2008 Dodge Caliber Electrical System Problems

THE FRONT CALIPERS WILL NOT ENGAGE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THE BRAKE PEDAL SINKS TO THE FLOOR AND HAS NO STOPPING POWER. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND CALIPERS ARE NEW REPLACEMENTS. AFTER REPLACING THESE PARTS IT NOW SMELL OF BURNT BRAKE FLUID BUT THERE IS NO LEAK AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO WORSEN. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DOING 45-50 ON A COUNTY RD WHEN A ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT 20 FEET AWAY AND I WAS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN WHEN I LOST THE FRONT BRAKES AS PISHED IN ON THE PUSHED IN ON THE BRAKES THE PEDAL SANK AND THEY DIDN'T ENGAGE. I THEN BOUGHT THE NEW CALIPERS AND IT WAS FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THE SECOND TIME I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY CITY STREET WHEN THE ABS BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN ME RUNNING A RED LIGHT AND ALMOST GETTING HIT. IT HAS CORRODED AND TOOK HUNKS OFF ALUMINUM FROM MY FRONT DRIVER RIM. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM AND KEEP REPLACING PARTS FOR IT TO TEAR UP NEW ONES

LUCKILY, I WAS ON A CITY STREET. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY, ALMOST STOPPING COMPLETELY AND BEGAN TO REBOOT AS IF IT WERE JUST BEING STARTED. I AM COMPLAINING BECAUSE I DO NOT FEEL IT TO BE SAFE FOR CONSUMERS ON ANY ROAD. I HAVE A 3 YEAR OLD SON AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE DODGE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE MY, OR ANYONE ELSE'S FAMILY, GETS WHIPLASH FROM A REAR COLLISION. I'M REACHING OUT TO NHTSA BECAUSE, I LACK THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO FIX IT MYSELF, AND DON'T FIND IT FAIR THAT I PAY FOR A MISTAKE THAT DODGE MADE IN MAKING THE CAR. *TR

MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER STALLED OUT WHEN DRIVING & HAD THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY CONTROL LIGHTS GO OFF. ( WE TRADED INSTEAD OF FIXING) NOT 1 WEEK LATER MY 2014 DODGE AVENGER HAS THIS SAME ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY CONTROL AND STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY!!!!! THE SHOP THAT IS TRYING TO FIX THIS JUST HAS ANOTHER AVENGER FIXED FOR THE SAME ISSUE ! WHY HAVE THESE NOT BEEN RECALLED? IF SOMEONE GETS HURT STALLING OUT ON A HIGHWAY BECAUSE OF THIS, THERE IS GOING TO BE ISSUES.

THE CODE STATING A WIRE IS LOSE WITHIN THE DRIVER AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG LIGHT KEEP GOING ON AND OFF CONSISTENTLY WHILE DRIVING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE RADIO AND DOME LIGHT AUTOMATICALLY TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED EXTREMELY HARD FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP AND MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM GREENSBORO (3710 W WENDOVER AVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27407, (336) 790-9850), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

COMING HOME FROM A TRIP AND STOPPED TO PUT GAS IN AND IT WAS NIGHT TIME AND THE DASH LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES NOW. I DO NOT LIKE DRIVING HOME WITH A FLASHLIGHT. ALSO THE OTHER PROBLEM WE HAVE IS WE HAD. OUR OIL CHANGED AND WE'RE TOLD THAT THE FRONT SUBFRAME IS RUSTING OUT AND THE OIL PAN WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON

I HAVE REPORTED THIS BEFORE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE I HAVE A HAVE A 2008 DODGE CALIBER AND HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE ELECTRICAL THROTTLE THIS IS VERY SERIOUS FIR MY CAR HAVE TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THIS PART NEEDED TO BE RECALLED BEFORE I ALL SOME ONE ELSE GET KILLS OR GET BADLY HURT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART 3 TIMES AND I'M VERY TIRED OF THIS PLEASE FIND OUT WHY THIS PART GOES BAD SO FAST ON THESE CARS I HAVE READY PLENTY OF STORIES ABOUT THIS PART GOING OUT ON THESE DODGE CALIBERS AND STILL NO RECALLS DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOME ONE GETS HURTS AND PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER BECAUSE ITS SERIOUS WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC AND I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO Y'ALL ATTENTION DO SOMETHING BEFORE ITS TO LATE AND THIS IS MY SECOND DODGE CALIBER AND HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE AND MY CAR WAS IN MOTION IT HAPPENED ALL 3 TIMES

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND THE TACH STOPS REGISTERING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF IT WOULDN'T RESTART. AFTER AWHILE IT RESTARTED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINING LIT. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC HE SAYS THE FUSE MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

MY CAR WAS CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WITH THAT THE STEERING WOULD LOCK WITH NO WAY TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER TRAFFIC BUT WOULD START BACK UP A MINUTE LATER. THIS WENT ON FOR A FEW DAYS. THEN IT CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WOULDN'T RESTART. GOT TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED IT WAS THE TIPM.

MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER PASSENGER HEAD LIGHT ONLY WORKS ON "HIGH BEAM" WHILE BOTH STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. REPLACING THE BULB DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. IT IS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE TIPM BOX. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION EVEN IN THE NEWS MORE THAN ONCE. (HTTP://WWW.ABC15.COM/NEWS/LET-JOE-KNOW/LET-JOE-KNOW-HOW-A-BURNED-OUT-HEADLIGHT-COULD-COST-900). THIS ISSUE MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF A REAL AS IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE AMONG SEVERAL DODGE CALIBERS ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS. IT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS WIRING RELATED AND EFFECTS LIGHTING WHICH IS A KEY SAFETY CONCERN TO BOTH MYSELF AND OTHERS WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE TIPM BOX IS NOT AN ITEM THAT SHOULD REQUIRE REPAIR UNDER ORDINARY WARE OF THE EQUIPMENT. OCCASIONALLY THE LIGHT MAY FLICKER BACK ON AND THEN OFF AGAIN MAKING THE SITUATION EVEN MORE UNPREDICTABLE AND DANGEROUS. THIS ISSUE IS ALSO NOT THAT DIFFERENT FROM RECALLS ALREADY ISSUED BY FORD FOR SIMILAR LIGHTING PROBLEMS WHERE THE LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS HAS RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS (HTTP://WWW.REUTERS.COM/ARTICLE/US-AUTOS-FORD-RECALL-IDUSKBN0U51TT20151222). I HAVE ASKED DODGE TO CORRECT THIS ISSUES BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED AS THEY CLAIM THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES THAT COVER THIS REPAIR ON MY VEHICLE AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL AS OF YET DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR FOR A HEADLIGHT NOT WORKING WITH THIS PROBLEM AVERAGES BETWEEN $800 TO $1000 WHICH IS ALSO QUITE EXTREME AND AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE GENERAL AMERICAN FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. PLEASE TAKE THIS ISSUE WITH DODGE HEADLIGHTS NOT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING INTO CONSIDERATION FOR A REQUIRED RECALL TO HOLD DODGE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFETY CONCERN THAT IT POSES TO ALL WHO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND DRIVE ON THE ROADS WHERE THIS VEHICLE IS PRESENT.

ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL PICTURE CAME ON DASH AS I WAS TRYING TO START CAR TO LEAVE FROM MY HOME. CAR SHUT OFF AND DOES THE SAME THING AGAIN AND AGAIN. DONT WANT TO RUN BATTERY DOWN. CAR STILL IN GARAGE AT HOME.

I HAVE HAD THIS CAR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOW AND HAVE NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, ALSO REAR WIPER MOTOR AND THE CONTROL FOR THE RADIO ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I BELIEVE THERE TO BE A WIRING PROBLEM AS I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS HAZARD ESPECIALLY IF THE CRUISE DOES WORK IT MAY MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING OR FIRE HAZARD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 10 MPH. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

MY CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED. I HAVE IT SERVICED EVERY 3000 MILES AND HAVE THE RECORDS TO PROVE IT. I HAD THE RUSTED FRAME REPLACED THIS PASSED AUGUST AFTER MY MECHANIC NOTICED THE CORRODED FRAME. I HAVE HAD ALMOST ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS LISTED AND REPLACED ON MY CAR. I STARTED HEARING AN ODD NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND TOOK THE CAR IN TO MY MECHANIC WHO REPLACED A PULLEY. THE CAR CONTINUED TO MAKE THE NOISE ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING AND I BROUGHT IT BACK IN FOR SERVICING. MY MECHANIC COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HE TOLD ME TO JUST DRIVE IT TIL SOMETHING HAPPENED. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON ONE NIGHT DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY FROM GROCERY SHOPPING. THE LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING, THE CAR STARTED BUCKING, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. MY MECHANIC PUT IN A NEW ALTERNATOR AT A COST OF $650. A WEEK LATER MY HUSBAND DROVE 6 MILES AND THE LIGHT CAME ON. HE CAME BACK HOME AND CALLED OUR MECHANIC. HE ADVISED TO LET THE CAR STALL OUT AND IT WOULD RECORD ON THE LOG. NEXT DAY SAME THING, I LET IT STALL OUT. TOOK CAR IN. HE CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. SAYS IT WILL BE $500 AT THE DODGE DEALER JUST FOR THE ETC PART. THIS IS A KNOWN DOCUMENTED DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHY IS DODGE NOT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS PROBLEM? WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? WHY ISN'T ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT ALL OF THE SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS DEFECTIVE DODGE CALIBER? THIS CAR IS A HUGE SAFETY RISK TO ALL DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

I CAN DRIVE THE CAR BUT CAN'T SPEED UP OR ENGINE LIGHT WILL FLASH. IF I'M AT A STOP LIGHT TOO LONG MY CAR WILL STALL WHILE ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING AND CAN'T TURN OVER ENGINE RIGHT AWAY.

UPDATE OF PREVIOUS REPORTED PROBLEMS. THE CONTROLS FOR THE TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS FRONT AND BACK, WASHER FRONT AND BACK, BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS, INSTRUMENT PANEL DIMMER ALL COMPLETELY STOP WORKING. THE HEADLIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INDEPENDENT OF THE CONTROL SWITCH BY STARTING OR STOPPING THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY. THIS HAPPENED ON STARTING THE CAR TO GO TO WORK FROM BEING PARKED IN THE GARAGE. TRIED TO CORRECT PROBLEMS BY CHANGING THE TIPM. IT HAD NO EFFECT. TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP THEY FOUND AND CORRECTED 3 DIFFERENT BREAKS IN 2 CIRCUITS. 2 BREAKS IN THE WIRING IN THE INNER FENDER WELL AND 1 INSIDE THE CAR UNDER THE CARPET NEAR THE DRIVERS DOOR. THANKS TO AL SERRA AUTO PLAZA ALL ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS CAR HAVE BEEN RESOLVED: CRUISE CONTROL WORKS, KEY FOBS WORK, WIPERS FRONT AND BACK WORK, WASHERS FRONT AND BACK WORK, DIMMER WORKS, HEADLIGHTS WORKS WITH THE SWITCH, BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS WORK.AND TURN SIGNALS WORK.

FOR THE SECOND TIME, I LOST POWER TO THE TURN SIGNALS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER, REAR WIPER AND WASHER. I ALSO LOST THE ABILITY TO SET CRUISE CONTROL AND THE MILEAGE DISPLAY WAS BLANK. ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO A RAINY DRIVE THE WIPERS AND TURN SIGNALS CAME BACK. THEN THE WIPERS STAYED ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I STOPPED FOR GAS THE THE KEY FOB WOULD NOT LOCK/UNLOCK DOORS. PROBLEMS WENT AWAY AND CAME BACK, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. I DROVE TO THE CHRYSLER / DODGE DEALER AND ASKED ABOUT ANY SERVICE BULLETIN. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING SPECIFIC ON THE COMPUTER. MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE CAR TROUBLE-SHOT ON 5/23/2015. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG MAYBE NOT DEPLOYING SHOULD I NEED IT.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER IN FEBRUARY 2015 TRAVELING ROUGHLY 45 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE BATTERY LIGHT AND ALL DASH LIGHTS BEGAN TO COME ON AND FLASH. I WAS ABLE (JUST BARELY) TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND PARKED THE CAR; IN THE PREVIOUS 30 DAYS I HAD SEVERAL REPAIRS MADE THAT INCLUDED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTER, ET CETERA. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIRING SHOP WHERE A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE INSTALLED, THEN TONIGHT 20150411 THE BATTER LIGHT HAS AGAIN COME ON WITH FLUCTUATING SPEEDS. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND READ ABOUT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE DODGE CALIBER REGARDING THE TIPMS SYSTEM OR SUCH; THE FACT THAT THE CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY FAIL TO MAKE THE REQUIRED REPAIRS TO THESE VEHICLES IS ATROCIOUS. THE LIVES OF OTHER VEHICLE OPERATORS ARE BEING PUT AT RISK; I'M CERTAIN THAT SOMETHING MORE SHOULD BE DONE. *TR

MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. I REPLACED WITH TWO BRAND NEW BULBS BUT LIGHT IS STILL OUT. REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER, ONE BRAKE LIGHT, AND ONE LICENSE PLATE ILLUMINATION LIGHT ARE ALL NON FUNCTIONAL AS WELL. RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ONE YEAR OF MODELS OF CHRYSLER VEHICLES BUT NOT MINE, AND IT IS THE SAME FAULTY PART THAT HAS BEEN PUT IN SEVERAL MODELS AND YEARS OF CHRYSLER VEHICLES. UPON VISITING A CHRYSLER SERVICE CENTER I WAS ADVISED OF A $900 QUOTE TO FIX THE PART. I SEE NO REASONING FOR ME TO HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR A FAULTY PART THAT CHRYSLER HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND REFUSES TO ADDRESS. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE ELECTRICAL THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE PANEL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.