2008 Dodge Nitro

STARTED VEHICLE AND DROVE A BLOCK WITH HEATER AND WIPERS RUNNING. THE HEATER SHUT OFF AND ON AND THE HORN STARTED BLARING OFF AND ON. DURING THIS TIME THE LOCKS WERE GOING UP AND DOWN TOO. PULLED OVER, TURNED IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION AND REMOVED THE KEY. THE ENGINE STILL RAN FOR A LITTLE BIT, HORN STILL BLARING, AND FRONT/BACK WIPERS STILL RAN WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE WIPERS. THE WIPERS CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AWAY A COUPLE HOURS LATER. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE FUSE BOX AND A TERRIBLE SMELL OF A MELTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING OVER 75 MILES PER HOUR IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS WHEN THIS ALL OCCURRED. THANKFULLY THIS HAPPENED WHILE EXITING A BUSINESS INSTEAD. RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. UNFORTUNATELY THE LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T TAKE MY VEHICLE IN TO INSPECT. TRIED OTHER SHOPS IN NEARBY TOWNS PLUS A DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE EITHER. SO I EVENTUALLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED FROM EAGLE, CO TO THE DENVER METRO. COST ME NEARLY $600 JUST FOR THE TOW TO MY HOUSE. I STILL NEED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL GARAGE AND ACCESSED. LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COST PLENTY. THE GARAGE SUGGESTED FIXING THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT. THE COST TO REMOVE, REPLACE, SERVICE, ADJUST, REPROGRAM, AND INSTALL WOULD EXCEED $5500 AND THAT WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THE VEHICLE TO PROPERLY WORK. BLUE BOOK VALUE FOR PRIVATE SALE IS LISTED AT $5804 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING PROPERLY. ENDED DONATING VEHICLE TO VEHICLES FOR VETERANS SO THEY COULD PART OUT THE REMAINING ITEMS THAT WERE STILL GOOD. PURCHASED NEW/USED VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE NITRO. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOVER AT LEAST THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF $5804 IF POSSIBLE. THIS BREAKDOWN HAS CAUSED FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WITHIN OUR HOME.

STARTED VEHICLE AND DROVE A BLOCK WITH HEATER AND WIPERS RUNNING. THE HEATER SHUT OFF AND ON AND THE HORN STARTED BLARING OFF AND ON. DURING THIS TIME THE LOCKS WERE GOING UP AND DOWN TOO. PULLED OVER, TURNED IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION AND REMOVED THE KEY. THE ENGINE STILL RAN FOR A LITTLE BIT, HORN STILL BLARING, AND FRONT/BACK WIPERS STILL RAN WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE WIPERS. THE WIPERS CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AWAY A COUPLE HOURS LATER. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE FUSE BOX AND A TERRIBLE SMELL OF A MELTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING OVER 75 MILES PER HOUR IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS WHEN THIS ALL OCCURRED. THANKFULLY THIS HAPPENED WHILE EXITING A BUSINESS INSTEAD. RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. UNFORTUNATELY THE LOCAL SHOP COULDN'T TAKE MY VEHICLE IN TO INSPECT. TRIED OTHER SHOPS IN NEARBY TOWNS PLUS A DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE EITHER. SO I EVENTUALLY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED FROM EAGLE, CO TO THE DENVER METRO. COST ME NEARLY $600 JUST FOR THE TOW TO MY HOUSE. I STILL NEED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL GARAGE AND ACCESSED. LOOKS LIKE IT WILL COST PLENTY.

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2010, IT'S HAD STRANGE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. FIRST, THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE BEEN MALFUNCTIONING. AFTER A COUPLE OF USES, THEY NO LONGER RESPOND TO THE REMOTE, OR DOOR LOCK BUTTON. NOR WILL THEY AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT THE HORN WOULD RANDOMLY HONK. THE HONKING STOPPED FOR ABOUT A YEAR. TONIGHT, THE HONKING STARTED AT RANDOM AND WOULDN'T STOP. THE KEY WASN'T IN THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WAS PARKED. I HAD TO REMOVE THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE TO AVOID A VISIT FROM THE POLICE FOR DISTURBING THE PEACE. THE THIRD ISSUE IS THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. YET ANOTHER STRANGE ISSUE. WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE, THERE WILL BE S LONG START AS IF THE STARTER STAYS ENGAGED FOR TOO LONG. SOMETIMES , THE ENGINE WILL START, NOT IDLE AND JUST STOP. THE ENGINE HAS STARTED AND BARELY HAD ANY POWER AND WOULD BARELY MOVE.

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE ALARM BEGAN GOING OFF, THE WIPER BLADES BOTH FRONT AND BACK TURNED ON, THE DOORS WERE LOCKING & UNLOCKING THEMSELVES AS I WAS DRIVING & MY VEHICHLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO ONCE AGAIN START IT LONG ENOUGH TO PULL OFF TO A SAFER AREA. I PROPPED THE HOOD OPEN AFTER DOING SOME QUICK RESEARCH ON YOUTUBE AS TO WHAT IT COULD BE CAUSING THE ALARM WIPER BLADES TO TURN ON. I TAPPED THE TIPM (OR FUSE BOX) A BIT JUST LIKE IN THE VIDEO IOOKED UP AND SURE ENOUGH THE ALARM SHUT OFF & MY CAR STARTED ONCE AGAIN. I'VE LOOKED AT SEVERAL FORUMS ONLINE BETWEEN DODGE NITRO USERS & THEY ALL SEEM TO BE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE POINTING TO THE TIPM. IN THE FORUMS THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES ARE STATING THERE'S THOUSANDS OF DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICHLES WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. YET, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. NOT ONLY DOES THE TIPM REPLACEMENT COST APPROXIMATELY $1,000. BUT IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, DURING RUSH HOUR & WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE, DON'T IGNORE THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH DODGE/CHRYSLER VEHICLES & DO A RECALL. ONCE, AGAIN I FEEL THAT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR A CAR TO STALL & BEHAVE IN THAT MANNER WHILE IN MOTION. NOT ONLY FOR THE DRIVER BUT FOR OTHER DRIVERS AROUND THESE CARS WITH DEFECTIVE TIPMS.

VEHICLE LOST POWER, BRAKES & STEERING, ALL WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP, WIPERS AND PUMP RUNNING CONTINUALLY, HORN BLARING CONTINUALLY, AND FAN MOTOR RUNNING EVEN WITH KEYS OUT OF IGNITION. THIS HAPPENED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON THE WAY TO WORK AND I BARELY GOT IT OFF THE ROAD AND OUT OF TRAFFIC BEFORE COMING A STOP AGAINST A CURB! REPLACED THE TIPM & BATTERY WITHIN THE LAST 4 MONTHS AND IT'S ONLY GOTTEN WORSE!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE NITRO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMOTE START KEY WAS NOT WORKING, THE VEHICLE ALARM KEPT SOUNDING, AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK OCCASIONALLY EVEN WITH THE KEY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *TT *TR