10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
57,345 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.

2011 Dodge Nitro electrical problems

electrical problem

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2011 Dodge Nitro Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #31

Jun 162017

Nitro

  • 95,000 miles

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

I started a complaint before and the ref number is 10995543 but more has happened since. I have had several occasions were my car would accelerate on its own and not stop. I lost all control and it was like the car had a mind of its own. The car then would stall in middle of roads, intersections, ect, I was almost hit head on by a construction truck one time last year cause the car accelerated while driving on a busy street, the car just accelerated, and wouldnt stop at a red light and the brakes would not work. The steering and everything seized up and then the car just shut down. A red lightning bolt popped up on the dash right before it died. This happened once in 2015, once in 2016, and twice in 2017. I was told over and over by ed shults of jamestown that it is not an electrical issue. Then I filed a report in June of 2017 cause it happened again, and again they just charged me and said it wasnt electrical. Now yesterday 9/27/2017 the vehicle did it again so I called ed shults and they wanted me to pay a daignosis fee again and to pay to have it towed 45 miles away, so I sent it to dave Warren in jamestown NY instead and he is a Dodge dealer, and they informed me today that it is electrical. I am so upset because this vehicle has almost killed me, its under warranty but the warranty doesnt seem to cover much of anything or even the diagnosis, and I am still paying on this vehicle that is costing so much in repairs. Please help.

- Jamestown, NY, USA

problem #30

Aug 132017

Nitro

  • 125,000 miles
I have a Dodge Nitro heat, the car is a lemon. Constant fails with HVAC, electric, coils, catalytic converter. My engine light came on and I took the car to the shop next day. Now I am being told the transmission system needs to be replaced for 4K. I have only had the car since 2012, new. Not even 5 yrs old in use. I think this is a real issue that I got a lemon from Dodge. They should do something.

- Odenton, MD, USA

problem #29

Mar 012015

Nitro 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle accelerated rapidly without warning and stalled directly afterwards. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal depressed on its own and almost caused a crash. Ed shults Ford of jamestown, New York was made aware of the failure and replaced the relay box that caused the red lightning bolt warning indicator to illuminate without warning on several occasions. The failure recurred. The contact called the same dealer about the failure and the dealer requested that she pay a diagnostic fee. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no warranty coverage because the defect had not originated from the engine. In addition, the manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000. Updated 10/18/17 the consumer stated electrical problem car keeps shutting down in the middle of the street.

- Jamestown, NY, USA

problem #28

Apr 012017

Nitro

  • 150,000 miles

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

Tipm issues. Causing horn to go off while stationary and driving. Causing car to not start while stationary. And causing issues with the lights, wipers and more.

- Kingston, WA, USA

problem #27

Dec 202016

Nitro 4-cyl

  • 63,000 miles
Wipers stopped working 12/20/16. Dealership said it was the wiper motor and it was $300 to repair. When the wiper motor replacement didn't work we were told it was the tipm and no recalls however previous years prior there where recalls. The tipm is going to cost $936 plus the repair cost looking at rough estimate of $1,500. It's fortunate I was in my driveway and not driving in a rain or snow storm. I have been without a vehicle for a week, a major inconvenience getting back and forth to work. Not sure how an investigation was closed and denied that there were any safety issues with the tipm on the 2011 model. I have read many complaints concerning the tipm.

- Washington, PA, USA

problem #26

Dec 202016

Nitro

  • 63,000 miles
My 2011 Dodge seems to have an electrical issue. I am unable to use the defrost, or air. Each time I turn it on the engine begins to run hot. Also my windshield wipers turn on when I start my engine, but they were not engaged. This happens wen the vehicle is turned on and stationary as well as when in motion.

- New Orleans, LA, USA

problem #25

Dec 122013

Nitro

  • miles

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

My windshield wipers come on in and won't turn off. It happens when I turn on vehicle and wont turn off unless I pull out the fuse for them and leave the fuse out for while. At the same time the problem starts with the wipers, my blinkers won't work at all. I haven't been able to find a quick fix to get them to work again, unless I disconnect my battery and then reconnect it. That doesnt always fix the problem though. Both of these problems happen periodically, every so often and at random times. It's happened atleast 20 times now.

- Bellflower, CA, USA

problem #24

Oct 142016

Nitro

  • 92,000 miles
Since last week, randomly while vehicle was in motion or sitting at idle, it will chime with a warning. All my warning lights flash, all my gauges stop working except vehicle temp, my odometer reads "no bus". the wipers begin to go crazy on their own and I lose operation of my blinkers and high beams as well as fog lights and control of wipers. Main headlights just stay on. The vehicle still runs and drives but the gauges just sound like everything is constantly trying to reset. This lasts anywhere from a minute to 20 minutes. The vehicle will go back to normal and then randomly it will happen again. I drove from charleston wv to la plata md and this instance occurred 9 times in that 6 hour drive. It was completely random and lasted random amounts of time. No bumps or turns triggered it. It didn't favor happening going up or down mountains, just whenever it decided to glitch out. So at any given point during my drive, I'd lose capabilities to use my blinkers and high beams, let alone know how fast I was going and how much fuel I had left....it was very nerve-wracking. From my research with these symptoms, it points to the tipm. This concerns me as multiple other Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles have had recalls on the tipm for this and fuel pump relay issues. But my vehicle wasn't listed. I feel loss of blinkers, speed and fuel gauges, and proper use of my high beams/fog lights and windshield wipers is a major safety concern. If I can be pulled over not using a blinker but cannot use it due to this issue at random times...that should drive a safety recall.

- La Plata, MD, USA

problem #23

Jun 272016

Nitro

  • miles
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13V282000 (air bags, electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no repair solution. The failure mileage was not available.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #22

May 122016

Nitro

  • 1 miles
The wind shield wipers come on and wont turn off and none of the lighting controls work, high beam, on /off, dash controls... this happens randomly.

- Liverpool, NY, USA

problem #21

Mar 262016

Nitro

  • miles

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

My vehicle intermittently will shut off or deny power to the fuel pump, it also will intermittently flash warning signs, and turn the wipers on indefinitely. The issues have all been traced back to the power module and more specifically nonservicable relays. I've contacted the dealership and Chrysler and neither have an eta on the part should I order one. Mostly it happens while stationary but it caused the vehicle to stall on the highway twice. It stated doing this in fall of 2015 but I couldn't properly diagnosis it until March due to it being intermittent.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #20

Feb 152016

Nitro

  • miles
After remote starting my vehicle which was parked in the driveway, the windshield wipers will not turn off.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #19

Jul 012015

Nitro

  • 53,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the engine began to rev as the rpms increased independently. In addition, the doors failed to lock electronically and all doors locked independently. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the tipm needed to be replaced however, the part needed to repair the vehicle was unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- San Marcos, TX, USA

problem #18

Dec 112015

Nitro

  • 45,000 miles
Driving on 2 lane highway and had to brake hard as another vehicle cut me off. As soon as I did (brake) my SUV shut off...all the lights flashed on the dash board. I immediately put the flashers on and hoped I didn't get rear-ended. I tried 3X to restart my 2011 Dodge Nitro- it finally started. I was near the dealership where I purchased the vehicle, I pulled in, told them what just happened. They hooked it up to the computer and reported 'no errors'. it was a near miss on a busy highway, and I am worried if this were to happen again. I don't feel safe in my Dodge Nitro. I was alone, but what if I had passengers, children, etc.? it is definitely a safety issue when you brake hard and your vehicle just shuts off, wouldn't move. This is incredible scary. Someone or more than one person is going to be killed when they get slammed from behind and pushed into on coming traffic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Cortland, NY, USA

problem #17

Oct 192015

Nitro

  • 30,000 miles
My vehicle stalled out due to a failure with a defective totally integrated power module. According to the dealer making the repair wires leading to the alternator and wires leading to the PCM were fried. The wiring issue appear to be a fire hazard. My first concern is this defective part has caused me about $2,000 in repairs from replacing the battery, 2 alternators and towing. My second concern is that in both situations the car died on me in traffic one on a six lane road and another time on the highway. I also had a similar incident on the highway when the motor died with only 30K miles on it and had to be replaced by the manufacturer.

- Riverdale, GA, USA

problem #16

Sep 092015

Nitro

  • 68,370 miles
The horn sounds unexpectedly and usually when parked or moving slowly thru parking areas. Not only does this startle the driver, pedestrians could attempt to move away but into the vehicles path. There have also been incidents of the front door windows rolling down and the moonroof opening after the vehilce has been parked and secured. This presents a safety hazard to my wife who commutes to work and relies on her vehicle beening secure when she leaves after dark. Not to mention the risk of bad weather. These issues have occured at several random intervals and internet forums discuss the same and similar occurences. The date referenced is the most current horn incidence however my wife can't chase down a horn circuit to disable it and the horn is a required safety device.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #15

Jul 282015

Nitro 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles
We were on vacation in St augustine fl in the middle of an intersection getting ready to turn and the engine just completely shut off for no reason at all, thank goodness it was around 11:00 at night and there wasn't much traffic because we had a semi truck coming at us, luckily it started right back up and we got out of the way because it could have been a horrific accident ! this vehicle also sputters from time to time like the engine is going to die and also the windshield wipers come on by them selves for no reason ! updated 09/15/15

- Eustis, FL, USA

problem #14

Jul 302014

Nitro 4WD 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
While driving down interstate with 3 passengers including a toddler the keys fell out of the ignition. The truck lost power and steering abilities. When the truck reached 20 mph I noticed the keys were not in the ignition. I grabbed them, handed them to my husband. He put truck in neutral, started truck. This happened again at an intersection about a month later. I usually only have truck key and or a house key on a single ring. Please consider testing vehicles for this possibility and the deadly probability. Update 9/15/15 the consumer has since sold the vehicle. Updated 10/01/15

- Janesville , WI, USA

problem #13

Dec 082014

Nitro

  • 50,255 miles
The car start, windsheild wipers come on by themself and vehicle will not go in gear. Have to remove the battery cable for car to go into gear.

- Greensboro, NC, USA

problem #12

Jun 152011

Nitro 6-cyl

  • 23 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the engine rpms increased and the vehicle accelerated without warning. The brake pedal was depressed several times in order for the vehicle to come to a stop. In addition, the contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop light, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 23. Updated 03/10/15 updated 10/15/2015

- Orlando, FL, USA

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