2008 Dodge Nitro Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Nitro years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 393 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Dodge Nitro. That ranks 2nd out of 7 Nitro model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (198 complaints, 50%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 12 fires, 18 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 393owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Dodge Nitro problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 198 | 50% | 90,000 | “windshield wipers” (23%) | $1,100 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 66 | 17% | 39,250 | “gas tank” (45%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 46 | 12% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 38 | 10% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 37 | 9% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 29 | 7% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 27 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 26 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 25 | 6% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 23 | 6% | 115,642 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 18 | 5% | 107,574 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 4% | 83,663 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 3% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 2% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 2% | 52,219 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 2% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 2% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 1% | 77,002 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 1% | 58,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 475 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 52,892 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 82,512 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 475 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 25,646 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Dodge Nitro recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module; steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel. The loose emblem or the securing nuts for the emblem within the driver air bag module may become projectiles in the event of a driver air bag deployment.
Risk: Projectiles as a result of driver air bag deployment in the event of a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W09.
Structure; air bags; power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Dodge Nitro 4X2 vehicles manufactured March 21, 2006, through March 1, 2008; and 2008 Jeep Liberty 4X2 vehicles manufactured February 15, 2007, through March 1, 2008. The transfer case heat shield may drop down and rub on the drive shaft, weakening it and potentially causing the drive shaft to break.
Risk: If the drive shaft breaks, a section of it can strike the transfer case tunnel with enough force that the airbag computer will believe the vehicle is in a crash and thus deploy the airbags. Additionally, the drive shaft failure will result in a loss of motive power. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will add a bracket to support the rear of the heat shield, free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 29, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N10.
Parking brake
Problem: Chrysler is recalling 3,663 my 2007-2008 dodge nitro and my 2008 jeep liberty vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The park brake lever clutch drum may distort and reduce the effectiveness of the park brake system.
Risk: This could allow the vehicle to move inadvertently and cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will replace the park brake lever assembly free of charge. The recall began on october 27, 2008. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Totally Integrated Power Module Failure (DP14004) — opened Sep 25, 2014, closed Jul 24, 2015.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
An intermittent electrical failure is affecting multiple vehicle systems. The vehicle has unexpectedly stalled while driving on the interstate, leaving it without power in moving traffic. It has also experienced repeated no-start conditions, transmission entering limp mode, the engine continuing to…
Car shut off while driving, prior have had issues. Have replaces TIPM module, ignition, grounding, etc
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while the son was driving approximately 5 MPH, the front drive shaft fractured, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop, and the front driver's side and passenger's side airbags erroneously deployed. The contact stated that there was no…
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…
I had just entered Gene Snyder Expressway going west when my throttle light started flashing and I lost gas pressure and it started going down fast and then it shut off and right in the middle of rush-hour traffic and itâs 65 mph on the expressway and People as usual go around 80 mph and I just…
Other Dodge Nitro years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Nitro | 2 | 1 |
| 2011 Nitro | 122 | 3 |
| 2010 Nitro | 78 | 3 |
| 2009 Nitro | 24 | 1 |
| 2008 | 393 | 3 |
| 2007 Nitro | 494 | 7 |
| 2005 Nitro | 1 | 0 |
See all Dodge Nitro problems by year, every Dodge model, or the Dodge VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Dodge Nitro?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel system, gasoline, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 198 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Dodge Nitro?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Dodge Nitro a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Nitro model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.