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.
After following all the maintenance in the owners manual. Which included rotating tires every 6,000 miles. I was informed that there was light feathering on my tires. The mechanic suggested I get a front end alignment immediately. He said he caught the problem in time. So I paid $70 to have the alignment done that day. The tires continued to wear and the next time I took the car in for tire rotation. I was told the tires were cupped. My car was driving straight down the road. Not pulling left or right. I was told to have another front end alignment done costing me another $70. I was shock since the car was only 2 years old. And I had followed all the maintenance in my owners manual and had the front end alignment done when the mechanic requested the first time. The tires continued to make more and more noise. Until I couldn't stand it any longer. I felt the tires should be covered under warranty. Mechanic said no that I didn't have the first alignment done in time. I informed him that I had brought my car in every 6,000 miles for a tire rotation and I had the alignment done when another mechanic there had told me to. So how is this my fault?? But you're saying I waited to long. So I wasted $140 on 2 alignments that did absolutely nothing to save the tires. Why didn't my car pull left or right. He said both front tires had equal damage on the inside so it wouldn't cause the car to pull. Manufacturer said tires weren't covered under warranty, because this garage was an authorized warranty place and they were refusing to give approval. This garage felt something was wrong with the car and I should take it back to the dealer. I took my car across the street to another garage to get a second opinion. Mechanic said looks like a suspension problem definitely go back to the dealer. So back to the dealer I went to have the suspension checked. They said the suspension was fine and sent me away totally confused. Now I didn't know if the first mechanic was covering his behind and his garage didn't tell me to have the alignment done soon enough. Or if the dealer was not admitting the suspension was bad, because they didn't want to pay to fix the problem. The tires continued to get worse. Soon they were making so much noise it sounded like a jet airplane was flying over me as I drove down the highway. I went back to the first mechanic. Told him the dealer said nothing was wrong with my car and they needed to replace my tires since I paid them to rotated them every 6,000 miles. And they failed to alert me to have the front end alignment done in time to save my tires. He refused to help me. I went to the manager of the garage. He wouldn't help so I called his boss. No one would listen. I even offered to pay cost for new tires. So they wouldn't be out any money, but I would get replacement tires for less than the cost of new ones. After all this disaster was not my fault. No luck. So I bought the cheapest tires I could find (since having a warranty is worthless.) Had my car alignment checked again by a different garage than the first two places I had gone, but it was fine. Then I started having a braking issue which I will report as another complaint even though it is tied into this problem. Because I later found out both lower control arms were bad. Of coarse by now my car was no longer under warranty. How convenient for the dealer since I took my car there for suspension check while still under warranty and they said everything was fine.
Third set of tires put on this car due to bad wheel bearings and cupping of the tires... Such a disappointment Dodge. Through this experience I found Yokohama tires were the best on this piece of crap car.
I have found this car to be extremely hard on tires. My wife's friend has the same car and all of the same issues plus some others that I am sure I will have as well. At 72000 miles this car is on its 3rd set of tires. A terrible suspension design is a big culprit. I took it in to be aligned due to tire wear and found out that the ball joint were shot and needed to be fixed first.
- Mike M.,
Adrian, MI, US
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
After following all the maintenance in the owners manual. Which included rotating tires every 6,000 miles. I was informed that there was light feathering on my tires. The mechanic suggested I get a front end alignment immediately. He said he caught the problem in time. So I paid $70 to have the alignment done that day. The tires continued to wear and the next time I took the car in for tire rotation. I was told the tires were cupped. My car was driving straight down the road. Not pulling left or right. I was told to have another front end alignment done costing me another $70. I was shock since the car was only 2 years old. And I had followed all the maintenance in my owners manual and had the front end alignment done when the mechanic requested the first time. The tires continued to make more and more noise. Until I couldn't stand it any longer. I felt the tires should be covered under warranty. Mechanic said no that I didn't have the first alignment done in time. I informed him that I had brought my car in every 6,000 miles for a tire rotation and I had the alignment done when another mechanic there had told me to. So how is this my fault?? But you're saying I waited to long. So I wasted $140 on 2 alignments that did absolutely nothing to save the tires. Why didn't my car pull left or right. He said both front tires had equal damage on the inside so it wouldn't cause the car to pull. Manufacturer said tires weren't covered under warranty, because this garage was an authorized warranty place and they were refusing to give approval. This garage felt something was wrong with the car and I should take it back to the dealer. I took my car across the street to another garage to get a second opinion. Mechanic said looks like a suspension problem definitely go back to the dealer. So back to the dealer I went to have the suspension checked. They said the suspension was fine and sent me away totally confused. Now I didn't know if the first mechanic was covering his behind and his garage didn't tell me to have the alignment done soon enough. Or if the dealer was not admitting the suspension was bad, because they didn't want to pay to fix the problem. The tires continued to get worse. Soon they were making so much noise it sounded like a jet airplane was flying over me as I drove down the highway. I went back to the first mechanic. Told him the dealer said nothing was wrong with my car and they needed to replace my tires since I paid them to rotated them every 6,000 miles. And they failed to alert me to have the front end alignment done in time to save my tires. He refused to help me. I went to the manager of the garage. He wouldn't help so I called his boss. No one would listen. I even offered to pay cost for new tires. So they wouldn't be out any money, but I would get replacement tires for less than the cost of new ones. After all this disaster was not my fault. No luck. So I bought the cheapest tires I could find (since having a warranty is worthless.) Had my car alignment checked again by a different garage than the first two places I had gone, but it was fine. Then I started having a braking issue which I will report as another complaint even though it is tied into this problem. Because I later found out both lower control arms were bad. Of coarse by now my car was no longer under warranty. How convenient for the dealer since I took my car there for suspension check while still under warranty and they said everything was fine.
- kimsprout1, MILLSBORO, DE, US