Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Dodge Caliber owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving in town when suddenly the car acted like it had no power! Then it started jerking and jumping forward! Then as I was going up hill it slowed and was jerking again! When I would stop at a light or stop sign it had very little power to exhilarate and then it would jerk alot until it got enough power to get going again! I was concerned about driving it any further since I live out of town, I have two children and didn't want to take a chance on being stranded on the side of the highway! So I left the car in my sisters drive way and drove her car home! I needed a car so to take the children to school the next morning. I called amco and they told me to bring it in! It took me 30 mins to drive five miles! They told me after checking it out that the transmission is gone and the car is only seven yrs old with just a little over 100,000 miles on it! …
Left and right a post much too wide hindering ability to see where the curb is in relation to the car. It also hinders the ability to see if a small animal is in the affected view. In relation to the transmission, my transmission had to be replaced right after the warranty expired. I've had to have 2 tie rods replaced. An engine mount replaced, and a strut replaced, I am also on my second battery. This car has cost me a lot of money so far. I know it's 11 years old but I've never had this many mechanical issues with any car I've owned so far. The newest problem is a grinding noise that sounds like the wheel is going to fall off before I get home safely. There is a new noise as well that almost sounds like a radial tire with an issue but my tires are all fine. I am taking it to a good mechanic tomorrow....again!! …
I bought my 2008 Dodge Caliber in July 2010. It had 27,000 miles on it. It was a campaign car. It has always had a problem with pickup. Acceleration is not great, but we noticed on a July 4 trip, that the car was not only making the "normal" steering/suspension noise, but it was also making a whirring noise that my husband feared was the transmission slipping. I made an appointment at the dealership where I bought the vehicle and found out that the whirring noise was not the transmission, but the alternator is bad. $550.00. The ball joints and the tie rod ends are bad and need to be replaced, $1040. The struts also need to be replaced as well as the front brakes. $800. Yes, my car has 110,000 miles on it, but the trade in value is only about $3500 anyway. Its luckily been paid off for many years. The ball joint/tie rod issue is very worrysome, though. It is dangerous.
I was turning onto a state highway when my brakes made the most awful grinding noise and my ABS brake light came one. I immediately took my vehicle to the mechanic. I was told by my mechanic my brakes were bad and rotors needed to be replace and there was a sensor that had to be ordered before I could use the car after it was repaired. It had 11,000 miles!! I doubt my brakes were even bad at that point I think it was just a sensor after all. (after it cost me $480.00 plus I had to rent a car for 3 days. My transmission kept surging at the stop lights from the day I got it at 1,471 miles. So it was probably bad from day one. I should have taken it right back to where I bought it, at least it would have been under warranty. I had my transmission replaced at 30,000 miles at a cost of $6,000.
Trouble shifting into 3rd gear. Requires double clutching to enter into 3rd gear and also grinds when entering. It will shift back into neutral if gear shift is not held in 3rd gear position when releasing the clutch. Also has instances of trouble going into 4th with grind when shifting. Only goes into gear 10% or time; I mostly skip 3rd gear altogether. Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge service bulletin #21-011-08 (March 7,2008) recommends replacement of 3rd/4th/5th & reverse gear synchronizer rings if this occurs. It recommends that if the transmission is opened from any service that these rings should be replaced regardless of condition.
Car wouldn't start because of defective TIPM. I often travel the freeway and was experiencing a brief pause in the fuel systems while trying to accelerate. After research I have found that this is a common issue with a variety of Dodge model cars and feel that this could be very dangerous to the public in general. I feel the implications that this type of system failure has on these models as well as their safety feature is numerous. I also quite sure that the company is well aware of its defects, yet they are doing nothing to protect their consumers.
"Takata recall" in the year 2014 I experienced the loss of power while driving it . The vehicle would drive but suddenly would loose power and stop pulling. I took my car to the dealership and was that I needed a transmission replacement. Also I inquired about this vehicle being on recall and was told that it wasn't but after reading several complaints, I feel that something should be done about this problem because a transmission replacement is very costly. I have not been able to drive my vehicle for two years because of this problem.
Left lower control arm and upper cv shaft separated from transmission while entering an on ramp, causing loss of steering and driveability. Could have been deadly had the speed been faster and any closer to the overpass barrier. I had to be towed from the side of the on ramp with the police waiving people around. I couldn't even exit my drivers door due to no traffic clearance. I was essentially a sitting duck on the shoulder of an on ramp, just a few feet shy of the overpass of the highway I had just exited to enter another highway.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Caliber. While driving, the contact heard a loud noise. The contact later discovered that the subframe was rusted through and caused the front driver's side axle to fracture. Also, the top of the driver's side wheel was tilted inward. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the axle, subframe, one of the brakes, and the transmission fluid line were replaced. The dealer was not contacted. The contact called the manufacturer and was transferred to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 112,850.
Found that the engine cradle is rusting out. This cradle supports all steering front suspension and engine/transmission. Have also found that this was a problem for the 2007 models and is still a problem on 2008 models. Although 2007 models are recalled and replaced but not 2008. This is a huge safety factor as stated all steering and suspension are connected to this cradle. If failure to cradle happens all loss of control of vehicle is inevitable.
Transmission complaints in other Caliber years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2008 Dodge Caliber?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2008 Dodge Caliber, 10% of the model year's 377 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Dodge Caliber transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2008 Dodge Caliber. 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 2008 Dodge Caliber transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
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.