AI Damage2011 Dodge Nitro: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Dodge Nitro filed 122 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 122
- involving a crash
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 44% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 20% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 11% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 10% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 54 complaints (44% of all).
- Air bags: 24 complaints (20% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 16 complaints (13% of all).
- Powertrain: 16 complaints (13% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 14 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 122 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 54 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 24 | 4 | 0 |
| Engine | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags did not deploy. There were no reported injuries. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was a police report filed. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 143,220.
Started to drive and suv accelerated on its own, not sure how fast it would of gotten up to, only way to slow down, step on break with both feet. I was close to home so just wanted to get home. Turned into driveway unable to stop in time drove right through garage door.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and a passenger were injured and transported to the hospital by ambulance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The vin was invalid.
The contact stated that the side air bags did not deploy. The driver suffered injuries to his face. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was waiting for her insurance to provide an appraisal. The approximate failure mileage was 894.
The âTEMâ warning light was illuminated, and the radio display lights unexpectedly illuminated. Additionally, activating the turn signals unintendedly caused the wipers to activate, and the air bag warning light would remain illuminated.
Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 103,000.
Getting the window back up is a matter of finessing the "up" switch every which way, multiple attempts required (switch has now fallen out). Very distracting, after going through a toll booth after dark and 15 degrees. You can't stop and F with it, you have to do it on the move.
When fueling the vehicle gas will spew out after the pump has shut off. I've tried many different things to try and stop this issue. If I fill the tank very slowly it will sometimes not spew or it may cut down on the amount spewed, but it has not made the issue stop. This really is dangerous and ridiculous.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,101 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Nitro has 159 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 122, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Dodge Nitro?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 122. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (14%), airbag warning light (10%), stalls while driving (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 Dodge Nitro?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2011 Dodge Nitro from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2011 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.