← New search

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 →

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

What owners actually said

360 reports
40,000 miles · Dec 6, 2010
Unknown Or Other

WHEN TURNING OVER THE KEY TO START THE VEHICLE, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. TURNING BACK THE KEY AND TRYING AGAIN WOULD TYPICALLY RESULT IN THE CAR STARTING. AFTER 2-3 MONTHS OF THIS INTERMITTENT BEHAVIOR, THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO ACT AS IF THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION AFTER IT WAS REMOVED (IT WOULD DING WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND N…

Read full complaint

WHEN TURNING OVER THE KEY TO START THE VEHICLE, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. TURNING BACK THE KEY AND TRYING AGAIN WOULD TYPICALLY RESULT IN THE CAR STARTING. AFTER 2-3 MONTHS OF THIS INTERMITTENT BEHAVIOR, THE VEHICLE ALSO BEGAN TO ACT AS IF THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION AFTER IT WAS REMOVED (IT WOULD DING WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND NOT ALLOW ME TO LOCK MY DOORS).

NHTSA ODI #10370074

37,000 miles · Sep 2, 2010
Tires

TL. THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE AND A JACK. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE A SPARE AND JACK FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A FLAT TIRE AND THE CONTACT WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE CON…

Read full complaint

TL. THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE AND A JACK. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE A SPARE AND JACK FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A FLAT TIRE AND THE CONTACT WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED IF A SPARE TIRE WAS PROVIDED THE TIRE COULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED. IN THE EVENT OF A FLAT TIRE THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED A PUMP TO INFLATE THE TIRE BUT THE CONTACT STATED THE IT'S VERY DANGEROUS TO BE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE WITH VEHICLE PASSING BY AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE A SPARE TIRE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. JO

NHTSA ODI #10353529

33,000 miles · Jul 20, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DEGLAZED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. T…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A SQUEAKING SOUND IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKES WERE DEGLAZED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 39000.

NHTSA ODI #10344166

43,000 miles · May 10, 2010
Fuel System, Gasoline

08 DODGE CALIBER SE. JUST RIDING DOWN THE ROAD . FUEL THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR QUITS RUNNING WHILE YOUR DRIVING. I WAS ON INTERSTATE. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. CHRYSLER SAID IT COULD BE A FLUKE TO KEEP DRIVING IT. SOMEONE GOING TO GET HURT.. LUCKILY I WAS IN A LANE,WHERE I COULD JUST ROLL INTO EMERGENCY LA…

Read full complaint

08 DODGE CALIBER SE. JUST RIDING DOWN THE ROAD . FUEL THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR QUITS RUNNING WHILE YOUR DRIVING. I WAS ON INTERSTATE. HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. CHRYSLER SAID IT COULD BE A FLUKE TO KEEP DRIVING IT. SOMEONE GOING TO GET HURT.. LUCKILY I WAS IN A LANE,WHERE I COULD JUST ROLL INTO EMERGENCY LANE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10329523

53,000 miles · Apr 18, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

THE ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL) INDICATOR STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS AT 3 RPMS AND COULDN'T GO OVER 10MPH. IT ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY AT FIRST AND THEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT. I WAS GETTING ON THE ON RAMP OF A HIGHWAY WHEN IT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. LUCKIL…

Read full complaint

THE ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL) INDICATOR STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS AT 3 RPMS AND COULDN'T GO OVER 10MPH. IT ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY AT FIRST AND THEN IT BECAME MORE FREQUENT. I WAS GETTING ON THE ON RAMP OF A HIGHWAY WHEN IT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. LUCKILY THE CARS BEHIND HAD ENOUGH SHOULDER TO SWERVE AROUND ME PREVENTING A ACCIDENT. I COULDN'T START MY CAR RIGHT AWAY I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 3 MIN. AS SOON AS I RESTARTED IT EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES AND I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE REPLACED THE ETC CHIP AND THAT DIDN'T WORK SO HE REPLACED THE ETC BODY. THAT DIDN'T WORK EITHER SO HE SENT IT TO A DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE ETC...$900 LATER THAT PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE FINE. I FIND A CAR SHUTTING DOWN WHENEVER IT CHOOSES VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND SEEN MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. MOSTLY IN 07' MODELS BUT ALSO 08'S. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10326187

44,200 miles · Mar 18, 2010
Electrical System

HAD CAR IN PARK. STARTED VEHICLE AND STARTER KEPT TRYING TO TURN OVER. STOPPED CAR AND TOOK KEY OUT, STARTER KEPT GOING. STARTED CAR AGAIN AND DROVE 30 FEET WHILE STARTER IS TURNING OVER AND SMOKE WAS COMING INTO VEHICLE. VEHICLE THEN STOPPED AND ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR LANE MAIN ROA…

Read full complaint

HAD CAR IN PARK. STARTED VEHICLE AND STARTER KEPT TRYING TO TURN OVER. STOPPED CAR AND TOOK KEY OUT, STARTER KEPT GOING. STARTED CAR AGAIN AND DROVE 30 FEET WHILE STARTER IS TURNING OVER AND SMOKE WAS COMING INTO VEHICLE. VEHICLE THEN STOPPED AND ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE ENDED UP STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOUR LANE MAIN ROAD. LIGHTS WERE ON AND BATTERY WAS STILL WORKING. COULD NOT START CAR. POLICE WERE CALLED DUE TO VEHICLE BEING INOPERATIVE. TOWED TO DEALER, WHERE THEY RAN TESTS ON NEW STARTER AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. WAS TOLD ALL TESTS PASSED AND THE ORIGINAL WAS A BAD STARTER. ON MARCH 18, 2010 ENGINE WAS STARTING TO MAKE SIMILAR SOUNDS AND VEHICLE TRIED STARTING WITHOUT A KEY IN IGNITION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS, WAS TO PULL WIRE OFF THE BATTERY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10320806

3,000 miles · Mar 12, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED OCCASIONALLY THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO R…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED OCCASIONALLY THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE BRAKE PADS , FRONT AXLE, STRUTS, AND SHOCK ABSORBERS REPLACED. HOWEVER THE CONTACT IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AT 3000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 35600.

NHTSA ODI #10319337

35,222 miles · Jan 29, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT HIS DRIVEWAY IN SNOWY CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 3 MPH, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE IN THE SNOW AND CRASH INTO A VEHICLE IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONTA…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT HIS DRIVEWAY IN SNOWY CONDITIONS AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 3 MPH, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE IN THE SNOW AND CRASH INTO A VEHICLE IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS BY HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 35,222.

NHTSA ODI #10303250

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2010
Service Brakes, Electric

VEHICLE: DODGE CALIBER SXT MODEL 2008 ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 3RD I WAS RETURNING FROM MEXICO STATE TO PUEBLA AROUND 3 PM, USING THE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR, SIMILAR TO WHEN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM NEEDS CLEANING. ABOUT 2 KM PRIOR TO GETTING TO PUEBLA TOLL, THE BRAKES DID NOT ANSWERED A…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE: DODGE CALIBER SXT MODEL 2008 ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 3RD I WAS RETURNING FROM MEXICO STATE TO PUEBLA AROUND 3 PM, USING THE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR, SIMILAR TO WHEN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM NEEDS CLEANING. ABOUT 2 KM PRIOR TO GETTING TO PUEBLA TOLL, THE BRAKES DID NOT ANSWERED AT ALL, THE INSTRUMENT PANELS INDICATOR DID NOT SHOW ANY PROBLEM. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BY USING THE MOTOR (L), UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER AND STOP THE CAR COMPLETELY WITH THE HAND BRAKE. FORTUNATELY I HAD A GOOD SPACE WITH CARS PRECEDING AND AVOIDED ANY COLLISION BY ALSO USING THE ALERT LIGHTS. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AS THE MANUAL STATES, AND HAVE NEVER DETECTED ANY PROBLEM RELATED BEFORE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE FAIL WAS DUE TO A COMPUTER PROBLEM, AND THEY UPGRADED THE SOFTWARE TO A MORE RECENT VERSION, STATING THAT WILL AVOID THE PROBLEM. I ASKED IF THEY HAVE RECEIVED CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY CONFIRMED TO ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, BUT "NOT TOO MANY...". THEN CHECKING NHTSA WEBPAGE FOUND SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT DEALERSHIP NEVER REPORT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10298650

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2009
Exterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE TURN SIGNALS AND THE FOG LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SINCE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED A REMEDY WAS NOT PROVIDED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MIL…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE TURN SIGNALS AND THE FOG LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND SINCE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED A REMEDY WAS NOT PROVIDED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,591 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,501.

NHTSA ODI #10285965

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.