2010 Dodge Caliber

Showing the 2010 Caliber R. 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
23–26 mpgcombined; city 21–23, highway 25–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$14,120U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$12,620 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
2over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
157filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2010 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 157 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 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
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical system32000
Air bags31719
Suspension26000
Unknown or other22416
Engine20010
Vehicle speed control18110
Power train17000
Seat belts15305
Steering12000
Structure10010
Exterior lighting7000
Fuel/propulsion system7000
11 more parts
Electronic stability control (ESC)6000
Engine and engine cooling6000
Fuel system, gasoline3000
Service brakes3000
Wheels3000
Seats2000
Visibility/wiper2000
Fuel system, other1100
Latches/locks/linkages1000
Tires1000
Visibility1000

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.

  1. 2007958
  2. 2008377
  3. 2009232
  4. 2010157
  5. 2011165
  6. 201249

Every Caliber year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2010 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.

Air bags; Air bags: frontal; Seat belts: pretensioner

NHTSA campaign 16V668000 · reported Sep 15, 2016 · 1,435,625 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.

Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.

NHTSA's record and documents

Latches/locks/linkages: doors

NHTSA campaign 10V197000 · reported May 11, 2010 · 123 vehicles potentially affected

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 DODGE CALIBER VEHICLES. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT DOOR LOCK ROD IN THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR.

Risk: AN UNLATCHED DOOR COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF AN UNBELTED FRONT SEAT PASSENGER BEING EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR LOCK ROD AS REQUIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 44 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2010 Caliber, the latest on Sep 15, 2023. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (15), seats (9), structure (7), engine and engine cooling (5), equipment adaptive/mobility (4).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Preliminary evaluation PE19014
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment · covers 4 makes
SeatsSep 9, 2019Closed Feb 25, 2026
NHTSA's record and documents

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 2010 Caliber.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: small station wagons. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Caliber
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline23 / 31 / 26
Caliber
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline23 / 27 / 25
Caliber
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline23 / 29 / 25
Caliber
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline21 / 25 / 23

Sources and dates

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