2008 Dodge Caliber Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 360 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Dodge Caliber overview page.
What owners report
“VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC, 2.0L ENGINE. WHILE AT A STOP, IN ANY GEAR, FOOT ON OR OFF THE BRAKE, MY CAR WILL IDLE ROUGHLY, RPMS…”NHTSA complaint 10548762 — filed 10/21/2013
“THE MAIN ISSUE IS NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF "PARK" WHEN IT IS RUNNING. FOR THE PAST YEAR IT HAS HAPPENED…”NHTSA complaint 10533878 — filed 08/06/2013
“AFTER TURNING ON MY CAR IT BEGAN TO LUNGE WHILE IN IDLE. AS I ATTEMPTED TO BACK IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL…”NHTSA complaint 10532482 — filed 07/29/2013
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Dodge Caliber have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2008 Dodge Caliber: 36 of 360 complaints on file (10%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2008 Dodge Caliber have in total?
360 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 21 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 14 reported injuries, and 2 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
