2007 Dodge Caliber AWD Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year write most often about the front suspension, where lower control arms, ball joints and tie rod ends are replaced at what owners consider low mileage, and about rust on the front subframe and rear cross member. A second recurring theme is drivability: engines that stall just after a fill-up, and an electronic throttle that surges, hesitates or cuts power. Electrical faults around exterior lighting, the gauge cluster and the TIPM module round out the reports.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Front control arms, ball joints and tie rod ends wear early

   • 10 complaints (14%)
   • median 34,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • filed 2010–2015

   Owners describe clunking or knocking from the front end, vague or wandering steering, and tires wearing badly on the inner edge. Inspections typically lead to replacement of the lower control arms, ball joints or tie rod ends, and several owners say the same parts were replaced more than once on the same car. Complaints also mention shops attributing the wear to alignment or normal use, with some work covered under warranty and some paid for by the owner. Reports cluster from roughly 15,000 to 50,000 miles, with another group between 60,000 and 145,000 miles.

   What to check: Have a shop inspect the front lower control arms, ball joints and tie rod ends on a lift, and check inner tire wear. Ask whether any of these parts have already been replaced and whether receipts exist.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Both tie rods on my 2007 Dodge caliber rt awd failed at 30,000 miles. The drivers side tire could be wobbled with the push of a pinky. The car would not stay in it's own lane and was extremely difficult to drive, every bump or dip in the road would cause the car to lurch to one side or the other. I was told by my mechanic that I was lucky the drivers side tire did not fall off while driving. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10310157, filed 2010-02, 30,000 miles

   “Front end felt like it would wobble and the drivers side tire started wearing badly. Brought it in to get the inner and outer tie rod and a arm with ball joint replaced mechanic told me to park it and don't drive it till I got it fixed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10668853, filed 2014-12, 142,838 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Rusted front subframe and rear cross member

   • 13 complaints (18%)
   • median 86,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2013–2019

   Complaints describe cross members and the subframe rusting through, in some cases with holes or cracks found during unrelated service. Owners report being told by independent mechanics not to drive the car until the part was replaced, and repairs often involved a new subframe or cross member at the owner's expense. Several owners mention asking the manufacturer whether their vehicle was covered by an extended warranty or campaign for this corrosion and being told it was not. Mostly reported between about 56,000 and 130,000 miles, with some reports on older cars regardless of mileage.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look under the car at the front subframe and the rear cross member for scale, holes or flaking metal, especially on cars from road-salt states. Ask whether the cross members have been inspected or replaced, and get any inspection in writing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving this vehicle I heard a noise from the rear of vehicle, I took the car to a garage, the mechanic checked it then called me ' not to drive it ' that the rear axle/suspension cradle was rotted out. I contacted a chrysler dealer and they told me that chrysler corporation extended the warranty due to this issue for 10 years which ended in 2017. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11186050, filed 2019-03, 74,900 miles

   “Car only has 71,000 miles on it. On my way home from work I heard a clunking noise coming from the front end of my car so I took it to a mechanic. After inspection, mechanic reported that sub frame around lower a arm was rotted and entire back side of cradle also was rotted. Everything else under car looks new, we just don't understand why just this part of car is rotting. Chrysler should have this vehicle recalled, after doing research on this vehicle and finding this being one of the common defects.”

   NHTSA complaint #10663002, filed 2014-12, 71,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Throttle surges, hesitation and loss of power

   • 17 complaints (23%)
   • median 42,836 mi at 3.0 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • filed 2006–2018

   Owners describe the engine racing or surging while the car is stopped or at low speed, hesitation and jerking under acceleration, and sudden loss of power with the throttle control or traction lights on. Some say putting the car in neutral and applying throttle restored normal idle, and others report the car becoming undrivable and being towed. Complaints mention throttle body replacement, computer replacement and dealers unable to reproduce the symptom. Scattered from about 5,000 to 175,000 miles, with many reports in the 30,000 to 100,000 range.

   What to check: Drive the car at steady low speed and from a stop, watching for surging, hesitation or throttle warning lights. Ask whether the throttle body or engine computer has been replaced and keep any related repair receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a 2007 Dodge caliber on november 15, 2015 and had a problem with the acceleration and the car hesitating as if it were a manual shift. I contacted the dealer who asked me to bring the car in. I took the car in the the service alleged that they looked at the car and said that there was nothing wrong with it and that was how the car accelerated because of the kind of transmission that this car has. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10816973, filed 2015-12, 103,800 miles

   “Nhtsa action number: pe10012 - 2007 Dodge Caliber Awd srt - vehicle speed control problem. In my case the RPM shot up to 4000rpm while I was driving 30 MPH. This happened 3x in one month. Applying brake had no effect on high engine speed. My reaction was to put vehicle in neutral and gun the gas pedal. This reset idle back to normal. This problem has not return and I have not done anything to have it checked or repair yet.”

   NHTSA complaint #10335472, filed 2010-06, 75,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalls right after refueling

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 84,000 mi at 8.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2019

   Owners report the engine stalling, shuddering or dropping in power shortly after filling the tank, both while idling and while driving away from the station. Several say the car restarts and clears up after a few minutes or once some fuel burns off, and some avoid filling all the way as a workaround. Complaints mention diagnoses pointing to fuel tank components such as a rollover valve or the fuel pump, and one owner describes difficulty adding fuel without the pump nozzle repeatedly shutting off. Reported from about 30,000 to 118,000 miles, and characteristically within the first minute or two after a fill-up.

   What to check: After a test drive, fill the tank fully and see whether the idle stumbles or the car stalls in the first few minutes. Ask whether the fuel tank valve, EVAP system or fuel pump has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine stalled after filling up with fuel. The first incident happened while pulling into traffic, from the gas station where I just filled up. At later dates, it happened several more times while both moving and idling in park, but always right after filling up the tank. The car would shutter and stall for the first minute or so. If I was able to punch the throttle quickly enough I could sometimes avoid the stall. If the car stalled, it would always restart and eventually clear up after running for a few minutes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10694693, filed 2015-03, 81,000 miles

   “The vehicle stalls at red lights / intersections after filling the gas tank. It does stop after some of the gas is used. It has not occurred when driving on a highway, only on city streets. In having the car examined, there is a faulty value on the gas tank, which appears to be a common problem. It in speaking with chrysler, they are unwilling to assist.”

   NHTSA complaint #10870115, filed 2016-05, 118,000 miles
5. 5
   Electrical system

   Headlights, gauges and dash lights fail (TIPM-related)

   • 6 complaints (8%)
   • median 73,500 mi at 5.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2015

   Owners report headlights that go out and do not respond to a new bulb, dash and instrument lights that fade out and return while driving, and warning lamps that come on and off at random. Complaints describe the cause being traced to wiring or the integrated power module, and some mention dealer reflashes that worked only temporarily before the fault returned. Rear wiper failure is also reported alongside these electrical symptoms. Reported from about 38,000 to 100,000 miles and beyond, often appearing intermittently before becoming constant.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that both headlights, all dash illumination and the rear wiper work, and watch for warning lamps that flicker. Ask whether the power module or wiring has been repaired or reflashed and whether the repair held.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at night the dash lights went out leaving me driving in the dark with our being able to see the speedometer or fuel gauge, etc. All other interior lights continued to operate. The lights then came back on for a few minutes and went out again. It can happen anytime while driving in the dark. Went to the dealer and they said it was the gauge cluster. It still need to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10282281, filed 2009-08, 40,672 miles

   “On 10/6/14 I was driving to school at 6:00 am on a single lane back road. Without warning the speedometer stopped working (went to zero), and the ABS, brake, anti-skid and check engine lights came on. Because of my location I had to keep driving until I got to a safe area. The whole time there was no way of telling my speed or know if my brakes were working normal. After I shut it off and restarted, it went back to normal. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10643936, filed 2014-10, 158,250 miles

Buying note. Have the underside inspected for subframe and cross member corrosion and the front suspension checked for worn joints before buying, since these are the most frequently reported items on this model year. A thorough test drive that includes a full fuel stop and some stop-and-go driving will reveal the throttle and post-refuel stall symptoms owners describe.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.