First incident occurred in the morning, vehicle stalled and restarted on it's own going around a curve. Later that day in the afternoon, vehicle stalled going around yet another curve this time not restarting. After being towed to a dealership, the PCM was flashed and I was told all would be well. Stalls on off ramp of interstate 30 miles later going 55 MPH. Towed again, tipm module was replaced.…
2011 Dodge Caliber engine problems
moderate 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 21 engine complaints filed for the 2011 Dodge Caliber, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 6 model years of Dodge Caliber in our records for engine problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2011 Caliber shows a widespread stalling issue starting as early as a few hundred miles that dealers cannot diagnose or fix, often occurring during turns or highway driving with A/C on. Additional concerns include transmission slip, starter engagement problems, and one reported engine fire—many owners have had vehicles in service repeatedly with no resolution.
The dominant complaint is engine stalling without warning—it occurs at speeds from 5 to 75 mph, sometimes during turns but also on straightaways, and can happen within the first few hundred miles of ownership. Owners say the engine dies as if the key was turned off, often with an RPM drop beforehand. The car restarts quickly, but stalls happen repeatedly over the vehicle's lifetime. A/C operation appears tied to stalling in multiple complaints, particularly early in drive cycles.
Dealers consistently report inability to reproduce stalls despite test drives of 148+ miles. Some owners cite repeated visits—one had three service attempts in ten days without resolution. One dealership explicitly told an owner this failure is known with no fix available. Repair attempts include PCM flashing, TIPM module replacement, ignition switch replacement, and software updates—none permanently resolved the issue.
Beyond stalling, owners report a power steering seizure at 24 miles, transmission slip into first gear, starter remaining engaged after cranking, an oil overheat sensor that forces limp mode on highways with no available fix, and one engine fire. Electrical gremlins include a no-crank condition traced to a power connector under the steering column. Manufacturer response was minimal; one owner cites Dodge engineers suspecting a WIN module, but owners say Chrysler provided no recalls or assistance.
Same Dodge Caliber engine reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2010
Failure modes owners describe
Stalling while driving
Engine shuts off completely without warning while the vehicle is in motion at various speeds (5 to 75 mph), sometimes during turns, sometimes on straightaways. Vehicle typically restarts immediately or within seconds, but owners report repeated recurrences. Dealers consistently cannot reproduce the issue. One owner reports the dealership acknowledged awareness of the failure with no fix available.
When: Throughout vehicle ownership, as early as 402 miles and up to 60,000 miles. Most stalls occur within 5 miles of startup with A/C running.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies suddenly with no warning, as if key was turned off; RPM drops before stall; Stalling during left-hand turns most commonly reported; Stalling while at rest at traffic lights; Stalling while accelerating from stop; Ignition stick when attempting to start (eight instances in one owner's case); Vehicle restarts immediately or within seconds after stall; Hesitation and surging before some stall events
Repairs/costs cited: PCM flashed multiple times with no resolution. TIPM module replaced in one case. Ignition switch replaced in one case. Vehicle recalibrated at dealer in one case. Dealers unable to duplicate and one explicitly stated no fix available.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owners report engineers suspected WIN module in one case. Chrysler inspected vehicle with no findings in another case. Manufacturer made aware in several complaints but provided no assistance or offered no recalls/TSBs mentioned by owners.
Oil overheat indicator and limp mode
Oil overheat sensor trips and forces vehicle into limp mode (speed reduced to 30 mph automatically), occurring during highway driving at elevated speeds with A/C on. Mechanic informed owner this is a known issue with the model and no fix exists.
When: Owner driven at 70-75 mph on freeway with A/C running. Happened three separate occasions.
Symptoms owners cite: Oil overheat indicator light comes on; Vehicle automatically reduces speed to 30 mph; Cannot maintain highway speeds after event
Repairs/costs cited: No defect found by mechanic. Dealer stated no fix available for this condition.
Engine fire
Vehicle caught fire while driving at 45 mph. A/C had failed prior to the fire. Police report was filed. One incident reported.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: A/C failure preceded fire; Vehicle caught fire without warning
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was towed. Dealer unable to provide diagnosis.
Transmission slip into first gear
After vehicle was picked up from dealer following computer software update for stalling issue, transmission slipped into first gear unexpectedly, causing following traffic to have to swerve.
When: After dealer service at 3,400 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission slipped into first gear during normal driving
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer stated situation was out of their hands.
Starter remains engaged during cranking
Starter motor remains engaged when starting vehicle, occurring within first three weeks of ownership.
When: Within first three weeks of ownership, multiple times in one week
Symptoms owners cite: Starter remains engaged after engine starts
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle in service dept for one week with no resolution.
Power steering seizure during stall
Power steering seized and vehicle stalled simultaneously at 45 mph. Occurred very early in vehicle life (24 miles). Dealers unable to duplicate.
When: At 24 miles, vehicle current mileage 700
Symptoms owners cite: Power steering seized; Vehicle stalled at same time
Repairs/costs cited: Software update performed as temporary fix but failed to resolve. Vehicle not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware, did not offer assistance.
No-crank/no-start with electrical issue
Vehicle would not crank or start with no noise from starter. Issue resolved by removing and reinserting power plug under steering column. Occurred after jump-start attempt failed.
When: At gas station on 8/12/2012
Symptoms owners cite: No cranking noise when attempting to start; Battery would not respond to jump start or charging; Resolved by reseating power connector under steering column
Repairs/costs cited: Owner planned to take to dealership for diagnosis.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had engine trouble with your 2011 Dodge Caliber?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2011 Dodge Caliber?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 1,500 and 41,000 miles, with the median around 6,394. A quarter of owners report trouble before 1,500; a quarter make it past 41,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Dodge/Caliber.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.