2007 Dodge Caliber: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Oct 29, 2016 · 156,336 miles · CA

My car hesitates when going up hill . It looses all power and only drives 5-10 MPH and wont gain any speed till im on flat ground or heading down hill.

Filed Sep 17, 2015 · Electrical, Fuel system · 140,000 miles · WA

Our car was purchased used two years ago and always had an issue with hesitation with both acceleration and idling after completely filling the gas tank. Last week it started having the same hesitation/sputtering issue but without having recently filled up the gas tank. It sputters/hesitates to accelerate while going anywhere between 20-30 MPH (we did not take it on the freeway out of fearing it would die going faster so we are unsure how it does at higher speeds). It also started to stall while idling at a stop light. It started up again fine both times it died but continued to hesitate while accelerating. Our radio hasn't come on a few times when we start the car (this has happened approximately ten times since we've had the car) and the fuse is fine. We pop the fuse out and put it back in and the radio starts up fine again. We are taking it to a mechanic on saturday to have the system "updated" because we saw there was a bulletin about our model of car needing an update, but I'm fairly sure this has to do with the tipm after reading other people's stories online.

Filed Jul 27, 2015 · Suspension · 59,000 miles · NY

I bought my car in february of 2013. Approximately 6 months later I had to replace the struts and ball joints on the car. Then had them replaced again. 09/29/14 and was told again by the repair shop last week when I brought the car in for a tuneup because it was hesitating when you started to accelerate that I'm going to need to have the struts replaced again. So now that's 3 times in a little more 3 yrs I have owned the car. This can't be normal. I looked online and there have been 100's of people complaining about front suspensions on their calibers. So I think it's a design fault that needs to be corrected. The one time ( the 2nd repair) I was told that it was a good thing I brought the car in when I did or I could have been in a serious accident because the struts were so badly damaged.

Filed Jan 21, 2015 · Transmission · 62,000 miles · CO

I had 62,000 miles a year ago. I was driving on a 3 lane highway though town in the center lane and all of the sudden my car lost power and I worked my way over to the right hand lane, thank goodness that there was a shopping center parking lot there so I coasted in and found a mechanic to work on my car and he replaced my throttle body, but it cost me $600 out of pocket. Now a year later with only driving my car 10,000 miles more I am noticing hesitation in the transmission which I recognizing from year ago and I am amazed there still no recall on this problem.

Filed Sep 24, 2012 · Fuel system · 83,362 miles · PA

After days of car hesitating and trying to stall, vehicle broke down and was unable to be started in parking lot of local grocery store. Vehicle was towed home and after further investigation was found to be a faulty fuel pump causing the issue. The fuel pump was changed. Old fuel pump was factory part, and was found to have burnt wiring and melted pins. After further investigation have found this is a common problem, and am severely concerned as to why part was never recalled. Between towing, fuel pump, and also battery change from cranking car trying to get it to start, repairs were over $350.

Filed Sep 3, 2012 · Engine, Transmission · 74,000 miles · CT

While trying to accelerate on highway vehicle began to jerk and lose speed. Now when I press the gas pedal it hesitates and at high speeds jerks and loses power. Truck behind me had to slam on brakes and almost caused severe accident. Dodge needs to fix immediately. I don't have any money to even try to fix since I don't know where to start. Please help all of us dodge caliber owners.

Filed Oct 19, 2011 · Engine · 110,000 miles · GA

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. The contact was driving 30 MPH and the vehicle began to jerk and hesitate to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the contact was informed that the flow control valve actuator needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the replacement parts were on a national back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Filed Feb 15, 2011 · Body · 38,000 miles · VA

My 2007 dodge caliber has a water leak that allows rain water to enter the vehicle. The used car dealer I bought it from (had it less than 1 year) said it was a gasket leak in the front fender. I don't know if this is right or not because the car's entire driver side floor board has yet to dry out. Vehicle constantly acts as though it is going to stall. This has happened in idle in traffic and when pushing on gas from stop. Sometimes the low pressure sensor oil light will flicker on and the car will start to jerk. Sometimes the vehicle just hesitates for a long time when switching gears. Dealer unable to duplicate this problem. Newest issue - when traveling at approx. 55 MPH on the highway, all doors mysteriously unlocked themselves. Very frustrating and inconvenient... Dealer does not offer rental or temporary car even though they have my brand new caliber that im paying for even while its in their possession. The dealer could not duplicate stalling/oil light issue and I took it to an independent mechanic had an oil change done and still did it. Took it back and he couldn't find anything either. Computer not reporting anything and no recalls.

Filed Nov 24, 2008 · Engine, Transmission · 20 miles · NY

Tl*the contact owns a 2007 dodge caliber. During initial takeoff, the vehicle would lose power and stall. On other occasions, while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle would completely shut off or hesitate for a long period of time. The failure was intermittent and could not be duplicated. The vehicle could almost be restarted immediately after the failures. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer over ten times, but they could never duplicate the issue. The manufacturer offered no assistance. The current mileage was approximately 53,000 and failure mileage was approximately 20. Updated 01/07/09. *lj the consumer stated the vehicle would stall when the clutch was pushed in, or just running in neutral. The RPM's would fluctuate when idling. Updated 01/08/09.

Filed Oct 31, 2007 · Body, Electrical · 5,200 miles · OH

My 2007 dodge caliber has an off idle hesitation when you start to pull a way from a stop light, the car also has a cracking/snapping sound coming from the lower right corner of the windshield when going over small bumps or cracks in the road this accrues at any speed the car also makes a rattling noise when it is first started and continues until the car warms up,this happens in warm or cool temperatures, also the rear door speakers are rattling and I do not listen to loud music the car has 7500 miles on it.

Filed Jan 6, 2007 · Body · 6,599 miles · PA

My 2007 dodge caliber has a water leak that allows rain water to enter the vehicle and the january 8th appointment will be the 4th time at the dealership for this same issue. Water seems to be entering somewhere in the front of the vehicle and settles under the passenger seat. While "repairing the leak" the first time, the vehicle was returned to me smelling like cigarette smoke, the second time, the trim above the passenger side door was not properly replaced, the third time, a panel underneath the dash on the passenger side fell off (apparently was not replaced properly), they glued the rubber stripping on the passenger side door panel making it impossible to remove my satellite radio antenna and the trim above the passenger side door is still not in place correctly (seems to have been forced into place). Also, the person working on my vehicle said he guaranteed that it was fixed after the 3rd time, but it wasn't. Vehicle constantly acts as though it is going to stall when idle and also when accelerating from a stop - when accelerating, vehicle hesitates. Dealer unable to duplicate this problem. Newest issue - when traveling at approx. 55 MPH on the highway, all doors mysteriously unlocked themselves. Very frustrating and inconvenient... Dealer does not offer rental or temporary car even though they have my brand new caliber that I'm paying for even while it's in their possession. This is the second dodge vehicle in a row that we've had problems with - 1st was a 2004 dodge ram 1500 with stalling issues that the dealer could not duplicate.