2007 Dodge Caliber Complaint Log

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT AT WORK, THE VEHICLE TOTALLY FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE CAM SPEED SENSOR WAS BAD.

THE FIRST WEEK I HEARD A HARD & SOLID CLICK NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE 6-15-06. ON 6-18-06 WHILE IN STAND-STILL TRAFFIC THE VEHICLES OIL LIGHT LIT UP & CHIMED PRIOR TO THE ENGINE STALLING & IN NEUTRAL WITH THE CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR. ON 6-19-06 I TOOK IT IN TO THE SHOP. JOHN AND I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP 6-22-06 SPOKE WITH BOB CORLETTE ABOUT THE MULTIPLE MECHANICAL FAILURES. WE WERE TOLD BY BOB THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. WE SPOKE WITH DAVID TINDALE (WHO PROVIDED THE OWNERS MANUAL) & WHO REASSURED BOTH OF US THAT THE PROBLEMS WOULD EITHER BE FIXED OR IF THEY COULDN'T BE FIXED THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENACT THE LEMON LAW & REPLACE THIS CAR WITH A NEW ONE. I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF THE FOLLOWING WEEK 6-26-06, LEN THOMAS SAID THE STALLING PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. SINCE PICKING UP MY VEHICLE, OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS THE VEHICLE HAS STILL STALLED AT LEAST 8-10 TIMES. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM LORI AT THE DEALERSHIP ON A FOLLOW UP TO MY SERVICE WHERE SHE STATED SHE TOO HEARD THE CLICKING NOISE SINCE SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON HER WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, BUT WROTE IT OFF TO POSSIBLY HER ERROR AND SO THIS WAS NOT DOCUMENTED TO SERVICE. ON 7-12-06 W/ LEN THOMAS & DAVID TINDALE TO PLEASE CALL ME BACK IN REFERENCE TO WHAT LORI STATED ABOUT THE STALLING PROBLEM. I CALLED AND SP/ W DAVID TINDALE & LEN THOMAS ABOUT THESE MECHANICAL ISSUES 7-13-06. I ALSO FOLLOWED UP W/ A CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE REQUEST 7-13-06 FILE NUMBER 15156132. LEN THOMAS CALLED AFTER SPEAKING WITH CHRYSLER ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE 4 OTHER 2007 DODGE CALIBERS IN THE US THAT HAVE BEEN EXHIBITING THE SAME STALLING PROBLEMS. FURTHERMORE, WHILE SITTING IDLE IN TRAFFIC MY SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY RACES UP TO 20 MPH AND BACK TO 0 AND RACES TO 40 MPH AND BACK TO 0. THIS HAS NOW OCCURRED APPROX. 6 TIMES IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS. I REPORTED THIS NEW MECHANICAL FAILURE TO LEN THOMAS 7-20-06. *JB

AT 200 MILES, MY CAR'S ENGINE STARTED TO RATTLE AND MY POWER LOCK HAD A SHORT. I CALLED AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL 1000 MILES LATER THEY CHECKED THE PROBLEM. THEY GAVE ME AN EXCUSE FOR THE MOTOR RATTLING WAS THAT THERE WAS SUCH THING AS WINTER AND SUMMER FUEL AND THAT I SHOULD CHANGE GASOLINE STATIONS AND BRANDS TO SEE IF THAT WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I FOLLOWED THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND WENT PRACTICALLY ALL OVER TOWN GASHING UP. I JUST HAD IT CHECKED AGAIN AT 1527 MILES, THE NOISE GOT WORST. THE MOTOR RATTLES WHEN I ACCELERATE AND WHEN IT ALSO REACHES THE REGULAR TEMPERATURE. IN THE MORNING WHEN MY ENGINE IS STILL COLD IT DOESN'T RATTLE BUT AS SOON AS IT REACHES THE REGULAR TEMPERATURE IT STARTS RATTLING. MY MOTOR RATTLES A LOT WORST. YESTERDAY AT 1430 MILES AS I WAS WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO TURN GREEN, MY CAR WAS GOING TO STALL. MY RPM GAUGE WENT DOWN AND THEN WENT BACK UP. I GOT THE SAME EXCUSE ONCE AGAIN THAT IT WAS THE TYPE OF FUEL AND THAT THERE EXISTED NO REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID "THE CAR IS WORKING THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED" AND "IT IS ALL THROUGH COMPUTERS NOW, DODGE FIXES THE PROBLEMS AND SENDS US THE SOFTWARE AND WE HOOK UP TO YOUR CAR. IN THE MEAN TIME, THERE IS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET REPAIRED". THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS ADD A MOPAR FUEL ADDITIVE BUT I STILL HEAR THE NOISE. I HAVE USED REGULAR, MID-GRADE, AND PREMIUM AND USED DIFFERENT STATIONS AND FUEL COMPANIES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE RATTLING IS SO BAD THAT NOT EVEN WITH THE AC FULL BLAST CAN YOU TUNE IT OUT. AS FAR AS THE POWER LOCK IS CONCERNED IT WAS REPAIRED, THEY SAID IT HAD A SHORT. THE BAD THING IS THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER POWER LOCKS BUT THE ONLY ONE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. AS FAR AS SAFETY IS CONCERNED,YOU ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS OR THE REAR DOOR, AS THEY HAVE NO POWER LOCKS YOU HAVE TO DO THIS MANUALLY. I HAD TO TEACH MY CHILD TO PULL ON THE LOCK IN ORDER TO OPEN THE DOOR IN THE MEAN TIME THIS GOT FIXED. *JB

COPY OF COMPLAINT LETTER ATTACHED: OCTOBER 25, 2006 DAIMLER CHRYSLER MOTORS CORPORATION CUSTOMER CENTER PO BOX 21-8004 AUBURN HILLS, MI 48321-8004, PURCHASE DATE: MARCH 25, 2006, DEALERSHIP NAME: MANASSAS DODGE KIA SUBARU TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: AFTER CONSULTING WITH MY ATTORNEY, MR. THOMAS F. HENNESSY OF VIENNA, VA, I WAS ADVISED TO MAKE ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE MY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2007 DODGE CALIBER BEFORE TAKING LEGAL ACTION. AS OF TODAY MY CAR HAS BEEN SEEN BY DODGE DEALERSHIPS SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED REPAIR ORDERS). THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS A BAD VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL ONCE I HAVE REACHED 60 MILES AN HOUR AND ABOVE. THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS 90% OF THE TIME WHEN DRIVING. I VIEW THIS AS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT OR AT THE LEAST A SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD IT WAS REPAIRED OR THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NEVER HAD A CAR PERFORM THIS POORLY. I KEPT BRINGING THIS CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY AND STILL FEEL THIS WAY. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SLEEK STYLING AND PERFORMANCE QUALITIES. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. I AM NOW REQUESTING THAT YOU GET VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE THE TIME OR THE PATIENCE TO DEAL WITH THIS ANY LONGER. I EXPECT TO HAVE A RESPONSE FROM YOU WITHIN TEN DAYS OF YOUR RECEIVING THIS LETTER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 43MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE LEFT FRONT END WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLLOVER TWICE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO PRE-BRAKING PRIOR TO IMPACT. ALTHOUGH THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS, MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD TO AWAIT INSPECTION BY THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE CALIBER. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE TIRES, SIZE P215/55/R18, AND DOT NUMBER VN0AF31. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES. AT 4,000 MILES, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE NOISE AND ADVISED HIM TO CALL THE TIRE MANUFACTURER. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST UNLESS THEY RECEIVED A REPLACEMENT ORDER FROM THE DEALER. THE DEALER, WHO IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS, REFUSED TO ASSIST. THE CONTACT PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES IN JANUARY OF 2007; HOWEVER, AT 10,000 MILES, THE NOISE RECURRED AND TREAD SEPARATION WAS VISIBLE ON ALL 12 TIRES. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INSPECTED THE ALIGNMENT ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT IF THE CONTACT SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO RELEASE THEM FROM THE MATTER, THEY WOULD REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE OWNER AND THE FAILURE RECURRED AT 8,000 MILES. AFTER RECEIVING ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS FROM A TIRE MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAMBER SUSPENSION IN THE WHEEL AREA WAS INACCURATE. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT NO ADJUSTMENT COULD BE MADE UNLESS THE FRAME WAS ADJUSTED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY $300 TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE OR ASSUME ANY LIABILITY FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS TWELVE TIRES THAT HAVE FAILED. THE INITIAL FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

2007 DODGE CALIBER. CONSUMER EXPRESSES DISCONTENT REGARDING RECALL REPAIRS REGARDING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.*TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS DAUGHTERS VEHICLE IS HANDICAP EQUIPPED. THE DEALER REMOVED THE BOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO THE PEDAL. *JB