2007 Dodge Nitro 4X2 Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2007 Dodge Nitro most often describe the engine cutting out or losing power briefly while driving, sometimes with the dash lights flashing and the vehicle resuming on its own. A second common theme is rough, jerky or hesitant transmission behavior, and many owners also report that fuel overflows at the pump and will not shut off when the tank is full.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or loses power while driving

   • 31 complaints (33%)
   • median 7,492 mi at 0.7 yrs old (26 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2019

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off or the vehicle dropping all power for a few seconds while moving, often with every dash light coming on at once; some vehicles restart on their own, others need to be put in park and restarted. Several owners say dealers could not duplicate the problem, and a few mention the power or control module (TIPM) being diagnosed or replaced. Various electrical oddities accompany the stalls, including door locks cycling on their own, the horn sounding by itself, and wipers or lights behaving erratically. Reported across a wide mileage range, with many complaints filed on vehicles under about 15,000 miles and others well past 100,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the power module (TIPM) or any control module has been replaced, and have a scan tool check stored codes and any pending electrical faults before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car has stalled three times while driving and one time did not restart which resulted in it being towed. The horn and driver's side lock have broken. I advised the dealership of my safety concerns regarding the stalling and also low RPM's. Car is now at dealership for 6th time and they currently do not know the problem. Car has approx. 8000 miles. First stall happened around 1000 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #10193136, filed 2007-06, 1,000 miles

   “I am the owner of a 2007 Dodge nitro. Since I have owned the vehicle it has died once, and a second time all the service lights came on, and the vehicle bogged down like it was going to die. The second incident was scary, as I was on a 55 MPH highway going up on a small incline with cars behind me and no shoulder to pull off. Neither Dodge nor the dealership had any clue on the problem or how to fix it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10188101, filed 2007-04, 7,975 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Jerking, hesitation and hard shifting

   • 17 complaints (18%)
   • median 54,916 mi at 4.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2017

   Complaints describe jerking or surging while accelerating, especially around 40-60 mph, a feeling of the transmission slipping or lagging between gears, and hesitation when backing up. Several owners report torque converter replacement and computer reprogramming that did not resolve the symptoms, and some say dealers told them nothing further could be done. A few describe the rear end locking up or the driveshaft breaking. Most often reported between roughly 20,000 and 90,000 miles, with some complaints filed within the first few thousand miles.

   Recall 06V3410002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at highway speed and through part-throttle acceleration to feel for shudder or delayed shifts, and ask whether the transmission software or valve body has been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle shutters or surges between 38-50 MPH. I have taken to two dealerships and neither had repaired it. I have had the torque converter replaced and computer reprogrammed and nothing has worked. It is still at the second dealership for them to try to figure out what is wrong with it. They were going to put a recording device on the vehicle to see if they could detect the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10239058, filed 2008-08, 19,500 miles

   “I was driving at 45ph and all of a sudden my cars wheeled locked up and I came to a sudden stop with my wheels laying down rubber but I did not crash. When my car was towed to the garage the conclusion was that the rearend seal was leaking and all the fluid came out of the rearend and the gears locked up.”

   NHTSA complaint #10465923, filed 2012-07, 60,000 miles
3. 3
   Fuel system

   Fuel spills out at fill-up (auto shutoff fails)

   • 11 complaints (12%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.4 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2011–2016

   Owners say that when filling the tank the pump does not shut off and gasoline burps or spills out of the filler, running down the side of the vehicle and onto the ground. Complaints note it happens at any station and any pump rate, and that it became more frequent over time. Some owners report the dealer only cleaned the filter or blamed the pump, and a few link it to a valve in the tank. Mostly reported between about 30,000 and 120,000 miles, and often described as worsening with each fill-up.

   What to check: Fill the tank during a test drive or have the seller fill it and watch the filler neck for overflow, and ask whether the filler neck or tank valve has been inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Fuel burps out of my 2007 Dodge nitro every time I fill up with fuel. This is due to a faulty valve in the tank that is designed to shut off fuel in the event of a roll over. Dodge is aware of this problem and needs to offer a recall. This is a dangerous and environmentally irresponsible problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10381621, filed 2011-02, 80,000 miles

   “Occasionally, when I am filling up my tank with gas (regardless of the gas station) the auto shutoff mechanism will not work and a moderate amount of gasoline will overflow out of the tank and onto the car/street.”

   NHTSA complaint #10489521, filed 2012-12, 60,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Doors, locks and accessories powered erratically

   • 13 complaints (14%)
   • median 111,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 2007–2018

   Complaints describe door locks cycling on their own, headlights coming on at night and draining the battery, the radio buzzing or cutting out, and the horn sounding at random. Several owners say the fix required replacing the integrated power module, and some note parts being on back order. Mostly reported over 90,000 miles, with a few early complaints at low mileage.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that locks, horn, wipers and lights all behave normally with the engine off and on, and ask whether the power module has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “For over the last year my car has been locking and unlocking on its own . My horn had been sounding off even while im driving without me utilizing the horn and even when im at home without the alarm on. I also have had repaet issue with the headlight and taillights because the wires keep burning out .”

   NHTSA complaint #10899420, filed 2016-08, 123,000 miles

   “Doors lock and unlock at will - causing headlights to come on during the night which has killed my battery several times... So I had to take the battery out of the key fob which means the security system can't be set.. The radio is buzzing and screeching at will - works sometimes and then it won't but restarting the vehicle usually fixes this... The air bag light comes on and off at will and even stays on most of the driving time... …”

   NHTSA complaint #10713554, filed 2015-04, 235,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light or unexpected airbag deployment

   • 10 complaints (11%)
   • median 145,678 mi at 8.1 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2018

   Owners report the airbag warning light staying on or turning on and off at random, sometimes alongside other electrical gremlins. Some complaints describe side airbags deploying with a loud bang at low speed without a collision, in cases where the driveline had broken and struck the underside of the vehicle. Others describe burns after a frontal airbag deployed in a crash. Reported from around 50,000 to over 100,000 miles, often alongside unrelated electrical complaints.

   What to check: Confirm the airbag warning light goes out after the bulb check on startup, and ask whether any airbag or seatbelt-related codes have been read.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was taking a left turn at an intersection traveling approximately 5mph. At the completion of the turn I heard a loud bang and the side impact airbags deployed. Upon inspecting the vehicle it was found that the drive shaft had twisted and fallen out of the transmission. The casing along the top of the nitro cracked, and caused damage to the interior headliner and windshield. The car would not go into drive or park indicating damage to the transmission as well. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10364057, filed 2010-11, 53,000 miles

   “I was at a stop light and when the light turn green I was about to go when I heard a loud bang and the side air bags deployed. My truck never moved.the drive shaft completely broke in half ,it looks like when I was about to take off the drive shaft broke , shot up and hit the floor board and that caused the air bags to deploy. The drive shaft looks like it twisted. I haven't fixed the vehicle yet and im hoping Dodge will cover the expenses. Luckily I wasn't in the highway because it could have caused my truck to flip.”

   NHTSA complaint #10408589, filed 2011-06, 56,833 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase scan for electrical codes and a highway test drive covering shifting, cruise control and accessory functions will tell you more than mileage alone. Ask specifically about power module replacement, transmission reprogramming and fuel filler overflow history, and keep service records for any electrical work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.