2008 Dodge Nitro

LAST EVENING MY WIFE DROVE OUR 2008 DODGE NITRO TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO HER HIGH SCHOOL (5 MILES FROM OUR HOME). AFTER DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF AND STARTING BACK HOME THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD WHILE STILL MOVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. I QUICKLY TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND GOT OUT. VERY QUICKLY THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. ALL SERVICE FOR THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER IN ANY KIND OF CRASH NOR DID IT HAVE ANY MAJOR MECHANICAL WORK PERFORMED ON IT PRIOR TO IT BURSTING INTO FLAMES. I BELIEVE THE HIGH SCHOOL MAY HAVE VIDEO OF THE INCIDENT AS THE PARKING LOT IS MONITORED VIA CCTV CAMERAS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD FLASH, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COME ON, AND THE HORN BEGAN BLOWING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON OR OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CHANGED THE FUSE IN THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE FUSE CONNECTED TO THE HORN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SINCE THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF HER VEHICLE. THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE THE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS SPINE WAS KNOCKED OUT OF THE ALIGNMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEFECTIVE. TWO ENGINEERS WERE SENT TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THEY CONCLUDED THAT ALL COMPONENTS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. HE STATED THAT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OVER 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN-SHIFT AND THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY RESUME NORMAL OPERATION WHEN THE BATTERY WAS ADJUSTED OR RECONNECTED. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 23,068.

INADEQUATE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS. WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE SELECTED, THE ROADWAY ACTUALLY BECOMES DARKER. THIS VEHICLE UTILIZES A SINGLE HEADLIGHT ASSY ON EACH SIDE CONSISTING OF AN H13 HIGH/LOW BEAM LAMP. SINGLE BEAM HEADLIGHT SYSTEMS HAVE TRADITIONALLY POWERED BOTH THE HIGH AND LOW BEAM FILAMENTS WHEN THE HIGH BEAM MODE IS SELECTED AND WHEN LOW BEAM MODE IS SELECTED ONLY THE LOW BEAM FILAMENT IS POWERED. WHEN HIGH BEAM IS SELECTED IN THIS VEHICLE, BOTH FILAMENTS ARE ENABLE BRIEFLY DURING THE TRANSITION FROM LOW TO HIGH. DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD THE LIGHT INTENSITY IS AT THE LEVEL ONE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE WHEN HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ARE SELECTED. HOWEVER THIS IDEAL ILLUMINATION IS SHORT LIVED BECAUSE IMMEDIATELY THE LOW BEAM FILAMENT IS EXTINGUISHED LEAVING ONLY THE HIGH BEAM FILAMENT TO LIGHT THE WAY AND IT SIMPLY IS NOT SUFFICIENT. ON A DARK ROAD ACCEPTABLE LIGHTING CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED WITH THE COMBINATION OF LOW BEAM LIGHTING AND FOG LAMPS. I CARRIED MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE LIGHTS WERE OPERATING PROPERLY AND THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT CHRYSLER VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEMS OPERATE. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN JUNE 2008 AND AFTER A ROAD TRIP IN JAN 2009, I REALIZED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND DISCOVERED ONLINE BLOGGS WHERE OTHER OWNERS COMPLAINED ABOUT WEAK HEADLIGHTS ON THE DODGE NITRO AS WELL AS OTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. *TR

THE CHROME ACCENT PIECE ON THE REAR HATCH OF THE DODGE NITRO (JUST UNDER THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER) IS A LARGE HIGHLY REFLECTIVE SURFACE AREA THAT IS LOCATED AT EYE LEVEL FOR MOST DRIVES FOLLOWING THESE VEHICLES. THE SURFACE REFLECTION FROM THIS 'MIRROR LIKE' PIECE BLINDS THE DRIVES FOLLOWING THESE VEHICLES CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOLLOWING THIS MODEL VEHICLE AND DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO SHIELD MY EYES FROM THE REFLECTION WAS BLINDED TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER TO ALLOW MY EYES TIME RECOVER (THE EFFECT WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OF STARRING AT A WELDING ARC). A SIMPLE DESIGN CHANGE BY THE MANUFACTURE COULD ELIMINATE THIS HAZARD. *TR

I BOUGHT MY DODGE NITRO BACK IN JAN OF 09, EVERY SINCE I'VE BEEN BRINGING IT BACK FOR A LOUD ENGINE WHICH KNOCKS WHEN GOING UP HILL, WIND NOISE SEEMS TO BE LEAKING INTO PASSENGER FRONT CABIN, (DRIVEN OTHER VEHICLES OF SAME MODEL, LITTLE OR NO NOISE) SALES AT RIVERSIDE DODGE IN CALIFORNIA WAS A DRAGGING HORROR, THEY HELD MY KEYS HOSTAGE UNTIL THEY COULD MAKE A DEAL, I'VE TAKEN IT BACK AND HAD A SERVICE PERSON TELL ME MY VEHICLE IS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AND THAT'S WHY I HEAR NOISE WHEN I TURN, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MY COMPUTER HAS TO CATCH UP WITH THE ENGINE WHEN I STOP QUICKLY THAT'S WHY MY VEHICLE SHUTS OFF ON ME WHEN I BRAKE QUICKLY, RATTLES COME FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT FENDER LIKE THERE'S A LOOSE PANEL, BRAKES SQUEAL FROM TIME TO TIME, IT SHIFTS UP INTO A HIGHER GEAR INSTEAD OF DOWN WHEN CLIMBING A HILL HAVE TO FLOOR IT TO GET IT TO SHIFT DOWN AND CLIMB HILL, THAT'S JUST TO GET IT UP TO 35. ITS A DAILY NON-STOP BATTLE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND DEALERSHIP. IF THERE'S ANY HELP OUT THERE PLEASE CONTACT ME. *TR

DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK, AND NEXT THING I KNOW MY VEHICLE'S FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HAS DROPPED DOWN CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL COLLIDING INTO A PARKED CAR. THE KNUCKLE HAD BROKEN CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO DROP TO THE ROAD. MY PASSENGER FRONT TIRE MADE CONTACT WITH THE PARKED CARS DRIVERS REAR TIRE. *TR