2008 Dodge Caliber
Showing the 2008 Caliber T. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 22–26 mpgcombined; city 19–24, highway 24–29; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $12,490–$14,760U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$13,190 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 377filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 Caliber. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 377 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Caliber. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 118 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 89 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 63 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Power train | 39 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 22 | 12 | 0 | 13 |
| Wheels | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
15 more parts
| Engine and engine cooling | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, electric | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system, other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Caliber year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Caliber. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 51 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Caliber, the latest on Sep 15, 2023. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: power train (14), engine and engine cooling (11), equipment (10), structure (7), electrical system (6).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Caliber.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Specs
EPA class: small station wagons. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caliber Front-Wheel Drive | 1.8 L, 4 cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular Gasoline | 24 / 29 / 26 |
| Caliber Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular Gasoline | 23 / 29 / 25 |
| Caliber Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 23 / 27 / 24 |
| Caliber Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 21 / 25 / 23 |
| Caliber 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 21 / 24 / 22 |
| Caliber Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo | Manual 6-spd | Regular Gasoline | 19 / 27 / 22 |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data