2007 Dodge Caliber: CVT failure

Filed Aug 28, 2015 · Transmission · 123,427 miles · NY

Highway driving at 55 MPH, tachometer suddenly went up to 4000 RPM and vehicle started to slow down and stop. No reaction from the gear selector. No more movement front or back. Call aaa and tow to garage. Informed that CVT transmission was the problem and no repair was possible. Only option was a used transmission. Car is now awaiting that repair. Also seems to be a gas pedal issue. Not sure at this point as vehicle is unopperable.

Filed Jul 31, 2015 · Acceleration, Electrical · 89,000 miles · PA · fire

The total integrated power control module (tipm) is the latest diagnosis made (7/31/15) for my 2007 dodge caliber. History: beginning in 2010 I began to notice an intermittent terrible whining noises and loss of power, which I attributed to (incorrectly) to the dodge CVT automatic transmission. The events would occur then o go away only to return again. Then beginning in 2011 the events were followed shortly thereafter by electrical component failures all of which caused me to make emergency shoulder pull offs due to significant power loss and the acrid odor and smoke of smoldering plumes of smoke. The acrid smell and smoke would stop when I shut down the vehicle; however the vehicle would not restart and had to be towed to a mechanic in each of the following documented incidents: 1/3/11 (mileage 67,877) tow and replace starter - $429.00 1/7/12 (mileage 73,943) tow and replace warranted starter - $179.00 2/14/13 (mileage 85,490) tow and replace warranted starter- $189.00 3/7/14 (mileage 97,383) tow and replacement starter - $324.03 2/15/15 (mileage unknown) replace alternator $406.00 5/20/15 (mileage 102,660) replacement starter $491.27 7/17/15 (mileage 103, 320) replacement starter $ (no charge) 7/17/15 (mileage 103, 325) unable to diagnose electrical problem 7/31/15 (mileage 103, 325) replacement (tipm) $ 1242.00 (estimate) come on dodge/daimler chrysler/fiat make this right or forever forego future product purchase

Filed Jan 6, 2014 · Transmission · 87,200 miles · VA

Car started making loud grinding noise under hood while accelerating during regular driving. Had independent mechanic diagnose noise. Was advised gear inside transmission 'broken' transmission will have to be replaced, cannot be fixed. Caliber has CVT transmission which had widespread/known issues. The transmission should at least last the life of a car loan when the car us purchased fairly new. Dodge refuses to take ownership of problem although it is documented all over internet including youtube . If other manufacturers are assisting in repairing/replacing these transmissions, why can't dodge. I am also interested to know of any class action suits to join based on other known issues, some I have fixed, some I hope I can get rid of the car before I encounter. Dodge marketed this car knowing of the faulty issues...isn't that criminal?

Filed Jun 18, 2013 · Transmission · 111,000 miles · MI

While going down i75 the transmission went into limp mode slowed the car down to 10 MPH on the freeway luckily we had someone following us so we wouldn't get hit...we had to have my towed 2.5 hrs away from where we live to have it fixed cause no deals with the CVT's...really need to have a recall on this...this is way to dangerous...it only goes in reverse when it goes into limp mode...please investigate this... The dealer wants 3000.00 just for transmission which the need to fix for free cause they know what these CVT's do..

Filed Jan 16, 2013 · Acceleration, Transmission · 72,000 miles · FL

I do not know what to think or what to do!!!! I have had multiple issues with my caliber since I purchased it. The first time it happened was back in 2008 or 2009 after I purchased the vehicle and it decided it needed to shut off on me in the middle of the road. A while later the entire electrical system died and I had no dash-lights/headlights/ emergency lights/ wipers/ just keep going with more electrical necessary safety equipment. Then another set of issues arose... Since we have had multiple parts of the whole car fixed and or replaced most recently the suspension, transmission, and the same sensory that was fixed earlier (crankshaft sensor). Now only 4 months since all of those issues were fixed my car is worse then it was before..... Driving down the road the vehicle will attempt to stall (as an automatic), the rpms have a mind of their own... Oh and don't let me forget that the dealer can find no issues or malfunctions with the vehicle as it does not produce an error code when connected to a diagnostic reader. (just a side note I might be an idiot but a mechanical error will not produce a error code as it is mechanical and not electrical...but I could be mistaken). Now what happens the day I am driving down the road with my children and the vehicle decides it is done and shuts off.... I can see that there are multiple complaints about the same issue and there have been no major fixes/recalls/statements. If it is a well known fact that dodge and their CVT transmissions have malfunction issues; why can't there be one swift fix to make the vehicle safe to drive. Or since no one has died at the hand of chrysler due to these malfunctions it is not important enough to be addressed?

Filed Dec 15, 2011 · Transmission · NJ

Started hearing grinding noise when car was de-accelerating. Brought car to garage where I was told I needed a new transmission. I was told the CVT transmission was a sealed unit so it couldn't be repaired. It took two weeks in a chrysler dealership to get repaired at chrysler's expense (lifetime powertrain warranty). Even though the repair was free, I still had to pay for two weeks of car rentals since the dealership did not have any loaner cars available (amazingly there were two in the lot when I picked the car up). This car has been nothing but a nightmare since purchasing in october 2007. Seeing all of the other complaints on this site, it still amazes me there hasn't been any recalls for any of the problems associated with this car. But then again the us government owns chrysler..........

Filed Jun 23, 2011 · Transmission · 31,000 miles · MD

2007 dodge caliber 2.0 CVT transmission: bought june 13/2007 brand new VIN [xxx] 5 mi on vehicle when purchased we are senior citizens on social security 31,000 miles scraping , grinding noise not brakes- has gotten worse -much worse. Grinding starts as soon as car put in gear, worse as speed increases. Talked with dodge dealers service departments -in albany ny and baltimore md they know of the problem:turns out to be inside the transmission. Not repairable. We were blessed to make it home safe from trip to upstate ny from maryland. Eras still ringing 24 hrs later. Told out of warranty and cost will be $6,000 to replace transmission!! This is now a well known problem for the 'word class powertrain. Daimler chrysler, nissan and hyundai - all used this transmission they jointly developed. Is ntsb going to demand a recall?? [xxx] parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).