2007 Dodge Caliber Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I was informed on 09/29/2025 by my Chrysler dealer that a second critical component of my 2007 Caliber frame had rusted to the point that it broke. The first critical component was reported in my complaint tracking number 11459461 submitted on 04/03/2022. The component in that filing was the engine pan that supported the engine. On this latest failure, I was told the same thing by the shop manager: "If you hit a bump while driving this vehicle you could lose your back wheels". In the first incident, the engine could have fallen out of my vehicle. He was not going to let me drive it home. Then he changed his mind and told me it was "at my discretion". I did drive it home (4.5 miles) with no problem. He told me he was going to try and find a new or used part to fix the issue. He made it clear that he was not hopeful of finding one. This is twice now that my life and the lives of any drivers on the road at the same time were placed in danger from excessive rusting problems. I submitted files in the first incident showing that Chrysler was aware of the issue. A copy of the corporate service bulletin was attached. To my knowledge nothing was ever done. Is anything going to be done this time?

The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The message "Transmission Overheating" and the ABS warning light was illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle would not exceed 30 MPH while driving. The contact veered to the side of the road, where the vehicle remained. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 240,578.

The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and was able the restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 163,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING, THE VEHICLE CEASED AND FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

TRANSMISSION TEMP LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO FAULTY SENSOR CAUSING CAR TO GO IN LIMP MODE. *TR

WHEN EVER WE ARE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ARE 65 MPH THE TRANSMISSION TEMP LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR GOES LIMP AND WONT RUN NORMAL TILL IT COOLS DOWN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. ALSO, THE OUTPUT SHAFT SPEED SENSOR WAS DISCONNECTED. FLETCHER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (3099 N MORTON ST., FRANKLIN, IN, (317) 738-4170) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,772.

WONT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. WONT GO GO OVER 30 MPH SOMETIMES. NO POWER.

I HEARD A RUMBLING NOISE UNDER THE CAR TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE. TOLD ME MY WHOLE REAR END WAS RUSTED OUT AND I PAID $1600 FOR REPAIRS. NOW MY CAR MADE A NOISE WHILE MY TIRES WERE GOING TOOK IT SHOP THEY SAID SEE A DEALER ON THE WAY THERE MY CAR STOPPED GOING FORWARD. GOOD THING I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE SEMI SAFELY. BOTH PROBLEMS IN 3 MONTHS AND MY WARRANTY IS NO MORE ON MY TRANSMISSION.

"TAKATA RECALL" WHILE DRIVING THE 2007 DODGE CALIBER, IT SUDDENLY JERKS AND DOWN SHIFTS AND RPMS SEEM TO SKY ROCKET, THE LIGHTNING BOLT SYMBOL ILLUMINATES AND IT DROPS SPEED AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30 MPH MAX, IT TENDS TO DO THIS ON HILLS OR AFTER YOU HAVE TO BRAKE SLIGHTLY FOR ANY REASON AND THEN ACCELERATE AGAIN TO MAINTAIN SPEED OR TO GET UP A HILL. NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU TAKE IT EASY ON THE ACCELERATION OR HOW HARD YOU PUSH IT, IT DOESN'T HELP AFTER IT GOES INTO THIS SLOW MODE. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE NORMAL AGAIN IS TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, PUT IT IN PARK, TURN IT OFF AND THEN WAIT AND RESTART IT AGAIN, SOME TIMES IT HAS TAKEN UP TO 5 TIMES OR TRYING TO RESTART IT BEFORE IT FINALLY RESTARTS. THIS VEHICLE CARRIES CHILDREN IN IT EVERY DAY, AND IT HAS BECAME VERY UNSAFE TO OPERATE, HAVING A GREAT CHANCE OF BEING REARENDED OR HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE SIDE DUE TO LOSS OF POWER UNEXPECTEDLY

WHILE DRIVING AUTO STOPS BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE. HAVE TO COAST TO SIDE AND STOP. THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. USUALLY AFTER LITTLE WHILE CAN TURN BACK ON AND GO. I ALSO HAVE CHRYSLER SEBRING 2008 TJAT DOES SAME THING EVEN AFTER. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO DODGE SERVICE. READ WHERE THIS IS A BIV PROBLEM MA NY ARE HAVING BUT DODGE/CHRYSLER STILL DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR. DANGEROUS I WAS ON FREEWAY GOING 65 MP AND ALMOST HIT NY FOUR CARS. HAPPENS MORE AT FAST SPEEDS.

THE TRANSMISSION ON THE CALIBERS OVERHEAT. THIS CAUSES MECHANICAL PROBLEMS THAT COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS, INJURY OR DEATH.

CAR WON'T RUN FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR WITHOUT OVERHEATING TRANSMISSION OIL (TRANSMISSION LIGHT WENT ON). I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED A LACK OF SPEED. PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR DIDN'T HELP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SLOWLY, BUT SAFELY. THE CAR WENT TO A COMPLETE STOP. WAITED OVER AN HOUR FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. LATER I DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR, AND THE CAR STARTS NORMAL. WORST CAR I EVER BOUGHT. APPARENTLY NOT ALL DODGE CALIBER VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I CHECKED ON THE WEB AND IT IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH OTHER MODELS THAT SHARE THE SAME TRANSMISSION.

TAKATA RECALL- MY AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, ALSO I HAD TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE, IT WAS COMPLETELY FULL OF CORROSION. ALL OF THE FRONT AND BACK SUSPENTION HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALL CONTROL ARMS UPPER AND LOWER, STRUTS, THE WHOLE THING. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. I HAVE HAD THE SUSPENTION FIXED, AND THE ELECTRICAL REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. IT DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN ON HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN STOPPING, CAR STALLS OUT. THE ELECTRICAL MODULE WOULD NOT PUT OUT ENOUGH POWER TO RUN THE LIGHTS, WIPERS, FAN OR RADIO. THIS CAR IS A REAL PIECE OF CRAP, DODGE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR EVEN PUTTING IT ON THE MARKET. WE WANT ACTION, FOR WHAT WE PAID FOR THIS JUNK.

MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK IT TO ADVANCE AUTO AND IT POPPED CODES P2006, P1607, P0722, P0717. I CHANGED ALL CODES EXCEPT P1607 BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEAPER. THE PCM RUNS 299.00 OR MORE AND I CANNOT AFFORD THAT. MY VEHICLE BARELY MADE IT HOME, IT HAD VERY LITTLE POWER. AFTER CHANGING THE SENSORS, IT RUNS SMOOTH UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN GEAR, (SERVICE LIGHT STILL ON AND BLINKING) THEN IT SHAKES SO BAD AND HAS LIMP POWER. I CANNOT GET BACK TO ADVANCE TO RUN CODES AGAIN AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I NEED TO RE PROGRAM THE PCM? WHERE CAN I GET THIS DONE? THE NEAREST DODGE DEALER IS IN CROSSVILLE, TN, A 45 MINUTE DRIVE AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS THING. I SWEAR, I WISH I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT, WORST CAR EVER. PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS RUNNING RIGHT AGAIN, I AM STILL PAYING FOR IT. IT HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE MARCH 2016.

CAR GOES IN TO LIMP MODE DO TO TRANSMISSION OVER TEMP WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY

WHENEVER THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE IT BEGINS JERKING AND SHAKING. WON'T SHIFT PROPERLY. IT HAD DONE BEFORE, AFTER I HAD OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 4 YEARS. AT THAT TIME THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOW ANOTHER 4 YEARS LATER I AM GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED ANOTHER TRANSMISSION.

HIGHWAY DRIVING AT 55 MPH, TACHOMETER SUDDENLY WENT UP TO 4000 RPM AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP. NO REACTION FROM THE GEAR SELECTOR. NO MORE MOVEMENT FRONT OR BACK. CALL AAA AND TOW TO GARAGE. INFORMED THAT CVT TRANSMISSION WAS THE PROBLEM AND NO REPAIR WAS POSSIBLE. ONLY OPTION WAS A USED TRANSMISSION. CAR IS NOW AWAITING THAT REPAIR. ALSO SEEMS TO BE A GAS PEDAL ISSUE. NOT SURE AT THIS POINT AS VEHICLE IS UNOPPERABLE.

THE LIGHT OF TEMPERATURE FOR TRANSMISSION WENT ON AND THE CAR START RUNNING SLOWLY I STOPPED FOR 15 MINUTES AND THE CAR START RUNNING FINE BUT WHEN I TOOK THE HIGH FOR MORE THE 30 MINUTES DO THE SAME EVERY TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND THE LINN BOLT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL, THE POWER TRAIN ACTIVATOR, AND THE ACTUATOR CONTROL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,570.