Reliability report
Dodge Caliber reliability and common faults
Based on 5,232 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
41.3%
fail rate · average 34.6%
much worse than average
445 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
73.2%
with defects · average 62.7%
much worse than average
2,169 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
43.5%
first-time pass · average 51.8%
much worse than average
2,618 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Dodge Caliber
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Body and structureconfirmed in 2 countries
Wheelsconfirmed in 2 countries
Seat belts and airbagsconfirmed in 2 countries
Steeringconfirmed in 2 countries
Visibility
Suspensionconfirmed in 2 countries
Lights and electricsconfirmed in 2 countries
Tyresconfirmed in 2 countries
Plates and identification
Exhaust and emissions
Brakes
Most common test failures
- 1Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 2Sidelight not working (properly)
- 3Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 4Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 5Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 6Tyre insufficient tread
- 7Steering knuckle (ball joint) too much play
- 8Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 9Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 10Tie rod end has too much play
- 11Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 12Rust damage sill
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 12–15 years | — | 71.3% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 41.3% avg 34.6% | 73.7% avg 64.7% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Caliber | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 44.6% | 61.2% | 83 |
| 2010 | 46.0% | 57.3% | 137 |
| 2009 | 38.7% | 54.5% | 163 |
| 2008 | 45.4% | 52.4% | 526 |
| 2007 | 42.9% | 50.6% | 1,112 |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 48.7% | 551 |
Dodge Caliber – FAQs
How reliable is the Dodge Caliber?+
In the UK the Dodge Caliber fails 41.3% of MOT tests, against an average of 34.6% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 73.2% of APK inspections (average there 62.7%) – much worse than average. In Lithuania 43.5% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 51.8%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Dodge Caliber?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: body and structure, wheels, seat belts and airbags, steering.
What should I check when buying a used Dodge Caliber?+
The most common inspection failures: Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less; Sidelight not working (properly); Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault; Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.