NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Visibility/wiper complaints
37 reportsClear category filter80,000 miles · Nov 27, 2016
Exterior LightingVisibility/wiper
I RAN A QUICK ERRAND. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AS SOON AS I STARTED IT. THE WIPERS WOULDN'T TURN OFF UNLESS THE CAR WAS TURNED. THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS THE CAR IS ON, THE DASH LIGHTS DON'T WOK, AND THE SIGNALS DON'T WORK. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME THAT WAY IN PLENTY OF TRAFF…
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I RAN A QUICK ERRAND. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AS SOON AS I STARTED IT. THE WIPERS WOULDN'T TURN OFF UNLESS THE CAR WAS TURNED. THE LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON UNLESS THE CAR IS ON, THE DASH LIGHTS DON'T WOK, AND THE SIGNALS DON'T WORK. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME THAT WAY IN PLENTY OF TRAFFIC. I FELT UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AS I HAD MY GRAND BABY WITH ME, AFTER READING SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS IDENTICAL TO MINE, HAPPENING AFTER 8 YEARS OF OWNING THE VEHICLES, MAKES IT SEEM THAT IT WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY BY THE MANUFACTURER TO GET IT BACK FOR REPAIR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10928166
Mileage unknown · Sep 14, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Visibility/wiper
I DRIVE A 2008 DODGE NITRO, HAD IT FOR 3 YEARS, HAD NO ISSUES UNTILL THIS YEAR 2016, AT THE BEGINNING OF 2016 I HAD MY CAR ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHILE I WAS A RED LIGHT, THAT ALMOST CAUSED AND ACCIDENT, TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THAT CHECKED OUT BUT AFTER PAYING $140 THEY DID NOT DO A THING BECAUSE, THEY COULD NOT DUP…
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I DRIVE A 2008 DODGE NITRO, HAD IT FOR 3 YEARS, HAD NO ISSUES UNTILL THIS YEAR 2016, AT THE BEGINNING OF 2016 I HAD MY CAR ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHILE I WAS A RED LIGHT, THAT ALMOST CAUSED AND ACCIDENT, TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET THAT CHECKED OUT BUT AFTER PAYING $140 THEY DID NOT DO A THING BECAUSE, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE?? THEN MONTHS LATER, IT HAPPENED A FEW OTHER TIMES, ONES ON MY DRIVE WAY AND ANOTHER IN A PARKING LOT AT WAL-MART, HAD.NO ISSUES FOR ABOUT AFEW MONTHS, BUT THEN SUDDENLY JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO I HAD A SUDDEN SCARE OF MY CAR TURNING IT SELF OFF ON THE FREEWAY, I HAD MY KIDS IN THE BEHICLE AND IT WAS AT NIGHT, GLAD NOTHING BAD HAPPENED, BUT THEN I STARTED TO NOTICE THE LIGHTS ON MY PANNEL STARTED TO TURN ON, FIRST IT WAS THE SECURITY RED LIGHT, THEN, TIRE GAUGE, THEY TILL THIS DAY KEEP TURNING ON AND OFF, BUT THE LATEST ISSUE AND MOST FREQUENT IS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THEY STAY TRUNED ON, THE PANNEL LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPER ISSUE ALL STARTED TO HAPPEN SINCE JUNE2016 I CALLED DODGE NOT THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEIR ACTUALLY OFFICE, AND ALL THEY KEPT DOING WAS GIVING ME THE RUN ARROUND, ASKING ME TO GO SPEND MY HARD OWNED MONEY TO GET IT CHECKED OUT, YET I HAD ALREADY DONE THAT WHEN THAT FIRST STARTED, AND THEY COULD NEVER "DUPLICATE" IT, AND THAT WAS WHEN IT WOULD JUST TAKE OFF ON ITS OWN, I RECENTLY DID A SEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT ALL DODGE NITROS WERE GOING THRU THE SAME ISSUES, YET NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE, NOT SURE WHAT THEY ARE WAITING FOR, BUT THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS ISSUES, WHY A LAWSUIT HAS.NOT BEEN FILED??? PLEASE OF THERE IS A LAWSUIT IM NOT AWARE OFF PLEASE POST IT, WE ALL NEED SAFE CARS TO DRIVE, ALSO IM CURIOUS HAVE ANY OF YOU NITRO OWNERS HAVE HAD DODGE TRYING TO BUY YOUR CAR FROM YOU, I HAVE HAD OFFER AFTER OFFER, I FIND THIS SOMETHING STRANGE
NHTSA ODI #10906764
102,000 miles · Jan 29, 2016
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper
THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT USING THE KEYS MANUALLY. BUT MORE FRIGHTENING IS THAT THE WIPERS STAY ON ALL THE TIME AND MANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES BEGAN SHOWING UP AT 70,000 MILES. DASH WARNING LIGHTS WILL COME & GO! NO HI- BEAMS AT TIMES. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE, A DEATH & LAW SUIT?
NHTSA ODI #10823187
98,000 miles · Jan 21, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Visibility/wiper
I CLICKED THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY AND THE HORN STARTED BLOWING CONSTANTLY, DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, WIPERS WERE GOING REALLY FAST WITH WASHER FLUID GOING EVERYWHERE. I CRANK IT UP THINKING IT WOULD STOP. IT ALL KEPT GOING. I CUT THE KEY OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT. THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING, THE HORN WAS STILL BLOWING, W…
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I CLICKED THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON MY KEY AND THE HORN STARTED BLOWING CONSTANTLY, DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, WIPERS WERE GOING REALLY FAST WITH WASHER FLUID GOING EVERYWHERE. I CRANK IT UP THINKING IT WOULD STOP. IT ALL KEPT GOING. I CUT THE KEY OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT. THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING, THE HORN WAS STILL BLOWING, WIPERS STILL GOING WITH WASHER FLUID SPRAYING AND DOOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING. I TOOK THE BATTERY CABLE LOOSE AND THIS ALL KEPT GOING ON! IT RAN FOR ABOUT 5 MORE MINUTES AND THEN STOPPED. I LEFT THE BATTERY UNHOOKED OVER NIGHT THINKING IT MAY RESET. THE NEXT DAY I HOOKED THE BATTERY UP AND IT RAN FINE FOR 1 DAY. ALL OF THE SAME PROBLEMS STARTED AGAIN ONE MORNING WHILE HEADING TO WORK. THEN IT STARTED DOING IT ON ME WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD ONE NIGHT ON A MAJOR HWY!! I HAVE HAD IT IN 2 DEALERSHIPS AND THEY BOTH ARE NOT SURE WHATS WRONG. BUT I HAD TO PAY THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND GIVE ME NO ANSWER!! THE LAST ONE TOLD ME TO JUST DRIVE IT AND WHEN IT DONE IT AGAIN BRING IT TO THEM AND THEY WILL LOOK AT IT AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS NOW AND STILL NO ANSWERS. ALL WHILE STILL HAVING TO PAY SOMEONE TO TELL ME NOTHING, I JUST WENT AND GOT IT YESTERDAY FROM THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. IT ACTED FINE LAST NIGHT BUT ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS AM IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IT ON A MAJOR HWY WHILE RAINING, THE WIPERS WERE SPRAYING FLUID EVERYWHERE, THEN THEY JUST STOPPED WHILE ITS POURING DOWN. THE DOORS STARTED UNLOCKING AND LOCKING BY THEMSELVES. THE HORN DID NOT START BLOWING THIS TIME BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP UNHOOKED IT YESTERDAY. I HAVE GOOGLED PROBLEMS WITH THIS AND IT ALL SHOWS A FAULTY TIPM. THEY HAVE RECALLED THE TIPM IN THE NEWER MODELS OF THE DODGE NITROS BUT NOT IN THE 2008S. IT WILL COST $900 TO REPLACE THE PART!!! I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS!! I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY THIS WHEN IT IS THE COMPANY'S FAULT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!
NHTSA ODI #10821393
Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Visibility/wiper
THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND THE LIGHTS BLINK ON AND OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND A CURVE ON A RAINY NIGHT. ALSO THE CAR WOULDN'T EXCELLERATE. WHEN I PULLED OVER I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRUCK. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMES ON BY ITSELF AND IT'S MAKES ME AFRAID IT WILL CATCH ON FIRE. YOU CAN HEAR THE MOTOR AND A LOUD CLICKING.
NHTSA ODI #10786047
67,009 miles · Sep 20, 2015
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper
MY 2008 DODGE NITRO WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE. I HAD TO UNLOCK IT MANUALLY. THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START WITH THE KEY. ALL THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WE'RE WORKING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE HORN WENT OFF THE WIPERS WERE GOING OFF AND THE WASHER SQUIRTERS WERE SQUIRTING AND WOULD NOT QUIT UNTIL I …
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MY 2008 DODGE NITRO WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE. I HAD TO UNLOCK IT MANUALLY. THEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START WITH THE KEY. ALL THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WE'RE WORKING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE HORN WENT OFF THE WIPERS WERE GOING OFF AND THE WASHER SQUIRTERS WERE SQUIRTING AND WOULD NOT QUIT UNTIL I UNHOOK THE BATTERY.I READ A FORUM ONLINE THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE THE TIPM MODULE WHICH IS LOCATED BY THE BATTERY.I OPEN THE COVER AND PUSHED ON ALL THE FUSES. I HOOK THE BATTERY BACK UP AND TRIED TO START THE CAR AND IT STARTED.I'M GLAD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I KNOW IT IS FIXED. I'VE ALSO READ THAT THERE IS RECALLS ON THESE MODULES ON SEVERAL YEARS IN THE DODGE NITRO. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY NITRO I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM WITH OTHER NITROS.
NHTSA ODI #10765959
78,590 miles · Jul 25, 2015
Electrical SystemVisibility/wiper
MY THIRTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I WERE LEAVING A STORE PARKING LOT WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE. AFTER STARTING I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONING, BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK. WHILE PULLING ONTO THE ROAD HORN STARTED BLARING, WIPERS FORE AND AFT STARTED GOING WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. WINDSHIELD WIPER FLU…
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MY THIRTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I WERE LEAVING A STORE PARKING LOT WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE. AFTER STARTING I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONING, BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK. WHILE PULLING ONTO THE ROAD HORN STARTED BLARING, WIPERS FORE AND AFT STARTED GOING WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID SPRAYING UNCONTROLLABLE, AGAIN, WITHOUT MY ACTIVATION. PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT OF VEHICLE, ALL PROBLEMS STATED ABOVE PERSISTED. LEFT PARKING LOT IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE VEHICLE THE SEVEN MILES HOME. HALFWAY HOME, ALL PROBLEMS STOPPED. WIPERS STOPPED IN COMPLETE VERTICAL POSITION, HORN STOPPED BLARING, WASHER FLUID STOPPED SPRAYING. UPON REACHING HOME DISCONNECTED POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOMEHOW "REBOOT" THE SYSTEM. AFTER RECONNECTING CABLE, STARTED VEHICLE AND UP TO THIS POINT ALL SEEMS NORMAL, FOR NOW. IN MY OPINION UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THREE WEEKS AGO AND DO NOT FEEL IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN AGAIN, POTENTIALLY CAUSING INJURY TO ME, MY FAMILY OR THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL.
NHTSA ODI #10743464
94,000 miles · Jun 6, 2015
Exterior LightingUnknown Or OtherVisibility/wiper
THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. AT FIRST THEY WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF. AFTER 4 OR 5 TIMES OF TURNING ON THE LIGHTS, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN FLASH. WE TRIED CHANGING THE FUSES, BUT NOTHING WORKED. THE LIGHTS REMAINED INOPERATIVE UNTIL IT RAINED. ONCE IT RAINED, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS STARTED OPERATING NORMALLY. THIS PATTERN HA…
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THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. AT FIRST THEY WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF. AFTER 4 OR 5 TIMES OF TURNING ON THE LIGHTS, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN FLASH. WE TRIED CHANGING THE FUSES, BUT NOTHING WORKED. THE LIGHTS REMAINED INOPERATIVE UNTIL IT RAINED. ONCE IT RAINED, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS STARTED OPERATING NORMALLY. THIS PATTERN HAS CONTINUED FOR OVER A YEAR. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. THE DEALER SAYS IT IS A TIPM PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH DODGE NITROS. WE DID HAVE A MECHANIC REPLACE THE LIGHTS/TURN SIGNAL LEVER IN THE CAR. THE LIGHTS WORKED WITHOUT ISSUE FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. NOW, THEY ARE NOT WORKING AGAIN. AND NOW WE ARE HAVING OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS THE HORN GOING OFF AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER FLUID GOING OFF RANDOMLY AND NOTHING I DO WILL STOP IT. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES, EVERYTHING STOPPED ON ITS OWN. THANKFULLY, WE WERE IN A PARKING LOT AT THE TIME. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DANGER IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL THIS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES AFFECTED.
NHTSA ODI #10723793
70,000 miles · May 27, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper
THIS IS MY THIRD INCIDENT WITH A FAULTY TIPM ON MY 2008 DODGE NITRO SLT. LIGHTS, HORNS, FRONT AND REAR WIPERS AS WELL AS THE WASHER FLUID SPRAYING OUT OF CONTROL. I REMOVE THE FUSE FOR BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HORNS TO SILENCE THEM, THEN REMOVE THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO RESET THE TIPM. IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR. LOOKING F…
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THIS IS MY THIRD INCIDENT WITH A FAULTY TIPM ON MY 2008 DODGE NITRO SLT. LIGHTS, HORNS, FRONT AND REAR WIPERS AS WELL AS THE WASHER FLUID SPRAYING OUT OF CONTROL. I REMOVE THE FUSE FOR BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HORNS TO SILENCE THEM, THEN REMOVE THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TO RESET THE TIPM. IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL SO FAR. LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT UNIT FOR PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
NHTSA ODI #10721822
86,000 miles · Feb 19, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper
I WALKED OUT TO MY CAR ONE MORNING TO MAKE A TRIP INTO TOWN. THE INSTANT I OPENED THE DOOR THE HORN STARTED BLARING WITHOUT A PAUSE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BOTH FRONT AND REAR WERE RUNNING ON THEIR TOP SPEED. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. I CANT EVEN GET IT OUT OF PARK TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK PICK IT UP. THE GAUGE CLUSTE…
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I WALKED OUT TO MY CAR ONE MORNING TO MAKE A TRIP INTO TOWN. THE INSTANT I OPENED THE DOOR THE HORN STARTED BLARING WITHOUT A PAUSE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BOTH FRONT AND REAR WERE RUNNING ON THEIR TOP SPEED. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. I CANT EVEN GET IT OUT OF PARK TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK PICK IT UP. THE GAUGE CLUSTER SAYS "NO BUS" AND THE ONLY CULPRIT I CAN THINK OF WOULD BE THE FAMOUS DODGE TIPM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10689472
NHTSA investigations
1DP14004 · Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
Opened Sep 25, 2014 · Closed Jul 24, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year. The petitioner alleges that TIPM defects may result in engine stall, airbag non-deployment, failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration, fire, and other symptoms. On September 25, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened DP14-004 to evaluate the petition for a grant or deny decision. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by CAS as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 296 complaints submitted by the petitioner in the original petition and five supplements, including 271 complaints related to the subject vehicles equipped with TIPM-7. Approximately 3 percent of CAS complaints are related to vehicles equipped with TIPM-6 and ODI?s review of these complaints did not identify any safety defect trends. ODI conducted a detailed review of complaints narratives submitted by CAS and consumers including careful analysis of vehicle repair histories, warranty claims obtained from the manufacturer and any available Customer Assistance Inquiry reports (CAIR). Analysis of the field data indicated that MY2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles exhibited significantly higher complaint rates related to fuel pump relay (FPR) failures than other subject vehicles. In a September 3, 2014 letter to NHTSA, Chrysler submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the FPR within the TIPM-7 which can result in a no start or stall condition in approximately 188,723 model year (MY) 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) and Dodge Durango (WD) vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010 through July 20, 2011 (14V-530).In a February 24, 2015 letter, Chrysler submitted a second DIR expanding the scope of the FPR defect condition to include an additional 338,216 MY 2012 through 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured from September 17, 2010 through August 19, 2013 and MY 2012 through 2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 18, 2011 through August 19, 2013 (15V-115).ODI analysis of the CAS allegations of TIPM defects resulting in stall while driving, airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration, fire and other faults identified a single defect condition related to 1 of over 60 different circuits in the TIPM assembly. The most common effect of this defect condition, related to the fuel pump relay, was a no-start concern, but it could also result in stall while driving (76 complaints). No valid evidence was presented in support of claims related to airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration or fire resulting from TIPM faults and these claims were found to be wholly without merit based on review of the field data and design of the relevant systems and components.Except insofar as the petitioner's contentions relate to the defect condition addressed by the Chrysler recalls, the factual bases of the petitioner's contentions that any further investigation is necessary are unsupported. In our view, additional investigation is unlikely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists or a NHTSA order for the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect as alleged by the petitioner at the conclusion of the requested investigation. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is den