2009 Dodge Nitro 4X2 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Dodge Nitro 4X2, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical342.9%
- Interior & seats228.6%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Heating & air conditioning114.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE NITRO 4X2. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, THE LOCKS FAILED. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,054.
WHEN LEAVING WORK ONE DAY I WENT TO UNLOCK MY TRUCK AND IT WENT CRAZY. LIGHTS SIRENS, THE WORKS. AFTER TAKING TO THE ALARM COMPANY TO TEST MY AFTERMARKET ALARM AND ALL THE SYSTEMS CHECKED OUT I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS THE TOTAL POWER MODULE / FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE A WEEK BEFORE THEY COULD GET THE PART. AFTER ALMOST 2 WEEKS I CALLED DODGE BECAUSE THEY STILL COULDN'T FIND THE PART, WITHIN 2 DAYS THE PART WAS THERE AND INSTALLED BUT IN THE MEAN TIME THEY TOOK MOST OF THE ALARM OUT OF MY CAR WITHOUT ASKING AND TOLD ME THAT THE ALARM WAS THE ISSUE. $700+ DOLLARS LATER NOW MY FACTORY KEYS WITH THE CHIP DON'T WORK BUT A CUT KEY WILL. I WAS TOLD MY KEYS WERE BAD AND NEEDED NEW ONES BUT THE KEY FOB LOCKS AND UNLOCKS REMOTELY JUST FINE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS, THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH DODGE VEHICLES. WHEN I ASKED IF THIS WAS A RECALL ITEM DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF FAILURES I WAS TOLD NO. BUT I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. AND I'M STILL ANGRY THEY CHANGED MY ALARM BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COST AT LEAST $300 OR MORE TO HAVE THEM REINSTALL THE SYSTEM. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE NITRO 4X2. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO USE THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, THE LOCKS FAILED. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,054.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE NITRO 4X2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR POWER DOORS LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK OR LOCK. IN ADDITION, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO LOCK OR UNLOCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WOULD MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR TO EXIT OR ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 DODGE NITRO 4X2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR POWER DOORS LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK OR LOCK. IN ADDITION, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO LOCK OR UNLOCK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WOULD MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR TO EXIT OR ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE HAD JUST PULLED UP TO THE PARKING LOT GARAGE OF THE MOVIE THEATER. WE TURNED THE CAR OFF TOOK THE KEY OUT TO LEAVE BUT THE AC BLOWER STAYED RUNNING. I WENT TO TURN IT OFF AND THE ALARM WENT CRAZY. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT THAT WE HIT THE PANIC BUTTON SO WE WERE TYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP IT. THEN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT OFF AND THE WASHER FLUID STARTED SPRAYING. ALL THIS WHILE WE WERE IN OUR VEHICLE. NEXT THING YOU KNOW WE POP THE HOOD TO CHECK OUT THE PROBLEM BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN IT BECAUSE IT WAS NEW. I JUST HAD MY CAR FOR THREE WEEKS AND IT IS A 2009 DODGE NITRO. WE THEN SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I LOOKED AND I SAW FIRE AND YELLED FIRE TO MY HUSBAND, BROTHER AND NEPHEW. WE GOT MY NEPHEW OUT OF HIS CAR SEAT AND RAN FOR COVER AND IN A MINUTE OUR VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES ALL THIS INFRONT OF OUR EYES. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 6 EXPLOSIONS AND THE CAR IS TOAST. WE HAD NO PRIOR WARNING SIGNS. OUR LIVES WERE PUT IN DANGER AND OUR DEALERSHIP IS IGNORING OUR PHONE CALLS. ONE OFFICER TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ONE OF THREE VEHICLES WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL TO CATCH FIRE IN THREE WEEKS THAT HE RESPONDED TO. I WANT TO SPREAD THE WORD OUT BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO ANYONE ELSE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .