2008 Dodge Caliber: common problems and reliability

The 2008 Dodge Caliber has 377 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are suspension and structure. Owners most often flag cvt transmission failure: complete loss of power, failure to engage gears, overheating, whining noise at highway speeds, throwing p0700 diagnostic codes. described as a very common point of catastrophic failure. frequency: very frequent.

Safety record for the 2008 model year

377
Owner complaints
0
Recalls
21
Crash reports
5
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2008 Dodge Caliber vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

suspension
118
structure
89
electrical system
63
engine
43
power train
39

What owners say across generations

Overwhelmingly negative sentiment based on long-term owner reports. The vehicle is widely characterized as unreliable, poorly built, and a poor value proposition, even at very low purchase prices.

  • CVT transmission failure: Complete loss of power, failure to engage gears, overheating, whining noise at highway speeds, throwing P0700 diagnostic codes. Described as a very common point of catastrophic failure. Frequency: very frequent.
  • Major electrical system failures: Erratic dashboard behavior (lights illuminating, gauges spinning), vehicle entering limp mode, repeated failure of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), numerous communication error codes (U0100, U0141, etc.). Frequency: very frequent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the Caliber. See the full Caliber owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

Used Caliber listings typically run $3,999–$6,848 across 2007 to 2012 model years.

Other Caliber model years

Compare every Caliber year side by side to see how 2008 ranks against the rest.

2007 Caliber

Compare the Caliber against its rivals

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Full Dodge Caliber owner reportCompare against another car