2007 Dodge Nitro Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe two things: fuel spraying or spilling back out of the filler neck at the end of refueling, and erratic electrical behaviour traced by mechanics to the power module (TIPM) — horns, wipers, locks, windows and lights working on their own, sometimes stalling the engine. Transmission harshness, failing door handles and airbag concerns also come up, and most of these reports arrive well past 50,000 miles, though the fuel spill-back shows up on much lower-mileage vehicles.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel sprays or spills back out during refueling

   • 119 complaints (24%)
   • median 50,000 mi at 4.4 yrs old (98 state mileage)
   • filed 2008–2021

   Owners describe fuel gushing or spraying back out of the filler neck when the tank reaches full, soaking the side of the vehicle, the ground and sometimes the person fueling, even when the pump nozzle shuts off normally. Several complaints say it happens at every fill-up and at more than one station, and that pumping manually or stopping early is the only workaround. Some dealers replaced the fuel tank after diagnosing the inlet check valve, while others told owners it was not a known problem and quoted the repair at their own cost. Reported from about 5,000 miles upward, with many under 50,000 miles and no clear seasonal pattern.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Refuel the vehicle yourself before buying and stop the nozzle early to see whether fuel burps back; a service bulletin describes a revised fuel tank as the repair, so ask whether the tank was replaced and whether any warranty extension on it still applies.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I am filling my gas tank and it gets to the top and the gas pump shuts off the gas spills out of the tank. I have started to stop pumping when it sounds like it is close to the top and some gas still spills out of the gas funnel.”

   NHTSA complaint #10495981, filed 2013-01, 99,000 miles

   “When I fill up the gas tank after the pump shuts off, the vehicle shoots gasoline back out at me, about a half gallon its gets on the car and onto the ground, this happens every time I fill up. This is extremely dangerous!!!”

   NHTSA complaint #11331368, filed 2020-06, 82,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Power module (TIPM) failures: random horn, wipers, locks

   • 111 complaints (22%)
   • median 88,665 mi at 8.0 yrs old (84 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2025

   Complaints describe horns sounding, wipers running, windows dropping, doors locking and unlocking, headlights and instrument lights acting up, and the radiator fan running with the vehicle off — all without driver input. Several owners report the engine stalling at speed or at a stop light and the vehicle then failing to crank. Mechanics diagnosed a faulty totally integrated power module, and some owners who paid for a remanufactured unit said symptoms returned. Mostly reported between about 30,000 and 210,000 miles, with many over 100,000 miles; appears unrelated to weather in most accounts.

   Recall 07V2910003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the TIPM has been replaced or reprogrammed and whether recall 07V291000 work was completed for this VIN; during a test drive, watch for the horn, wipers or locks cycling on their own and check that the engine restarts reliably.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I keep having issues with the wiring on tail lights, I constantly replace the light bulbs which work, the wiring is bad in this vehicle. I also have issues with the electrical when it rains, it drains my battery after every heavy rain, it makes a noise like it's booting up or something. I love the vehicle but really considering trading in.”

   NHTSA complaint #10713876, filed 2015-04, 112,000 miles

   “My vehicle will randomly stall when driving. I had contacted dealer a few years ago about this and they stated the recall for electrical was fixed before I purchased vehicle but I am still having this issue. Some times it will stall when stopped at a light other times while driving which is very scary .”

   NHTSA complaint #11350472, filed 2020-08, 177,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Door handles breaking off and door locks failing

   • 92 complaints (19%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (78 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2025

   Complaints describe exterior door handles snapping or detaching, in some cases three or all four of them over time, and door latches no longer locking or unlocking with the fob or interior buttons. Owners report locking doors manually, and some mention window regulators or window switch panels failing around the same time. Typically reported between about 15,000 and 150,000 miles, often several years into ownership.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Open and close every door from the outside using the handle and test the lock and unlock buttons on each door plus the key fob; a service bulletin covers a power window regulator and motor assembly, so ask about prior window repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car will not lock. About a year ago the lock-unlock key stopped working and no one could figure out what was wrong with it. Since then I've had to manually use the key to unlock the driver door and then manually use the door lock/unlock button for the rest of the doors. Last month (march 2015), the locks completely stopped working. After 2 days the unlock button on both the driver and passenger sides starting working, but the lock button is completely non-functional. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10712392, filed 2015-04, 83,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that the driver and passenger side front door handles became detached from the vehicle. The contact also mentioned that the driver's side front window failed to operate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 101,422.”

   NHTSA complaint #10582889, filed 2014-04, 101,422 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Harsh or erratic transmission shifting

   • 19 complaints (4%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 5.1 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2021

   Owners describe the automatic shifting with a hard bang or shudder, bogging down and vibrating through the floorboards, and in one case unexpected lurching after shifting into drive. Some complaints say a control module was reprogrammed or a recall-related part replaced without curing it, and others were told the transmission had failed and needed replacement. Spread from under 5,000 miles to about 150,000 miles, with several reports in the 30,000-85,000 mile range.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive at light and heavy throttle and through reverse to feel for clunking or slipping, and ask for service records showing whether the transmission was serviced, reprogrammed or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After having a vibration in the under carriage of my Dodge Nitro; I then carried it to a Dodge dealership and was told that it needed an induction service. I being totally displeased with the recommendation; I decided to seek some assistance at a local garage and an investigation was done of the vehicle. As a result of the mechanic doing a few test and driving the vehicle; it was said that the vehicle had a chattering feeling coming from the drive train {automatic transmission}. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10436163, filed 2011-11, 84,000 miles

   “Brakes not braking uphill dash lights not lighting when have issues like low fluids or oil drive train light comes on power steering makes kind bump noises when turning transmission studders in reverse or switching gears”

   NHTSA complaint #11400077, filed 2021-03, 171,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light, non-deployment or unexpected

   • 46 complaints (9%)
   • median 104,678 mi at 9.1 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2025

   Owners report the airbag warning light coming on, including one diagnosed as a failed clock spring, and airbags not deploying in a reported head-on impact. Other complaints describe side airbags deploying over a pothole or without a collision. Several owners mention recall notices for the driver airbag emblem or for airbag-related campaigns that they never had completed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 26,000 to nearly 200,000 miles.

   Recall 20V396000Recall 13V1210004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the airbag warning light goes out after startup, and have a dealer confirm by VIN that open recalls — including the driver airbag emblem campaign — have been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I recently had a random deployment of my side airbags. I was not in a collision and had just drove over a pothole in the road. Although no serious injuries, my family and I have neck soreness and are shaken. If this would have happened spontaneously on a freeway or busy road, I am not sure I would be able to say 'no serious injuries'.”

   NHTSA complaint #11364805, filed 2020-10, 158,000 miles

   “Takata air bag. There was a recall on these air bags, my 2007 Dodge Nitro air bags was never replaced I called the dealer don davis in arlington texas, at that time the replacement takata air bags were out of stock, I was advise that when the air bags arrive I would be contacted I never got the call on stock takata air bags and it slipped my mind to do follow up to get replacement air bag. Now my air bag indicate light is on and a friend reminded my I never got the replacement from the recall that would have repaired that. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11301438, filed 2020-01, 26,000 miles

Buying note. Budget for a possible fuel tank replacement and power module repair, since those two symptoms dominate the reports and can be costly if unresolved. Ask for recall and service paperwork for both, and confirm the airbag campaigns were completed before you buy.

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.