Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Dodge Caliber owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Bought the car 04/21 had throttle issues the dealer replaced it kept noticing after that i was still having problems with car take it to tire shop entire buttom of car is rusted needs new sub frame sway bar lower arms was very dangerous deiving car want stay straight
My son drove my car one night and he said he didn't like the steering because it act like ilose and tires about to fall off I told him I know cause it was eating up the out side of tires fast to wear wires were seen on both sides of the front tires and later eveny son had a wreck and total out car on the seen where the wreck happen it didn't make sense to me and my son didn't have his seat beat on and it threw h out and I believe iif he did it would of killed him he don't remember nothing cause I think it put him in shock I have not received the police report but I have taking pictures and I do know there was a alot rust underneath I only had the car for two month the car is at a salvage place and I can't get it and I am going to have to pay for it I just think something was not right on the steering and supention it was on hwy on a straight away
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. While driving in a parking lot, the front driver's side wheel detached from the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a light pole. The air bags deployed. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (canandaigua Chrysler Dodge Jeep, 2591 rochester rd, canandaigua, ny 14424) where it was diagnosed that the control arm failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired due to the crash; therefore, the contact would be responsible for the repair cost. The failure mileage was 130,000. Voq 11090513*
Driving 15-20 MPH in residential subdivision car veered radically to the right independent of steering striking parked vehicle. Right front tire turned right beyond maximum and is pinned against wheel well. Left front tire straight and aligned properly with steering wheel. Right tie rod bent 180 degrees with threaded portion bent parallel to it's self. Obvious catastrophic failure of steering/suspension on right front side of vehicle that had the failure occurred at highway speeds death of serious injury would likely have resulted. The vehicle is a one owner Dodge caliper with 33,827 miles, serviced regularly at fair oaks Dodge, chantilly va
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. While driving 55 MPH, the horn independently activated and the steering wheel seized. All the warning lights on the instrument cluster illuminated and the gauges and meters provided inaccurate readings. The vehicle stalled as it veered into a ditch. In addition, the contact noticed smoke underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,023.
Where do I start! From day one we have had issues with this car. Cruse control didn't work, brought back to dealer the first week to be fixed. One month later, front speaker went out, another trip to the dealer speaker was replaced. At 34,611 miles, car was stuck in park, would not shift at all. Towed to dealer, replaced stop lamp. At 35,031 miles, front end making loud knocking noise, you guessed it, another trip to Dodge, lower control arms replaced. Skipping to January of 2017, car now has 124,000 miles loud crunching sound coming from front driver side. Thought oh, another ball joint needs replacing, which has been replaced in January of 2016, along with more control arms, sway bar link, and struts, about $1200.00 in all. …
Front of vehicle started to shake and drivers side front made creaking noise. Took vehicle to dealer and they stated front struts and components were bad as well as drivers side ball joint. Vehicle was repaired however there is vibration in the steering and the vehicle pulls hard right. Also front end makes a lot of noise. Dealer performed front wheel alignment and balanced tires but problem is still there and mechanics can't find the issue. Vehicle is unsafe to drive and am very afraid to drive it especially since I'm disabled with young children. There are numerous complaints about the suspension issues with these cars and the problems need to be fixed before someone gets seriously injured or killed. Can't understand why nothing is being done after all of these complaints have been made by so many. This is why people don't buy American cars anymore. …
At less than 10 miles per hour the rear suspension failed while turning on to a public highway. The drivers side wheel on the back is ready to fall off it is laying against the coil spring. The car is no longer drivable. This is all within close proximity to the fuel tank also and in my opinion could be a puncture risk also. The car has 106779 miles on it ,one owner with no collision repairs ever performed and no undercarriage damage ever. Chrysler is performing repairs on select vehicles with the same problem but refuse to repair this one. Had this failure occurred at highway speed it is possible the results could have been catastrophic. This vehicle is less than 9 years old and has seen very little winter weather and has never been in a salt air environment. I see no difference in this problem and the one associated with toyotas truck frames of several years ago. …
Thought I had a loose belt called dealership where I bought car told to Dodge dealership I did that $90.00 service fee said I needed new alternator $1,086.00, I could not afford that took it to America's they said for $615.00 replace then they called and said need all new tie rods well that would bring it to $1077.00. I could only get a loan for $1,000.00 so the tie rods I cannot get. After the Dodge dealership had my car when they gave it back to me that car was running so bad and shaking which it never did. I bought the car I had 70,000 that was 3 1/2 years ago now I only $75,000 miles on car. My car always ran smooth on highways and city streets . There was just a noise on my car. The car ran great. People could hear the noise also as I am deaf so I could barely hear noise with my hearing aid on. I had the car inspected just a few months ago and passed inspection they drove the car.
I have a 07 Caliber bought off a individual cash price.wasn't aware of the concern issue with the front left broken struts,. No start or no crank due to theft system wireless control module. ... Water leak from sun roof drain tubes. ... Blown struts. ... Engine and transmission control modules May need to be updated at the same time. ... No start or no crank due to theft system issue. ... Excess drain on battery due to faulty radio.as well moan type noise from exhaust squeek noise from clutch pedal ac compressor and condensor replacment due to "slugging" condition noise from HVAC blower motor due to debirs swish sound from rear suspension software update for steering angle sensor fault whistle sound from left outside mirror assembly metallic rattle sound from liftgate driving around town
Steering complaints in other Caliber years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2007 Dodge Caliber?
NHTSA has 101 complaints about the steering of the 2007 Dodge Caliber, 11% of the model year's 958 complaints. The component named most often is linkages › tie rod assembly (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Dodge Caliber steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2007 Dodge Caliber, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2007 Dodge Caliber steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 1 fire and 6 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.