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#BS-2009-DODCAL-62AD

2009 Dodge Caliber

Based on reports from 354 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints
354
Crashes
21
Fires
5
Recalls
1
TSBs
35
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 354 complaints, 21 crashes, 5 fires, and 1 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.1x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

a loud scratching noise coming from the transmission

6 complaints • Severity 7.3/10

$X,XXX
2

control arm assembly failure

3 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
3

cvt failed

3 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SuspensionHIGH

58 owners reported suspension issues — failures commonly reported around 83K miles.

!Inspect the DrivetrainMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

44
0–30K
62
30–60K
57
60–90K
54
90–120K
42
120–150K
29
150K+

Peak failure range: 30–60K miles (62 reports) • Median: 83K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Suspension (58 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Suspension58 (16%)
Drivetrain52 (15%)
Structure:body34 (10%)
Engine29 (8%)
Other25 (7%)
Electrical19 (5%)
Steering16 (5%)
Wheels & Tires12 (3%)

2009 Dodge Caliber: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 16% of all reports filed for the 2009 Dodge Caliber, with 58 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 83,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 83K-mile mark.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2009 Dodge Caliber, with 52 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body Issues

Structure:body complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2009 Dodge Caliber, with 34 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2009 Dodge Caliber, with 29 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

8
09
18
10
8
11
30
12
15
13
25
14
47
15
64
16
19
17
33
18
29
19
15
20
19
21
19
22
3
23
1
24
1
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 Dodge Caliber. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

08V528000Nov 2008

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 712 MY 2009 SEBRING, DODGE CALIBER, AVENGER, JOURNEY, JEEP PATRIOT, AND COMPASS VEHICLES. A NEW ADHESIVE USED IN THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS CAN CAUSE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO BREAK.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Dodge Caliber is the 2007 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is suspension.

2009 Dodge Caliber vs. Class Average (Small Station Wagons)

This vehicle

354

Class avg

165

2.1x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small station wagons vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 354 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Dodge Caliber Model Years

2012201120102009200820072006
View all Dodge Caliber years →

2009 Dodge Caliber: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Dodge Caliber?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Dodge Caliber is related to the suspension, with 58 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Dodge Caliber reliable?
The 2009 Dodge Caliber has 354 complaints, 21 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.1x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2009 Dodge Caliber problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2009 Dodge Caliber have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Dodge Caliber has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Dodge Caliber problems start?
Based on 288 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 83,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 354 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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