2011 Dodge Nitro Powertrain & Transmission Problems

While my husband was driving home from work, the drive shaft of our vehicle completely snapped at 50mph causing him to come to a complete stop. There is a recall specially specially this on the 2008 models and after this incident we believe it should for the 2011s also.

I WAS STOPPED AT A INTERSECTION WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO PASS ON A CITY STREET, AS I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HAD A LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE AND FELT AS IF I WAS REAR ENDED, IMMEDIATELY THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON ME AND MY TWO SONS AND OBJECTS FLEW EVERYWHERE, THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS AS I COULDN'T CONTROL OR STOP IT. I PULLED THE EMERGENCY BREAKS AND JUMPED OUT TO SEE MY DRIVE SHAFT HAD EXPLODED UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK, THE AMBULANCE CAME TO TAKE MY SON TO THE ER BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF CAUSING HIM TO HAVE SEVERE COLLAR BONE PAIN. I CONTACTED INSURANCE COMPANY THIS MORNING AND WAITING TO HEAR WHO'S COVERING WHAT. I/MY SON IS IN SEVERE PAIN AND SHOCKED AS TO WHY THIS WASN'T RECALLED WITH THE OTHER NITRO YEARS. THIS COULD'VE BEEN FATAL, I NEED ANSWERS A.S.A.P.*DT*JB

THE HEAT SHIELDING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE DISLODGED IN A FEW PLACES CAUSING IT TO RUB AGAINST THE DRIVE SHAFT. IT WASN'T LOUD SO I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND MY DRIVE SHAFT BROKE IN 2 PIECES. I BACKED OUT OF MY PARKING PLACE AND WHEN I SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, IT SNAPPED. THIS WAS RECALLED ON CERTAIN 2007-2008 DODGE NITROS, BUT NOT ON THE 2011. HAD I BEEN IN MOTION AND NOT AT A STAND STILL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD.

PURCHASED 2011 NITRO. HIGH SPEED CAN COMMUNICATION BUS, CODE U0002. DASH CLUSTER FAULTS ALL LIGHT UPWITH WARNING BELL ENGAGING WHEN PULLING OFF OR TURNING. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON, ENGINE LIGHT ON, PULL OFF FROM STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE IS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. HEARING ELECTRIC GEAR SOUND WHEN VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF.

I BOUGHT MY NITRO ON DEC 29, 2017 FROM HADDAD TOYOTA IN PITTSFIELD MA I HAVE PUT 4648 MILES ON SINCE DRIVING IT OFF THE LOT. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPT ABOUT THE TEMP. GAUGE WHEN I WENT THERE FOR AN AUTO START AND THEY STATED IT WAS FINE. THURSDAY THE TEMP LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASH WHEN I WAS ALMOST 2 MILES HOME, SO I CAME HOME, PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE AS USUAL BUT HAD TO OPEN THE HOOD BECAUSE OF THE SMELL, HEAT AND WHAT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE SMOKE. I CALLED HADDADS AND LEFT A MESSAGE WITH THE SERVICE DEPT. ON MONDAY, WHICH IS THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT 10 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. I DECIDED TO PULL INTO MY HUSBANDS WORK 8 MILES AWAY, BUT BEFORE I REACHED THE DRIVEWAY, THE TEMP LIGHT CAME BACK ON. WE LEFT THE DOGE THERE OVERNIGHT, AS I WAS TOO SCARED TO DRIVE IT HOME. TUESDAY I CALLED HADDADS SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SERVICE MAN THAT HELPED ME WHEN I WAS THERE LAST.HE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. WE HAVE A READER AND AT WORK MY HUSBAND PLUGGED IT IN AND GOT THESE CODES 1- P0740 ' TORQ CONVERTER CLUTCH CIRCUIT/OPEN 2- P0732 - GEAR2 INCORRECT RATIO 3- P0868 - TRANSMISSION FLUID PRESSURE LOW SO I IMMEDIATE CALLED AGAIN AND THE SERVICE DEPT. TOLD ME I CAN DRIVE IT THERE 30 MILES AS LONG AS EITHER LIGHT WASN'T BLINKING. SO THIS AFTERNOON, NEEDLESS TO SAY, I MADE IT 3 HOUSES DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN MOTION! I CALLED AAA AND I AM HAVING IT TOWED TO HADDAD TOYOTA. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MAN PAT AND HE IS AWARE OF MY SITUATION AND IS EXPECTING THE DODGE TOMORROW. HE STATED THAT IT MUST BE SOMETHING WITH THE CAR, DEFINITELY NOT ME. I NOW HAVE NO VEHICLE. I LEFT MY CAR SAFELY WHERE IT STOPPED MOVING. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS CAR FALLS UNDER THE LEMON LAW OR VEHICLE RECALL. I AN LOOKING TO RESOLVE THIS CAR ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS I HAVE HEALTH ISSUES AND SHOULDN'T BE WITHOUT TRANSPORTAT ANDRE' D'ANDREA

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR, THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE OFF COMPLETELY. TOWED TO FOWLER JEEP DODGE ON I-240 IN OKLAHOMA CITY. SERVICE ADVISOR INDICATED THE HEAT SHIELD BECAME LOOSE AND CAUSED THE DRIVE SHAFT TO BREAK. THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE FOR PRIOR MODEL YEAR 2007-2008 DODGE NITRO. I CALLED BOTH CHRYSLER AND DODGE HOTLINES RELATIVE TO THE N10 RECALL WITH FAULTY HEAT SHIELDS CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO SPONTANEOUSLY BREAK. I WAS TOLD IT WAS UP TO THE DEALERSHIP AREA MANAGER TO DECIDE IF THIS ISSUE WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE DODGE HOTLINE AGENT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEN INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANICAL ERROR WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED IN THE RECALL SO THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT EVEN CALL THE AREA MANAGER. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO ALSO SAID A FAULTY HEAT SHIELD CAME LOOSE, WAS RUBBING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT CAUSING IT TO BREAK; WHICH IS THE EXACT N10 CHRYSLER RECALL FOR 2007-2008 DODGE NITRO. AS I HAVE A MODEL YEAR 2011, OBVIOUSLY THE ISSUE HAD NOT BEEN FIXED.

THE TPC POWER BOX THAT HAS ALL THE FUSES IN IT. IS MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE WIPERS FOUR WAY FLASHER AND HORN ,HEADLIGHTS CHIMES, 44 SWITCH AND ALL THE DASH SENSORS TO GO OFF. WHICH IS CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO STUDDED WHEN SHIFTING IT IS A MAJOR PEOBLEM

TRANSFER CASE HAS STRIPPED OUT TWICE SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. I BOUGHT IT USED AND TWO MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. POWERTRAIN WARRANTY REPAIRED IT, BUT NOW IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. ROUTINE MAINTINENCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON THE TRANSFER CASE AND DIFFERENTIALS. NO CLUE AS TO WHY IT KEEPS STRIPPING OUT.

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.

MID NOV. 7:45AM WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED A LOW ROAR LIKE THE NITRO WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR BUT IT WASN'T, SOUND CONTINUED AND THE CAR WAS NOT PICKING UP SPEED. I TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT, WAITED THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND WENT TO WORK. AT 2:30 THE DASH THERMOMETER SAID ?120 DEGREES? I HAVE THE TEMPERATURE ON MY PHONE SO I KNOW IT WAS 80. I CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT AND NOT TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE A BIG FUSS AND I NEEDED MY CAR. WED, 3-12-14 7:50AM I WAS DRIVING THE 2011 DODGE NITRO TO TAKE KIDS TO SCHOOL. IT TURNED OFF WHILE TURNING, MY BLINKER STOPPED WORKING AND THERE WERE NOT LIGHTS-ON THE DASH. THE WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF, I ROLLED TO PARK ALONG THE CURB. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND IT STARTED. BIG SAFETY CONCERN SO I CHOSE TO BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE SINCE. I TOOK IN INTO THE DEALERSHIP AT 8:10AM THAT SAME MORNING. BUSTTER TORRES CHECKED IN MY CAR. HE SAID HE COULD NOT ?DUPLICATE? THE PROBLEM AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP WHILE DRIVING. . FRI 3-14-14 7:55AM I WAS PREPARING TO TURN RIGHT, AS I WAS APPROACHING I HAD MY BLINKER ON AND MY CAR TURNED OFF AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN INTO THE DRIVE WAY. I WAS ABLE TO TURN MY WHEEL (THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF) AND ROLL INTO THE DRIVEWAY. I NOTICED THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON TO INDICATE ANYTHING, I HEARD A CLICK WHEN THE CAR TURNED OFF. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR AND THE CAR STARTED FINE. CAR SAT AT DEALER FOR 4 DAYS WITHOUT SERVICE BECAUSE EMPLOYEE MESSED UP AND DID NOT CREATE A NEW WORK ORDER. NOT APOLOGETIC, MADE EXCUSES WHEN CONFRONTED. HAD WRONG MILEAGE, EMPLOYEE JUST GUESSED. WE HAD TO ARGUE TO GET THEM TO CHECK ACTUAL MILEAGE. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE ALL AROUND, NO RESPECT FOR US AS CUSTOMERS. CAR STILL NOT REPAIRED, CAR IS A LEMON. *TR

TL* THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE SEAL LEAKED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE SEAL REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND FITZGERALD AUTO MALL LEXINGTON PARK (2231 THREE NOTCH ROAD, LEXINGTON PARK, MD 20653, 301-737-0088) TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE SEALS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,747. *BF *AS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE SEAT BELT WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED DESPITE ALL THE PASSENGERS BEING SECURED IN THE SEAT BELTS. THE WIPER BLADES THEN INDEPENDENTLY POWERED ON AS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SIMULTANEOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS A GROUND WALL WIRE BEING LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26000.

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR ,PRESS ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN THERE IS A LOUD BANG AND VEHICLES STARTS TO MOVE SLOWLY. ENGINE REVS AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION TRIES TO SHIFT UP AND DOWN. VEHICLES BUCKS AND NO ACCELERATION. UNSAFE. TAKEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM. THEY ADJUSTED THE COMPUTER ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX. BACK IN THE SHOP AT THIS TIME. *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR DODGE NITRO 6/11/2011, NOTICED SHIFTING PROBLEMS RIGHT AWAY BUT WAS TOLDED BY DEALER IS WAS JUST STIFF FROM BEING NEW. AS TIME GOES ON THE WARMER THE TRANSMISSION GETS THE SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS GETS WORSE, MOSTLY ON CRUISE CONTROL. SOME TIMES WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE ON, IT DOWN SHIFTS AND SOUNDS LIKE THE BOTTOM IS FALLING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 4 TIMES ON THE PROBLEM, AND WAS TOLD BY TRANSMISSION SPEC. TECH. AT DEALERS THAT CHRYSLER PUT A 4 LITER TRANSMISSION IN A 6 LITER CAR, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT THAT. AND WAS TOLD THAT IT MAY OR MAYNOT GET WORSE AS TIME AS BY. I NOW HAVE 7400 MILES ON THE CAR AND ITS GETING WORSE AND NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE. NO WONDER CHRYSLER NEEDED A BAILOUT... TO ME THE CAR IS GREAT EXCEPT THE TRANSMISSION !!!!! *JS