CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2007 Dodge Caliber has all kinds of suspension problems at relatively low mileage: typically 40-50,000 miles.
The most commonly reported problems are with ball joints & control arms going bad. Tie rods & leaking struts are also reported failing in the same mileage range.
Unfortunately all the suspension problems means some owners only find out after they notice their tires are ruined.
We've given the 2007 Caliber our worst rating because these problems happen at such low mileage, & it involves a wide range of apparently defective parts. With most other cars, major suspension work is pretty rare under 50,000 miles.
In January 2016, while accelerating up a paved incline on IN-49 Northbound, the starter arbitrarily engaged with the engine flywheel. The engine stalled and concurrently the cooling system developed a leak in the thermostat housing on the transmission and the all of the coolant leak onto the ground (Calibers have two thermostats). 6 weeks later I paid $1,268.00 to replace the warrantied starter (see paragraph below, replaced in 2015), the PCM (powertrain control module), and the warrantied alternator (because the starter failed for the second time and was changed in 2014). It was necessary to change the PCM because it was not telling the alternator to charge the battery. The alternator shorted out, I suspect because of the faulty starter or PCM or both. Most of the cost was labor and troubleshooting related. Continued below the second paragraph.
This is the second occurrence where the starter arbitrarily engaged the flywheel while the car was in forward motion. Last year, my wife was driving 70 mph on I-80/90 Eastbound on the first occurrence and it nearly caused her to lose control of the car, since the engine simply stopped and she had to pull over to the side of the interstate and call for help, while avoiding high speed truckers and other cars .
When I drove the car out of the dealership yesterday, 3/2/2016, I had only driven 1.5 miles, when the exact same thing happened again, the starter arbitrarily engaged, this time while only driving at 20 mph. The solenoid failed to disengage this time (even with the key turned off) and I had to listen and watch the remanufactured starter/solenoid literally burn itself up.
It was towed back to the dealership from whence it came, and the prognosis is that the TIPM is faulty. I am seeking to find out what the TIPM is and what it's function is.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
In January 2016, while accelerating up a paved incline on IN-49 Northbound, the starter arbitrarily engaged with the engine flywheel. The engine stalled and concurrently the cooling system developed a leak in the thermostat housing on the transmission and the all of the coolant leak onto the ground (Calibers have two thermostats). 6 weeks later I paid $1,268.00 to replace the warrantied starter (see paragraph below, replaced in 2015), the PCM (powertrain control module), and the warrantied alternator (because the starter failed for the second time and was changed in 2014). It was necessary to change the PCM because it was not telling the alternator to charge the battery. The alternator shorted out, I suspect because of the faulty starter or PCM or both. Most of the cost was labor and troubleshooting related. Continued below the second paragraph.
This is the second occurrence where the starter arbitrarily engaged the flywheel while the car was in forward motion. Last year, my wife was driving 70 mph on I-80/90 Eastbound on the first occurrence and it nearly caused her to lose control of the car, since the engine simply stopped and she had to pull over to the side of the interstate and call for help, while avoiding high speed truckers and other cars .
When I drove the car out of the dealership yesterday, 3/2/2016, I had only driven 1.5 miles, when the exact same thing happened again, the starter arbitrarily engaged, this time while only driving at 20 mph. The solenoid failed to disengage this time (even with the key turned off) and I had to listen and watch the remanufactured starter/solenoid literally burn itself up.
It was towed back to the dealership from whence it came, and the prognosis is that the TIPM is faulty. I am seeking to find out what the TIPM is and what it's function is.
- disgusted1, Chesterton, IN, US