Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Dodge Caliber owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The engine stalls when I take off more times than none I'm stuck idling in traffic almost causing accident the frame that hold motor mounts are bad I've replaced motor mounts twice in a less than a year the car heats up after 70 miles an hour I have 5o pull over and let it cool off this happens 3 to 4 times a week with the engine stalling and overheating didn't find out til after I leased the car from AtoZ auto on gen McMullen and it's financed through car financial services I believe they knew the car was damaged I got scammed and have to pay 425 dollars a month on a car that can't be fixed I've spent a lot trying to fix the car
The problem initially occurred in early November of 2020 when the vehicle would unpredictably stall at a stop sign or traffic light and would not immediately start for a couple minutes. After this short wait of 1 to 3 minutes it was possible to restart the car and move forward normally and the car could be driven without stalling for 2 or 3 miles when it would stall again and the engine would not start again for 2 to 3 minutes. In traffic situations this was unsafe to not be able to move the vehicle to a safe distance from heavy traffic. Finally, the problem started to occur after the vehicle was supposedly repaired and not driven for 2 -3 days and when it an attempt to start the car it would idle for 3-5 seconds and sound like it was choking before dying, and this was happening 2 weeks after it had been "repaired" by the Dodge dealer. …
Electric fault started a fire under the hood resulting in all components to completely burn. A burning smell started while I was driving, I checked the temperature gauge and the needle was under the cold tick. I continued driving to the nearest parking which took about 1 minute and smoke was already coming out visible from the hood. I don't live in the us, so statae, zip code and phone numbers I entered are dummy. I live in the uae, abu dhabi phone: 0091502124224
Vehicle automatically slows down at speeds of 60 to 70 MPH when car is driven for a minimum of 3 hours. Feel this is very dangerous. Example: driving with my grandchildren on expressway; temperature light came on, car lost power and slowed down to 45. Called wrecker, towed to a Dodge dealer,. They found nothing wrong. Vehicle does this on a continual basis. Speeds of 60 to 70 MPH while traveling for a minimum of 3 hours. Very dangerous on expressways. Had my grandchildren with vehicles coming up on me at 70, had my father in the car a couple of times. When it comes on now, I pull off road, wait 30 minutes or so and then continue on my way which affects my long distance trips. Called Dodge website (?) they said to take it in to a dealer when it does this. I do take it in and they can't find anything wrong. Please help me, this car is used on long distance trips. …
Driving over 2 hours on highway (highway interstate 81) (route 80 ) (new jersey turnpike)engine starts whining rpms rise over 4 & stay, speed drops to 25-30mph can't get up incline transmission overheat light comes on, had to pull over my son almost got killed because car had no power had to let car sit for an hour, this has happened 5 times car has been towed to 2 dealerships 1st dealership(zimmerman Dodge sunbury, pa) couldn't find a problem 2nd dealership(salerno-duane summit,nj) replaced the computer, car still has the same problem car is now being towed to 3rd dealership(nichols Dodge burlington,nc) 69,000 miles on this car this car is very unsafe to drive this has happened at least 5 times July 2014 , October 2014 , April 2015 July 2015 , October 2015,
It was raining and as it was raining my car started to blink all lights and started slowing down no mechanic can seem to figure out what was going on but as I was driving every warning light started going crazy the tachometer went crazy and so did my speedometer eventually my car started to slow down even though it the accelorator was pushed to the floor. And than eventually it just stopped all together when I tried turning the car back on.the started wouldnt engage and the engine would start till I put unhooked the battery and hooked it back in. This has happened on several occasions 12/25/2016 6/15/2017 and again today 11/3/2017 this has happened several times when my father owned the vehicle as well before I purchased it from him.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated the vehicle stalled while driving 45 MPH and made an abnormal nosie. When the failure occurred, the electronic throttle body control warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle exhibited the same failure listed in NHTSA campaign number: 08V528000 (power train). The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Caliber. When the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle would not accelerate more than 5 MPH and an unknown warning sensor illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the throttle body and throttle control failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and filed a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an unrelated failure and they discovered that the engine cradle support mount was completely rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 96,702. Ma 10/29/2015 updated 10/11/2017
My mechanic and multiple others have stated that the intake runner is stuck and the intake needs to be replaced making it impossible to receive emissions on my vehicle. When in drive waiting at red lights and also to turn on multiple occasions my vehicle lost complete power, shutting off almost causing accidents. Luckily accidents were avoided.
Engine complaints in other Caliber years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2009 Dodge Caliber?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2009 Dodge Caliber, 13% of the model year's 232 complaints. The component named most often is engine (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Dodge Caliber engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2009 Dodge Caliber, though it has 1 recall 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 2009 Dodge Caliber engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.