Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Sep 15, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 78 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2010 Dodge Nitro submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Sep 15, 2025
Passengers front seat head rest deployed on its own. The air back feature of my head rest deployed and it broke in the process. It is available for inspection. It happened when I was cleaning my car. So thank goodness not when I am driving. I was actually cleaning my car to trade it in for a dodge durango but after reading some articles that this is considered normal wear and tear also that dodge won't cover the cost for the repair and don't consider this a recall. I am highly reconsidering staying with dodge now. Specially the outcome of this. It hasn't been inspected yet. No warning signs.
NHTSA ID
11687446
Incident
Sep 5, 2025
AirbagsSteering
Filed Oct 12, 2023
The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Nitro. The contact received a recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air Bags, Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part may not be available, and the contact was informed that she would receive a call back to schedule an appointment but had not yet received a callback. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA ID
11549536
Incident
Oct 12, 2023
Mileage
145,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 3, 2022
One day the airbag light started cutting on and off and then the horn started blowing randomly without being touched or even without even being in the vehicle with the car turned off. Took it to a mechanic and they have no clue what’s wrong.
NHTSA ID
11472195
Incident
Jan 26, 2022
Airbags
Filed Aug 6, 2021
2010 DODGE NITRO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT SEAT ACTIVE HEAD RESTRAINT SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WHEEL HAD 3 SMALL HOLES WHERE THE EMBLEM SHOULD BE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT KNOW WHEN A FIX WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
NHTSA ID
11427983
Incident
Aug 6, 2021
AirbagsSteering
Filed Feb 25, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V396000 (AIR BAGS, STEERING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING A ROUTINE CHECK AT NAPLETON'S MID RIVERS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (44951 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, SAINT PETERS, MO 63376, (636) 242-1471) WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED, THE DAB (DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING) WAS NO LONGER PRESENT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,500. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.*DT*JB
NHTSA ID
11397884
Incident
Feb 3, 2020
Mileage
35,500 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 24, 2020
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, MY HEADREST MALFUNCTIONED AND UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT HIT, NOR HAS IT EVER BEEN. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, SLOWING DOWN TO APPROACH A STOPLIGHT.
NHTSA ID
11350999
Incident
Jun 16, 2020
Mileage
75,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 21, 2019
AIRBAG-DASH LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND SHUTTING OFF. WENT ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SOME ISSUE. ISSUE STARTED WHEN GOING OVER A STREET HUMP.
NHTSA ID
11208917
Incident
May 20, 2019
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 2, 2017
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE NITRO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
NHTSA ID
11042610
Incident
Oct 20, 2017
Mileage
86,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 10, 2016
Crash reported3 injuries reported
WAS IN A WRECK ON HWY 73 TWO VEHICLE HIT ME FROM BEHIND AND AIRBAGS NEVER OPENED BUT EVERYONE ELSE BAG WORK I T MY HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL
NHTSA ID
10825269
Incident
Feb 9, 2016
Mileage
58,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 26, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE NITRO. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, IT WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT STRUCK THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG IN THE HEADREST OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS HAD A DELAYED DEPLOYMENT. THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS UNOCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE REAR AND FRONT BUMPERS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED A CONCUSSION AND NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ *CN
NHTSA ID
10822211
Incident
Jan 5, 2016
Mileage
100,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 24, 2015
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND BURNING FUMES ENTERED THE CABIN. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEAT SHIELD FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING AND RUBBED AGAINST THE DRIVESHAFT CAUSING DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V121000 (AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN, STRUCTURE). THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO INSPECT AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
NHTSA ID
10758965
Incident
May 11, 2015
Mileage
60,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 23, 2013
Crash reported
2010 DODGE NITRO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AFTER SEVERAL VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY HIM LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED.
NHTSA ID
10556705
Incident
Dec 2, 2013
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own