2007 Dodge Nitro 4x4: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Feb 5, 2015 · Electrical · 82,000 miles · NV · fire

Drove vehicle through a parking area for about two blocks at about 15 MPH when all lights, dash lights, windshield wipers, windshield washers, radio, alarm, and automatic door locks turned on or engaged. I pulled over, shut off the vehicle, removed the keys, but all of the lights, systems, alarm, etc., continued to operate. Smoke began rising from the hood, and I attempted to exit the vehicle. The door locks kept engaging and locking me in the car every time I tried to pull on the manual door lock button. I was able to reach out the window to manipulate the exterior door handle in conjunction with the lock enough times that the door popped open. As I exited the vehicle, flames began to shoot from under the hood. Within four minutes, the vehicle was entirely engulfed in flames. The police and fire department arrived quickly (less than 5 minutes), but the fire spread quickly - likely because the electrical fire melted the fuel line and gasoline fed the fire (according to one of the firefighters). The car and the contents are a total loss. It was fortunate that the weather was nice enough that I chose to drive with the window open, or I would have had to kick out the window to exit the vehicle. Very traumatic.

Filed Aug 9, 2014 · Electrical · 187,000 miles · TX · fire

First the drivers window fell a little then the drivers door master power switch started smoking and smoldered so much that I had to drive to the side of the road. I turned off the dodge and attempted to remove the switch. The connector was melted and was unable to remove. Restarted vehicle to go to dealership and the switch caught fire. Again turned off the vehicle and pulled the switch, it was melted and fell apart. There were no injuries. The wires were badly melted from the heat. Took to the local dealership.

Filed Dec 18, 2013 · Electrical, Transmission · 89,000 miles · OH · fire

I started the car to move it in the driveway. After backing up, I put it in park. I then tried to place it in drive, and the shifter lock wouldn't release. (it normally releases when the brake pedal is depressed.) after a few tries, I attempted to turn off and restart the car. When I turned the ignition to restart the car, all the electronics activated, the headlights were flashing, the horn was cycling, the wipers and sprayers were running, etc. I turned off the ignition and popped the hood release. When I got out and walked to the front of the vehicle, I noticed light coming from the hood gap. When I opened the hood, flames were surrounding all sides of the tipm unit, and the hood insulation liner was on fire. I disconnected the battery and was able to extinguish the fire.

Filed May 9, 2012 · Electrical, Locks · 125,000 miles · NY · fire

Drivers door master automatic locks switch caught fire, there were no injuries to people. Burned the door well, removed the switch afterwards and it still arcs when placed into the vehicle again. Dodge notified and tech checked vehicle and filed a report on or about 4/19/2012. Now having issues with dodge issuing a check to repair the damage to the vehicle.

Filed Dec 2, 2011 · Body · CA

I have had my 2007 dodge nitro for about 3 years now. Since I have had the vehicle, I have noticed that the door handles inside the vehicle are faulty and continually fail. They break and become inoperable, leaving who ever is sitting by the door trapped in the vehicle unless opened from the outside. My door handle broke for the first time and I thought it might have been my fault. Since then my door handles has broken several times and I have had to spend alot of money to replace them every time. I make less than the average blue collar worker and do not have the $175 every time the vehicle door handle breaks. Therefore, at times such as now I have to leave the vehicle handles broken because I can't afford it. I currently have two door handles broken right now. I feel this is a huge safety concern because if a car accident were to happen, and the person sitting next to the door with the broken handle needed to exit the vehicle in a hurry, they would not be able to get out. Once the handle is broken, the door cannot be opened from the inside. So, lets say the vehicle was on fire. The person next to the door with the broken handle would be stuck unless someone opened the door from the outside or unless that person were to quickly roll the window down, reach out and open the door from the outside. I feel this is a huge safety concern and have voiced my opinion to dodge about the issue. I asked them to start a recall of the item and find a suitable replacement for it that will not break all the time. Dodge would not even hear my concerns and pointed me towards this website. I hope this issue is taken seriously, because I know I am not the only person who is having this issue. Many dodge nitro owners are having the same issue of you google it, you will see. I feel dodge might have a major law suit coming if this issue causes the death of a person.

Filed Dec 12, 2010 · Electrical · OH · fire

Last friday evening I left downtown columbus headed north to the subarbs and I had been driving for appx 1 hr with temperatures around 35 degrees that evening. I parked my 2007 dodge nitro 4x4 in the residential driveway, locked it with the remote doorlock, and went inside. Appx. 1 hr and 35 minutes later I went back outside to bring in several items from my truck and suddenly see the shocking situation unfolding before my eyes. In total disbelief, I realize that the entire inside of my truck is violently burning. The day before it caught on fire, strange things began to happen with the dash controls. Warning lights started to come on and then go off, it got stuck in 4wd and would not go back to 2wd and overnite while it was sitting in the garage it turned on the brake lights by itself and they stayed on all nite until draining the battery. All of these strange occurrences are one thing but for the truck to be just parked in the driveway and spontaneously catch itself on fire is truly shocking. If it had been parked in the garage that evening it would have burned the house down as well. The truck was totally destroyed and all of it's contents. After the fire trucks put out the fire, the fire investigator explained to me how they determine the fires origin and the report states that the origin of the fire was in the steering column and dashboard area as a result of defective and/or malfunctioning vehicle wiring. I reported the fire to dodge and they asked that the vehicle not be moved and someone would respond in 2 days. It's a week since the fire now and no one has contacted me at all. I called dodge again and they said this time someone would respond in 2 - 5 days. It looks like a good attorney will be next weeks objective.