What breaks most · 2006 to 2012 model years
Dodge Caliber problems by year
Owners have filed 1,848 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Dodge Caliber across model years 2006 to 2012. Three years stand out: 2007 for suspension complaints, 2008 for suspension complaints and 2009 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2006 and 2010.
- Years to check closely: 2007, 2008, 2009
- Fewest complaints: 2006, 2010
- Complaints on file
- 18482006 to 2012, all trims
- Worst year
- 2007884 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 11831 fires · 93 injuries · 4 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 82kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 10Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Suspension (1) | |
| 884 | 54 | 4 | Suspension (255) | |
| 360 | 21 | 0 | Suspension (113) | |
| 232 | 13 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (64) | |
| 157 | 12 | 2 | Electrical system (32) | |
| 165 | 9 | 2 | Air bags (36) | |
| 49 | 9 | 1 | Air bags (17) |
What fails on the 2007 Dodge Caliber
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 29% |
255 | 9 | Shop suspension parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 22% |
197 | 2 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 18% |
158 | 2 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 12% |
104 | 7 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 11% |
98 | 7 | Shop steering parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 11% |
93 | 1 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 9% |
80 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 7% |
59 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2007 Dodge Caliber |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
I was at a gas station and attempted to leave the lot and the cradle and/or attached parts broke into, rendering the car undrivable.
-
Noticed noise when turning and going over small bumps in road .on city streetlooked under it saw subframe is rusted out with big rust holes in it now parked not save to drive
-
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.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Dodge Caliber years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2007, 2008, 2009 carry the most filings on the Dodge Caliber. The 2007 alone has 884 complaints, led by suspension.
What is the most common Dodge Caliber problem?
On the 2007 model year, the most-reported component is suspension with 255 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Dodge Caliber problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Dodge Caliber complaints that include mileage is about 82,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.