2009 Dodge Caliber

THIS CAR ATTEMPTED TO KILL ME TWICE. FIRST THE SUBFRAME ROTTED OUT DUE TO BAD DESIGN. WE NOTICED THIS AS THE STRUTS WERE BEING REPLACED - ALSO BECAUSE OF BAD DESIGN. THIS WAS NOTICED IN 2014 (ON A 2009 VEHICLE!) COST ME OVER $1,000 TO FIX - DODGE OFFERED NO HELP AT ALL. LATER IN 2014 - THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE ARM SEPARATED FROM WHEEL, CAUSING WHEEL TO POP OFF. IF I WAS GOING ANY FASTER THAN THE 10 MPH I WAS GOING (HEADED TO HIGHWAY!), I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. AGAIN CONTACTED DODGE AND NO ASSISTANCE. THEY RECALLED THE 2007 BUT NOT THIS MODEL YEAR FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PICTURES ATTACHED. I HOPE SOMEONE HOLDS THIS COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE! CARS SHOULD NOT COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR IN YEAR 5!!!

CUSTOMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR PA STATE INSPECTION. AND FRONT CROSS-MEMBER IS RUSTED OUT AND WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. THERE IS 101,000 MILES ON IT, AND NO OTHER RUST ON THE VEHICLE. CUSTOMER THINKS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD COVER 2007 - 2009 VEHICLES, BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM ON ALL THESE MODELS. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. A YEAR AGO, THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A WEEK AGO AND A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WAS PREMATURELY RUSTED EXTENSIVELY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE MORE THAN THREE TIMES, BUT PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. ..UPDATED 11/21/16 *BF *TR

SUMMARY: THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC THINKING THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. MECHANIC STATES THE THE FLUID NEDEDED CHANGED AND FOUND A FRONT CROSSMEMBER OF THE SUBFRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED APART NEXT TO THE SWAY BAR. THE 2007 MODEL HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS GIVEN TO EXTEND IT 10 YEARS WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CROSSMEMBER, BUT THEY HAVE YET TO DO THIS WITH THE 2009 MODEL. OBVIOUSLY, THE ISSUE HAS CONTINUED WITH SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS AND IS ABSOLUTELY UNREASONABLE TO THINK A VEHICLE THAT IS 7 YEARS OLD WITH NO OTHER RUST, SHOULD HAVE SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE.

MY SON WAS DRIVING THIS CAR TO WORK NOTICED A SEVERE CHANGE TO THE STEERING. IT CAUSE HIM TO VEER INTO THE OTHER LANE AND LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ONTO WORK AND CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER DRIVING JUST 10 FEET IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS UN-DRIVABLE AND UNSAFE. AFTER CALLING THE TOWING SERVICE THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CALL DODGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL SINCE THEY HAD ALREADY TOWED OTHER DODGES OF SIMILAR YEARS WITH A RUSTED/ BROKEN SUB FRAMES. CALL LOCAL DEALER WITH THE VIN AND ASK TO IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS FOR A BROKEN SUB FRAME. THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL AND DID NOT OFFER TO MAKE A REPAIR EVEN AT MY COST. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SERVICE CENTER WHO HAD SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE ON OTHER DODGES AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE REPAIR. AFTER $600 FOR THE PART AND $600 FOR LABOR THE REPAIR WAS MADE ON A CAR WITH 89,000 MILES. WHILE THE CAR WAS GETTING REPAIRED I WAS ABLE TO TELL A CO-WORKER ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE ON HER 2007 CALIBER WHICH I DISCOVERED WHILE RESEARCHING. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET HERS REPAIRED WITH NO CHARGE. CONTACTED DODGE AND SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AT THIS POINT. THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS PROBLEM SO I GUESS THAT MEANS DODGE STANDS FOR DODGE RESPONSIBILITY AT THE COST OF THE CONSUMER. I NOT BE PURCHASING ANY MOPAR PRODUCTS IN THE FUTURE.

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC THINKING THERE WAS A BRAKE ISSUE AS THERE WAS A CLUNKING AND SHAKING WHILE BRAKING AND TURNING. MECHANIC STATES THE BRAKES ARE FINE AND FOUND A FRONT CROSSMEMBER OF THE SUBFRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED APART NEXT TO THE SWAY BAR. THE 2007 MODEL HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS GIVEN TO EXTEND IT 10 YEARS WITH UNLIMITED MILEAGE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CROSSMEMBER, BUT THEY HAVE YET TO DO THIS WITH THE 2009 MODEL. OBVIOUSLY, THE ISSUE HAS CONTINUED WITH SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS AND IS ABSOLUTELY UNREASONABLE TO THINK A VEHICLE THAT IS 7 YEARS OLD WITH NO OTHER RUST, SHOULD HAVE SUCH A SERIOUS ISSUE.

UPON INSPECTION OF MY 2009 DODGE CALIBER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER IS ALMOST COMPLETELY CORRODED OUT.WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 55 MPH THERE IS VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY HUSBAND CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS YEAR IS NOT RECALLED SO BASICALLY THERE'S NOTHING THEY'RE WILLING TO DO. IF THE 2007 WAS RECALLED AND THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY IS MY 2009 CROSS MEMBER RUSTED OUT? BECAUSE THE SAME PARTS WERE USED AND DEALERSHIPS NEVER WARNED CUSTOMERS THAT THIS WAS A HUGE AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES. WHAT HAPPENED TO SATISFIED CUSTOMERS??? I'M LIVID ABOUT THIS. 8 MONTHS AGO BEFORE MY VEHICLE HAD 50X MILES ON IT, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. AND THIS CAR ISN'T A PIECE OF CRAP RIGHT? MADE IN CHINA?? I CAN'T BELIEVE THE HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT CHRYSLER UTILIZES. SO ARE THEY WAITING FOR A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT THAT KILLS SOMEBODY BEFORE THEY ARE WILING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE TOLD WHEN WE CALLED THAT "THERE'S NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT WOULD WARRANT A RECALL." REALLY???? SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE IS I'M GOING TO CONTACT MY ATTORNEY AND CONTACT THE LOCAL NEWS. I AM DEFINITELY NOT THE 1ST PERSON WITH THIS SAME ISSUE AND SAFETY DEFECT. CHRYSLER WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX YOUR PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES BEFORE THEY TAKE THE LIFE OF INNOCENT PEOPLE??? I'M DISGUSTED BEYOND BELIEF!! CAN YOU TELL???