2008 Dodge Caliber Body & Structure Problems

Subframe rusted front and rear Was driving tire axel/rod broke entire underneath rusted rotted

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while taking the vehicle into a local state inspection, he was notified that the vehicle did not pass inspection due to the K-frame of the undercarriage was fractured due to corrosion and rust. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

FIAT CHRYSLER AMERICA RELEASED 2 BULLETINS AND AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR AN INFERIOR MATERIAL CAUSING SEVERE RUST AND PERFORATION OF THE FRONT AND REAR CROSSMEMBER ON 2008-2012 DODGE CALIBER AND 2008-2012 JEEP COMPASS PATRIOT. THE CROSSMEMBER IS AN IMPORTANT STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF ANY VEHICLE. IT SUPPORTS THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR AND CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. FCA CUSTOMER SERVICE IS CURRENTLY REFUSING TO REPLACE THESE PARTS EVEN THOUGH THE BULLETIN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE PART IS FAULTY. THE SEVERE RUST ON THIS PART WILL CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO NO LONGER PASS STATE INSPECTION. I HAVE OWNED MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER SINCE FEBRUARY 2017. THE FIRST BULLETIN RELEASED BY FCA REGARDING KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FAULTY PART WAS MARCH 2017, ONE MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. A SECOND BULLETIN REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE WAS RELEASED JULY 2017. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED ON AUGUST 2018. AFTER THE SECOND BULLETIN WAS ISSUED, THERE WAS A PERIOD OF 13 MONTHS BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND WHILE I OWNED THE CAR. I WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE BY FCA IN ANY WAY THAT THE VEHICLE I WAS DRIVING HAD A KNOWN ISSUE AND THAT I COULD HAVE IT ADDRESSED WITHIN EXTENDED WARRANTY. IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 2019 THAT I WAS HAVING WORK DONE ON MY CAR AND THE MECHANIC BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION BECAUSE THE RUST IS SO BAD IT WILL NOT PASS THE NEXT STATE INSPECTION. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. I ENCOURAGE THE NHTSA TO RECALL THIS PART AS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE RUST WEAKENS THE METAL AND IF THIS PART WERE TO BREAK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE RESULTS COULD BE DEADLY. FCA IS AWARE OF THE FAULTY PART AND IT IS CLEARLY DANGEROUS FOR FCA TO DENY ADDRESSING THIS KNOWN ISSUE. EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY PERIOD HAS PASSED, FCA HAS PRODUCED VEHICLES THAT ARE UNSAFE AND THE ISSUE SHOULD BE CORRECTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND FRONT WHEELS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RIDENOUR AUTO GROUP (500 W BROADWAY ST, NEW LEXINGTON, OH 43764, (740) 342-5146) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AND FRONT SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE OIL WAS CHANGED, BUT THE SUBFRAME WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

I WENT TO MY LOCAL DODGE DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT FRONT SUB FRAME IS ROTTING OUT. WAS TOLD EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS GOOD FOR 10 YEARS EXPIRED 2-18. I HAVE READ ONLINE NUMEROUS CALIBER OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM, SOME SO BAD THEY CAN'T BE FIXED. WHAT GOOD IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT IS ONLY GOOD FOR THE FIRST TEN YEARS AND I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2012 FROM A DODGE DEALER AND WAS NEVER INFORMED OF EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE OR THAT THERE WAS EVEN AN ISSUE WITH THIS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AS WHAT CHANCES WOULD A PERSON HAVE OF SURVIVING AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH AND THE FRAME BREAKS? OR WHAT INNOCENT PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED BECAUSE OF IT. WITH THIS MANY PERSONS HAVING THIS ISSUE AND SUCH A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. MY CAR ONLY HAS 126,500 MILES ON IT. IF DODGE DOES NOT WANT TO DO A RECALL THEN I FEEL THEY DON'T GIVE A [XXX] ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER AGAIN. PLEASE CONSIDER PERSUING A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE ISSUE AS IT IS SERIOUS!! PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

FRAME ON VEHICLE IS RUSTED THROUGH, OTHER SIMILIAR VEHICLES WERE ISSUED RECALLS AND THIS CAR WAS NOT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE UNUSUAL NOISES WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME, INCLUDING THE ENGINE CRADLE, WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 151,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME AND THE CROSSMEMBER WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE STARTED APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO AND WAS BECOMING WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SPITZER DODGE JEEP RAM (13001 BROOK PARK ROAD, BROOK PARK, OH 44142) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,860.

MY 2008 DODGE CALIBER IS RUSTING ALL OVER DUE TO CHRYSLER NOT PREPPING/COATING THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. SO FAR I HAVE HAD THE CROSSMEMBER THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE ON REPLACED DUE TO RUST, THE OIL PAN AND THE POWER STEERING LINE RUSTED. I HAVE RUST ALL OVER THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE FROM INSIDE WHEEL WELL, BOTTOM OF DOORS, TRANSMISSION PAN, ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD, MULTIPLE PLACES ON THE HOOD, BOTTOM OF THE HATCH, ROCKER PANELS, HINGES ETC.... WAY TOO MANY PLACES FOR A VEHICLE THAT AGE. I HAVE SEEN OTHER 2008'S WITH NO RUST AT ALL. I HAVE MULTIPLE PICTURES BUT IT WILL ONLY ALLOW 5.

AIR CONDENSER DRIPS OUTLET DIRECTLY ONTO ENGINE CRADLE WHICH CAUSES THE CRADLE TO RUST KNOW PROBLEM TO FCA AND IT SHOULD BE KNOWN TO NHTSA AS SEPARATION OF ENGINE CRADLE CAUSES AN UNSAFE VEHICLE

TAKING THE CAR IN FOR ALIGNMENT, THE TECH NOTICE THE SUB FRAME HAD A LARGE HOLE FROM RUST.. TAKING THE CAR TO THE DODGE DEALER. THE SERVICE MANGER STATED THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING, I WAS TOLD "S*** OUT OF LUCK". HE SAID I WAS OVER THE MILEAGE, AND PAST THE TEN YEARS. THE CAR WAS IN FOR ITS LIFE TIME POWERTRAIN INSPECTION A MONTH AND A HALF BEFORE THE TEN YEARS AND REPLACING THE ALTERNATOR. THEY (DODGE REPLACE MY SONS SUBFRAME WITH WITH 140,000 MILES. HAVE THE COPY FROM THE SAME DEALER, A COPY FROM A MAN IN MICHAGAN WHOSE FRAME BROKE GET ON I-90 AND THE TOWING SERVICE SAID THEY GET ONE TO TWO PICKUP PER WEEK ON FRAMES BRAKING. ALSO I HAVE NOT RECVIED ANY LETTER DODGE ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT MY K FRAME ROTTING. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE WORKED ON A JEEP COMPASS WITH SAME PROBLEMS AND CHRYSLER HAD A EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERING IT. CALLED DODGE THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT INTO A DEALERSHIP SO THEY CAN VERIFY AND WHEN THEY DID VERIFY IT THEY TOLD CHRYSLER ABOUT THE ISSUE. CHRYSLER CALLED AND TOLD ME THEY WILL NOT FIX MY FRONT K FRAME BECAUSE I HAD RECENTLY PUT IN AFTER MARKET PARTS IN THE REAR OF MY CAR WHICH CAUSED MY FRONT K FRAME TO RUST AND I'VE ONLY HAD THOSE PARTS INSTALLED A WEEK BEFORE TAKING IT TO DODGE. SO I TOLD THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. THERE'S NO NEED TO MAKE EXCUSES OR LIES IF THEY DON'T WANT TO FIX AND THAT I'VE TALKED TO MY MAIN MECHANIC, THE ALIGNMENT MECHANIC, AND THE DODGE SERVICE REP., ALL 3 SAID IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACE AND IS DANGEROUS TO CONTINUE DRIVING AS THE FRONT K FRAME HOLDS MOSTLY EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD. SAD AS IT IS CHRYSLER GAVE NO CARE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE INSPECTING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTED AND CONTAINED HOLES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

DOOR HINGE ISSUE. INITIALLY THE DOOR SEEMED JUST STUCK DIFFICULT TO CLOSE SPRAYED WD-40 WHEN NEEDED. THE OTHER DAY THE ENTIRE DOOR SHIFTED AND WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. THE SPRING AND HINGE DISLOCATED SHIFTING DOOR WHERE IT CATCHES BENDS THE FRONT FENDER. WHEN LOOKING ONLINE I SEE THAT THIS IS COMMON

ENGINE CRADLE IS ROTTED CLEAR OUT AN ACTUALLY BROKE! THIS IS VERY UNSAFE.IM SURE THE BACK END IS THE SAME WAY! DODGE WILL NOT PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED.THEY HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE 2007 CALIBERS.MINE WAS MADE IN FEB. OF 2008, IT HAS THE EXACT SAME PARTS!! BEEN TRYING TO GET DODGE TO OWN UP AN FIX THIS PROBLEM.NEEDLESS TO SAY I WON'T EVER BUY ANOTHER DODGE PRODUCT.ALSO I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRAME BROKE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE CALIBER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT FILED A CLAIM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

WENT TO INSPECT AND FRONT CRADLE ROTTED AT 76000 MILES