[SofaKingCool]

The time is nearing for me to decide on buying the Dodge Caliber.
I have read through these forums and found many issues.

I would like to hear what owners believe to be the most glaring problems with the Caliber are. What are your biggest complaints?

I have always liked the Dodge Caliber since it was announced and still can't wait for the SRT4 to come out. But it is info like what you guys may post in this thread that will help me make my decision.

Thanks to all who reply!

Sofa

 

[.50]

Well this is a first for me. I have owned a lot of cars over the years, but this is the first time I'm having trouble thinking of a complaint.
The only ones I can think of are the arm rests could have used some padding, and moving that stupid door lock so my arm doesn't rest on it when the window is open.
The so called "chill zone" was disappointing when I found out how it worked, but no biggie. Other than that I love this car.

 

[Prop1]

The chill zone is a gimmick, I'm glad I didn't look to it as a "selling point". The curvature of the rearend causes a resultingly small cargo area. There should have been an option of a conventional auto tranny too.

 

[SteeleBlueNatalie]

Having a Caliber is like a learning curve for all of us Sofa. Join the class and hurry up and get one!!!!! lol You won't be disappointed. Any issues so far seem to be pretty minor and easily fixed at someone elses expense.
:wave:

 

[bnbosborne]

I just took mine back to the dealer yesterday, since day one I have had this buzzing sound comming from either the d/s door or dash area by door when there is someone talking on the radio, not so much with music but talk. They swear its the dash so they are going to replace the top and lower dash covers. There is also a lot of rattle noise coming from the back thay can,t seem to fix, also a few other things.

1. seat belt cover on p/s broke
2. rear washer leaks on window
3. something clanking in front end when easing over bumps/ speed bumps, slow travel on bumpy road
4. interior trim issues
5. prset button on steering wheel acting crazy. will not go through all presets starts over at one afet 2 or 3 pushes and raido goes into seek.

Most everything is cosmetic except the front end noise and I think they are learning on the fly. The car itself runs fantastic and I have 11850 miles on it since last week of July. Am I the only one with these issues or am I nit picking? I love the car, just some what frustrated.

 

[spike22]

i have very few complaints:
1. lock nob is right where my elbow wants to rest and it's given me a bruse..lol
2. cup holder are in a horrible location
3. the arm rest i a little low
4. my knee rests right where the console curves in and it's a little unfomfy

so it's mostly cosmetic or something i can move around to make comfy...
test drive one and make your own decision...and when i say test drive...take the longest drive that they will let you...get to know the car...it's worth it...i love mine!!

 

[Prop1]

I look at some of these complaints, and the ones that are fixable needant be listed.
Something loose in the frontend- get it fixed.
Rear washer leaks- there's a TSB for the fix.
Arm rest low- lower the seat.
Lock knob in wrong place- adjust the seat and steering wheel so the elbow's in a different spot.
Electical issues- get it fixed.
Knees rubbing dash- adjust the seat up, down, back, forward; I've got a 36" inseam, I don't have an issue.

Cupholders could be in a better spot, but I don't know where you'd put them. You don't have the room of a Hummer. The cupholders that were in my Land Rover were on the dash; great place, but first time you went around a corner and dumped drinks all over the interior ended it's use.

Even, my complaint about the chill zone is nothing when you think about it being the only car with a chill zone. Anybody that bought the car because they had to have a "Chill Zone" I feel sorry for. A chill zone does not make a car!

 

[SofaKingCool]

These are excellent guys! Please keep them coming! Thanks much for the info!

 

[spike22]

i wonder how hard it would be to move the lock knob to a different location on the door...*smiles*...but that's for a different thread....
Prop: I have a 32" inseam...but that is neither here nor there...lol...i agree that most of them can be overcome by moving the seat...though i have found that i like the placement of my seat for driving (all the way to the floor and as far back as i could to keep my knee from rubbing) but i can't get away from the lock knob...if i move any closer to the steering wheel, my knee rubs...(i have bad knees, so i do anything i can do to keep from them being irrated)....if i move any further back, it's too far back to be comfortable ride...like i said...those are the only neg's for me...

 

[Prop1]

I don't drive with my hands above the 8 and 4 position, so my elbows aren't up where it would be on the top of the door. Multiple studies have shown that 9 and 3 are the highest your hands should be placed. The position 9 and 3, and below result in better control at high speeds because you're less likely to oversteer in an emergency manuever. It's also safer in the event the air bag deploys. Above 9 and 3 can cause your hands to be blasted into your face, as well as your left hand propelled out through the window. On top of that, above 9 and 3 creates excessive arm and shoulder fatigue on extended drives. Why do you think the controls on steering wheels are at or below the 9 and 3 position? The 10 an 2 position is passe. I have a friend that lost his left hand because of the 10-2 position. He was T-boned, the airbag deployed, blasted his hand through the closed window, and the car rolled over on to his hand. I also, do to a medical issues can't tolerate having my hands above the 8-4 position.

Now back to the knob. Have you just gone ahead and tried removed it? I suspect that with it removed the shaft would be below the top of the door when locked.

 

[Quiet Lunatic]

My biggest complaint is the unresponsive accelerator. This might not be a problem on the CVT but on the Standard Shift in an area with lots of hills it is a PROBLEM. Supposedly there is going to be a "flash" chip upgrade to fix this someday.

 

[.50]

Im 6'2 so I drive with the seat all the way back. Moving it up makes it uncomfortable and my knee rests on the front of the console.
I also like to drive with one hand at the 7 oclock and the other on the stick.
I was thinking of taking the knob off and maybe cutting it down so that when it is in the locked postion it is flush with the surface of the door panel.

 

[Prop1]

i didn't even think about just unscrewing it....*smiles*...i might just try that....lol
and thanks for the info on positioning...and im sorry about your friends arm...that must of sucked...
(there was no sarcasim involved in the making of this reply.)

None taken. You have to admit, none of the complaints so far have reached the point of "WTF were they thinking", or "This car sucks the big one." This, is a good thing...

 

[spud]

I have couple of compaints / questions. First has anyone else felt like the car will engine brake, Let me explain, I do alot of city driving, so I tend to let off the accerator early for stops, what I have noticed is, At 20mph I let off, as the car slows to 15 the enginre will then rev to 1500 rpm's, and you are jolted forward, until about 10mph when the rpm's drop to 1000. Second. I don't know how to explain it, It sounds like a sub making alot of low sounds, like a WOOOOOOO, when both rear windows are down?
Thanks
Spud

 

[GT]

It sounds like a sub making alot of low sounds, like a WOOOOOOO, when both rear windows are down?

This is normal. Most vehicles do this with the front windows up, and the rears down. It causes the wind to buffet the interior. This results in the woo woo woo woo sound that is very low in frequency. To prevent this. Lower the fronts slightly, until the effect stops. Or roll the rears up until it stops. You have to find a happy medium.

 

[Prop1]

First has anyone else felt like the car will engine brake, Let me explain, I do alot of city driving, so I tend to let off the accerator early for stops, what I have noticed is, At 20mph I let off, as the car slows to 15 the enginre will then rev to 1500 rpm's, and you are jolted forward, until about 10mph when the rpm's drop to 1000.

Others have complained of something simular. I beleive the fix was a software update. You can do a search to locate the thread.

 

[langmui85]

just wondering if anyone is having this problem. okay when i'm going above 80-90 km/hr, i hear this like scratching/rattling sound somewhere on the passenger - back.

 

[J. Kirsch]

just wondering if anyone is having this problem. okay when i'm going above 80-90 km/hr, i hear this like scratching/rattling sound somewhere on the passenger - back.

I think it's the cargo floor covering the spare tire. Mine just started doing it a week or so ago. I put stick-on felt "feet" on the corners of the floor lip. Seems to have stopped the noise.



Joe

 

[High-Calibur Driver]

Or it could be the dead hooker in the back...oops...i wasn't supposed to mention that was i?...LOL

 

[Phantom668]

Seems that these are all universal complaints.Because I have the same with arm and leg positioning.One other complaint I have is the satellite radio presets.If you do manual search and then hit the preset buttton it goes all the way back to first preset no matter what.Also,the radio doesn't display the time.Now I don't know about you guys,but I don't need the (depending on the radio you got) channel,track,frequency displayed in two different places,the dash cluster and radio itself.Other than that I love my "Li'l Cali".