The front lower left ball joints, control arm. i have not even had the vehicle for a whole year. i did not a warning sign. i went to get new tires and a front alignment, but i was unable to due to, the ball joints and control arm.
During routine oil change, repair technician reported severe rust and corrosion of the subframe. i have now read several duplications of this problem and find it essential that the nhtsa takes note of this common and extremely dangerous issue. the subframe element is perhaps the most important part of this vehicle. since my wife drives the 2012 version, i will be having her car's subframe checked immediately.
While purchasing tires mechanic noticed, both front and rear subframes are corroding to the point of failure, vehicle unsafe to drive.
Suspension cross member frame, struts, bushings & sway bar. took car in for routine oil change. mechanic inspected car & noticed severe rusting on front cross member. so, bad that my car was not safe to drive. i was told there was a recent recall from dodge that had expired in 2018. i never saw this recall notice. i did get the airbag recall notice & took my car ro dodge to fix in spring 2018. they could have fixed the crossmember at that time. the mechanic also had to replace struts, bushing & suspension stabilizer sway bar as a result of the rusted suspension cross member.
My subframe rusted out affecting my steering. i had to pull off the interstate since i almost lost all control. since my car came from a salt state the subframe is being replaced due to a warranty extension from dodge, however the control arms need to be replaced as well. they have prematurely worn out due to thr incorrect support of the subframe. dodge refuses to fix this as well.
Frame where lower control arm bolts on rusted through and cracked. wheel on front driver side suddenly lost alignment while driving straight down a road in lansing. i'm lucky it didn't come completely off as i was driving at 45 mph directly after driving at slower speeds with many turns in east lansing.
tl* the contact owns 2010 dodge caliber. the contact stated that while driving, the vehicle emitted a loud noise. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic in the city of cleveland, ohio where it was diagnosed that the engine cradle, the front ball joints, and the rear suspension failed due to corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 11,009.
On 10/5/2016, the sub frame on my car broke due to it being rusted through. thank goodness it broke when i was going at a slow speed, and no accident occurred. i had to be towed and it was put onto a lift. the garage mechanic inspected the car's sub frame, which was broken and rusted completely, but the rest of the car is perfect, not a speck of rust. when i called the dodge corporation number i was told that there is no recall for this, only prior years, which has the same part! i was told that i live in a high corrosion area, due to salt on our roads in the winter. if that was the case, then why is this the only part in the car that is rusted? i was charged $1032.86 for the new part to be installed, and it also had to be aligned. i have looked on line and seen a numerous number of complaints about the same issue from other people. the local dodge dealer employees stated that they see this happening frequently!
When its rains it leaks from the sunroof into the light. struts are out abs light on brakes have been fixed
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 dodge caliber. the contact stated that the rear adjustable control arms of the vehicle were welded to the vehicle and failed to adjust. as a result, the inside of the rear tires became worn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the tires needed to be replaced on three occasions, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the technician stated that the adjustable control arm needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 30,900.
Per my mechanic the ball joints need replaced. having spoken with other caliber owners, it seems fairly unanimous that they have replaced or need to replace the ball joints on their cars not long after the manufacturer warranty expires. further it is recommended to replace the whole lower control arm. *tr