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Problems with 07 Dodge Caliber SXT
pixiistixx
Member Posts: 4
Please let me know if anyone else is having this problem or what to do to fix the stupid thing...or rather, make the dealer fix it.
My first thought-throwout bearing...it's a manual(duh) but sometimes...and not all the time esp when i take it to the dealer....if i let the clutch out and let it sit in nutural it sounds like a dang john deer green tracter...it's SOOOO loud...people will actually look at the car and give me a dirty look like i'm a horrible driver...but when ever i bring it in they say that it wont do it....i had it at one dealership that put on almost 200 miles and told me that they couldn't make it duplicate...when i went up there on the weekend, when mind you, the service manager SAID he would be there, to go for a ride with me...he had gone home sick...WITHOUT a phone call or anything...that dealer ship is about 40mins away.....not happy...so we got up there and they had some kid go with us that it didn't even matter because he's just a monkey with his thumb up his...well you know what i mean....anyways...the kid said that he had heard the same thing that i was hearing and agreed that there was a problem...i found out after that he told the service manager another story...so the sound...is like this....when it does it mind you...it sounds like there's a marble inside a spray can and you shake it or when we were kids we put a deck card on the spoke of a bike and it would make that sound...anyways if you put your had on the LOWER bottom part of the tranny...right under the car you can actually feel it doing this...cute right? but you can also feel it in the engine and it tends to shake more then it should...
the dealership first told me that it was nutral gear rollover and it's normal there is nothing that they can do about it...then they told me that it was drive train making sounds...again normal. they had a chrysler guy come in to look at it but we couldn't meet him? we asked prolly 10 times why we couldn't talk to the chrysler rep about the car and to no ones surprise they wouldn't give us an answer....now the car started this rattle shaking sound (did i mention when it does this it shakes the whole damn car?!) it only had 1500 miles on it...it's up to 9400 now...still...wont stop and now it's interesting...i can let the clutch out not give it any gas and it will drive in first gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear...on it's own...
let me explain this one better.
1st gear i can let off the clutch not give it any gas and it will move on it's own...normal? yes. but not up a hill and doing 10-12mph on it's own...i've never had a manual do that!
2nd gear...i can shift into second from first(not using any gas AT ALL to get my mph and rpms up) and it will still cruise along at about 10-12mph on it's own...just kinda chills and bakes around...safety issue maybe??
oh did i forget to mention...yes i did...rpm's are constantly sitting at 750 rpm....maybe MAYBE once in awhile hitting 1,000rpm....when it drives...by itself...all alone...
3rd gear...it will buck a little if i attempt this without having more momentem going...but still i can let it go and it'll drive by itself....4th gears the same
i brought it to ANOTHER dodge dealership and they told me that this is normal for ALL manual transmissions....to drive on their own because the engine idle has to be up.....to MY understanding it's normal in first and reverse....but i have never ever heard of a manual doing it all the way to 4th gear. the clutch isn't sticking...all the other manuals that i have driven, if you are in first gear and let it go without giving it any gas...letting the clutch out so the car gets the idle up like you are supposed to...but forgetting about the big pedal...you know the one that FEEDS the car...anyways all the other manuals if at some point you didn't give them gas they would die...odd i say, yes.
then...i had to have the back driver side passenger window trim ordered and put in do to heat shrinking...in winter...in february...in minnesota...it heat shrunk...hm....pluss the back window (on the gate) the trim had to be redone there...and the monkey that ATTEMPTED to complete this simple..simple task that i honestly think a monkey could have done better....SUPER GLUED the window trim...(not a new window trim...the same one that was on)glued the left side corner that came off about 4 inches of trim....glued it back on.....SIDEWAYS...literally....the trim twisted so that the opening where it is supposed to be...yeah...totally open to water...plus he scratched it...they put a chip in the gate...which within oh i don't know 3 weeks had rust!...IN SUMMER....-sigh-....i have to have "strut caps" put on the back because when ever i hit a bump it squeaks like a mouse...the gate is sooooo lose i swear to *god* it's going to fall off...they attempted to tighten this to...with no luck..
now when i use the back windsheild sprayer...the front one looks like it's trying to pee...and squirts the windshield...my automatic locks....gave up...not sure why..not sure how..just...gave up
my aux cable plug in is lose...i can wiggle it with my fingernail...
everytime i bring it in the stupid monkies that work there...some how....forget to put the paper matts down and everything...my car looks like a grease bomb went off and i have to ASK them to frickin' clean it...okay...wait
let me explain how ANAL i am about this car...every 2500 miles...OIL CHANGE...and it only gets the mopar filter and yesssss, i know it can only have the 5w-20.
winter i'm slacking on the cleaning....badly...because it's tooo damn cold to sit out there....but durring summer...yeah we have our "bonding time"...she gets cleaned for 3 hours...each week top to bottom. EVERYTHING is removed. the back cargo area is scrubbed spotless...if for any reason my monster dogs somehow get mud into the car... every single cubic inch of that car is cleaned...if i can find one dog hair or cat hair or person hair....the duct tape comes out and i tape the whole inside of the car. it has never and will never be smoked in...i don't allow food into it...unless it is placed onto the floor matt (i keep a small rubber one in the back for fast food) because my finace wanted McD's and set it inbetween his lap in the bag...and low and behold i had a huge grease stain on my seat...which i finally got out.
there is a specific blanket that goes across the whole back inside of the car for the dogs to lay on...and if we get rain or hail? well hail...i will go sleep in the car in the car wash that's just up the street to keep it from getting dents.
it may not be that nice of a car to everyone else...but she's my baby and if i'm good to her...maybe one day...she'll return that favor...once the bugs get worked out....
now my question lol...has anyone had any of the problems that i'm facing?? with the engine/tranny/dealership....and if anyone is a mechanic..i'm not calling you a monkey...just the monkies that wor
My first thought-throwout bearing...it's a manual(duh) but sometimes...and not all the time esp when i take it to the dealer....if i let the clutch out and let it sit in nutural it sounds like a dang john deer green tracter...it's SOOOO loud...people will actually look at the car and give me a dirty look like i'm a horrible driver...but when ever i bring it in they say that it wont do it....i had it at one dealership that put on almost 200 miles and told me that they couldn't make it duplicate...when i went up there on the weekend, when mind you, the service manager SAID he would be there, to go for a ride with me...he had gone home sick...WITHOUT a phone call or anything...that dealer ship is about 40mins away.....not happy...so we got up there and they had some kid go with us that it didn't even matter because he's just a monkey with his thumb up his...well you know what i mean....anyways...the kid said that he had heard the same thing that i was hearing and agreed that there was a problem...i found out after that he told the service manager another story...so the sound...is like this....when it does it mind you...it sounds like there's a marble inside a spray can and you shake it or when we were kids we put a deck card on the spoke of a bike and it would make that sound...anyways if you put your had on the LOWER bottom part of the tranny...right under the car you can actually feel it doing this...cute right? but you can also feel it in the engine and it tends to shake more then it should...
the dealership first told me that it was nutral gear rollover and it's normal there is nothing that they can do about it...then they told me that it was drive train making sounds...again normal. they had a chrysler guy come in to look at it but we couldn't meet him? we asked prolly 10 times why we couldn't talk to the chrysler rep about the car and to no ones surprise they wouldn't give us an answer....now the car started this rattle shaking sound (did i mention when it does this it shakes the whole damn car?!) it only had 1500 miles on it...it's up to 9400 now...still...wont stop and now it's interesting...i can let the clutch out not give it any gas and it will drive in first gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear...on it's own...
let me explain this one better.
1st gear i can let off the clutch not give it any gas and it will move on it's own...normal? yes. but not up a hill and doing 10-12mph on it's own...i've never had a manual do that!
2nd gear...i can shift into second from first(not using any gas AT ALL to get my mph and rpms up) and it will still cruise along at about 10-12mph on it's own...just kinda chills and bakes around...safety issue maybe??
oh did i forget to mention...yes i did...rpm's are constantly sitting at 750 rpm....maybe MAYBE once in awhile hitting 1,000rpm....when it drives...by itself...all alone...
3rd gear...it will buck a little if i attempt this without having more momentem going...but still i can let it go and it'll drive by itself....4th gears the same
i brought it to ANOTHER dodge dealership and they told me that this is normal for ALL manual transmissions....to drive on their own because the engine idle has to be up.....to MY understanding it's normal in first and reverse....but i have never ever heard of a manual doing it all the way to 4th gear. the clutch isn't sticking...all the other manuals that i have driven, if you are in first gear and let it go without giving it any gas...letting the clutch out so the car gets the idle up like you are supposed to...but forgetting about the big pedal...you know the one that FEEDS the car...anyways all the other manuals if at some point you didn't give them gas they would die...odd i say, yes.
then...i had to have the back driver side passenger window trim ordered and put in do to heat shrinking...in winter...in february...in minnesota...it heat shrunk...hm....pluss the back window (on the gate) the trim had to be redone there...and the monkey that ATTEMPTED to complete this simple..simple task that i honestly think a monkey could have done better....SUPER GLUED the window trim...(not a new window trim...the same one that was on)glued the left side corner that came off about 4 inches of trim....glued it back on.....SIDEWAYS...literally....the trim twisted so that the opening where it is supposed to be...yeah...totally open to water...plus he scratched it...they put a chip in the gate...which within oh i don't know 3 weeks had rust!...IN SUMMER....-sigh-....i have to have "strut caps" put on the back because when ever i hit a bump it squeaks like a mouse...the gate is sooooo lose i swear to *god* it's going to fall off...they attempted to tighten this to...with no luck..
now when i use the back windsheild sprayer...the front one looks like it's trying to pee...and squirts the windshield...my automatic locks....gave up...not sure why..not sure how..just...gave up
my aux cable plug in is lose...i can wiggle it with my fingernail...
everytime i bring it in the stupid monkies that work there...some how....forget to put the paper matts down and everything...my car looks like a grease bomb went off and i have to ASK them to frickin' clean it...okay...wait
let me explain how ANAL i am about this car...every 2500 miles...OIL CHANGE...and it only gets the mopar filter and yesssss, i know it can only have the 5w-20.
winter i'm slacking on the cleaning....badly...because it's tooo damn cold to sit out there....but durring summer...yeah we have our "bonding time"...she gets cleaned for 3 hours...each week top to bottom. EVERYTHING is removed. the back cargo area is scrubbed spotless...if for any reason my monster dogs somehow get mud into the car... every single cubic inch of that car is cleaned...if i can find one dog hair or cat hair or person hair....the duct tape comes out and i tape the whole inside of the car. it has never and will never be smoked in...i don't allow food into it...unless it is placed onto the floor matt (i keep a small rubber one in the back for fast food) because my finace wanted McD's and set it inbetween his lap in the bag...and low and behold i had a huge grease stain on my seat...which i finally got out.
there is a specific blanket that goes across the whole back inside of the car for the dogs to lay on...and if we get rain or hail? well hail...i will go sleep in the car in the car wash that's just up the street to keep it from getting dents.
it may not be that nice of a car to everyone else...but she's my baby and if i'm good to her...maybe one day...she'll return that favor...once the bugs get worked out....
now my question lol...has anyone had any of the problems that i'm facing?? with the engine/tranny/dealership....and if anyone is a mechanic..i'm not calling you a monkey...just the monkies that wor
5
Comments
to say find another dealer not everyone is able to or has 20 dealers
within 40 minute drive.
As for messing up the trim or any repair first time is an accident
after that is incompetence.
Your noises from clutch have been noted by others and some
have had satisfactory resolution because they have found good
dealerships,follow the link to see one owners resolution with
the noisey clutch.
http://www.caliberforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=66717#post66717
Hope you get it resolved,I am at 22,000 km and no problems to date.
lol my loaner car is a chrysler pacifica...and let me tell you...i miss my gas mileage! i was getting like 26-28mpg city and almost 36hwy with the cali....this MONSTER car...lol it only gets like 18...but i love the awd...living in minnesota kinda makes awd a blessing...i guess you have to chose your poision....gas mileage...or awd? considering my drive to and from work is only like 20miles a day i guess gas mileage isn't that big of a deal ya know?
thank yo uagain, both, for being so helpful
Over the years I have bought many new cars and it is common for them
tto lose 2000-3000 dollars right of the lot and then the same in the first
full year after that.
If you paid $18,000.00 after a full year I can't see it being worth less than
$12,000.00 in a private sale unless it was abused or as it happens had
a bad service history.
Anyway good luck hope you resolve your problems.
www.lemonlawamerica.com
:mad:
to fall back on,however in many parts of the world there are no such procedures
as that set in place.
In Canada we have an arbitration process(which I have never used) that
supposedly is open for that purpose.
From: "Stephen Densmore"
To: noreply@edmunds.com
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 15:42:37 -0400
Subject: Re: [Edmunds.com Forums] New message in Problems with 07 Dodge Caliber Sxt
I am currently having the same problemb with my caliper. I took it to the dealer but they refuse to admit that there is a problem. the check engine light is coming on about once a week now and when it does the engine will not rev above 3500 rpms. I have taken it in 5 times now but the dealer which is Moffet Dodge Chrystler ,, in St Stephen N.B Canada only resets the computer but they will not tell me what the problem is . I think that the calibers are junk and chrystler is hoping that the engines and transmitions will last untill the warrenty expires then its not there problem i am certain that if there was no warranty that they would find the problem..I will never buy another chrystler as long as i live! Infact I am Comsidering geting 2 big magnets for the side of my car with the word "LEMONS" writen in bright yellow letters and advertise that for chrystler...
On Feb 7, 2008 2:16 PM, Edmunds.com Forums wrote:
i ended up geting -slaps forehead- a chrysler pacifica...but so far so got...i honestly LOVE this car...it's a little bit of a gas hog...but it's a lot bigger...and for the one little simple fact that i have two big dogs(german shepherd/wolf hybird and a pure bred husky) i needed something bigger than the caliber....a lot bigger...i'm made at myself for going with another chrysler car but so far so good...i've had it a month and nothing...the caliber was acting up at 1500miles...so it would have been about 2 months to 2 1/2 months old...the pacifica's an 06 too and it had less miles then my car did ! the lady that owned it was a doctor...she traded it for a 08 chevy equinox...not a big fan of them i drove the 05 or 06 equinox and hated it! water stained the seat....not a very nice car...the dash was really odd too..
hope you can find some luck with your cali...maybe you should dump it too like i did :P
good luck! i hope it gets better!
Took it to the dealer and they told me they "tightened up some loose bolts" Exactly a month later its back and worse. Monday they put it on the hoist and the mechanic told me they are replacing both axles! Figures its a cold issue....something to do with the grease not circulating in the CV joint....
Any Suggestions?
is 04801323AB and one place you can find it is here:
http://www.moparpartsamerica.com/partlocator/index.cfm?action=getJointLocator&si- teid=214583&chapter=§ionids=3,2413&groupid=2420&subgroupid=2420&make=8&model- =Caliber&year=2007&catalogid=2&displayCatalogid=0
I am not sure what to do about this.
I took my 07 caliber in for transmisison flush / fluid change. The dealer told me it was a sealed transmission, maintenance free. There was no fluid to change.
We drove the car all the way back home which was a 7 hr trip not knowing if we were going to make it, home without serious car trouble. The light came on a total of 3 times on the trip. My question to you is: Did you find out what was going on with your caliber,Transmission or Alternator? The rattling noise is quite irritating. We took it in to the dealer when we got back in town, they test drove it and told us they didn't hear the rattling sound or that the car wasn't idling. Don't know what to do.
My 07 seems to run just fine...really it's a nice drive and good on gas...except once a week or so... coming up to a light, about to stop, it will just stall. It will start back up no problem. I have noticed at times if I'm parked the idle will fluctuate a bit...it will drop and shudder like it's going to stall and then go back to normal, or even idle high.
I took it back to the dealer and there were no engine codes and they are still trying to figure out what it may be. I'm just wondering it anyone else who has this issue ever found a fix?
the car started rattleing and pinging. Well no one could figure it out 7 differint shops! well one day last week the noise really got to me so i thought i would try to figure it out my self so i went to the autopart store to buy a stefscope to listen to all the moving parts. after about 2 min.
i found out it was in fact the alternator i will replace it my self this weekend because it costs 900.00 and up for a repare shop to do it. i will keep u posted. ok so i replaced the alt. and now i have no prob. with the car what so ever. (do not buy a alt from the dealer) the alt. is a common prob. with the caliber buy a after market 115 amp alt. its been 5 months and i still have no noise works great!!!!! any more questions let me know
my headlights kept goin out they were replacing the light buld and it just kept goin out so i started checking it before bringing it in to dodge and here it wasnt burning out it was a wiring problem they said i was luckey the car didnt catch on fire cause the wires in the wire harness were all fried so they had to replace the whole harness so that was that fixed at the same time i was hoping it would fix the idle problem cause when i would stop it would idle up to around 3000 rpms than drop till the car would be litterly shaking but it didnt fix it than i brang it up to get it checked again when my engine light was on and they got a code for the computer and throtle so they fixed them parts and also had to replace my intake valves and the car is still noisy knocking and taping and have a leak in car the passinger side of car fills up with water about 2 3 inches deep and asked them to find the leak cause my underbody on that side is starting to rot out and they said it could cost about 1000.00 to just find the leak and if its a manafacturer body seam that is gone its not covered any water getting in aint covered under warrenty so that sucks big time i still owe 19.000.00 on loan so another 4 years i also had to replace the battery 3 times in the past year and a battery is 170.00 for this car but i never had anything but problems and my car is still doin the idle problem warrenty is up the march 23rd so another 2 weeks and all i can get for a trade in is 5.000.00 so not worth my while and we dont have the lemon law down here and to a full tank of gas which is 60.00 i only get about 350 km to a tank and thats mostley highway driving and i got the lightining bolt problem a couple times and they could still never figure it out but if anyone has any suggestions they can email me or post on here email is davidmacneil@hotmail.ca any suggestions ? and there is only 72000 km on car
i bought the car about a yr ago and it was used. car already had about 70k miles on it... now has 99k. the car ran perfectly fine when i first bought it and i have kept the minor tune ups goin since i have bought it. if i am driving at a steady speed for a few mins and then i try to accelerate, the car will jerk back and forth like the transmission is slipping or something. i havent taken it to the dealer because its out of warranty and i havent taken it to a shop because im scared of how much it might cost. if i am stopped at a stoplight for a few mins and then go to take off it does the same thing. it kind of shakes if i stay sitting with the car on and its in drive.
anyone have any ideas??