Problems with 2007 Dodge Caliber SUSPENSION

My 2007 dodge caliber was diagnosed by an authorized service center to have a corroded engine cradle and a broken sway bar bracket. the car was deemed unsafe to drive by the servicing center, and i was given an estimate of $731 to repair it. at the time of the diagnosis, the car was only 7 years old with 75,825 miles on it. i contacted dodge to see if they would offer any assistance, and i explained that i found it completely unacceptable that the frame of my vehicle had rusted through to the point that it was unsafe to drive the vehicle. dodge customer service contacted the service center to verify the diagnosis and confirmed that they had told me the car was unsafe to drive. however, customer service offered no assistance and told me that they were unable to do anything because the car was outside of it's 3 year warranty and i "didn't fit the parameters" for them to be able to help me. an engine cradle that has completely corroded after just 75,000 miles is a serious safety hazard and, in my opinion, also indicative of a serious manufacturing defect, yet both the dealership and dodge refused to do anything to rectify the situation. *tr

My 2007 dodge caliber was taken to my mechanic where it was found that the main subframe had rusted through in multiple places. the car is only 6 years old and has approximately 76,150 miles. i called chrysler and mentioned it. customer service stated that they would only provide cost assistance if i had the work done at a chrysler dealership. the car was taken apart and on the lift at my preferred mechanic. i had my mechanic provide the service. i did receive a quote from a local chrysler dealership it would have cost me $ 850.00. my mechanic did the service for $ 650.00. chrysler has refused payment. this subframe components is rusted through in three locations. after only 6 years, this doesn't seem acceptable on a major front end component. *tr

At 47,000 miles had a 800.00 repair to the lower control arm both sides. also replaced the outer tie rods and new tires, front end alignment. just under 2 years since this was done another unsuspecting incident with the suspension, wheels shimming at 40mph. called chrysler, and they stated no recall on my vehicle, however the mechanic that checked the tires said his wife had her vehicle recalled for similar breakdowns. my point all of this started at 47,000 miles. if my tire rods break or some other incident with the suspension i could have a major or fatal accident if i lose control on the freeway. -suspension on these vehicles is very unsafe as is the chrysler neon. need verification also if there was a silent recall on this, meaning they only paid when asked. they admitted the problem on the first incident and paid 400.00 as a good will gesture. the vehicle's suspension is just plain sloppy any way you look at it. *tr

When doing a brake job i noticed the front k member had a corrosion hole in the back of it, this is the front sub frame that holds the powertrain and front suspension. *tr

I was slowing down to stop at an intersection and heard a thump on the bottom of the car. as i started to pull forward the steering was very difficult and the i heard a whining sound from the right front tire. i was about a mile from my repair shop so i had my brother follow me with his emergency flashers and drove slowly to the shop where i found out that the subframe was completely rotted through. in the last year, i have had to replace upper and lower control arms and the alternator. *tr

Woke up to a flat tire. while placing on the spare i realized that all four tires were dangerously low on each of their inner tread. alignment? maybe however was aligned 7 months ago. tire tread is within safe limits on the outer side. have complained for years to the dealer that the suspension squeaks and was told need new wheel bearings, at approx. 35,000 miles. the suspension has been an issue about a year after we bought it. of course while under warranty nothing was replaced or fixed. now out of warranty we will have to have someone figure out the problem and fix for who knows how much money. my complaint steams from having suspension issues within the first two years of owning this car. how does this happen? i have seen many posts on online forums with the same problem but dodge doesn't care or willing to fix their mistake? while we have driven it to over 100,000 miles the suspension issues have been there for years and no dealer ever fixed anything? no recall? it now is unsafe to drive and will cost us an arm and leg to fix whatever dodge didn't care to put research into building properly the first time. *tr

While under my dodge i noticed that there is a large amount of rust. after further inspection i saw that they designed the ac condensation to drip directly onto the frame. this baffles me since all they had too do is design a tube to direct the water onto the ground. i am not sure exactly how this has effected the strength of the frame but from the amount of rust on the spot where the water drips i don't have a warm and fuzzy that the frame will last the life of the car or that the frame won't just snap while driving and cause an accident. very unsafe practice and with such an easy fix don't understand it at all. *tr

Every time when i would be going over any kind of bump,driveways at speed bumps or just driving the car. i would always here shaking or rumbling noises in my front suspension. recently i had to get a clutch installed in my caliber. and my mechanic informing me that my control arms were coming loose. which means that if it persists the wheels can come off so that's the sound i am hearing the wheels shaking when it goes over bumps!. and then he followed by saying with dodge calibers control arms always seems to go bad early in the life of the car no matter how you drive. i only have about 91,000 miles on my car which are about 90% highway miles. i used to drive for ups drove trucks for living when he comes to changing gears and driving the car i am extremely capable. so for a clutch to go back in just seven years is absolutely ridiculous. my parents had a 1987 volvo station wagon with manual transmission. and we never had transmission problems!!! hey dodge this is how a car is supposed to work!! you buy it works till you sell it. with a few maintenance fixes down the line. (not control arms transmission and electrical and gas pedals.) so for control arms going bad at this time is absolutely ridiculous. i went on other forums of people who has the same car as mine in about 600 people or thousand people were saying exactly the same thing but they had to spend a lot of money to get these things fixed. i understand that things go bad cars over time but this is extremely too early. i have went to 3 to 4 other mechanics and all say the same thing about the dodge calibers. control arms are a major important thing is safety of a car extremely basic an extremely simple to understand that conforms do not go back and just seven years. note my control arms aren't as bad as some others. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact stated that while having regular maintenance performed on the vehicle, the technician advised her that the lower ball joints were loose and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 63,000.

Started to hear squeaking and clanging noises in the front passenger side of my car. it would make the noises with every bump and especially could hear it going down hills. then the steering wheel would wobble and it felt like i was driving on a flat tire, but tire pressure was fine. when it started to be all over the road, like i was constantly hydro-planning, i researched on line and found that this particular year and model of car has major problems with the control arms, ball bearings and tie rods. i made an appointment with my mechanic and told him i thought it was the passenger side control arm. he checked it out and it was both control arms with connected ball bearing, both tie rods and both sway bar end links needing replaced. he also discovered that the tires that had been put on not even 9 months ago where showing threads. cost of repair not including the new tires and alignment was $887. will be up over $1000.00 after tires are replaced and alignment is complete. i was afraid to drive on wet pavement, had very little control of the car. was always correcting the steering while driving, it just pulled and when i hit a bump it would jerk to the side where the bump was. *tr

I called dodge chrysler about the fact that my car needs: 2 rear lower control arms, 2 lateral links, struts, bellows, 2 sway bar links,bushings and 4 wheel alignments. not to mention the abnormal wear i've had on these tires, where, chrysler dealerships have told me you can't do wheel alignments on the rear of the car. it needs 1700.00 worth of repairs. the car is not that old but i don't think it should need this much repair. i understand you can't get parts for this car. no recall? there are so many other of these cars with similar problems. *tr

Every time i go over a bump it make a horrible squeaking/ jerking motion i've looked on there and it seems everyone is having the same issues, i replaced the struts thinking that was it and it seemed the sound got worse. i shouldn't be replacing all this that early, this car has nothing by highway miles. it literally sounds like my tires are gonna fly off. this really worries me because i have small children. *tr

Car is hard to start cranks very slow and there is a tapping sound like a bad lifter upon starting but goes away when the car warms up. the wheel bearings had to be replaced. alignment was way off and tires had to be replaced. brakes have to be replaced. there is a hollow noise from the rear of the vehicle. after jacking the car up to check that sound out the rear passenger wheel would not come off the ground. after replacing the front wheel bearings and new tires the car now shakes and vibrates in the front end. the car has been at the repair center for 10 days on and off. this last time it has been there for 6 days and counting. these vehicles are unsafe for the road and should be recalled and taken off the road permanently. there are way too many problems with these vehicles and the manufacturer will not do anything about it. nhtsa needs to step up and hold the manufacturer accountable before someone gets seriously injured or killed. do not wait until there is a fatality! action needs to be taken now! *tr

5 y/r car with completely rusted sub-frame which needs replaced. *tr

I have owned this dodge caliber for 6 years now and the lower control arms on this vehicle are a very poor design. in the 6 years that i have owned this car i have replaced the lower control arms 3 times. both control arms were replaced each time because the bushings were bad, cracked and split. now for the fourth time i will be replacing these control arms because of this same issue.

Vehicle taken in for tire rotation.located excessive wear in lower ball joints,tierod ends and control arm bushings.many entries on internet of others with same vintage calibers finding same prob with premature wear. failure of any of the above components. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact was driving 35 mph and traveled over a road bump when the front of the vehicle exhibited an abnormal grinding noise. the contact stated that no warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or a mechanic for inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 56,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact stated while driving through a large puddle of water at low speeds, the wheels locked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing and they advised him that they were unable to reenact the failure since there was no water to drive through. after the failure occurred the vehicle stalled on an intermittent basis while driving at various speeds. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000. the current mileage was approximately 66,000.

I purchased the car in december 2011 with the front struts needing to be replaced. the day i bought it, the electrical throttle system light came on and it shook violently and shut off. i waited a few minutes and it started back up. after replacing the struts, and the tire rod ends, the car was fine. by august 2012, the ball joints and tire rod ends needed to be replaced again, and this time the control arm, so i replaced them. in november 2012, i replaced the battery and alternator. in february 2013, the car began shutting off as i would accelerate, making the creaking and rattling noises near the front tires, and the steering wheel would shake and the wheels would sound like they would come off as i would brake from highway speeds. so i took the car to the shop, and once again, the ball joints, tire rod ends, crank shaft, spark plugs, coil pack, oil sensor and a few other things. my check engine light is back on, and it reads gascap, so i replaced it, and two weeks later it is still on. and here it is march 14, 2013 i am hearing the creaking and rattling noises again, and the wobbling sound of the tires and shaking of the steering wheel when i break. just this morning on my way taking my kids to school, pulling away from a stop light, the car was cutting off. this car is not safe, and i have children. i cannot afford to keep shelling out 1,000 dollars to fix this car every month or every few months. what can be done about this???? *tr

While backing from driveway onto street, the right front side of the vehicle dropped with a pop noise, stopping the car. the car required a lot of engine power to move. looked under the car and observed a portion of the coil spring pressing hard against/into the tire. had vehicle towed to a repair shop. manager informed me the right front coil spring was broken. he was unable to locate any oem parts from dodge or any aftermarket replacements. when he contacted after market suppliers, he was told it is too soon for this part to need replaced and suppliers were not yet manufacturing aftermarket replacement parts. waited over 2 weeks for dodge to supply parts. thank god the coil spring did not break while moving along the highway! it surely would have caused a loss of control and a serious accident! the manager says he has been seeing a high incidence of this type of premature failure and would expect dodge to issue a recall soon due to the obvious safety concerns. evidently, there is an abnormally high demand for the replacement springs which is probably the reason for the lack of available parts. the supply is being constantly depleted by breakdowns. i would guess many accidents are being caused by this coil spring failure and go undocumented as the cause because the coil spring damage is assumed to be a result of the accident and not the cause! after all, how often is the coil spring going to fail while the car is sitting still vs while driving?? i urgently request you to hasten your investigation of this issue. thank you. *tr

My husband and i purchased the car in 2007 and it had about 40,000 miles on it. about 1.5 years later we had to do the suspension and shortly after, the ball joints. the mechanic that looked at the car said everything on the car went bad way too fast. when we called dodge, they said there were no recalls on the car, but surprise, we now have to get the front done again!!!! i have seen this and numerous other sites that also have complaints about this car. i emailed and will call back dodge tonight. if nothing is done i will go to the local media to have them help with this. something has to be done before someone gets hurt. *tr

My cars tie rods are going out, already happened once on one side and now its going out on the other, because i can feel it, this is a huge problem bc i am scared to drive my car because i have a four year old lil boy, i need this problem fixed before it falls apart and either of us die then there will be a lawsuit because my car only has 57,565 miles on it and shouldn't already going out on me, the first time they went out dodge did pay for it in full. but now it is going out on the other side so i am asking for help or for u to pay for it again since it is a defected part, thanks *tr

After two sets of tires we were told the lower ball joints had to be replaced on front end. had to park the car and wait a week before the parts came in. we were told it wasn't safe to drive and there should be a recall due to the many problems of this nature. also the water pump had to be replaced two months prior to this problem. this vehicle was serviced each time at the dodge dealer who informed us these problem should not have happen so soon. *tr

First my car started to sound like a dryer full of ball bearings the ball bearing the oem ones in the alternator went out. there is no replacement pulley so the whole alternator had to be replaced $600+ (found out this is a common problem in 2007 dodge calibers) then while pulling out of the parking lot my tire fell off due to faulty/worn-out i ball joints and upper and lower control arms.. had to replace the entire front end suspension $1400+! (this is a major complaint as i have found online. i have read over 200 different complaint statements) not to mention my abs light was on and they had to change out my speed sensor 100 +. then my ck engine light came on 2 weeks after the entire front end suspension was replaced when i drove the car it would shake and acted like it was losing power & would not let me accelerate past 35 mph. i took it in it had several stored codes. one was then intake manifold was stuck and the other was the camshaft.. they cleared it out and only the manifold came back up so they said i had to replace that. we did $800 + i picked it up & a day later it was doing the same thing now saying multi. cylinder misfire & camshaft they cleared it and test drove it but it did not come back on so the dodge tech. has no clue what to do to fix it & no clue on the cost ( this has also been a problem on 2007 dodge calibers) this has all happened within the last 3 months and my car has about 86000 to 87000 mi on it! i?m fed up this car is falling apart. as i have read dodge knows of these issues & has done nothing about it i have also called and made my complaint no call back yet..any open lawsuits on this? i would even be happy if dodge would reimburse me for these issues as obviously they are well documented known issues. i have spent way to much on this car in 3 months and @ 7 months pregnant with a 6 year old i need a safe reliable car! *tr

My 2007 dodge caliber, which only has 56,000 miles driven, had to have its left front tie rod end replaced at 25,000, and now the lower control arms, right tie rod end and left strut need to be replaced. after some research, i found that many 2007 dodge caliber owners are experiencing the same problems. i think that the suspension on these vehicles, specifically the lower control arms, which contain the ball joints, are defective and need to be recalled, before someone gets killed, when their tires fall off the car. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for routine maintenance when the technician detected that the front brake rotors exhibited severe rust and corrosion. the shims, front brakes and rotors were replaced. in addition, the inner tie rods loosened from the steering rack and the front control arm bushing separated. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the failure mileage was 23,167. updated 06/05/12*lj the consumer stated that chrysler has since repaired the vehicle. updated 06/06/12 *js

I bought my car in february of 2013. approximately 6 months later i had to replace the struts and ball joints on the car. then had them replaced again. 09/29/14 and was told again by the repair shop last week when i brought the car in for a tuneup because it was hesitating when you started to accelerate that i'm going to need to have the struts replaced again. so now that's 3 times in a little more 3 yrs i have owned the car. this can't be normal. i looked online and there have been 100's of people complaining about front suspensions on their calibers. so i think it's a design fault that needs to be corrected. the one time ( the 2nd repair) i was told that it was a good thing i brought the car in when i did or i could have been in a serious accident because the struts were so badly damaged.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact stated that while driving 3 mph and attempting a left turn, the front driver side wheel malfunctioned and caused the front axle to bend abnormally. the contact had the vehicle towed to a local mechanic where the mechanic replaced the front axle and bearings. the failure mileage was 60,569.

Noticed that the front tires on the vehicle were worn down to the steel radial only on the inside edge, all the way to the steel radial, even though the tires were only a year old. took it to the shop and found out the ball joint and front control arms needed to be replaced. auto shop said we were fortunate that we noticed the problem, and suggested not driving any further until it was fixed. also told us they had two other calibers this year with same problem. we took the car to the dealership and they confirmed the problem and want to charge $1400 to fix and replace our relatively new tires. upon researching many owners have had this same problem. just grateful that we found the problem while parked and before the tires blew on the highway or suspension became even looser. *tr

Reversed out of parking spot put car in drive and nothing happened. turns out my tie rod and ball joints on passenger side basically fell apart. garage said other side is just about ready to go too. thankfully i was only pulling out of a parking spot...5 minutes later and i could have been wrapped around a telephone pole. been looking online to find many people also have had this problem. this should really be looked into further! *tr

My sisters 2007 dodge caliber only has only 32236 miles on it and the ball joints need replaced already, it cost 800 dollars to replace them, i looked on line and everybody that has a 2007 caliber is having the same problem there should be a recall on the ball joints, just look on line and u will see how many people are having trouble with the ball joints, how many complaints does it take to have a recall done, thank you for your time, please just e mail me back thank you. *tr

These cars are dangerous for people to be driving on the highlway. dodge knows the control arms are defective and they should be made to do a recall on these cars. luckily, i have not had a wreck in this. vehicle. if the control arms break while driving,it will be very bad. there are so many complaints on-line about these cars, i am shocked nobody has made dodge do something about this problem. *tr

Front lower ball joints are completely shot. found this out when i got tires fixes- car only has 52,000 miles- i am a very good driver making sure that i watch out for all road conditions. *tr

My 2007 dodge caliber recently started making a clunking noise on the front when going over speed bumps and things like that. i took it to a shop and am being told the ball joints are bad and i have to replace control arms along with ball joints because they are attached to each other. i only have 45000 miles on the car this is outrageous. i hope my extended warranty will cover the repair. i am just glad that my wife was not in the car with our baby when the ball joints failed and got them into a serious wreck. it is too bad that things like that have to happen hundreds or thousands of times before a recall is done. this requires a recall! manufacturer defect! *kb

I have a dodge 2007 caliber sxt 2.0 l bought from dealer in may 2011 has approx. 57,250 miles on it. i have replaced two front tires only to find out lower ball joints/control arms and tie rod ends need replacing. at 57k miles?! that's absurd and if you look on autobeef.com it is an ongoing/recurring issue with this make and model. dodge will refuse to do anything about it and will not accept responsibility for this problem. something must be done, i will fight until my voice is heard, this is a major safety hazard and something needs to be done about it. if anyone cares please help me with my fight against dodge/chrysler. they need to take ownership. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact stated that the vehicle was being service for routine maintenance when he was advised that the front ball joints on each side were fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that a recall would be issued for the failure in the near future. the failure mileage was 57,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. during a failed inspection, the contact stated that the engine light illuminated on the instrument panel of the vehicle. also, the vehicle would wobble while driving at normal speeds. a local mechanic diagnosed the vehicle as needing new struts. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 98,401.

Both outer tire rods failed at 46,000 miles, car sounded like to front end was going to fall off. replaced and took for alignment. repair clinic could not do alignment because both lower control arm assemblies with ball joint were unrepairable.factory defect, joints sealed so unable to lubricate, forces owner to replace at $800.00 for both or possibly lose control and have a fatal accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliper. the contact stated that the front ball joints failed, causing the front end of the vehicle to bounce when being driven. the contact stated that the front tie rods were replaced a year prior to the most recent failure. the failure mileage was 38,000 and the current mileage was 42,000.

Fuel tank overflows every time i fill tank spraying gasoline all over car and on me. i do not ever "top off" my car. this happens at every gas station. also tie rods have had to been replaced multiple times due to premature wear. chrysler does not want to address these problems with me and tell me not to fill up my tank all the way, and that it's normal for tierods to have to be replaced three times in under 35k miles. *tr

I had an oil change done on my 2007 dodge caliber today. the safety inspection sheet said the tie rod is "loose" on both sides, and the left ball joint is "loose". i know if either of these breaks while i'm driving down the road it would cause a very serious accident. there are less than 27,000 miles on this car, and i found that many others have had this same problem with their calibers. i am strapped for cash, but will have to get it repaired asap, as i don't feel safe driving it like this, especially when my four year old granddaughter is with me. i think a recall is in order. *kb

May 2011 heard a clunking noise. 48000 miles on 2007 dodge caliber. had it checked out and ball joint and control arm needed replaced and 4 new tires that were worn from the vehicle alignment caused from these issues. now march 2012, we had issues with squeaking noise on left side and had it checked out. hot burning smell noticed and had broken coil spring and strut that we're causing wear on tire. we will never by a dodge again! *tr

Front end started clunking at approx 57,000 miles. had checked and replaced tie rod ends and ball joints. *tr

In august 2009 with only about 48,000 miles on the car, i had to replace driverside front lower control arm as a bushing that kept falling out. not covered by warranty nor any recalls. noticed the part was redesigned so chrysler was aware of a problem. now, the passenger side appears to be having the same problem and a mechanic stated the passenger side ball joint is bad with only 77,000 miles on it and the ball joint on the newer control arm is also starting to show wear . i found a significant number of similar complaints of with a simple internet search . the ball joint cannot be serviced or replaced without replacing the whole control arm at a cost of about $250 just for the part. all other cars i have owned had ball joints last well over 150,000 miles. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact stated that vehicle was taken for state inspection when she was informed that the driver side lower ball joint was defective and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the dealer also stated that the passenger side lower ball joint was likely to fail as well, at some point. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that there were no related recalls to the failure and the manufacturer took a complaint but provided no additional assistance. the current and failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact took the vehicle to a tire shop to have new tires installed when she was informed that the alignment could not be performed because the front lower ball joint was defective. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who took a complaint but provided no further assistance. the current and failure mileage was 51,424.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. while driving at approximately 30 mph, the contact noticed a squeaking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. also, when the vehicle would go over a road bump, the steering wheel would feel loose and jerk whenever making a turn. the vehicle was taken to both an independent mechanic and the dealer for diagnostics where the technicians all diagnosed the failure as the driver and passenger side lower control arms and ball joints. the vehicle was repaired by the independent mechanic. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a report was filed. the approximate failure mileage was 47,000. updated 07/28/11*lj updated 07/28/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle began to abnormally veer to the left. the contact proceeded to apply the brakes and was barely able to maneuver the vehicle to avoid a crash. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer who diagnosed the failure as the control arm assembly, bushing and rods needing replacement. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 70,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. the contact heard a grinding noise at the front end of the vehicle while driving various speeds. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure. the dealer performed a diagnostic and test drove the vehicle. the failure was located at the front ball joint, the tie rod end and the lower control arm. the dealer replaced the front ball joint, tie rod end, lower control arm and the front tires. the manufacturer assisted with the tire replacement cost. the failure mileage was 27,000 and the current mileage was 28,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. while the vehicle was undergoing state inspection the mechanic noticed the front passenger side lower ball joint and control arm needed to be replaced because they were defective. the contact stated while driving a knocking noise could be heard coming from the right front of the vehicle at any speed when driving over a bump in the road. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 67,000.