DodgeCaliber20112.0L/dodge/caliber/2011/2-0l/
PM platform

2011 Dodge Caliber — 2.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2011 Caliber 2.0L.

Body PASSENGER CAREngine 2.0LTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2011 Dodge Caliber 2.0L is a passenger car built on the PM platform and powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 23 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, while requiring 4.5 quarts of oil with filter using 5W-20 or 5W-30 API-grade viscosity. This model year falls within the Caliber's production span from 2006 to 2012, a period during which owner complaints ranged from a reported low of just 1 in 2006 to a reported high of 958 in 2007, with the 2011 recording 165 total complaints and two recalls—primarily concerning air bags and seat belts. The complaint trajectory shows a significant decline from the problematic early years, suggesting that by the 2011 model year the Caliber had achieved considerably greater operational stability, positioning it as a comparatively mature iteration of the platform despite remaining within a model run associated with higher-than-average early complaints.

Model year201220112010

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/27/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 86 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 04892339BE. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 86 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter04892339BE
Engine air filter04593914AB
Spark plugSP0ZFR5F11
BatteryBB86F101AA
Front wiper blades05183260AA alt 05183258AA
Thermostat55111017AB alt 55111016AC
Cabin air filter05058693AA

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length173.6 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height60.2 in
Wheelbase103.9 in
Curb weight2941 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 27 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt w/ filter of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 · MS-9020 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 21.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5 · MS-9020
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.1 Pints
Engine CoolantHOAT · MS9769
Engine Oil5W-20 · API · 5W-30 · MS-6395
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt w/ filter
Power Steering FluidATF +4

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsM6 Bolts: 7 ft-lbs, M8 Bolts: 22 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts155 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head StepsIf your bolt has the short head
Engine Flywheel Bolts70 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts25 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug21.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub180 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.504-.616 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5220-6380 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerChampion
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque20.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.13-1.31 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.40-4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number86
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Do not allow pressure to exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)58.0 + or - 5.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance12 approx. @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression170
Engine Oil Pressure25-80 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle52 ft-lbs / 80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.040; Rear: 0.040 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in / 0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in / 0.0016 in / 0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.386 in / 1.02 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.402 in / 1.028 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.331 in / 0.961 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep The front two cylinder head bolts require washers to be installed with the beveled edge facing up. Lubricate bolts with clean engine oil

125 ft. lbs.25 ft. lbs
254 ft. lbs.54 ft. lbs
354 ft. lbs.54 ft. lbs
490 degreesCAUTION:Do not use a torque wrench for the Fourth step.90 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Bolts stamped with the letter B or the number 6 use the following torque procedure.

111 ft. lbs., Step 2: 20 ft. lbs., Step 3: 45 degrees; Bolts that are not stamped with the letter B or the number 6 use the following torque procedure.11 ft. lbs
111 ft. lbs., Step 2: 33 ft. lbs., Step 3: 45 degrees11 ft. lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9022 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 8,000 mi; spark plugs every 32,000 mi; coolant at 104,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 104,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 8,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 16,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 16,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Suspension System (inspect) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 24,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 32,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Parking Brake System (adjust) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 48,000 miCV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 96,000 miPCV Valve (inspect)
At 104,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 120,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2011 Caliber sits in the generation's declining complaint arc: after a 2007 peak of 958 complaints, volumes fell steadily to 157 in 2010 before ticking up slightly to 165 in 2011, then dropping to 49 in the final 2012 model year. Recalls held at two for both 2010 and 2011, with one investigation each year, while technical service bulletins surged to 86 in 2011 — nearly double the prior year's 44 and approaching the 100 issued for 2012 — indicating heightened dealer-level service activity. The leading complaint categories for 2011 were air bags and seat belts (19), suspension (14), air bags alone (12), and structure (9), with nine crash complaints and one fire complaint recorded; the data does not specify root causes for these patterns. Compared to the troubled early years, 2011 shows markedly improved complaint volumes but elevated TSB activity that suggests ongoing refinement needs. For a used buyer, this is a reasonable year to consider provided all recall work is verified complete and a pre-purchase inspection focuses on suspension and restraint system components.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
86
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
165
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 165 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags,Seat Belts19
Suspension14
Air Bags12
Structure9
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Power Train7
Engine7
Electrical System5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V668000Seat Belts:PretensionerReported 15/09/2016

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… 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…

11V315000Steering:ColumnReported 08/06/2011

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011DODGE JOURNEY, JEEP WRANGLER, CHRYSLER 200, CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE, DODGE AVENGER, DODGE NITRO, JEEP LIBERTY, DODGE CALIBER, JEEP COMPASS, JEEP PATRIOT, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR RIVET PRESENCE AND ALIGNMENT AND REPAIR THE STEERING COLUMN PIVOT AS REQUIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 86 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
U67 Combo Rev112026-06-18EngineEmissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
91002262023-09-15Electrical SystemConnector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar…
91002262023-09-15Electrical SystemConnector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar…
91001962023-07-27EquipmentLubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily…
U67 Combo Rev102023-01-14Power TrainEmissions recal U67 Catalytic Converter Efficiency

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Caliber. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2011 Caliber 2.0L take?

4.5 qt w/ filter of 5W-20 API OR 5W-30 API MEETING CHRYSLER SPECIFICATION MS-6395, per the factory manual.

Does the 2011 Caliber have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 2.0L get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 27 highway / 24 combined mpg.