2010 Dodge Caliber Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine unexpectedly shut off. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The engine oil warning light as intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no cause of failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V373000 (Electrical System, Air Bags); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.

HORN ISNT WORKING AT ALL. CHECKED HORN TO SEE IF IT WAS BROKEN , REMOVED AND TESTED ON ANOTHER TRUCK, THEY WORKED. CHECKED FUSES AND THERE IS NO POWER TO ETHER FUSE. THERE IS NO HORN RELAY. IT IS PART OF THE TIPM. THE RELAY IS ON THE TIPM UNIT. VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WHEN I FOUND OUT THE HORN FAILED.

2010 DODGE CALIBER WITH HEADLIGHT FAILURES CAUSED BY FAULTY FUSE BOX (TIPM). I REPLACE BULBS AND ONE HEADLIGHT WILL NOT LIGHT LOW BEAM OR HIGH BEAM. ALL THE FUSES ARE GOOD. IT HAS ALSO AFFECTED HOW THE CAR RUNS AND HAS STALLED ON THE ROAD. THIS IS THE 4TH OR FIFTH INCIDENT I HAVE HAD WITH THE CAR, HEADLIGHTS, STALLING, TURN SIGNALS, AIR BAG INDICATORS. THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT WORK MOVING OR SITTING STILL AND TURN SIGNALS.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DURING WINTER, HEAT SHUT OFF. AFTER TURNING HEAT BACK ON (MOVING KNOB TO OFF POSITION AND THEN BACK ON) THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SMOKE SMELL IN THE CABIN. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER CONTROL KNOB AND THE AREA ABOVE THE KNOB WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE I WAS CONCERNED THAT I MAY NEED TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THEM CHECK FOR FIRE. WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON AGAIN, THE BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT START.

DODGE PUT THE RELAY BOX RIGHT BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL AND THIS CAUSES THE SNOW, WATER, ICE AND ELEMENTS TO GET INTO THE RELAY BOX AND CORRODE THE RELAYS AND THE ACTUAL RELAY BOX, THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THE CALIBERS GOING BACK TO 2007 THAT I KNOW OF. THIS WILL CAUSE YOUR CAR NOT TO START OUT OF THE BLUE, AND THE WIRES GET CORRODED GOING FROM THE FUSE BOX TO THE RELAY BOX AS WELL. NOT SURE WHY THEY WOULD PUT THIS TYPE OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IN FRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL WHERE THE ELEMENTS CAN GET INSIDE AND DO DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE VERY PRICY. THIS HAPPENED TO MY CAR WITH NO WARNING, NO ACTING UP OR ISSUES, JUST DIED AND WOULD NOT START, MY BATTERY IS BRAND NEW, IT'S NOT THE STARTER IT'S THE CORRODED RELAYS AND RELAY BOX.

MY HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON MY CAR, I GOT A REPLACEMENT BULB, PUT IT IN AND NOTHING. I GOT ANOTHER BULB THINKING MAYBE IT'S A MALFUNCTIONING BULB. STILL DIDN'T WORK, TESTED THE LIGHT SOCKET AND NO POWER TO IT, LOOKED UP ON GOOGLE FOR HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTIONING ON 2010 DODGE CALIBERS AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AND VIDEOS REGARDING THIS ISSUE GOING BACK TO 2007 DODGE CALIBERS. THIS IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND DODGE IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT STATES ITS NOT A "SAFETY ISSUE" HOWEVER YOU CAN GET A TICKET FOR A HEADLIGHT BEING OUT AND YOUR CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT. SO HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A SAFETY ISSUE? THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE, JUST FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC OF THIS ISSUE WILL COST ME $114/HOUR TO HAVE THE SHOP DIAGNOSE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, NOT FIX IT, JUST TELL ME WHAT IT IS AND THEN LABOR AND PARTS TO FIX IT. CHECK EDMONDS.COM THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT HEADLIGHT FAILURES. THIS IS A TIPM PROBLEM THAT APPEARS TO TRIGGER CALIBER HEADLIGHT FAILURE AND TO REPLACE IT IS EXPENSIVE AND DODGE IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND DOES NOTHING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. ALSO, THE RADIO, HEATER, AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE RADIO WOULD SHUT OFF AND MADE A POPPING NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED AFTER REPLACING THE AIR BAG MODULE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO ED MARTIN CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (2109 E 53RD ST, ANDERSON, IN 46013, PHONE: (765) 642-4500), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE (70 MPH) MY ETC LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND DROP DOWN IN SPEED. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD QUICK ENOUGH BEFORE I WAS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY CAR ULTIMATELY ENDED HAVING TO BE TOWED BECAUSE THE ETC LIGHT WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO DRIVE MORE THAN 2-5 MPH. I AM GETTING RID OF THIS CAR. IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN IT SINCE I TAKE THE TURN PIKE EVERY DAY.

WE PURCHASED VECHICLE 2012. HAVE HAD NUMBEROUS FUSES BLOWN; FRONT BLINKERS AND LIGHTS REAR BLINKERS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALSO THE PLUG IN WHERE CIGGERATE LIGHTER. ANOTHER ISSUE IS WITH CAR RANDOMLY NOT STARTING. TURNING OVER FOR 5-10 SECS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALTANATOR TWICE, NEWER BATTERY AND STARTER. AT ONE POINT IT DID WORK. THE CD PLAYER AND CONTROLS PANEL GOES BLACK WHEN INSERTING CD IT FLICKERS AND GOES BLACK.. TEMPERATURE GAGE ABOVE STEERING WHEEL LIGHTS CONSTANTLY FLICKERS..LAST ISSUE IS WITH DOOR LOCKS NOT UNLOCKING ITS A MENACE..NEEDLESS TO SAY ITS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE.. RECENTLY RECIEVED RECALL NOTICE IN MAIL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS FLICKERED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,532.

SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE OFF AND ON KNOB FOR HEAT/AIR.. I ALSO HAD A CD IN MY CD PLAYER AS I WAS TRAVELING ON A ROYAL ROAD, A STRANGE SMELL WAS ALSO COMING FROM THE SMOKE. I PULLED OVER LIFTED THE HOOD AND SEEN NO FIRE. I TURNED THE KNOB OFF, REMOVED THE CD AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED MY CAR. I AM WARY TO PUT A CD BACK IN THE PLAYER... I THINK THAT IS WHAT CAUSED IT BUT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY TEMPERATURE KNOB,, HAD THE BLOWER ON FOR COOL AIR VENT.... NOT AC OR HEAT, JUST VENT AIR ON HIGH.

STARTED MY CAR THIS MORNING AND LET IT RUN FOR AWHILE(5 MIN) UNTIL RPMS WENT DOWN, ITS 12 DEGREES OUTSIDE, I DROVE THROUGH MY PARKING LOT MAYBE 20 FT AND THROTTLE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS AT FIRST BUT I RESEARCHED WHILE LETTING MY CAR IDLE IT SORT OF PULSATED. WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE IT WOULD BARELY MOVE, THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY AS I WAS ABOUT TO GO TO WORK. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT 2 YRS AGO!! I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SAFE RELIABLE CAR, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY FOUND SMH!! *TR

POWER IN VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRAIN 47 MILES FROM MY HOUSE GOING 60 TO 75MPH AFTER GOING 75 TO 80 MPH TEMPERATURE OUT SIDE IS ABOUT 50 DEGREES. THE CAR ACTS AS IF IT WERE GOING TO STALL THE RADIO POWER WENT OUT. AFTER THAT I TESTED TO SEE IF IT WERE THE LIGHTS STILL WORKED AND UPON TURNING THE LIGHTS ON ALL LIGHTS IN THE CAR DIMMED COMPLETELY. I WENT 28 MILES TO MY APPOINTMENT WITH NO ACCESSORIES ON TO INCLUDE THE HEATER. AND RADIO WOULD NOT GET POWER UNTIL SITTING FOR 30MIN. ON THE TRIP RETURNING HOME 30MILES IN TO MY TRIP RETURNING HOME GOING 60 TO 75 MILES HIGHEST SPEED FOR 20MILES OF THE FIRST 30 MILES THE CAR POWER STARTED TO DRAIN. JUST TOOK IT TO BIG O TIRES TODAY AND WAS CONFIRMED NO BATTERY ISSUES THE BATTERY IS IN GOOD CONDITION. I HAVE TO SPEND $100 TO DO TESTING NOW. IT IS WINTER HERE I CAN NOT RISK MY LIFE IN A CAR THAT CAN NOT OPERATE IN THE COLD OR AFTER ONLY 44000 MILES ACTS LIKE IT WILL NOT OPERATE. IT HAPPENED BEFORE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS LAST YEAR WHEN I HIT 35000 MILES. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED IN WARMER CLIMATES AS WELL AT 55000 MILES. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS I NO LONGER TRUST MY CAR TO DRIVE 75MPH ON HIGHWAY. AND I DEAR NOT GO 75MILES AWAY FROM HOME IF IT CAN'T TAKE A 150 MILE TRIP ITS NOT WORTH PAYING OF A CAR LAST CHECK THE LOAN IS $11,000. IF THE PROBLEMS WERE KNOWN THE CAR SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN RESOLD BY ANY DEALER. IF I WAS NOT ABLE TO USE ANOTHER CAR I WOULD BE MORE UPSET THAN I AM NOW THIS CAR IS ONLY GOOD FOR AN ELDER TO GO TO THE STORE AND BACK. I WONT BE USING THIS CAR OUTSIDE MY CITY LIMITS ITS NOT SAFE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR MY TRANSAXLE OVERHEATING LIGHT WILL ILLIMINATE. MY CAR WILL SLOW DOWN AND NOT KEEP THE SPEED UP. I HAVE TO PULL OVER UNTIL THE LIGHT GOES OUT THEN I CAN CONTINUE MY DRIVING BUT IT WILL DO IT ALL AGAIN 10 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH I WAS JUST ON A TRIP 2 HOURS FROM HOME. IN A 30 MINUTE TIME FRAME I HAD TO PULL OVER 6 TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I HAVE NOTICED MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET?

I WAS AT A LIGHT IN 3 LANE TRAFFIC WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED MY CAR BEGAN LUNGING AND SPUTTERING FINALLY LOSING POWER. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. I CAN'T EVEN FIND A DIAGRAM ONLINE TO TELL ME WHERE THAT IS LOCATED. ON CALIBER FORUMZ THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I LOVE MY CAR BUT IT REALLY MUST BE DEPENDABLE. IT WOULD SEEM WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THAT THIS ISSUE WOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR

PURCHASED THIS CAR FOUR MONTHS AGO WITH 79,300 MILES ON IT. WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT STARTED ACTING UP, NOT WANTING TO START. I WENT TO THE ADVANCE AND THEY CHECKED THE BATTERY, STARTER, AND ALTERNATOR. MACHINE SAID REPLACE BATTERY SO I DID FOR $150 WITH 5 YEAR WARRANTY. LEFT AND WITHIN AN HOUR STILL DID NOT WANT TO START. SEEMED LIKE IT WAS PRONE TO DOING THIS WHILE SITTING UP OR DOWN HILL AND NOT FLAT ON PAVEMENT. IT WAS AS IF IT WANTED TO START AND WAS MAKING STARTING NOISES AND IT HAD TO CATCH AND THEN START UP. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY LOOKED AT IT NO CHARGE AND IT JUST WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN. GUESS WHAT IT STILL DOES IT NOW AND OF COURSE THE FREEBIES ARE OVER BECAUSE IT WAS NO WARRANTY. I DID PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY JUST IN CASE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT STARTED JERKING I WAS DESCRIBING IT AS OVER SHIFTING. AS I PROCEEDED TO COME OFF AN EXIT RAMP TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC WHICH WAS GOING 60 MPH MY CAR STARTED JERKING REALLY BAD AND MY ETC LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, VERY SCARY I COULD HAVE GOTTEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC.I SLOWED TO 55 MPH AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. WENT TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THROTTLE BODY WAS SO DIRTY IT NEEDED CLEANING. I GOT IT CLEANED THIS PAST FRIDAY AND GUESS WHAT WAS HAPPENING BY SATURDAY. WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TODAY AND TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO DRIVE IT WITH ME IN THERE AND IT SHOWED OUT. HE SPEED UP ON THE FREEWAY AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON FLASHING AND WE WERE GOING SO SLOW HE TURNED ON THE HAZARDS. PULLED OVER TURNED IT OFF AND BACK ON AND LIGHT WAS OFF WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I HAVE TO DROP IT OFF TOMORROW TO SEE IF ANYTHING CAN BE FIGURED OUT. I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW THE DRILL. BY THE WAY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY GO FIGURE. SO YEAH ROUGH FOUR MONTHS AND ONLY 83,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW. WE NEED A RECALL ON THIS MODEL AND A FEW MORE. *TR

NOTICED LOSS IN ACCELERATION POWER HERE AND THERE OVER A FEW MONTHS TIME AS WELL AS THE ECT LIGHT FLASH ON FOR A QUICK MOMENT A FEW TIMES. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING AND CAME TO A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE OFF FROM THE STOP THE WHOLE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND KNOCKING THEN CUT OFF ALL WHILE HAVING THE ETC LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ONCE THIS HAPPENED I COULD BARELY MAKE IT UP THE STEEP HILL BACK TO MY HOME. I ENDED UP HAVING THE CAR TOWED AND TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS INFORMED I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY CONTROL UNIT FOR AROUND $700! I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 2 AND 1/2 YEARS AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST MAJOR ISSUE. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL THE ECT THAT THEY ARE USING I ALSO HAVE A 2012 JEEP COMPASS THAT I HAVE HAD 2 MONTHS AND HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

MY DODGE HAS BEEN STALLING AT RED LIGHTS FOR THE PAST YEAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE NOR CAN THEY FIND A CODE ON THE COMPUTER SCAN. THEY DO HOWEVER, RECOMMEND FLUSHES ETC. THE ISSUE HAS NOT GONE AWAY. IF I AM AT A RED LIGHT WITH THE AC ON (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), IT WILL IDLE VERY LOUD AND ROUGH AND THE TACHOMETER WILL BOUNCE UP AND DOWN. IT WILL ALSO STALL OUT AT TIMES WHEN I MOVE MY FOOT FROM THE BREAK TO THE GAS. IF I TURN THE AC OFF IT WILL KEEP IT FROM IDLING ROUGH AND STALLING. I ALSO HAVE AN ISSUE WHEN I START MY CAR UP, PUT IT IN REVERSE THEN PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE; THAT I ALL ELECTRICAL POWER FOR 10 SECONDS. THE RADIO TURNS OFF, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT AND OTHER DASH BOARD LIGHTS COME ON AND THEN THE ELECTRICAL POWER WILL COME BACK ON. IT IS ALMOST LIKE THE CAR IS RESETTING ITS SELF; I DO NOT LOSE MY RADIO PRESETS HOWEVER. *JS

MY CAR'S SPEED ACCELERATE/JUMPS WHEN STRUGGLING TO GET TO SECOND GEAR. *TR

MY CAR WILL NOT START WITH THE FACTORY KEY, OR THE REPLACEMENT KEY. I GOT THE REPLACEMENT KEY ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO AND THIS THE THIRD TIME THAT BOTH KEYS WILL NOT CRANK THE CAR. I HAD TO WAIT 20 MINS IN THE HOT CAR UNTIL IT WOULD CRANK. *TR