Dodge Caliber Engine Problems

caliberchic · April 2007

Don't you know everything you read online is false and suspicious!? :mad: I have heard that many times before. We have no reason to come here and make fake complaints about our vehicles. I know you're not crazy, my car does the SAME thing. As I said earlier, it stalled while in Neutral at least 5 times while sitting at Taco Bell! :sick:

lillmcgee · June 2007

So i bought my caliber in feb and the engine light just popped up today and i cant figure out what is wrong with it has this happened to any of you? I checked all the fluids and i cant find anything wrong with it...

bigtsr · June 2007

Make sure the gas cap is on tightly,at least
2 or 3 clicks and watch when you start your Caliber
depressing any of the lock/unlock buttons on the key
as you turn the key does wierd things with engine light
also.

hez1972 · August 2007

Not sure if you are still checking back on this issue, but the samething just happened to me again tonight, only car would not start at all. I could not get it going and had to have it towed to the dealership. It looks to me like it is something with the computer or electrical system, after 2 hours of trying to get the car started, the dashboard was like a fireworks display with all the different lights going on and off. I will let you know what the dealership says to me when they call with the bottom line. :sick:

bigtsr · August 2007

In looking at several different Caliber forums
there have been similar occurences reported,not
many but a few.
The reported causes in the few I have read have
always come back to either a poor connection at
a battery post or a fuse in the power distribution
module left side under the hood regarding a poorly
seated fuse.
Might be something to look at.
One instance of a fuel pump having to be replaced
due to erratic behavior.

blue07caliber7 · October 2007

I also have a caliber that i have had since july 06. The past 8 months with that car has been hell. I have had it at the dealership numerous times for stallling, sputtering, no get up and go and bad gas mileage. Finally they told me, and fixed, it was the cam shaft position and supposedly they fixed it. The car has been getting bad again. I dont get to go when I step on the gas and then it will jerk foward. I am so afraid that i am going to get hit or injured in that car. I will never ever ever buy another Dodge ANYTHING!!! also my flash light has never worked and I have had it replaced. any one else with flash light problems?

fborn · October 2007

I have the same problem, Just started this morning.My wife informed me when she was going to work.tried to recalibrate the gas cap which if not properly installed will cause the light to come on.then you could try to turn the ignition in the on position without cranking the engine, the light is suppose to blink after 15 secs and than stay on until the engine is started. But this also failed.So i'll have to have it serviced

dpat_1999 · October 2007

Ok, it's a no brainer that a car that stalls is a deathtrap waiting to happen. I purchased this car in December of '06. On Oct. 22nd '07 I experienced my second incidence of it stalling for no rhyme or reason. At this time I am scared Sh@t less to drive it. By the way, it has less than 4,000 miles on it. Each time this has occured it has been while I was making a left hand turn. Out of the blue the car simply goes dead. Your pressing the gas pedal and nothing is happenning. Now your in a fight to get the car out of the road b-4 someone rear ends you from behind. This is difficult to do with NO power steering, No running engine, and most crucial other vehicles on the road right behind you expecting you to still be moving forward to.

By the way, as soon as you get to a position of safety you are able to restart the engine right back up and you can proceed on your way. By this time I am wishing I was a drinker and could take the tension off or at the very least could get access to a shower to tend to my soiled clothing!!

It's as if the car had not missed a beat. Threre are no strange lights on the dashboard before or after the incident. Worst of all, it happens so sporactically I have not been able to have it demonstrate itself at the Dealership. However, as you can tell I will be paying the Dealership another visit expeditiously. If anyone has any info that could help me in communicating this issue to the tech at dealership I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanx, feeling like I have a :lemon:

bigtsr · October 2007

I have seen several reports of stalling when turning
however no poster has ever come back to say if it
was fixed or what fixed it.
I think personally it has to do with the clockspring
mechanism in the steering wheel as it seems that all
the posts I have read say hard turns to the left.
The clockspring is not what its name implies but
a cable assy that allows the different electrical
assys in/or mounted on the steering system to keep
continuous connection while the steering wheel
goes from lock to lock.
Possibly has an effect on the ignition also,
I had one replaced on my 98 Caravan because it was
installed improperly and when turning right it would
turn off the cruise control and Chrysler did a recall
for the problem.
Just my .02!

gone24now · October 2007

My car was stalling, and when I took it in the 3rd time, apparently I wasn't sooo crazy after all. They wouldn't even let me drive it off the lot and held the car for 10 days for parts to come in. Gas was leaking out and that would explain for the smoke THAT I HAD TOLD THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!! VERY VERY DANGEROUS! I could have went up in flames!

wheelman · November 2007

Did the Caliber knock during your test drive? If yes,then the engine timing/ fuel injection mapping software was incorrect from the factory. Possible Remedy: Engine knock may also be caused by diluted or contaminated fuel. Try purchasing the recommend octane from other gasoline stations in your area.

The Wheelman

steve9633 · December 2007

I bought my dodge caliber in june 07, it has 15000 miles one it and already i have had engine problems such as the engine light coming on and the car stalling for no reason at all, in cold weather I am lucky to get 12 miles per gallon. It has more squeaks and rattles than my old 1995 chrysler intrepid with 240000 miles, these cars are very cheaply made. DODGE CALIBERS ARE LEMONS !!!!!!! Plus they have poor suspension the struts are wore out already, dealer replacing them under warranty. ">

bigtsr · December 2007

Yes certainly sounds like a lemon-I guess I am lucky as I have
been driving my SXT 2.0/CVT for 1yr-6 months and the
only thing it has had are free oil changes and a software update
at my request.
I consistently get25-28 mpg US with all city driving so I
guess I lucked out.

greenfox1 · January 2008

The 1.8 and 2.0 engines are trash.

I test drove a 1.8L, 2.0L and a 2.4L and the 2.4T before buying a 2.4T (SRT4). The 1.8 and 2.0 engines sound loose and unrefined; they are American designed and built and seem to be of exceptionally poor quality.

HOWEVER, the 2.4L "World Engine" (used by several other car makers) is a very nice engine. I would recommend the 2.4L CVT front drive as a best pick for something that gets good MPG, has lots of interior room and surprising power (173 HP). The Jeep Compass uses the same engine and chassis with minor changes to suspension to make it sit higher off the ground and thus more Jeep-ish. The drop in fuel economy and Dodges indication that this vehicle is NOT an off road vehicle make the AWD system practical for driving in snow/ice/rain/severe conditions.

The SRT-4 (also the 2.4L engine) with front drive gets about 24-25MPG during mixed driving (aprox. after 1000mil of use) and runs 0-60 around the 5.8sec mark (Mopar's low 6's estimate is quite high). But this is probably not something for the wife or reckless teenager, as 50% throttle through 4th gear will let you easily arrive at 120mph if you are not cautious. Torque is abundant and the 155mph top speed is reached in 5th gear with unnerving ease before the fuel control system steps in. I would suspect the unlimited top speed to be something around in the high 160s or low 170s primarily limited by aerodynamic drag due to the 5 door body style. The hood scoop, front air dam, and larger wheels also give a more appealing appearance the somewhat bulky looking 5 door design.

ticleve2 · January 2008

Do you own an SRT4? I've had one on order for several weeks. Seems to be delayed by the sound system I selected. Seems odd. I've done inventory searches on 40 Dodge Dealers and I can't find an SRT4 anywhere. Some don't even list the SRT4 model. What am I getting into?

jirwin · February 2008

The 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 are all World Engines...

but we can keep that on the DL if buying an "american" motor is too much for you to handle.

Size is basically the only difference.

steve9633 · February 2008

I have a 2007 caliber and i had the same problemb it would not warm up in cold temperatures i had the dealer replace the thermostat and i have no problembs now

pyrodruidess · March 2008

I was curious if any of the problems with the knocking, thermostat, and stalling were associated with the 2008 model Caliber SE or SXT?

Robin

ticleve2 · March 2008

I'd like to find out. I've had a 2008 SRT4 on order since Nov. 5th 2007. I think 4 months is long enough to wait for a "sold-car order". Hopefully these problems will be worked out on the turbo-engine model.

caliberchic · March 2008

I hope those problems were fixed too. I know the 2007's had problems.

bigtsr · March 2008

I don't know where you are located or what customization you ordered
on your CSRT4 but there are many on the road already in southern
Ontario and in eastern US,several local dealers have them sitting on
their lots.
Other than the traditional problems that come up with the tuners or modders
4 things stand out in all problem posts I have read on CSRT4 those are:

1-Dealers failing to remove shipping spacers on front struts during prep.
2-Fuel injector failure throwing CEL code(usually traced to a single injector).
3-Poor connection of oil lines at turbo(minor leak).
4-Intercooler hose clamp loose or rubbing on coolant hose (tsb issued).

bigtsr · March 2008

I realize caliberchic you did not have a great experience with your Calibers
but you have to admit in general of the 190,000 or so Calibers sold the only ones
you see generally posting are those who are looking for help or answers
to what they interpet as a problem.
There are lemons in every carline and unfortunately they get bought many times
by people who just want good transportation without problems but as a whole
are ignorant of how's,why's and general responsibilities that come with car
ownership.
First model year buyers are particularly prone to developmental blues
and hopefully car makers learn and make things better than the previous
model or take proper care of the previous buyers.
I personally have not had a problem with my 07 Caliber built June 06
and have only had a software update at my request and free oil changes,
there are many Calibers now hitting the 50,000 mile mark so time will
tell if problems outweigh the fun I have driving my "not so cute Caliber".

ticleve2 · March 2008

The one option I ordered that apparently held up the order was the 13 speaker, kick [non-permissible content removed] sound system. You wouldn't have thought that would have stumped them. I've done inventory searches on many Dodge dealers and I do find them on the lot but none with the sound system ordered. I now have a tentative ship date of 03/12 but the order hasn't gone to the KZ build code yet. I think it's better to have a car built on Monday than Friday anyway. I hope I haven't made a mistake by ordering this car but it has to be better than the 2007 Jeep Wrangler I have now. What a piece of crap this thing is.

bigtsr · March 2008

I would say March12 will be a good date because if you can go
by posts on another forum several people have picked up their
CSRT4s with the Kicker sound system installed,my only comment
is that I expected the woofer to be built into sidewall but they stuck
it in the cargo area up against the back of the seats.

caliberchic · March 2008

I totally agree and that is why I only comment on MY Calibers and never say ALL Calibers have problems, are junk or whatever.

The nature of an auto forum causes this trend, 9 times out of 10 members are here posting questions/complaining about problems. Rarely is it just to speak positively about their vehicle. Those people are out having fun driving!

ticleve2 · March 2008

Can you tell me what other forum you've been on where I can read additional SRT4 comments? Thanks

bigtsr · March 2008

There is a lot of CSRT4 activity on both caliberforums.com and calibersrt4.net.

ramhicks · April 2008

I have an 08 dodge caliber 1.8 liter 5 speed manul transmission. My car is already in the shop getting the tranny worked on!! i think it is the syncronizers. It seems to me the transmission was made really cheap. Anyone have any problems with the 5 speed?

caliberchic · May 2008

Yup I did and I traded it in when I got sick of the issues. Sorry to say it, I liked the looks of the car but really looking back that's the only good thing for me now.

cinglemom · May 2008

Has anyone contact Crysler and request that they buy back their car because the car is a lemon.

I purchase my car 10/31/2007 (mainly to have enough room to take care of my terminally ill mother - transporting her) and it's been in the shop 8 or 9 times; 5 times for the same problem. I've complainted and written Crysler. It's been a week and I have not heard from them. I request they buy back my car because not only does the engine still rattle after they put in new (don't know what it's called) braces to hold the engine... the engine is straining like it's out of oil, when i make a turn it sounds like there's no power steering fluid in the car, it has a high pitch sound that mimicks a lawn mower from a far, the sqeaking of the seats, the tapping noise from the passenger side of the vehicle (must I go on). I once loved this car but now I get headaches just thinking about all the things going wrong with it. Seems like the engine has shaken many parts loose in the front of the car. Before they changed the brackets to hold up the engine they could not figure out what was wrong with the car...so they started taking the car apart. I got a whole new exhaust system and they updated the software. Now my car does not start on the first ignition key turn. I have to turn it twice (the car is only 6 months old) and the automatic locking system...when i went to unlock the doors it sounded like irobot was in the door (it made this robotic loud sound). I'm just sick with this car but I know if I trade it in to get another car I will loose because of the depreciation on it. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? I'm feeling really hopeless now. :lemon: :sick:

:confuse:

ticleve2 · May 2008

I finally did get my SRT4 the lst day of March. The car is great, fun to drive, lots of power, great handling. The one thing this car needs is paddle shifters on the steering wheel. This car has so much torque steer you get pretty busy when going through the gears with the turbo kicked in and trying to steer with one hand. Other than that I love it.

habalanche · May 2008

Check your state's Lemon law.NJ has a pretty good one.My neighbor had a Chrysler Town & Country minivan and after using the lemon law Chrysler did in fact buy the car back.

cinglemom · May 2008

Thanks for responding. I live in Virginia and I did check the lemon law.
This is from the VA Dept. of Motor Vehicle.

What's the Lemon Law?
If your new vehicle is a lemon, Virginia's Lemon Law requires the manufacturer of the car to refund your money or replace the vehicle.

How do I know if my vehicle's a lemon?
If you have tried unsuccessfully to have your new vehicle (purchased in Virginia) repaired three or more times for the same problem, or the vehicle has been out of service for more than thirty days in one year, your vehicle may be classified as a lemon under the Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act.
If you think your vehicle is a lemon, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs before filing a claim under this Act. All claims must be filed within 18 months following the date you first received the vehicle.

I'm hoping they will honor and do what's right. Thanks for the little glimmer of hope.

habalanche · May 2008

Let us know the outcome.Good luck

cinglemom · May 2008

Do you happen to know how long it took for them to buy back his van?

habalanche · May 2008

Not sure and he no longer lives nearby,but I believe they only had it for about a year.

cinglemom · June 2008

:sick: :lemon:
I'm having some major issue still. I thought about trading my caliber in but I'm worried about the cost. I'm upside down and really can't afford to have extra money tagged on to the carnote on the other car. Any suggestions?

cinglemom · June 2008

I HAD a 2007 Dodge Caliber (10/31/2007 - 06/17/2008) I had so many issues from whistling, stalling, studdering, engine rattles, engine straining, ticking. I wrote several certified letters to DiamlerChrysler & Dodge they never contacted me or reponded to my letters. I'M TIRED OF DEALING WITH COMPANIES THAT DON'T SEE ME AS A REAL PERSON. I traded my car in yesterday for a Honda CRV... WONDERFUL. I got the LX 2wd. I don't need more than that. Since the Caliber did not hold it's value (smile), I ended up being $11k upside down. I didn't care. I was almost in tears at the Honda dealer... I told them I REALLY needed to get out of the car (if i told them the whole story they wouldn't have let me trade my car in). They were understanding and did what they could to get me into a new crv. I feel your pain but consider this... LIFE IT TOO SHORT; I want to enjoy this so called life I have now instead of fighting car dealers, car repair shops about that crappy car. I wish you well and I hope your a strong person.

nikitalouise · July 2008

I had the flash update done by the dealer on 7/1/08 for my '08. It has not helped the knocking problem at all. I have another appointment to bring the car in next week. WA State Lemon Law only requires me to bring the car in 4 times before requesting a buyout or replacement from Dodge. I will only be giving them those 4 required tries.

Question... Has anyone had a problem with teh gas guage being inaccurate? I get home from work and the guage says 1/2 a tank. Whe I wake up in the morning, I show 3/4 of a tank. The dealer says that they cannot find an explanation for the problem.

duartem · July 2008

have an 08 dodge caliber with 5 speed manual transmission. My car only has 15,000 km and I also have problems with the transmission aswell. In the morning, when I start the car after 2-3 minutes the transmission makes a rattling sound. When I press the clutch pedal the noise dissapears (when I release the clutch, the noise returns.)
I took the car to the dealership and they called an engineer. He told me "ALL" calibers make this noise, some more then others. So I told him if crysler are still making brand new cars with a rattling noise in the transmission next time I will buy another brand name. Crysler and the dealership are still refusing to fix my transmission :sick:

cinglemom · July 2008

Nikitalouise,
Let me tell you that Dodge does not honor their Lemon Law. They have basically told me that i will have to go thru another channel in order to get reimbursed for my suffering and the money i'm out of because i had to trade my car in. I'm still going thru changes with them. I had to sell my 2007 Caliber for a 2008 Honda CRV. I am out of $8-9K. (see my last post). Randy Reid, Dodge Rep. told me that he would have reimbursed me my lost monies if i purchase another Dodge vehicle and not from the competitor. I told him I only purchase a safer car and it should not make a difference.
Anyhow, he/they basically blamed me for not taking my car to another dealership and having them see if they can fix my problems. I told him that they kept telling me to bring the car back and to trust them... SO I TRUSTED THEM... which was the biggest mistake of my life. Plus, the lemon law states if they can not fix your problem, the same problem, after three times it is technically a lemon and Dodge should replace your car or buy your car back. They denied me on bother claims. While the Zone Rep., Randy Reid, went on vacation, he had no on taking his place so my file sat on his desk for over a month, i was trusting the service mgr, at Dodge, an brought back my car back to them so they could fix it.
I personally think for the people that are having issues/problems and actually started /initiated the 'LEMON LAW" process agains Dodge... we should all pull together and sue them for the time spent, monies we are out of and for the suffering we, as their "so called" customers, have been thru. Please contact me if you would like to talk on this matter.
As for the Dealer, you might want to take your car to another dealer to be fixed. Be careful, they may not take your warranty and will charge you for service and parts for your car. I had that also told to me by another dealer. :lemon:

sirenmedea · July 2008

I bought my 07 Caliber in October of 07, it had 11k miles on it. At first I thought the reason I stalled it alot was because of a shorter clutch and being used to my chevy it would just take time to adjust to. Now though after driving it for 9 months at an average of 400 miles a week and reaching the 30k mile mark I think I know how to drive it! And it still stalls! Sitting at a light waiting ..stalls, low speeds stalls( thankfully I know how to roll start the clutch so I can recover fairly quickly on those) Has anyone heard yet on if Dodge is going to recognise this as a continuing problem? :confuse:

duartem · July 2008

My car had the stalling problem aswell. I took the car to the dealer, and they fixed it. The problem was on the computer which has to be reprogramed again. That was my solution to the stalling. From Canada .

lexan1965 · October 2008

I've had my Caliber SXT w the CVT for almost 3 years now and 76K miles later. The car is still fun to drive and the CVT is awesome and smooth. I have had a small issue with the engine almost stalling at a red light though. I believe the idle may need adjusted a bit. That is the only complaint I have going on 76K miles. :shades:

justmelee · October 2008

I have a 2007 Dodge Caliber Automatic and I have the same problem. I'll be at a red light and it will turn green and I'll hit the gas and nothing it will feel like it's going to die but then a second or two later it will go. It also tends to sputter at stops. This doesnt just happen when I'm stopped, at times while driving I'll gas it but the engine just sputters and nothing happens. My car's never actually stalled out and died but if this problem happens at the wrong place and time, like when I'm making a left turn with oncoming traffic coming at me and I'm gasing it but my car wont moving there coud be serious problems!!!! I'm worried

My car only came with a 30,000 mile warranty and I just passed the 30,000 mile mark so now I feel screwed.My mechanic cant find the problem and the dealer's no help. If anyone has had this problem and knows how to fix it PLEASE email me.

Oh and we live in Miami Florida by the way so we know it's not a cold engine problem.

sammdwich@aol.com

cinglemom · October 2008

Hi - I'm going to let you and everyone that has a Dodge Caliber. This car is not worth giving up your life for. If you read many of my post I have had the same issues with the Dodge Caliber I had for only 8 months. That car was in the shop starting with the first week i had it. Eight months of pure hell. Dodge/Chrysler/Diamler will not give you the time of day. They will send a rep to see you and you will still have problems 'cause the head mechanic will say that they have fixed your problem. I requested a buyout and even a trade for another Dodge. They did not comply. I traded in my car for a Honda... I'm driving safely now. I say all of us that are having/had problems with our Calibers stand together and sue that blood sucking company. I ate so much money trading it in... I can't stand it. But at least I can drive with easy and assurance that me and my family are safe (as far as the car not killing us).

galvarez · October 2008

Hi, I am new to this forum. I purchased my Caliber 2 years ago an 07' model back in April of 2006, they had just come out with it. Only six months after the purchase of my new vehicle I encountered a problem with the AC. Luckily at the time the car was still covered under warranty, otherwise I would have ended up paying $700 for the part they had to replace. The cooler in the glove compartment has never worked properly and the worst of all my problems was the transmission. I have automatic and only a 1 1/2 of owning this vehicle, there was a very suspicious moaning in the engine. The dealer said the transmission was beyond repair and needed to be replaced all together. Once again I was fortunate to still be under the warranty and therefore did not have to pay for the repairs. shortly after that I tried to trade in the car and discovered just how much CRAP DODGE vehicles are worth. I couldn't even trade in for a NISSAN SENTRA because I was so much upside down that my payments would have been over $500 on a SENTRA!!!!!! Now there is a warning light and I need to take it back to the dealer to get it looked into; only now my warranty has expired and I will be responsible for the repairs!!! I HATE DODGE!!!

galvarez · October 2008

Oh yeah did I forget to mention the fact that I have had to replace the brakes on this car after every 15,000 miles!!! I am a 29 year old female with a 3 year and 1 year old boys. I am not a race car driver so I will not accept anyone telling me that it is the way I drive. Not to mention that this is not my first vehicle. I have never experienced having to replace the brakes on any of my previously owned vehicles with this frequency, but then again the two other cars I have owned in my lifetime were TOYOTA!!!!

cinglemom · October 2008

I only got 13k for my Dodge Caliber and the car was only 8 months and had 11k miles on it. I pay $560 montly for my Honda CRV. Eventhought that payment had made my budget very tight ... I'm happy driving it. I would rather be in a comfortable, reliable car than a car I'm afraid of driving. It might be worth it to trade the car in eventhough your payment is high. Sometimes it's worth peace of mind.

lexan1965 · December 2008

Little known to Caliber owners there is a technical bulletin out on this issue. The service dept. guy told me that if I had under 80K miles and if the car was manufactured before a certain date they would do it for free. Well, they did it for free! He said they would program the computer module and this would address the almost stalling problem and also had something to do with the emissions control. So far I've had no issues with the stalling thing happening again. If you have over the 80K miles you have to pay close to 100 bucks to have it done. It amazes me that Dodge never brought this to our attention. I read about it on another site and went into the dealership to have it done just in time. Good luck!

Dodge Caliber Engine Problems

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