[Canadian Caliber sxt]

I have a 2007 Dodge Caliber SXT that my mom bought back in 2009. It has about 109k km so it's not driven a whole bunch but just like most dodge calibers this one also has rust issues on the front crossmember. Given how little km is on this vehicle, would it be worth it to replace the front crossmember? I really don't have the time to be looking for new cars and selling this one and I need this car to get to and from work. What should I do?

 

[gjxj]

You do know there is an extended warranty.. (seeing you are in Canada I don't know if that applies, but look into it.)

 

[chrisf2012]

There was a 10 year extended warranty on subframe corrosion, but being a 2007 model Caliber that time may have run out. Check with FCA to see if this is the case.

Subframes are not all that expensive...it's the labor of installing it (and uninstalling/reinstalling everything attached to them) that's the killer.

 

[Tonatom]

Ofcourse it's worth it. It's a $400-600 part. I plan on changing mine out in 2020+. Not hard hard job to do on your own if you have the tools and the time.

Basically 4 bolts hold it up, drop the lower ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar end links and the forward and rear engine mounts. Likely the steering rack too unless you undo the steering hard lines.

Drop the old one out. Bolt everything from the old to the new, mount back under car and reconnect everything.

Easily done in half a day or so in a driveway.

But you'd have to get an alignment afterward and if any of your ball joints are junk it's time to change out the lower control arms.

Mine has 242500 km on it. If your ma never washes the bottom of her car I understand why it's toast.

First thing to do as Soon as you change it is get it krown oiled inside and out.

 

[The Mechanic Michael]

Ofcourse it's worth it. It's a $400-600 part. I plan on changing mine out in 2020+. Not hard hard job to do on your own if you have the tools and the time.

Basically 4 bolts hold it up, drop the lower ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar end links and the forward and rear engine mounts. Likely the steering rack too unless you undo the steering hard lines.

Drop the old one out. Bolt everything from the old to the new, mount back under car and reconnect everything.

Easily done in half a day or so in a driveway.

But you'd have to get an alignment afterward and if any of your ball joints are junk it's time to change out the lower control arms.

Mine has 242500 km on it. If your ma never washes the bottom of her car I understand why it's toast.

First thing to do as Soon as you change it is get it krown oiled inside and out.

By the time you see my post the car is probably already fix.First off the part isn't expensive I got it off Amazon for $75.00 brand new and there are other places on line you can or it for way less the price he told just do the research.Second I did my own so I know what I'm TALKING ABOUT and I'm about to do the rear it's rusting out I already got the frame and the new bolts.What I did was got me a grinder and put a cutting wheel on it a cut the damn thing out as much as i could it was rusted any way what i got to lose just be careful of what you doing.New if those 4bolts that you got to take out sometimes won't budge with a Impact wrench what i did was use a 1/2 ratchet wrench and if i remember a 22 inch socket with the help of a breaker bar you gonna need that.Now because must of the sub frame on my car rusting out like paper i got me a grinder and put a cutting wheel on it and cut out everything that i could that was rusty I work around all the lines and never had to remove them expect the ones that was still bolted to what was left off the frame that i didn't want to come to close to and that was a 10mm socket for that I just made my job as easy as i could for myself.I f you make a assessment of things you can make a job easy for youself.