FaultScore

Dodge Nitro headlight problems

62 of the 1,635 complaints filed about the Dodge Nitro are about the lighting — 4% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.

62

Complaints

4%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

Lights complaints by model year

2007 Nitro 11 17.7%

Median failure at 88,553 miles

2008 Nitro 39 62.9%

Median failure at 89,500 miles

2010 Nitro 4 6.5%

Median failure at 67,500 miles

2011 Nitro 8 12.9%

Median failure at 90,000 miles

What owners said

2007 Dodge Nitro Terre Haute, IN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Brake light have stopped working randomly. Were working fine one day then next day I have no brake lights, I've had several people see if they could find the problem with no success. Could possibly be faulty wiring to the brake lights? Put just normal tail lights work with only those lights when breaking. I've also seen several same make and model vehicles with the same issue in the same town that I live

NHTSA complaint #11479764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Dodge Nitro Beulah, MS

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I was driving down the rd and all of the sudden my truck jumps into 2nd gear and looses all power to speed up and it seems like I'm in neutral my relay box is messing up everything electrical now it shuts off at stop signs and If it keeps doing all this I'll have to replace transmission. I've already replace tipm 2 times

NHTSA complaint #11446945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro at 152,458 miles Aiken, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

IT STARTED WITH ALL DASH LIGHTS COMING ON SAYING IT HAD ISSUES AND THEN JUST STOPPED DEAD IN ROAD. I HAD TPIM PUT IN, THEN ALTERNATOR , AND THEN NEW BATTERY. WAS FINE AND THEN HEAD LIGHTS STOPPED COMING ON . NEXT, IT STARTING WITH HORN, AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN COMING ON AND NOT STOPPING. TOOK TO SHOP AND THEY THOUGHT THEY FOUND IT, AND DROVE FOR A DAY AND AS SOON AS I TURNED ON HEADLIGHTS IT STALLED. IN MOTION ON A STREET DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11406178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Dodge Nitro at 100,000 miles Corbin, KY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIPERS ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY, THE HORN SOUNDED INDEPENDENTLY, AND HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FAN REMAINED ON WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS OFF. SEVERAL LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE RADIO ALSO TURNED ON INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE TIPM AND THE POWER CONTROL MODULES WERE REPLACED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TURN SIGNALS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER FOR RECALL REGARDING THE WIPER MOTOR AND WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11352723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Dodge Nitro at 90,000 miles Baltimore, MD

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY HIS WIFE THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE BULBS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #11339540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Dodge Nitro at 150,000 miles ELK Grove, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

I STARTED MY CAR THEN AFTER 5 MIUTES MY RADIO AND LIGHTS TURNED OFF THE MY ENGINE TURNED OFF. AT 3AM WE HEARD SOMEONE HONKING OUTSIDE AND IT WENT ON FOR 20 MINUTES UNTIL A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED TO TELL ME IT WAS MY CAR HONKING BUT THERE WAS NOBODY IN THE CAR. I PRESSED MY ALARM KEY OFF AND ON BUT NOTHING WOULD STOP IT FINALLY I TOOK THE HORN FUSE OUT AND DISCONNECTED THE CAR BATTERY. A PERSON ON THE WEB TOLD ME HE HAD A SIMILAIR PROBLEM AND IT WAS A RECALL "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM" NHTSA VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL. I TYPED IN 2007 DODGE NITRO SLT AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECALLS ON MINE. SO THE CAR TURNED OFF WHILE PARKED AND CAR ON AND ALSO AT HE LIGHTS AND THE HORN GOES OFF. A MECHANIC TOLD ME IT SOUNDS LIKE THE (TIPM).

NHTSA complaint #11268119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Dodge Nitro at 90,000 miles Lancaster, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ERRONEOUSLY ACTIVATED. DURING THE FAILURE, THE TURN SIGNALS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WAS NOT DETERMINED. FREEDOM DODGE (815 EAST CAMP WISDOM RD, DUNCANVILLE, TX) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA complaint #11265611 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro at 253,000 miles North Charleston, SC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

NHTSA complaint #11253068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro Evanston, IL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE WIPER TURNS ON AT A HIGH SPEED, FASTER THAN NORMAL, HORN GET STUCK, RADIO GOES OFF AND ON FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WHEN YOU TURN THE TRUCK OFF ALL CONTINUE TO WORK EVEN WITH THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION. THIS HAPPEN WHEN I'M DRIVING OR WHEN IT'S STATIONARY. DOES NOT MATTER WHERE I'M AT, COULD BE ON EXPRESSWAY, HWY OR ROAD. IT GIVES NO WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #11241794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro Spring Branch, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHEN PARKED MY VEHICLES HEAD LIGHTS, DOME LIGHTS AND CAR UNLOCKS RANDOMLY OVER AND OVER. IT CAUSES MY BATTERY TO DIE AND THE REMOTE ISN'T EVEN BEING TOUCHED.

NHTSA complaint #11217485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Dodge Nitro North Port, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

AFTER LOCKING MY CAR AND LEAVING IT I COME BACK TO FIND IT UNLOCKED AND THE WINDOWS DOWN CONSTANTLY. NOW MY BRAKE LIGHTS WONT WORK ON THE SIDES BUT THE TOP BRAKE LIGHT DOES. BULBS AND FUSES ARE FINE. ALL THREE LIGHTS ARE CONNECTED BY WIRE SO THEY ALL SHOULD BE ON OR OFF TOGETHER. TODAY MY BATTERY JUST UP AND DIED. JUST WONDERED IF ITS ALL RELATED. I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS.IT HAPPENS ANYWHERE ANYTIME OVERNIGHT OR IN THE POURING RAIN WHEN IM OUT AND ABOUT. AFTER THE CAR IS PARKED AND LOCKED. THE TWO SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE OUT ALL THE TIME THE TOP ONE LIGHTS. THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE JUST HAPPENED 5/2019 THE WINDOW ISSUE HAS BEEN A FEW YEARS 2015

NHTSA complaint #11206250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro at 230,000 miles Camillus, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TPMI ISSUE -WHILE DRIVING WIPERS AND WASHER CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. HORN BEEPING AND HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. LOOKED ON LINE AND THERE WERE THOUSANDS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11183881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2010 Dodge Nitro at 90,000 miles Hanover, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HEADLIGHTS FLASH BUT DONT COME ON SOMETIMES ! AFRAID TO DRIVE AT NIGHT

NHTSA complaint #11176025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Dodge Nitro at 100,000 miles Houston, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE ABS AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED MAC HAIK DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (12111 KATY FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77079, (713) 263-3070) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO RECALLS; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11101059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro York, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DOORS UNLOCK LIGHTS INSIDE AND OUT ALL LIGHTS COME ON WHEN NO ONE IS TOUCHING THE KEYS THEY KEEP DOING IT EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES AND STAY ON FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED KEYS OUT AND IT STILL HAPPENS

NHTSA complaint #11092794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro at 90,000 miles Lititz, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN ON AND OFF EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING. THIS IS DRAINING THE BATTERY FREQUENTLY. REPLACING THE BATTERY HAS NOT HELPED WITH THIS ISSUE. THE TURN SIGNALS WILL RANDOMLY BEGIN BLINKING WHILE I'M DRIVING. THE HORN HAS BEGUN SPORADICALLY BEEPING WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO WHEN THE CAR IS OFF AND PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE HEAT HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING - IT ONLY BLOWS ICE COLD AIR WHICH IS THE LAST THING I NEED WHEN IT IS BELOW ZERO HERE IN THE MORNINGS WHEN I AM LEAVING FOR WORK. THERE IS CLEARLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH SEEMS TO ESCALATE OVER TIME - AND IT SEEMS OTHER YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THESE SAME PROBLEMS. I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THE 2008 HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I AM TERRIFIED OF WHAT THIS PROBLEM WILL ESCALATE TO - I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD THAT I MUST TRANSPORT DAILY TO DAYCARE.

NHTSA complaint #11058333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Dodge Nitro at 125,000 miles Odenton, MD

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

NHTSA complaint #11015315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro at 210,000 miles Pittsburg, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DRIVING ON A LONG STRETCH OF DARK HIGHWAY, LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING ON AND OFF, FINALLY LIGHTS WENT TOTALLY OUT LEAVING ME IN THE DARK NOT ABLE TO SEE FORWARD I THEN CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE OFF ROAD SCARY, NEXT DAY TOOK TO SHOP THEY SAID IT WAS THE TIPM, GOES OUT EVERY 4 TO 6 MONTHS GOING ON MY 3RD ONE LIGHTS ARE OUT, LIGHTER, AND WINDOW

NHTSA complaint #10994356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 Dodge Nitro Glenallen, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

HAVING INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT PROBLEM SOME TIME HAS HEADLIGHTS AND SOMETIMES DON'T DOESN'T MATTER SITTING OR IN MOTION AM AFRAID TO DRIVE AT NIGHT NEVER KNOW IF HAVE LIGHTS OR NOT.

NHTSA complaint #10966652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Dodge Nitro Bellflower, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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.

NHTSA complaint #10936306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Dodge Nitro problems