NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Dodge Nitro. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
THE IGNITION SWITCH SNAPPED BACK AND TURNS THE KEY OFF RESULTING IN A COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SHUT DOWN AT SPEED. THE STEERING AND BRAKES DO NOT WORK AT THAT POINT. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHILE GOING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. ONE ADDITIONAL TIME, THE IGNITION SWITCHED SNAPPED BACK, AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN. JOHNSON AUTO PLAZA IN BRIGHTON, CO, TOLD ME IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, AND THE SWITCH IS NOW AF OR IN ITS 5TH GENERATION. THIS REPLACEMENT JUST COST ME $593.00. PLEASE PUT A NOTICE OUT THERE AND FORCE RAM TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR FREE OR ELSE THIS COULD END UP KILLING PEOPLE.
WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OUR DODGE NITRO. HOWEVER DODGE HAS MADE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE TO HAVE THIS RECALL CORRECTED IN THE HOPES YOU WON'T TAKE YOUR VEHICLE IN AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY OR TIME CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO HAVE A OUR VEHICLE RECALL CORRECTED WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD TO BRING IN OUR VEHICLE IN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SO IT DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS SO IT COULD BE INSPECTED. AFTER THEY INSPECT IT THEY TELL YOU THERE IS A PROBLEM AND YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS. THIS NOW REQUIRES YOU TO TAKE OFF TIME DURING WORK TWICE BUT YOU ARE ALSO WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO HOLD ONTO IT.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.