The day after I bought this vehicle it had to go directly back because of the catalytic converter. I was told they replaced it but did not show me the proof nor did they give me a valid warranty card. There is something wrong with the electrical system everything flickers and it just sounds really bad. The driver side passenger side window broke because it's made of plastic. The front both passenger and driver side door handles broke off. I had to Jerry rig it. And the reason I think this would be dangerous is if we were to need to get out of the car we would not be able to in case of an emergency. I've looked under the items that were recalled on this vehicle. But I get a notification that says I'm not allowed to have it fixed. Unless it's out of pocket. I purchased this car in August 2015 or 2016. The dates on the calendar below are inaccurate because the catalytic converter was done the very next day and the driver side indoor handle has been broken off for quite a while. But recently in the last week or so the other one snapped off.
Dodge Nitro door locks problems
114 of the 1,114 owner complaints about the Dodge Nitro describe doors won't lock, open or latch, most of them for the 2007 model year.
- owner complaints
- 114
- worst model year
- 2007
- typical repair cost reported
- $900
- typical mileage
- 80,000
By model year
Often reported together
Wipers 25Key fob 8Headlights 7Won't start 5Stalling 5Check engine light 3Power windows 2Battery drain 2
What owners say
TIPM system and/or electrical system failure. Right turn signal intermittently works when it wants to. Door locks from the inside at random or will not lock at all when using the master lock button. Now car will not start or turn over at all. Zero sound comes from he vehicle while turning the key. Commonly known problem with other Dodge Nitros and nothing being done about it. A recall needs to happen or at the very least acknowledgement from Dodge.
Airbag symbol keeps jumping on and dinging and their is a malfunctioning of the airbag which showed after being but on a machine. The tire even when changed or applying air the light still jumps on like it’ has low air pressure. And the electrical the door lock n unlock is backwards lock will be unlock and unlock is locked. Only 3 doors will lock automatically.
The wiper relays went out recently and somehow caused the door locks to beep and go crazy then die completely. And a few weeks ago the brake came undone somehow and fell into the wheel well, ripping the inside of the rim open causing a blow out while my wife, 2 year old and I were on the freeway. And now after taking it to 2 different dodge dealerships, the problems are not fixed, there is more warning lights on than I've ever seen. And so far both places have told me they fixed an emblem on the steering wheel, and that the other recalls aren't applicable because of being a 2007 and the recalls are for the 2008. Even though my nitro is obviously having the same if not worse problems. All the way down to the emergency brake not working, we love our nitro and dodge as a company and would please like some kind of help with this situation. Our vehicle is our only source of transportation and it is not safe for us to be driving, especially in the winter conditions we just got hit with here. Thank you for your help to whom this may concern. Here are some pictures of what happened with the brakes, thank the lord we were getting off the freeway when the brakes gave way, if we had been on the freeway 15 seconds more, the accident would have been fatal without question.
The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that the rear driver's side door would not unlock to open. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
The door locks for the rear doors do not work. The engine heater core also stopped providing heat to the car. Even after cleaning it out.
I am filing this complaint about the door handles on my nitro 3 out of 4 of them are broken and cannot be opened from the inside. They broke by simply trying to open the door, it made a popping noise and no longer worked a week later another door and a few days later a third door. I took my vehicle to dealership and they quoted me almost $200 for each door and confirmed that it is broken door handle. After deciding to for go repairs I did some research on the internet and discovered that many many more people are having this same issue. I feel this is a serious safety issue because it's only a matter of time before a child might be playing hide and seek climbs into the vehicle and can't get out. The only way to open the door is to roll down the window which are electric and reach hand out and open from the outside. So that is a second safety issue if car battery goes out and you can't open window you are basically locked in your car. I contacted dodge and no recall has been put in for this issue.I urge you to please look into this and you will find multiple complaints and it is a manufacturing defect I believe they are responsible for. Thank you for your time
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 dodge nitro. The contact stated that the vehicle's horn sounds independently and remained activated, the radio turned off on its own, the windshield wipers operate faster than normal, and the speed decreased from 60 to 40 MPH, which caused the vehicle to decelerate and jerk. In addition, the liftgate indicator displayed that it was open when it really was not and the esp, check engine, air bag, and no fuse warning indicators illuminated. Furthermore, the door locks were locking and unlocking independently. The contact called sherman dodge chrysler jeep ram (7601 skokie blvd, skokie, il 60077, (847) 262-3598) and was informed it could be the tipm and was to schedule an appointment. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and referred the contact to the federal safety agency. The approximate failure mileage was 97,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 dodge nitro. The contact stated that all four door handles fractured inside the vehicle. To open the door, the contact rolled the window down and opened the door from the outside. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was not provided.
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.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Dodge Nitro door locks
Which Dodge Nitro years have doors won't lock, open or latch problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2007 (66 complaints), 2008 (31 complaints) and 2010 (8 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix doors won't lock, open or latch on the Dodge Nitro?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $900 (median of 11 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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