10 of the 355 complaints about the 2009 Dodge Caliber are about the braking system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 37,500 miles.
10
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
The car was in park on a hill, when I turned off the engine, it rolled down the steep hill and the brakes or emergency brake would not work. I crashed through a fence across the street and into a building. The car was totaled.
NHTSA complaint #11471526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
The engine stalls when I take off more times than none I'm stuck idling in traffic almost causing accident the frame that hold motor mounts are bad I've replaced motor mounts twice in a less than a year the car heats up after 70 miles an hour I have 5o pull over and let it cool off this happens 3 to 4 times a week with the engine stalling and overheating didn't find out til after I leased the car from AtoZ auto on gen McMullen and it's financed through car financial services I believe they knew the car was damaged I got scammed and have to pay 425 dollars a month on a car that can't be fixed I've spent a lot trying to fix the car
NHTSA complaint #11456269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
When the vehicle reaches 3,000 RPMs the temperature light comes on and the vehicle seems like it wants to go into neutral The engine light comes on the antilock brake system light comes on.
NHTSA complaint #11421138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
ON MAY 7TH, 2016 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. MY CAR STALLED AND NO MATTER WHAT I DID, PRESSING, PUMPING, OR MASHING, MY BRAKES WOULD NOT SLOW OR STOP THE CAR. NOW, MY CAR HAS DONE THIS IN THE PAST USUALLY RIGHT AS I AM COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE FIRST MONTH I OWNED THE CAR, I CASUALLY TOLD THE SERVICE WRITER AT MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID NOT TO USE CHEAP GAS. I TOLD THEM THAT I USE GAS FROM SHELL, NOT CHEAP GAS. THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN, I WOULD MENTION IT AGAIN, BEING TOLD ABOUT USING CHEAP GAS. WHICH AGAIN, I TOLD THEM I DON'T USE CHEAP GAS IN MY CAR. I BELIEVE MY ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE ISSUE LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V528000.
NHTSA complaint #10874440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
STARTED OUT WHEN I DRIVE MORE THAN 23 MILES, TRANS. OVERHEAT LIGHT COMES ON, LOOSE POWER. GOING UP HILLS, VERY LITTLE POWER. RPM WRAPS BETWEEN 3 & 4, NORMAL DRIVING, WHEN STOPPING CAR JUMPS AHEAD IF I HIT A BUMP. BREAKS SQUEAK AFTER REPLACING BRAND NEW, NOW ENGINE OVERHEAT LIGHT, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT & MALFUNCTION INDICATION LIGHT ON. HAD TRANSMISSION FILTER AND FLUID REPLACED. LASTED 2 WEEKS. WORSE NOW..
NHTSA complaint #10820121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AT ABOUT 10000 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 16,000. A MECHANIC SAID THE CODE INDICATED LOW VOLTAGE TO THE ABS MOTOR. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE WAS GOOD. THE DEALER AND ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID THE REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $600 SO I DID NOT REPAIR IT.
NHTSA complaint #10749519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TIPM WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO WORK AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
NHTSA complaint #10748091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,248.
NHTSA complaint #10650972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE CALIBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,248.
NHTSA complaint #10650972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
PLEASE NOTE THIS CAR HAS BEEN DIFFICULT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. BETWEEN THE TIRES, BRAKES AND ROTORS THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES. APPROXIMATELY 6-12 MONTHS AGO I STOPPED TO PUT AIR IN MY TIRE AS MY SENSOR INFORMED ME THE TIRE WAS LOW. WHEN I PLACED THE HOSE ON THE VALVE STEM THE STEM CRACKED IN HALF. THIS COST ME MONEY TO FIX. NOW ON 11/24/12 I WAS ONCE AGAIN INFORMED I NEEDED AIR AND ONCE AGAIN THE STEM BROKE, COSTING ME OVER $100 TO FIX PLUS I HAD IT FIXED AT PEPBOYS AS THE SPARE WAS A DONUT AND DIDN'T WANT TO USE IT.THIS COST ME $25 BUT THE STEM WAS NOT THE ONE FOR THE CENSOR. MEANWHILE I CALLED THE DEALER, OUTTEN COUNTY CHRYSLER, AND LEFT A MESSAGE AS THEY WERE CLOSED. I SETUP AN APPOINTMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN THIS MANY, MANY TIMES. TO ME, PERSONALLY, I FEEL THIS A MAJOR ISSUE. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR TO ALLEVIATE ALL THE "REPAIR HEADACHES" YET I AM STILL DOING IT, PLUS WHY WOULD SIMPLY PUTTING AIR IN THE TIRE CAUSE THE VALVE TO BREAK? ACCORDING TO THE PERSON AT THE DESK THEY NOTED THEY HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES THAT THE VALVE STEMS CORRODE AND BREAK EASILY. TO ME THIS IS A RIP OFF TO ME, THE CONSUMER AND COSTLY AT THAT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE.
NHTSA complaint #10486443 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.