2010 Dodge Caliber: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 157 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (15% of complaints); the 2012 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Sep 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 157 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine unexpectedly shut off. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The engine oil warning light as intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but no cause of failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V373000 (Electrical System, Air Bags); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2025
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V668000 (SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS) by a local dealer. Recently, the contact stated that the air bag warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact notified the dealer of the failure, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was no longer covered under recall. The contact was then referred to the manufacturer who also stated that the vehicle was not covered under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jan 2025
“Severe rust to vehicle frame COMMON TO THIS VEHICLE, no accident. Rust has corroded frame despite normal use and normal care. Vehicle hasn't reached 75k miles yet, and the frame is failing. How is this not a recall?”Owner report · Structure · Oct 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact's daughter owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at various speeds, she heard an abnormal sound and felt a vibration in the rear end of the vehicle. The contact stated that he had also noticed the failure while test-driving the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear cross member was severely rusted and had fractured. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 77,200.”Owner report · Suspension · Mar 2024
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while making a right turn at 10 MPH, the vehicle kept turning. The vehicle was steered into a parking lot where it was observed that the passenger's side front axle had separated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cross member needed to be replaced due to corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.”Owner report · Suspension · Oct 2023
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where an unknown diagnosis and repair were completed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 153,883.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2022
“Noticed the vehicle was making creaking and grinding sounds from the rear suspension. This forcing the car to struggle to reverse. Noticed a large portion of the rear suspension/subframe was rusted and was cracking.”Owner report · Suspension · Jul 2022
“The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, she lost control of her vehicle. The contact stated that she crashed into a pole, however, the air bag did not deploy. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated at the time. The contact stated that no medical attention was needed, and no police report was made. The contact stated that she then had the vehicle towed to her residence where it remained in her possession. The contact stated that she then contacted the dealer, as well as the manufacturer who advised her to contact the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 189,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Apr 2022
“I took my car to my repair man he was trying to see why my tires had the steel treads showing and the car shaking. Once up on the lift he found the subframe was rusted out. He ordered a new frame which took all my savings. He was surprised I made it off the expressway without an accident.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Mar 2022
“I went to mavis to get new tires for my car they showed me the frame car is not repairable and they showed me the back frame under neith the car and also showed me the rotted frame that's 2 places that's rotted I hope dodge dealer will replace the rotted frames some one can get killed because of the rotted frames and I think dodge should recall the cars and put new frames on their cars for free”Owner report · Suspension · Feb 2022
When filing, owners marked a crash in 12 of these complaints and injuries in 15 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 DODGE CALIBER VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT DOOR LOCK ROD IN THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR LOCK ROD AS REQUIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact Caliber by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Dodge Caliber reliable?
NHTSA has 157 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2010 Dodge Caliber. The most complained-about area is electrical system (15% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2010 Dodge Caliber problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 78,000 miles or less.
Does the 2010 Dodge Caliber have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.