2012 Dodge CALIBER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
49 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
70,284 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 28 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 17 of 49 complaints (34.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 7 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 10.2% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 6.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 4.1% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 |
| Seat Belts | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Engine | 5 |
| Power Train | 5 |
| Structure:Body | 5 |
| Suspension | 5 |
Air Bags: 17; Seat Belts: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Electrical System: 5; Engine: 5; Power Train: 5; Structure:Body: 5; Suspension: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 10 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 9 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 10; 75,000 to 99,999: 9; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 21 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2012: 1; 2013: 4; 2014: 4; 2015: 2; 2016: 3; 2017: 15; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 3; 2021: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10576225 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)
I NOTICE WHERE EVER MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS OR MORE, WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK UP THE REAR BRAKES ARE GRINDING/RUBBING WHEREAS IT VIBRATES THE CAR. NOW YOU MAY SAY THAT THE BRAKES ARE WORN BUT THEY'RE NOT. I'VE HAD THEM INSPECTED AND THE PADS ARE GOOD. I'VE CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER DODGE CO AND WAS GIVEN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT BUT WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I'VE ASK A COUPLEOF DODGE CALIBER OWNERS AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, THIS PERSON HAD HIGH MILEAGE ON THEIR VEHICLE, EVEN A ME…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576225 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10585180 · 2014-04-28 (April 28, 2014)
I WAS IN A ACCCIDENT WHERE THERE WAS A CAR THAT STOPPED ON HIS BRAKES QUICKLY, AND I HIT THE BACK OF HIM AND MY CAR FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN. THE AIRBAG DIDNT SUPRESS DURING THE ACCIDENT CAUSING ME AND MY FIANCEE TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10585180 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11001332 · 2017-06-26 (June 26, 2017)
THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE POTENTIAL LOSS OF AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS DEPLOYMENT DURING A CRASH DUE TO A SHORTING CONDITION. IT HAS BEEN SINCE SEPTEMBER 2016 SINCE WE RECEIVED THIS RECALL NOTICE AND THERE IS STILL NO RESOLUTION. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES AS WELL REGARDING OUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN OUR VEHICLE. THE WIRING SYSTEM FOR OUR LIGHTS HAS GONE BAD AND HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE WIRING. THIS VEHICLE HAS ISSUES THAT NEED RESOLVING AND I BELIEVE OVER 6 MONTHS OF WAITING ON A FIX TO THE AIR BAG/SEAT BELT REC…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11001332 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11019357 · 2017-08-24 (August 24, 2017)
CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING WITH MY 2 NEPHEWS IN THE CAR ( AGES 7 AND 9) SMELLED ELECTRICAL BURNING, PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AWAY FROM OTHER CARS AND PEOPLE, GREY SMOKE WAS COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE HOOD AND WIRING HARNESS HAD DROPPED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WAS ON FIRE. 2 MINS LATER THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WENT UP IN FLAMES.
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11019357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10542603 · 2013-09-09 (September 9, 2013)
MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 23000 MILES ON IT AND STILL UNDER STANDARD WARRANTY. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH & 1/2 OR SO THEY HAVE HAD TO REPLACE NEARLY EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH, ALL HAVING TO DO WITH SUSPENSION AND STEERING. STRUTS WERE LEAKING, CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED, SWAY BARS, STABILIZER BAR, ALONG WITH BALL JOINT , AND EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM. NOW BEING SAID THAT THIS BRAND NEW CAR HAS HAD A BAD BALL JOINT FOR QUITE SOME MILES THIS COULD BE THE REASON FOR EVERYTHING ELSE TO FAIL!! I HAVE BEEN HEARING FAINT POPPING/CLICKING NOISES SINCE AROUND 10000 MILES!!…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10542603 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10918764 · 2016-10-25 (October 25, 2016)
"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE A 2012 DODGE CALIBER AND THE HORN HAS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND I AM UNSURE WHY. THE HORN IS LOCATED IN THE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY AND BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IT REPLACED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A HORN ON A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WOULD SUDDENLY STOP WORKING, AND IF IT'S NOT THE HORN IT WOULD BE THE AIRBAG. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN A COLLISION, NOR HAS THE AIRBAG BEEN DEPLOYED SO I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS OCCURRING. I HAVE GOOGLED THE ISSUE AND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE DIFFERENT YEARS AR…
Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10918764 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10544259 · 2013-09-18 (September 18, 2013)
MY DODGE CALIBER 2012 SXT STILL UNDER WARRANTY HAD A FAILED MANUFACTURER COMPONENT, THE 'SHIFT INTERLOCK ASSEMBLY' WHICH CONTROLS DRIVE, PARK, REVERSE, NUETRAL AND ALL TRANSMISSION SETTINGS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON BLACKTOP AREA BEHIND MY HOUSE AND ROLLED FORWARD. IT PLUNGED HEADFIRST DOWN A STEEP HILL HILL CRASHING THROUGH BACK YARD FOREST. TREES EVENTUALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. NEIGHBOR'S HOUSES AND A PUBLIC ROAD WERE AT THE BASE OF HILL. THE VEHICLE WAS UNOCCUPIED. TIED CAR OFF TO A TREE TO PREVENT ROLL OVER. CAR IS NOW AT A DODGE DEALER…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10544259 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11228443 · 2019-06-29 (June 29, 2019)
I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM NORTHTOWN DODGE IN BUFFALO NY IN JAN OF 2019. AS THE WEATHER GOT WARMER MY TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED LITE COMES ON. I CAN'T DRIVE MORE THAN 50 MILES TOPS WITH OUT IT OVER HEATING. I'M THE SECOND OWNER. I AM FINANCING THIS CAR AND CAN ONLY DRIVE IT LOCALLY. I'VE ALSO READ THAT THERE IS A LIFETIME WARRANTY FOR THE POWERTRAIN ONLY IF YOUR THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE CAR ONLY HAD 64000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS 69771. SO PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE I AM A DISABLED VETERAN AND THIS CAR IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.
Owner-reported narrative. 68,567 miles reported. Look up ODI 11228443 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11042780 · 2017-11-02 (November 2, 2017)
CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY. NO WARNING JUST CUT OFF. HAD TO TOW IT TO DODGE
Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11042780 at NHTSA ↗