2006 Dodge Caliber SE from North America - Comments

Well, my car is on it's last legs, and I was considering leasing a Caliber, as well as perhaps a Versa or a VW Rabbit. My favorite of course was the Caliber, otherwise I obviously wouldn't be posting here. My question though, is regarding the transmission. I've heard, predominantly from word of mouth from family members and such, that dodge vehicles often have problems with unreliable transmissions. I'm not so sure that can be said to be the truth, so I thought I'd look elsewhere for feedback. I don't know if anyone will be able to tell me about the reliability of the CVT, seeing as how it sounds like it's a fairly new transmission, but if anyone could help me out, I'd be much obliged.

I've personally owned 1 Plymouth and 3 Dodges, and never had a SECOND'S trouble with ANY of their transmissions, including one that went over 240,000 miles with virtually ZERO repairs.

My brother has owned several Dodges and he has never had any problems with any of the transmissions (or anything else) either.

One of my friends currently drives a Dodge Ram truck with almost 340,000 miles on it with no transmission problems (original engine and transmission).

I have personally never heard of Chrysler products having any problems with transmissions (or much of anything else). I know there are some concerns about the CVT and I personally would opt for the 5-speed manual, as it offers much sportier acceleration and is proven in reliability, whereas the CVT is new and untested. Chrysler's CVT uses a very rugged design, but in any CVT transmission there is a possibility of belt or pulley failure.

The one thing I DO hear a lot about is Chrysler's refusal to honor the warranty. I am told that they are as bad as Toyota about refusing to honor their warranty. I'd be a little concerned about buying a car with an untested transmission design from a company that has a bad reputation for refusing to honor the warranty on its products. I'd go with the tried and true 5-speed.

Hi 12:01...I'm the original poster. Both CVTs for Dodge Caliber & Nissan Versa are made by Jatco (Japanese Transmission Company). I've waited for 16years for the CVT to be perfected (become reliable). Past CVT belts have been rubberized & unreliable. Jatco CVT belts are carbon fiber graphite, much stronger than steel & v. lightweight (Boeing uses carbon fiber graphite extensively in its aircraft & more as time goes by). No finer material is available for the CVT. I believe Jatco CVTs are reliable & mine is wonderful. There are v. few reliability complaints about the CVT on Caliber websites. Jatco has taken even another step to comfirm reliability by computer limiting rpms through the CVT at low speeds. Many people are not happy with this CVT aspect since 0 to 20mph acceleration is poor in both the Dodge Caliber & Nissan Versa. However, if extra reliability is more important to you (as your posting sounds like you are) than tire burning acceleration, go for the CVT. Passing acceleration from 45mph to 65mph is very good for both Nissan Versa & Dodge Caliber CVTs, besting other 4speed automatic transmissions in their category by as much as a second. I believe I have posted my passing experience earlier in this thread & I am very happy with my Caliber CVT.

I will not buy a car with a CVT because of potential reliability issues with the belt. This, unfortunately. leaves many nice urban vehicles like the Mercedes B-class off my shopping list. If the B had a 6- or 7-speed conventional automatic transmission and a 4-cylinder diesel of at least 2 litres displacement, I'd buy one in a heartbeat. I hope that GM is not considering a CVT for the 2008 Saturn VUE as has been rumored. GM has a nice 6-speed automatic for its Saturn Aura and I see no reason not to offer it in the new VUE as well.

Hi 18:49...Yes, the 5 to 8 speed auto transmissions sure sound like they will give CVTs a run for their money. Like you, I've been concerned about CVT belt reliability... but no longer. As mentioned in my other posts, the carbon fiber graphite materials, I believe, have solved belt problems. But it sounds like you do not believe in carbon fiber graphite. Might I know your specific objections? Or do you think CVTs have other weaknesses that aren't being solved? Do you think that the much extra complexity of 5 to 8 speed trannies will not have durability & reliability problems?

Original reviewer here. I haven't given average MPG here for many months. After purchasing in September 2006, I reported that I got 34.9MPG on one flat highway run, 32+MPG traveling over 4000 foot mountains from sealevel & averaged 30+MPG. When cold weather set in & winter mix gas was used, my average fell to 28.4MPG. With the warming spring & the return of summer mix gas, the average MPG rose. Over those springtime 4000 foot mountain passes I hit a hi of 33.7MPG. My average is 29.4MPG & rising right now. I hope to average 30 to 31MPG by the end of my first year of ownership.

Two of us on another website just figured out something about Caliber CVT efficiency. I've said several times that Caliber CVT is very sensitive to hard, moderate, easy or v. easy driving habits. MPG for Caliber CVT varies a lot for these very different driving styles. The CVT pulleys that widen or narrow to change CVT gearing take as much as 900 to 1000 pounds per square inch of hydraulic pressure to change these CVT pulley widths under hard acceleration.

But at lower accelerations such as in feather footing, the hydraulic pressures must be dramatically lower... enough so to make quite a difference in engine stress & MPG. Therefore, the Caliber CVT gives the normal increase of MPG for feather footers as in all transmissions. But the Caliber must gain extra MPG for feather footers just because the CVT hydraulic pressures must be much lower. Caliber CVT feather footers gain a double whammy of MPG... like me!

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But at lower accelerations such as in feather footing, the hydraulic pressures must be dramatically lower... enough so to make quite a difference in engine stress & MPG. Therefore, the Caliber CVT gives the normal increase of MPG for feather footers as in all transmissions. But the Caliber must gain extra MPG for feather footers just because the CVT hydraulic pressures must be much lower. Caliber CVT feather footers gain a double whammy of MPG... like me!>.

Still doesn't change the fact the Caliber is ugly, overweight, and made to the lowest quality standards possible.

Anyone who uses the feather-footing approach in ANY vehicle can get really great mileage. I've taken my 275 horsepower GMC Envoy on trips and gotten over 24mpg. My V-6 Ranger 6-speed automatic easily gets 25 or better if driven gently. Anytime you keep a regular automatic from downshifting you're going to save a lot on fuel.

Hi 11:13 & 18:13...This is the original reporter. What both of you have said, I agree with except for the lowest standard of quality statement. I didn't buy Caliber for its looks (150,000 people do like its looks, tho) or space efficiency (lots of vehicles are too heavy). & I agree that all vehicles will give better MPG when feather footed. What I & an acquaintance figured out was that the Caliber can be feather footed carefully & respond better than the average vehicle for better MPG because of the very high hydraulic pressures that build inside the CVT because of hard acceleration. These pressures are supplied by the engine itself when performing at its maximum. Because these pressures aren't needed in any other transmission type, that is why I stated that the CVT when very carefully feather footed can give a double whammy of MPG. I don't state the double whammy of MPG gives the Caliber fantastic MPG. I state that for the Caliber, you can get an extra jolt of MPG with careful feather footing.

The original reviewer here. When I first bought my Caliber (9/28/2007), I initially overall averaged 30+MPG. With the long cold winter & winter mix gas, my MPG tailed off to an overall average of 28.4MPG. With warming weather, longer trips & return of summer mix gas, my MPG rose to 29.4MPG as of my last post here, April 20,2007. As of May 25, 2007 my overall average MPG has returned to 30.0MPG! Pretty good for a car with an original EPA highway rating of 30MPG which has now been lowered to 27MPG. I'm not one of those hyper-milers, just someone trying to get better MPG. Come on folks, start feather footing your cars... it really works!

HealthyCar.org This is a website with lots of testing of car interiors for dangerous offgassing from the various car components. The website is very extensive. Won't get into everything, but most cars are tested for many chemicals. The website gives summaries of the most dangerous poisons & full reports too. Go to the website for some of the most valuable information you will ever want on your future car purchase or late model present car. The Caliber, tho not of the two with the least concern, is very very low in its emissions.

Original reporter here. I finally have calculated my odometer error accurately. My odometer loses 0.1 miles every 5 miles for a 2% error. Therefore, my MPG have been underreported. My more accurate recalculated MPG are: 35.6MPG highway high, 32.5+MPG over 4000 foot mountain passes, & OVERALL AVERAGES 30.9MPG. My overall average should continue to rise tell October 2007 when colder weather & winter mix gasoline return to lower my MPG ratings. I am very pleased with my Caliber MPG & have some of the higher Caliber MPG numbers.

<<I have personally never heard of Chrysler products having any problems with transmissions>>

Chrysler's 4-speed computer-controlled automatic transmissions, sold as "Ultradrive," A604, 41TE and 42LE (as well as various other models) is notoriously unreliable. Virtually everyone who has familiarity with transmissions will attest to the extremely poor quality of this transmission and its very high failure rate (especially on minivans and heavier FWD cars like Chrysler's LH-series sedans).

Fortunately, the CVT in the Caliber is NOT the dodgy (no pun intended) 4-speed, but rather manufactured in Japan by JATCO. So it shouldn't give you problems.

However, Chrysler products typically rate at the bottom of the long-term reliability rankings among major automakers, and the transmission isn't the only major component in Chrysler vehicles known to fail (google "Chrysler 2.7 liter engine" for evidence of that!)

I got my Caliber SXT with a CVT and 2.0L in June 06, I guess one of the first ones. I just turned 40,000 miles...yes, I do a lot of driving!

I am VERY happy with the mileage, as city driving nets me just under 32mpg, with extended highway driving (using an entire tank of gas without stopping except for breaks) at 42mpg. I did the math several times and unless my odometer is wrong I am simply amazed. That's where my satisfaction ends.

UNfortunately, I am constantly in fear of getting creamed because of the poor performance of the CVT when it comes to acceleration in any speed range and wish I could find someone to rework the software so the transmission would respond faster.

On top of that, I had a serious vibration in the front end that the dealer blamed on cupped tires (at 9000 miles!!), so after I replaced them he blamed it on bad rotors which were by then, of course, out of warranty. No, I don't ride the brake pedal.

The 6 CD changer also has its problems with the right channel cutting out, and there are other issues with fuses blowing and lights burning out that are driving me nuts. I've had to replace 3 taillight bulbs on the left... I am not sure that I have EVER replaced a TOTAL of 3 taillight bulbs since I have started driving!

My 5 star dealer (sic) refuses to even consider helping me out at all... not even splitting the costs.

After driving Dodge for 36 years and putting on almost 1 1/2 million miles, this will be my last one. Their customer service is the worst I have ever experienced and I won't put myself in that position again.