Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2011 Dodge Caliber
NHTSA data on file today
The 2011 Dodge Caliber has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 165 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V668000 Air Bags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may be Disabled NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V315000 STEERING COLUMN NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 36 complaints
- Suspension 30 complaints
- Engine 26 complaints
- Seat Belts 25 complaints
- Electrical System 24 complaints
- Structure 21 complaints
Of the 165 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 165 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,500–$11,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2011 Dodge Caliber has weaknesses in airbag, suspension, and engine systems. Frequent complaints and recalls suggest reliability concerns, making it costly to maintain.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbags | 50,000–80,000 miles | $500–$1,200 | very common |
| suspension | 60,000–90,000 miles | $400–$800 | common |
| engine | 70,000–100,000 miles | $1,000–$3,000 | common |
| seat belts | 50,000–80,000 miles | $150–$400 | common |
| electrical system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Brake pads replacement as needed
- Transmission fluid change at 60,000 miles
- Coolant change every 100,000 miles
- Replace spark plugs every 30,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unresponsive airbag light
- Clunking noises from suspension
- Engine misfires or rough idle
- Seat belt retraction issues
- Dashboard electrical malfunctions
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2011 Dodge Caliber at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.