Showing the 2009 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
22–27 mpgcombined; city 19–24, highway 25–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,030–$18,290U.S. average; Ohio $10,750–$17,240 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
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2009 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.
Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 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.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
64
4
1
4
Suspension
61
1
0
0
Structure
49
0
0
0
Unknown or other
25
1
0
0
Electrical system
23
0
1
0
Engine
22
0
1
0
Steering
16
1
0
0
Wheels
11
0
0
0
Tires
10
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
10
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
8
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
8
1
1
1
13 more parts
Air bags
7
4
0
5
Service brakes
7
2
1
1
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
0
Seat belts
5
3
0
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
3
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
Seats
2
1
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
1
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
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.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2009 Caliber over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 712 MY 2009 SEBRING, DODGE CALIBER, AVENGER, JOURNEY, JEEP PATRIOT, AND COMPASS VEHICLES. A NEW ADHESIVE USED IN THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS CAN CAUSE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO BREAK.
Risk: THIS CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PCM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 10, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 35 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2009 Caliber, the latest on Sep 15, 2023. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (9), structure (7), engine and engine cooling (5), electrical system (4), suspension (4).
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 2009 Caliber.
EPA class: small station wagons. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Caliber Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
24 / 30 / 27
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 Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium 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