10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
48,462 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Dodge Nitro engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Dodge Nitro Owner Comments

problem #8

Oct 012015

Nitro 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2008 Dodge Nitro. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle electrical system and mechanical repair problems. The consumer stated the ac and went out, along with the low and high switch melting some of the under panel where the switch was mounted. Smoke was coming from out the dash while driving. The horn was blared out of control, draining the battery, the radio would not come on, the doors locked and unlocked uncontrollably, the wheel and hub failed on the front of the vehicle, the water pump was replaced, the brakes were replaced three times, in one year. When the consumer clicked the unlock button on the key pad, the door locks went haywire, it would lock and the consumer was unable to enter the vehicle. Also, the catalytic converter was replaced. The tipm was replaced. However, a week later, the problems returned with the headlights staying on, the horn blaring out of control and the doors locking and unlocking and not being able to enter the vehicle. The head lights and tail lights were replaced several times.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #7

Sep 032014

Nitro 6-cyl

  • 105,192 miles
As I was driving down I-459, there was a large piece of a 18 wheeler tire going across the interstate. The car in front of me in the other lane swerved to miss the tire which knocked it directly in front of me. I had no choice but to go over it. Immediately after I rolled over it my vehicle began to overheat. I stopped my car and had to call a tow service to come and pick my vehicle up to be serviced. I had a busted radiator, condensor, and radiator bracket.

- Center Point, AL, USA

problem #6

Jun 012014

Nitro

  • 77,000 miles
I think that something should be done. I am having air conditioner problems with my 2008 Dodge Nitro. I bought the car from hamilton auto group on rt 33 in hamilton NJ, days later they closed their doors. I bought the car in 2009, so it was 1 yr old. I purchased an extended warranty which I never used. Now I have an air conditioner blowing warm to hot air. I have been researching on line and it seems like this is a common problem with this vehicle. It also seems as though all of the complaints I read on line also state that Dodge / Chrysler is not covering the repair. So I am looking at about $600 just for the part plus labor. It seems to be a common problem. Isn't this a defect from the manufacturer"? shouldn't they be responsible for correcting the issue if so many people are having problems with the same part?"

- Chesterfield , NJ, USA

problem #5

Sep 032013

Nitro

  • 123,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The tipm failed in my 2008 Dodge Nitro cause me to lose shifting capability. I lost all control of electrical features. The window wipers, fluid, horn were all on and uncontrollable. I turned the car off but it kept running. The door locks locked and unlocked randomly. After reading about the incident the 2007 Dodge Nitro had its tipm recalled and I believe this falls under the same category. Below is the action number. NHTSA action number : pe07027nhtsa recall campaign number : 07V291000.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #4

Dec 022011

Nitro 6-cyl

  • miles
This car was in a car accident and they fail to report it. Bought it in mercado motors they said car was fine 2 weeks later car never turn on again.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

problem #3

Jan 132012

Nitro 6-cyl

  • 38,000 miles
I was driving down the highway with the cruise control set to about 70-71 miles per hour when suddenly I heard a ding and check engine light came on. The closest exit was less than a quarter of a mile away so I took that exit. As I began to exit the interstate the truck began to act really strange. The speed of the truck was acting up, slowing down/speeding up unpredictably, and even the steering got really hard to control. At this point a few more warning lights dinged on. As this happened, I quickly pulled off to the shoulder of the frontage road, put the truck into park, and engaged the parking brake. The engine had already shut itself off. At this point I turned off the truck with the keys, opened the door and noticed white smoke coming from under the hood. I pulled the hood release prepared to inspect under the hood and noticed a lot more white smoke than the few moments before. Having walked over to the front of the truck, I wondered if it was safe to put my hand under the hood to release the locking mechanism due to the large amounts of white smoke. I decided not to and proceeded to walk around to the passenger side when I immediately noticed fire. Up until this point, the total time elapsed from the moment the check engine light came on was no more than a few minutes. Because I was driving up state to move into a dorm for my last semester of college, most of my possessions were lost in the fire.

- Laredo, TX, USA

problem #2

Jan 122010

Nitro

  • 42,000 miles
Last evening my wife drove our 2008 Dodge Nitro to take my daughter to her high school (5 miles from our home). After dropping my daughter off and starting back home the vehicle began smoking under the hood while still moving through the parking lot of the high school. I quickly turned the engine off and got out. Very quickly the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle is a total loss. All service for the vehicle was performed at the dealership and the vehicle was never in any kind of crash nor did it have any major mechanical work performed on it prior to it bursting into flames. I believe the high school may have video of the incident as the parking lot is monitored via cctv cameras.

- Wadesville, IN, USA

problem #1

Jan 222009

Nitro

  • 2,500 miles
I bought my Dodge Nitro back in Jan of 09, every since I've been bringing it back for a loud engine which knocks when going up hill, wind noise seems to be leaking into passenger front cabin, (driven other vehicles of same model, little or no noise) sales at riverside Dodge in California was a dragging horror, they held my keys hostage until they could make a deal, I've taken it back and had a service person tell me my vehicle is front wheel drive and that's why I hear noise when I turn, I've been told that my computer has to catch up with the engine when I stop quickly that's why my vehicle shuts off on me when I brake quickly, rattles come from the passenger side front fender like there's a loose panel, brakes squeal from time to time, it shifts up into a higher gear instead of down when climbing a hill have to floor it to get it to shift down and climb hill, that's just to get it up to 35. Its a daily non-stop battle with this vehicle and dealership. If there's any help out there please contact me.

- Moreno Valley, CA, USA

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