2008 Dodge Nitro Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical faults centered on the integrated power module (TIPM): wipers, horn, lights, door locks and the alarm acting on their own, sometimes with stalling or a no-start. A second large group concerns fuel spraying or spilling back out of the filler neck during refueling. Most reports in the sample arrive between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles, with the refueling complaints sometimes appearing at very low mileage.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   TIPM electrical faults (wipers, horn, lights, locks)

   • 156 complaints (40%)
   • median 91,000 mi at 7.6 yrs old (128 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 16 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2026

   Owners describe the windshield wipers, horn, washer spray, lights, alarm and door locks activating by themselves, often after using the key fob or while driving. Some report losing all power, the engine shutting off, or the vehicle cranking but not starting until the battery is disconnected and reconnected. Dealers and independent shops are said to have diagnosed the totally integrated power module, replaced it or reprogrammed it, and in several cases the symptoms returned. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 130,000 miles, with some cases under 60,000 miles and others past 160,000.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the TIPM has been replaced or reprogrammed and whether the related no-crank bulletin was applied. Cycle the wipers, horn, lights and locks with the engine off and watch for anything that moves on its own.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2008 Dodge Nitro had a failure of the total integrated body control module around 91000 miles. It caused my wipers to turn on and stay on continously even when the vehicle was turned off. There has been recalls on this part for the year before my car was made and I'm concerned it may be a continuing problem. It cost 560 dollars to correct the error.”

   NHTSA complaint #10721966, filed 2015-05, 91,000 miles

   “As I was leaving work early this morning, I click the unlock button on the keyless entry and the car just starts going nuts. The horn is blaring, windshield wipers moving, wiper fluid spraying all over the place, door locks going up and down and lights all lit up. Come to find out this is a problem with many other vehicles of the same make, model and year. There has been no recalls that I can find with this problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10536712, filed 2013-08, 59,938 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Fuel sprays or spills out when refueling

   • 103 complaints (26%)
   • median 46,650 mi at 4.0 yrs old (86 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2022

   Owners report that when the pump clicks off, fuel spits back out of the filler neck onto the vehicle and the ground, sometimes forcefully enough to soak the person fueling. Some say it happens at every fill-up regardless of pump or how slowly they fuel, and that adding less fuel only reduces it. Complaints describe dealers or shops checking the tank vent valve or replacing the evaporator canister, with owners told the fuel tank itself needed replacing. Reported from very low mileage, some under 15,000 miles, and continuing through 150,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: A service bulletin describes replacing the fuel tank with a revised part for a fuel spit-back condition on these vehicles, so ask whether that work was done. Watch the filler neck during a fill-up before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2008 Dodge notre fuel tank overflow problem. Pump would click and fueling would stop as normal, but gas would shoot out the side of the gas pump just past the handle at the rubber gasket before the nozzle. This was a consistent thing. Cars ahead of me at the pump would have no issues and it didn't matter which pump I went to the result was the same.”

   NHTSA complaint #10420799, filed 2011-08, 41,000 miles

   “Every time that I fill up, the gas comes out of the tank. I was told that this is a know issues and it is a part inside the gas tank and the entire tank would need to be replaced. I have researched online and it look the piece in question of the malfunction stops the gas from igniting in a roll over. How is this not been recalled?”

   NHTSA complaint #11011551, filed 2017-07, 35,000 miles
3. 3
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights and exterior lights flicker or quit

   • 36 complaints (9%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • filed 2009–2021

   Owners report headlights going out and coming back on, flickering, or turning on by themselves while parked and draining the battery. Several tie the behavior to moisture such as rain, snow or frost, and some say lights, turn signals and dash indicators act erratically along with the wipers. Complaints describe battery, switch and headlight replacements that did not resolve it, with the module later blamed. Reported from roughly 40,000 to 150,000 miles, often in wet or cold weather.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check the headlights, turn signals and dash lights in wet conditions if possible, and ask whether the switch or the power module has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It started with all dash lights coming on saying it had issues and then just stopped dead in road. I had tpim put in, then alternator , and then new battery. Was fine and then head lights stopped coming on . Next, it starting with horn, and everything under the sun coming on and not stopping. Took to shop and they thought they found it, and drove for a day and as soon as I turned on headlights it stalled. In motion on a street driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11406178, filed 2021-04, 152,458 miles

   “The windshield wipers ran as fast as they could without us being able to shut them off. We had no turn signals or headlights. This was diagnosed as a faulty tipm. We paid $1100 to have it replaced and reprogrammed.”

   NHTSA complaint #10632152, filed 2014-09, 89,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Key fob and power door locks stop working

   • 70 complaints (18%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (58 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2025

   Owners describe the key fob no longer locking or unlocking doors, the liftgate failing to open remotely, and doors having to be unlocked manually. Some say the doors lock or unlock on their own, including when the vehicle is parked with the key removed. Complaints mention the dealer or an independent shop pointing to the power module, the control module or the ignition switch. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 130,000 miles.

   What to check: Test every door and the liftgate with both the fob and the manual switches, and ask whether the module or ignition switch was ever replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. While using the key fobik to unlock and lock the vehicle, it failed to function. In addition, the doors were not able to lock and unlock manually. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10821510, filed 2016-01, 92,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while in park with the keys removed from the ignition, the doors unlocked automatically. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10617315, filed 2014-07, 130,000 miles

Buying note. These vehicles are old enough that electrical module repairs and refueling fixes are common topics, so ask for service records covering the power module and fuel tank. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the lights, locks, wipers and a fill-up is worth the cost.

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.