2009 Dodge Caliber Engine Problems

DRIVING OVER 2 HOURS ON HIGHWAY (HIGHWAY INTERSTATE 81) (ROUTE 80 ) (NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE)ENGINE STARTS WHINING RPMS RISE OVER 4 & STAY, SPEED DROPS TO 25-30MPH CAN'T GET UP INCLINE TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT LIGHT COMES ON, HAD TO PULL OVER MY SON ALMOST GOT KILLED BECAUSE CAR HAD NO POWER HAD TO LET CAR SIT FOR AN HOUR, THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO 2 DEALERSHIPS 1ST DEALERSHIP(ZIMMERMAN DODGE SUNBURY, PA) COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM 2ND DEALERSHIP(SALERNO-DUANE SUMMIT,NJ) REPLACED THE COMPUTER, CAR STILL HAS THE SAME PROBLEM CAR IS NOW BEING TOWED TO 3RD DEALERSHIP(NICHOLS DODGE BURLINGTON,NC) 69,000 MILES ON THIS CAR THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES JULY 2014 , OCTOBER 2014 , APRIL 2015 JULY 2015 , OCTOBER 2015,

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED FAILURE AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE SUPPORT MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,702. MA 10/29/2015 UPDATED 10/11/2017*CN

MY MECHANIC AND MULTIPLE OTHERS HAVE STATED THAT THE INTAKE RUNNER IS STUCK AND THE INTAKE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RECEIVE EMISSIONS ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN IN DRIVE WAITING AT RED LIGHTS AND ALSO TO TURN ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE POWER, SHUTTING OFF ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS. LUCKILY ACCIDENTS WERE AVOIDED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER WAITING THIRTY MINUTES, THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,417.

FIRST TIME HAPPENED NOTED ABOVE. WAS DRIVING FROM OHIO TO MI TO TAKE MY GRANDCHILDREN HOME. LOST SPEED ON MAJOR HIGHWAY DOING 70 MPH. CAR WENT DOWN TO 45 AND I WAS JUST ABOUT REAR ENDED BY A SEMI. I WAS IN PURE SHOCK AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THE CAR. I KEPT GOING BECAUSE I COULD NOT PULL OFF. GOT TO EXIT, READ BOOK, WAITED AND WAITED FOR IT TO COOL DOWN SO I COULD DRIVE. WOULDN'T...GOT TO GRANDCHILDREN'S HOME, CALLED CROWN MOTORS IN HOLLAND MI. THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, NO CODES, ETC. THE CAR WAS STILL SLUGGISH WHEN THE WRECKER PICKED IT UP AND TOWED IT TO THEM. IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE THEN, AND WHEN I CALL TO MAKE A COMPLAINT, THEY HAVE SAID: "TAKE IT TO THE DEALER WHEN IT IS DOING IT" NOT POSSIBLE. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE HELP ME. I TAKE IT IN AND NOTHING IS FOUND. IT MAKES AND IS STILL MAKING A HIGH WHINNING, WHEEZING OR WHATEVER NOISE IN THE ENGINE JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS TO LOOSE SPEED. I AM NOT A MECHANIC, BUT IS SOMETHING STICKING IN THIS. PLEASE HELP ME. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ANY MORE THAN 2 HOURS IN THIS VEHICLE. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HELPING ME!!! *TR

VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SLOWS DOWN AT SPEEDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 HOURS. FEEL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. EXAMPLE: DRIVING WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN ON EXPRESSWAY; TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR LOST POWER AND SLOWED DOWN TO 45. CALLED WRECKER, TOWED TO A DODGE DEALER,. THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. VEHICLE DOES THIS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. SPEEDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WHILE TRAVELING FOR A MINIMUM OF 3 HOURS. VERY DANGEROUS ON EXPRESSWAYS. HAD MY GRANDCHILDREN WITH VEHICLES COMING UP ON ME AT 70, HAD MY FATHER IN THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES. WHEN IT COMES ON NOW, I PULL OFF ROAD, WAIT 30 MINUTES OR SO AND THEN CONTINUE ON MY WAY WHICH AFFECTS MY LONG DISTANCE TRIPS. CALLED DODGE WEBSITE (?) THEY SAID TO TAKE IT IN TO A DEALER WHEN IT DOES THIS. I DO TAKE IT IN AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. PLEASE HELP ME, THIS CAR IS USED ON LONG DISTANCE TRIPS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CAR AND HOPE IT IS RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. IF IT IS NOT A CAR TO BE DRIVEN LONG DISTANCE THAN THEY SHOULD RECALL EVERYONE OF THEM! THANK YOU. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME.

IN JUNE OF 2013 WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-75 HEADING UP NORTH, MY TEMP LIGHT CAME ON, THE TEMP GAGE NEVER MOVED PAST THE NORMAL RANGE (DIRECTLY BETWEEN COLD AND HOT) AFTER I NOTICED THE LIGHT I WAS WATCHING THE TEMP GAGE AND MY CAR JUST SHUT DOWN. I LOST ALL POWER, SPEED, STEERING, EVERYTHING. THANKFULLY I WAS ALREADY IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND I WAS CLOSE TO AN EXIT SO THAT I COULD EXIT THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. AFTER SITTING FOR AN HOUR I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BACK DOWNSTATE. I GOT THE CAR APRIL 1 2013. IN DECEMBER OF 2013 THE LIGHTNING BOLT POPPED UP ON MY DASH, I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THAT MEANS SINCE MY CAR DID NOT COME WITH AN OWNERS MANUAL WHEN I GOT IT USED. THE RPMS JERKED UP TO 4, THEN DROPPED BACK DOWN. THIS HAPPENED ROUGHLY 10 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. IN AUGUST OF 2014 THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK LIKE IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING INTO GEAR. AT FIRST IT ONLY HAPPENED AT STOP SIGNS AND RED LIGHTS, THEN IT BEGAN TO DO IT WHILE I DROVE. ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10 TO 60 MPH. NORMALLY IT WOULD ONLY DO IT A COUPLE A TIMES AND THEN IT BEGAN DOING IT EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP, THEY CHECKED IT ON THE COMPUTER AND EVEN TEST DROVE IT, ACCORDING TO THEM IT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING IT AND SINCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T COME IT THE COMPUTERS DIDN'T PICK UP ANY ISSUES. ALSO HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AFTER I SHUT OFF THE CAR. *TR

I HAD BEEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR WHEN I BEGAN TO CLIMB THE INCLINE OVER SB 5 FWY (GRAPEVINE) AND THE ENGINE BEGAN WHINING, RPMS ROSE TO 4 AND REMAINED THERE, THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT DASHBOARD LIGHT ILLUMINATED, SPEED DROPPED TO ABOUT 30 MPH AND I WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE UP THE INCLINE. HAD TO PULL OFF AND LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR 30 MINUTES AT WHICH TIME I CONTINUED UP THE INCLINE MAKING SURE THAT THE RPMS DID NOT GO ABOVE 2.5 - SO KEEPING THE SPEED LOW - AND HAD NO FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ON 8/21/04, SAME CIRCUMSTANCES, AT APPROXIMATELY 79,000 MILES. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MODEL AND MODEL YEAR VEHICLE FOR THIS SAME ISSUE (RECALL #08V528000) ON NOVEMBER 10, 2008, BUT ACCORDING TO MY DEALER, MY CAR'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER OR NOT THIS WAS A MORE WIDESPREAD ISSUE THAN WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT AND WHETHER MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I BOUGHT MY 2009 DODGE CALIBER BRAND NEW IN JULY 2009. I MADE MY DECISION BASED ON THE 5-YR POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, ASSUMING THE CAR MUST BE MECHANICALLY DEPENDABLE. WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WAS WRONG FOR MAKING THAT ASSUMPTION. I BEGAN TO HAVE SERIOUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR. I REPLACED THE BATTERY 3 TIMES, HAD A TUNE-UP AT 65,000 MILES AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR TWICE AFTER THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT MY WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER ANY REPAIRS SINCE THE CAR HAD OVER 36,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $100.00 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO SEE IF THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WOULD COVER A REPAIR FOR MY CAR TO RUN. SINCE THIS CAR WAS MY ONLY TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK AND LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO ATTEMPT REPAIRS WITH THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENTS JUST TO MAKE IT TO WORK AND BE ABLE TO PAY MY MORTGAGE AND CAR NOTE. THOSE REPAIRS SEEM TO WORK AT FIRST UNTIL 2 WEEKS AFTER THE SECOND ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT, WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND I MANAGED TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER. IT WAS TURNING DARK AND MY HAZARD LIGHTS WERE NO LONGER VISIBLE DUE TO THE BATTERY BEING DRAINED. I WAS ON SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE IN DARK FREEZING WEATHER FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR BEFORE A CO-WORKER COULD FIND ME TO HELP ME TO SAFETY. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE FINANCE COMPANY. *TR

I RENTED A DODGE CALIBER FROM DOLLAR RENT-A-CAR IN HARTFORD, CN ON FRIDAY. JAN 29, 2009. ON THE THIRD TRIP IN THE CAR, ON JAN 30, I PARKED IT, REMOVED THE KEY, SET THE PARKING BRAKE, AND STARTED TO WALK AWAY FROM THE CAR. TO THIS POINT, ALL WAS NORMAL. THEN, THE CAR STARTED UP ON ITS OWN, AND THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN. THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN FOR 20-30 MINUTES REGARDLESS OF WHAT I DID WITH THE KEY. THE KEY DID NOT HAVE A REMOTE IGNITION SWITCH. I EVENTUALLY CONTACTED DOLLAR, AND AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, WHILE I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING AND THE KEYS IN MY HAND, THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING, WITHOUT ANY INTERVENTION ON MY PART. WHILE NOTHING SERIOUS HAPPENED, IT IS EASY TO SPECULATE THAT IF THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE, IT COULD HAVE FILLED WITH FUMES. THE CAR ALSO MIGHT HAVE KEPT RUNNING TILL IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I DID NOT MAKE CAREFUL NOTE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CAR, BUT THE RECORDS SHOULD BE HELD BY DOLLAR RENT-A-CAR. *TR

09/2009 VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC TOWED TO DEALER, SUGGESTED CAR HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND FIXED. 08/16/2010 VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS JERKING BEFORE IT DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, TOWED TO DEALER SUGGESTED TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND FIXED. 09/14/2010 VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER TO START, WHEN STARTED DROVE 5 MILES AND STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, TOWED BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTED COOLANT WAS LEAKING ON THE RADIATOR AND BATTERY WAS BAD AND FIXED. 09/20/2010 ENGINE, THROTTLE AND ENGINE TEMP LIGHT ON VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, TOWED BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTING HEAD GASKETS FAILED AND FIXED. 10/21/2010 ENGINE TEMP RUNS HOT, OVERHEATS, MAKES TUGGING SOUNDS AND JERKS WHILE DRIVING, DROVE BACK TO DEALER SUGGESTING THERMOSTATS NOT OPENING FULLY REPLACED AND STATES THE CAR WAS SOLD WITH A BAD ENGINE. 11/04/2010 CAR RETURNED TO DEALER DUE TO JERKING, ENGINE LIGHT ON, MAKING TUGGING SOUNDS AS YOU ACCELERATE, WINDING DOWN SOUNDS WHEN YOU BREAK AND OVERHEATING. *TR

THE CAR STARTED HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. STALLING PROBLEMS ARE MORE COMMON DURING RAINY PERIODS BUT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. MOST INCIDENTS HAPPEN WHILE CAR IS ON IDLE, NO MOVEMENT, IN THE HIGHWAY OR AT A RED LIGHT. THE CAR WILL VIBRATE AND IMMEDIATELY STALL OR TRY TO. CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER UNDER WARRANTY BUT NO REASON FOR THE STALLING HAS BEEN FOUND; CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NO RECALL NOTICE IS AVAILABLE AT THE DODGE PERSONALIZE WEBSITE. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT AT THE MILITARY EXCHANGE NEW CAR SALES IN PUERTO RICO BUT APPARENTLY WAS RELOCATE FROM OCONUS EUROPE AND I AM NO SURE HOW POSSIBLE RECALLS WILL APPLY TO THIS CAR. THERE IS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V528000 BUT I DO NOT NOW IF IT APPLIES TO THIS CAR. *TR