2008 Dodge Nitro Powertrain & Transmission Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while the son was driving approximately 5 MPH, the front drive shaft fractured, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop, and the front driver's side and passenger's side airbags erroneously deployed. The contact stated that there was no collision during the incident. The contact's son sustained a concussion and facial injuries, causing severe swelling to the face and severe headaches. No medical treatment was received, but the son remained bed ridden for several days from the injuries sustained during the air bag deployment. The cause of the failures were not determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were notified of the failures. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V121000(Power Train, Air Bags, Structure), which the contact's son related to the failure. The failure mileage was 203,000.

The vehicle throws the abs, esp,break and traction control lights and then while driving completely at random then turns off WHILE DRIVING!!!! which can cause an accident (I and my daughter are lucky to be alive) this is not ok the vehicle drives fine then at random throws those lights and shuts off after restarting it the check engine light comes on and says the transmission shift solenoid b is malfunction and the vehicle wouldn't shift properly. Luckily I had my code reader I. The car with me I cleared the code and now the car drives fine until this happens again I'm scared to drive it this is dangerous their's no warning. I drive on the highway everyday their's no warning it happens at random 2 times I've been lucky. No codes came up driving after clearing it and the car drives fine now but it's happened 2 times while driving this is extremely dangerous and I don't know what to do because with the codes gone the issues are gone but they randomly all the lights mentioned above come on and then the car shuts off with no warning then when you restart it it throws a different code for a different problem the first time was a low voltage code I cleared it and even Tho my battery tested good I replaced it and two days later the same issue and a different code

WHILE DRIVING THE EXITER RING BROKE CAUSING ABS/TRACTION CONTROL/ESP LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. OPENING THE DOOR THE SPRING DETACHED, DOOR NOW FREELY SWINGS OPEN. HEATER CORE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POOR CRAFTSMANSHIP. THE CAR NO LONGER HEATS UP. THE REAR WINDOW WIPER NO LONGER WORKS PROPERLY. THE DOORS IN THE REAR OF THE CAR NO LONGER LOCK OR UNLOCK WHEN USING THE ELECTRIC LOCK CONTROL. THE HEAT SHIELD FROM UNDER THE CAR BROKE OFF THE VEHICLE.

VEHICLE STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. WIPERS AND LIGHTS WOULD JUMP ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. TIPM AND ESP ICON LIT UP ON THE DASH SHORTLY AFTER. VEHICLE WOULD MAKE GRINDING NOISES WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO DIFFERENT GEARS (PARK, REVERSE, AND DRIVE). DOORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AS IT WAS PROGRAMMED TO DO. FUNCTIONS ON KEY FOB NO LONGER WORKED AS THEY SHOULD (LOCK BUTTON WOULD UNLOCK THE DOORS AND UNLOCK BUTTON WOULD ACTIVATE THE AUTOMATIC START). I REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE KEY FOB AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS BROKEN INTO ONCE THE FOB STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR THE LAST 3.5 WEEKS AFTER ELECTRICAL ISSUES GOT WORSE AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. I HAVE READ SEVERAL REVIEWS AND CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND IT SEEMS THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH MY 2008 DODGE NITRO ARE VERY COMMON AMONGST OTHER DODGE DRIVERS AS WELL AS CHRYSLER 300 DRIVERS. I KNOW OF 2 OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR CHRYSLER 300S (OLDER 2007 MODELS). A RECALL NEEDS TO BE STARTED FOR SAFETY PURPOSES BECAUSE OPERATING THESE VEHICLES IN THIS STATE ARE HIGHLY UNSAFE. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK (ABOUT 530ISH ONE MORNING) AND THE ABS, ESP, TIPM, AND AIRBAG ICON ALL CAME ON AND THEN MY TRUCK STARTED STALLING OUT. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED HOME AND IT'S BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE. OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS IF AND ONCE THESE LIGHTS COME ON.

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2010, IT'S HAD STRANGE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. FIRST, THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE BEEN MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER A COUPLE OF USES, THEY NO LONGER RESPOND TO THE REMOTE, OR DOOR LOCK BUTTON. NOR WILL THEY AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT THE HORN WOULD RANDOMLY HONK. THE HONKING STOPPED FOR ABOUT A YEAR. TONIGHT, THE HONKING STARTED AT RANDOM AND WOULDN'T STOP. THE KEY WASN'T IN THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WAS PARKED. I HAD TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE TO AVOID A VISIT FROM THE POLICE FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE. THE THIRD ISSUE IS THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. YET ANOTHER STRANGE ISSUE. WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE, THERE WILL BE S LONG START AS IF THE STARTER STAYS ENGAGED FOR TOO LONG. SOMETIMES , THE ENGINE WILL START, NOT IDLE AND JUST STOP. THE ENGINE HAS STARTED AND BARELY HAD ANY POWER AND WOULD BARELY MOVE.

4 BIG THINGS WRONG: FIRST, THE FUEL SPILLS OUT ONTO THE GROUND WHEN FILLING IT UP AT GAS STATION BECAUSE IT DOES NOT CLICK OFF. I AM ALWAYS IN A HURRY TO LEAVE THE GAS STATION SO NO SPARKS IGNITE THE FUEL ON THE GROUND AND THEN BLOW UP MY TRUCK. SECOND, THERE ARE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. NONE OF THE INNER DOME LIGHTS WORK AND THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT HAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING. 3RD, THE HEATER STOPPED BLOWING THROUGH THE MAIN VENTS AND ALSO IT GETS COLD THEN HOT THEN COLD AGAIN. THE TEMPERATURE ON HEATER WONT STAY WARM. 4TH:THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING AND WONT RUN RIGHT. IT WILL NOT MOVE WHEN GAS IS PUSHED THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT WILL KICK IN AND GO. THEN IT SLIPS BETWEEN GEAR SHIFTING. ITS AN AUTOMATIC

PREMATURE RUST THROUGH OF OIL PAN AND TRANS. PAN. DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. WILL LEAK AND CAUSE A POSSIBLE FIRE AND OR LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

THE HEAT SHIELD PROTECTING THE TUNNEL ON MY 4X4 DODGE NITRO BROKE LOOSE AND BEGAN RUBBING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE HEAT SHAILED FAILED AND CORRODED AT ALL FASTENING POINTS. THE HEAT SHIELD AND DRIVE SHAFT WERE BOTH DAMAGED. THE SERVICE BULLETING ABOUT THE HEAT SHIELD AND DRIVE SHAFT FROM THE 4X2 MODEL OF THE 2008 DODGE NITRO SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO THIS MODEL YEAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. UPON STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND LOOKING UNDERNEATH, THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS DETACHED AND ON THE GROUND. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

DRIVING DOWN ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HEARD HERENDOUS SQUEALING NOISE SO LOUD COULDN'T STAY INSIDE VEHICLE WHILE MOVING. UPON EXAMINATION I DISCOVERED A HEAT SHIELD HAD FALLEN AGAINST AND WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE DRIVE SHAFT. I NOW KNOW THE ALUMINUM PIECE TO BE THE HEAT SHIELD FROM THE TRANSFER CASE. THIS SHIELD IS ONE INVOLVED FOR RECALLS OF SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL TWO WHEEL DRIVE. MY DODGE NITRO 2008 IS A 4X4 MODEL NOT INCLUDED IN SAID RECALL. MY QUESTION TO THE GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS CHRYSLER IS ONE OF WHY NOT??? FIX MY VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD TOO...

THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED QUITE A FEW TIME AND HAS ESCALATED OVER THE TIME PERIOD. THE FIRST TIME I WALKED OUT TO MY CAR. I PRESSED THE KEY TO UNLOCK IT AND THE HORN STARTED HONKING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND SPRAY WAS GOING AND THE LIGHTS FLASHED. THIS LASTED APPROX. 5 SECONDS. AND STOPPED. THE NEXT INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FWY. SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRED, BUT THIS TIME LASTED APPROX. 30 SECONDS THEN STOPPED. THE THIRD INCIDENCE: SAME SYMPTOMS BUT WOULD NOT STOP. I OPENED UP THE HOOD, FOR SOME REASON SLAPPED THE FUSE BOX AND IT STOPPED BUT WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE IT WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD. GEAR. THIS KEPT HAPPENING WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AND DURATION. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER. AS I WAS WAITING IN LINE TO CHECK IN, IT HAPPENED. EVERYONE WAS STUNNED AND AMAZED, AND LAUGHED AT MY POSSESSED VEHICLE. NOW THEY CAN'T GET IT TO HAPPEN WHILE IT IS ON THE COMPUTER. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 2 WEEKS AND I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V121000M (AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN, STRUCTURE) IN THE MAIL SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND STATED THAT THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE SERVICE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

IT HAS BEEN MORE THEN A MONTH AWAITING PARTS FOR A N10 RECALL FOR A DRIVE SHAFT IN MY 2008 DODGE NITRO RT. NOT ONLY IS IT A LIABILITY FOR ME BUT IT IS A LIABILITY FOR MY FAMILY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, AN UNUSUAL NOISE EMITTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 13V121000 (AIR BAGS , POWER TRAIN , STRUCTURE) AND THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR THE REMEDY PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING MULTIPLE TIMES AND WHILE AT STOP LIGHTS THE VEHICLE STALLS. THE CONTACT HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE OCCURED FROM THE POINT OF PURCHASE AND AFTER REPAIRS FROM THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE INDEPENDENT DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THERE WAS NO APPROXIMATE MPH AND FAILURE MILEAGE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN SHE NOTICED A VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIANS REPLACED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE GEAR SHIFT CABLES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,700. UPDATED 07/19/12*LJ

I HAVE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR OVER 21 PLUS YEARS OF MY LIFE WORSE DODGE VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2008 DODGE NITRO.I AM PRAYING THAT THIS WILL HELP BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED IN THIS VEHICLE. THE ROAD NOISE IN THIS VEHICLE IS SO LOUD U CANT HEAR YOURSELF TALK. THE VEHICLE STARTED SHOOTING WIPER FLUID DRIVING DOWN THE ROADWAY, TURNED WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON AND THEY DON'T WORK. STOPPED THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WRECKING BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC THEY COME ON AND WONT TURN OFF. HORN GOES OFF ALL THE TIME GOING DOWN THE ROADWAY. THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. THE TRANSMISSION WILL STOP SHIFTING, STOPS U IN THE ROADWAY. THE BACK RUNNING LIGHTS GO OFF AND ON. THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS NOW STOPPED WORKING. THE WINDOW WILL ROLL DOWN AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN RAIN STORMS WHERE NOTHING WORKS VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. I KNOW THE 2007 HAD A RECALL ON THE TIPM BUT NOTHING YET ON THE 2008. I HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP SENSE MAY I HAD NO OTHER MEANS OF GETTING TO WORK SO I'M DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOW AND LETTING MY WIFE DRIVE MY TRUCK. THE MECHANIC SAID I SHOULD SELL THIS DEATH TRAP. I CANT DO THAT I WILL TRUST THAT SOMEONE ON THIS SITE WILL HELP. DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO DO UNTO YOU. PLEASE HELP WITH GETTING THESE PROBLEM PLACED ON AN ACTIVE RECALL. BEEN MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE I CANT EVEN DRIVE. I WOULD EVEN BE GLAD TO LET YALL RUN TEST ON THIS VEHICLE. THEY CALL ME MOPARLAWMAN. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I CAN STAY FATEFUL TO A COMPANY PUTTING VEHICLES OUT FOR SALE LIKE THIS. THANKS *JS

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE BEGINS TO SOUND HORN, WINDSHIELD WASHERS/WIPERS ACTIVATE. SOMETIMES WON'T SHIFT BEYOND 2ND GEAR WHILE ENTERING FREEWAY. HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, FLASHERS COME ON WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT. A/C STOPS WORKING, THEN WORKS AGAIN. ALL INTERIOR ELECTRONICS OCCASIONALLY FAIL. ENGINE SHUTS ITSELF OFF. DEALER STATES IT IS THE TIPM. COST TO REPAIR WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY - $410... NEW TIPM INSTALLED, OCCASIONALLY STILL HAVE MINOR ISSUES. *TR

WHEN SITTING AT A LIGHT OR OTHERWISE IN IDLE DODGE NITRO 2008 SLT STALLS AND FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO DIE. *TR