2011 Dodge Nitro Engine Problems

Loss of power, engine completely shut off at a redlight

NHTSA ID

11449338

Incident

Jan 28, 2022

THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN AS I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT ABOUT 15 MPH.

NHTSA ID

11338461

Incident

Jul 9, 2020

Mileage

147,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKED, IT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ID

11277332

Incident

Sep 22, 2019

Mileage

88,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE STARTED AND MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES IN THE PAST WITH THE HEATER, DEFROST, BRAKE LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER, AND RADIO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

NHTSA ID

11040440

Incident

Oct 26, 2017

Mileage

62,000 mi

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 ID

11015315

Incident

Aug 13, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

AFTER GETTING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ON JANUARY 4, 2006. MY CAR STOP RUNNING WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AFTER FINDING OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR ENGINE FOR JANUARY 11, 2016. HE TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN LOCKED UP AFTER CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS CORRECT. TO NO AVAIL THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL AND I AM STILL STUCK WITHOUT ADEQUATE TRANSPORTATION. NEED THIS ISSUE RESOLVE SO I CAN GET BACK TO WORK.

NHTSA ID

10853810

Incident

Jan 4, 2016

Mileage

75,745 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV AS THE RPMS INCREASED INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE DOORS FAILED TO LOCK ELECTRONICALLY AND ALL DOORS LOCKED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIPM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10811862

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

53,000 mi

DRIVING ON 2 LANE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BRAKE HARD AS ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT ME OFF. AS SOON AS I DID (BRAKE) MY SUV SHUT OFF...ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHED ON THE DASH BOARD. I IMMEDIATELY PUT THE FLASHERS ON AND HOPED I DIDN'T GET REAR-ENDED. I TRIED 3X TO RESTART MY 2011 DODGE NITRO- IT FINALLY STARTED. I WAS NEAR THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I PULLED IN, TOLD THEM WHAT JUST HAPPENED. THEY HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND REPORTED 'NO ERRORS'. IT WAS A NEAR MISS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, AND I AM WORRIED IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN MY DODGE NITRO. I WAS ALONE, BUT WHAT IF I HAD PASSENGERS, CHILDREN, ETC.? IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU BRAKE HARD AND YOUR VEHICLE JUST SHUTS OFF, WOULDN'T MOVE. THIS IS INCREDIBLE SCARY. SOMEONE OR MORE THAN ONE PERSON IS GOING TO BE KILLED WHEN THEY GET SLAMMED FROM BEHIND AND PUSHED INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

10809755

Incident

Dec 11, 2015

Mileage

45,000 mi

MY VEHICLE STALLED OUT DUE TO A FAILURE WITH A DEFECTIVE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER MAKING THE REPAIR WIRES LEADING TO THE ALTERNATOR AND WIRES LEADING TO THE PCM WERE FRIED. THE WIRING ISSUE APPEAR TO BE A FIRE HAZARD. MY FIRST CONCERN IS THIS DEFECTIVE PART HAS CAUSED ME ABOUT $2,000 IN REPAIRS FROM REPLACING THE BATTERY, 2 ALTERNATORS AND TOWING. MY SECOND CONCERN IS THAT IN BOTH SITUATIONS THE CAR DIED ON ME IN TRAFFIC ONE ON A SIX LANE ROAD AND ANOTHER TIME ON THE HIGHWAY. I ALSO HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE MOTOR DIED WITH ONLY 30K MILES ON IT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ID

10794703

Incident

Oct 19, 2015

Mileage

30,000 mi

I BOUGHT MY 2011 NITRO BRAND NEW...LIST OF PROBLEMS: DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT KEEPS HANGING UP AS WELL AS THE DRIVERS SEAT HAVE HARD TIME ADJUSTING.... A/C STOP BLOWING SOME TYPE OF CONTROLL VALVE WAS REPLACED..$345...EVAP LEAK $100 TO DIAGNOSE RECOMMENDED FACTORY GAS CAP 6 CAPS LATER $140.. ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON REPLACED PURGE VALVE...$300.....REPLACED EGR VALVE AND VACUUM HOSE...$475 WHEN GETTING GAS IT JUST STARTS SPEWING OUT WHEN CLOSE TO FILLING UP...WHEN DRIVING ACCELERATOR GETS STUCK AND ENGINE REVS REALLY HIGH UNTIL I PUSH IT AGAIN....I THOUGHT IT WAS DIRTY ON THE FENDERS REALIZED IT WAS SMALL PAINT CHIPS.... ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON ABOUT A 1 1/2 AFTER BUYING IT BUT IT WOULD ALWAYS GO OUT I USE PREMIUM GAS AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD STILL COME ON ABOUT EVERY 3 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

10782580

Incident

Oct 8, 2013

WE WERE ON VACATION IN ST AUGUSTINE FL IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION GETTING READY TO TURN AND THE ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY SHUT OFF FOR NO REASON AT ALL , THANK GOODNESS IT WAS AROUND 11:00 AT NIGHT AND THERE WASN'T MUCH TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAD A SEMI TRUCK COMING AT US , LUCKILY IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP AND WE GOT OUT OF THE WAY BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT ! THIS VEHICLE ALSO SPUTTERS FROM TIME TO TIME LIKE THE ENGINE IS GOING TO DIE AND ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEM SELVES FOR NO REASON ! UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10745840

Incident

Jul 28, 2015

Mileage

88,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23. UPDATED 03/10/15*LJ UPDATED 10/15/2015*JS

NHTSA ID

10669641

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

23 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,714.

NHTSA ID

10667324

Incident

Dec 14, 2014

Mileage

12,714 mi

THE HEATER CORE ON MY CAR HAS CRACKED AND IS LEAKING FUEL INTO THE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON A CAR WITH 60000 MILES THAT IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD THAT AN AVERAGE OF 178 HEATER CORES ARE BEING BOUGHT PER WEEK FOR DODGE NITROS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A VERY HIGH NUMBER AND I WOULD HOPE A RECALL IS BEING LOOKED INTO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10654696

Incident

Nov 12, 2014

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 7 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING SUDDENLY FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ID

10618691

Incident

Jul 10, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY LEAKED OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE, WHO STATED THAT THE OIL FILTER SEAL WAS LOOSE AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN TIGHTENED THE OIL FILTER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000. UPDATED 6/10/14*CN THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE OIL SEAL FOR THE OIL FILTER APPEARED TO BE MISALIGNED. THE SEAT WAS ADJACENT TO THE ENGINE AND WAS SUPPOSED TO FORM A TIGHT SEAL WHEN THE OIL FILTER WAS INSTALLED DOING AN OIL CHANGE. UPDATED 07/24/14

NHTSA ID

10585618

Incident

Dec 12, 2013

Mileage

21,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN THE AREA ABOUT 30 MPH THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF AND HAD TO FIGHT TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT TO COME TO A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10578304

Incident

Mar 12, 2014