER THE COURSE OF 2 DAYS THE FRONT LEFT TIRE PRESSURE AGAIN DROPPED. TPM SHOWED 28 PSI AT FRONT LEFT TIRE, 32-33 PSI IN REMAINING TIRES. REFILLED FRONT LEFT TO 34 PSI. REMOVED FRONT LEFT TIRE AND INSPECTED FOR LEAKS USING SOAPY WATER. NO LEAKS FOUND. REINSTALLED FRONT LEFT TIRE. OVER 2 WEEKS, PRESSURE DROPPED TO LOW 20'S PSI ON FRONT LEFT TIRE. REFILLED TO 34-35 PSI EACH TIME. AFTER THE FINAL REFILL, PRESSURE DROPPED TO 19 PSI OVER A 12 HOUR PERIOD. DROVE CAR TO SERVICE STATION AND VALVE STEM SNAPPED NEAR THE BASE OF THE THREADS WHILE ADDING AIR. RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE TIRE DEFLATION. CENTER CHECK VALVE CAME OUT WITH IT. WILL RETAIN ALL PIECES FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST, PLUS PLASTIC VALVE STEM CAP. ALL PARTS ARE OEM. VALVE STEM IS PART OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SENSOR ASSEMBLY WHICH IS A COMMON PART FOR MOST JEEP DODGE CHRYSLER VEHICLES. HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME FAILURE. SUSPECTED ROOT CAUSE WAS USING METALLIC VALVE CAPS THAT COULD CAUSE CORROSION, HOWEVER, SUSPECT VALVE CAP ON MY CAR IS PLASTIC AS SHIPPED FROM THE FACTORY. *TR

COMPLAINED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TO THE STONE MOUNTAIN DODGE DEALER THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY FUEL GAUGE. IT DOES NOT KEEP AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF THE FUEL IN MY FUEL TANK. UPON FILLING UP MY CAR ON FULL WITH FUEL, IT WOULD GIVE AN INACCURATE READING RIGHT AWAY. AS SOON AS I DROVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. I EXPLAINED THIS TO THE DEALER ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PART THAT MY CAR NEEDED, AND IT WAS ON ORDER AND WOULD BE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WOULD WAIT A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND RETURN TO THE DEALER, AND AT THAT TIME I WAS TOLD THE SAME STORY AGAIN, THAT THIS PART WOULD BE ORDERED, BUT NOW, THEY COULD NOT FIND A MANUFACTURER TO GET THE PART FROM, BUT THAT CORPORATE KNEW ABOUT THIS. ON VARIOUS VISITS TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS NEVER A RESOLUTION, AND FINALLY I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THEIR CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. UPON CONTACT TO THEIR CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE, I WAS OFFERED A DEAL FOR DODGE TO PAY TWO OF MY CAR NOTES, AND I HAD 30 DAYS TO ACCEPT. I DID NOT ACCEPT THAT OFFER BECAUSE THAT MEANT THAT THERE WAS STILL NO RESOLUTION IN FIXING MY CAR. WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR, IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES ON MY CAR, AND I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AND LOOKED AT BY THEIR MECHANICS, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE BEFORE DRIVING IT OFF THE LOT. TWO TO THREE MONTHS LATER IS WHEN I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM, AND I FEEL THAT THE DODGE DEALER LIED TO ME WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE, AND LATER AGAIN, WHEN I WAS TOLD ON A CONSISTENT BASIS THAT A PART WAS COMING IN AND MY CAR WOULD BE FIXED. I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS FAIR TO ME AS A CONSUMER THAT I AM LITERALLY PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TRUE. I HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN LIED TO BY THEIR SERVICE PEOPLE, AND STILL NO RESOLUTION TO EITHER FIX MY CAR, OR TO EVEN GIVE ME ANOTHER CAR FOR THE SAME VALUE OF WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR. UPDATED 01/21/11