Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual Extended coverage
44 serious complaints of 49, the most about air bags (17) and speed control (7); per car on the road, 0.9× this model's usual year. 1 recall.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 dodge caliber. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v668000 (seat belts, air bags). The part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Jul 2017
“Ignition key can be removed from any position. Drive, neutral, reverse or any. This lets vehicle key be removed without being in park position. The 2012 dodge caliber can just roll away. Caught car a few times rolling. Now had a very recent serious crash.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the speed control, Sep 2013
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Front And Rear Crossmember Corrosion (X69 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves inspecting the front and rear crossmembers for perforation/rust through and if necessary, replacing the crossmember(s). (23-007-17, Mar 2017)
- Extended coverage Customers may comment on the following:The AHR is deployed on one or both front seats and will not reset. (23-029-20, Nov 2020)
- Repair program Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11) (U67, Jun 2026)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
49 owner complaints · 1 recall (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 24–27 mpg · NHTSA: 3 of 5 stars · 2012 trims and features
2011GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual Extended coverage
149 serious complaints of 165, the most about air bags (36) and suspension (30); per car on the road, 1.0× this model's usual year. 2 recalls.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2011 dodge caliber. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v668000 (air bags, seat belts); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Apr 2017
“My son was at a stop sign on a residential street. He accelerated to make a right hand turn, heard a loud pop, the car jolted and pulled in the opposite direction. Behind the driver's side tire, the suspension broke. Took to a garage and was told the entire frame was pitted and rusted through.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the suspension, Jan 2020
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Front And Rear Crossmember Corrosion (X69 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves inspecting the front and rear crossmembers for perforation/rust through and if necessary, replacing the crossmember(s). (23-007-17, Mar 2017)
- Extended coverage Customers may comment on the following:The AHR is deployed on one or both front seats and will not reset. (23-029-20, Nov 2020)
- Repair program Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11) (U67, Jun 2026)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
165 owner complaints · 2 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 24–27 mpg · NHTSA: 3 of 5 stars · 2011 trims and features
2010GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.9× usual Extended coverage
124 serious complaints of 157, the most about air bags (31) and suspension (26); per car on the road, 0.9× this model's usual year. 2 recalls.
What owners report
“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2010 dodge caliber. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v668000 (air bags, seat belts); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Dec 2016
“The contact owns 2010 dodge caliber. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle emitted a loud noise. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic in the city of cleveland, ohio where it was diagnosed that the engine cradle, the front ball joints, and the rear suspension failed due to corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the suspension, May 2017
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage Front And Rear Crossmember Corrosion (X69 Warranty Extension) This bulletin involves inspecting the front and rear crossmembers for perforation/rust through and if necessary, replacing the crossmember(s). (23-007-17, Mar 2017)
- Extended coverage Customers may comment on the following:The AHR is deployed on one or both front seats and will not reset. (23-029-20, Nov 2020)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
157 owner complaints · 2 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 23–26 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2010 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2.0L 4-cyl 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 24–27 mpg | 3 of 5 | 1 | 49 | Air bags (17) | — |
| 2011 | 2.0L 4-cyl 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 24–27 mpg | 3 of 5 | 2 | 165 | Air bags (36) | — |
| 2010 | 2.0L 4-cyl 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 23–26 mpg | Not rated | 2 | 157 | Electrical system (32) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.0L 4-cyl; 2.4L 4-cyl · Drive: FWD
2012 Caliber trims
| (TBD) | R/T | Rush | SE | SXT | SXT Plus | Uptown |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Dodge reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Dodge aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Dodge Caliber 4 DR FWD | 3 | No | No | 1 | 49 |
| 2011 | Dodge Caliber 5 HB FWD | 3 | No | No | 2 | 165 |
| 2010 | Dodge Caliber 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 2 | 157 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Caliber | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
24–27 |
| 2011 | Caliber | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
24–27 |
| 2010 | Caliber | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
23–26 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.