2009 Dodge Nitro problems & reliability
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Dodge Nitro, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2009 Dodge Nitro vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 10 | 42% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 17% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 17% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 13% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 13% |
| Steering | 2 | 8% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 8% |
| Wheels | 2 | 8% |
| Engine | 1 | 4% |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 95,717 miles (middle 50% between 54,007 and 114,006 miles), based on 20 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Nitro. The contact received recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air Bag, Steering) however, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair where the emblem was removed however, the emblem was then replaced due to parts were unavailable to complete the…”
Air Bags · filed May 15, 2023
“The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated while refueling the vehicle, the contact became aware of pressure build up which caused gasoline to not be able to be added to the fuel tank. The contact was unsure if there were any warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jan 6, 2023
“Tipm module malfunctions. This is the second time this has happened. I believe it is about a $1000.00 repair.stationary in my driveway”
Electrical System · filed Sep 20, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Totally Integrated Power Module Failure
Defect Petition DP14004 · opened Sep 25, 2014 · closed Jul 24, 2015
Technical service bulletins
50 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2009 Dodge Nitro. The 10 most recent:
Switch - clutch starter interlock & master cylinder assembly - clutch
107418 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2025
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Customer Satisfaction Notification Y22 Driver Airbag Emblem
Y22 Combo Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 23, 2021
Customer Satisfaction Notification Y22 Driver Airbag Emblem
Y22 Combo · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2021
Transmission Kit with Torque Converter 1. All Promaster (VF) 3.6L/62TE equipped vehicles. If the transmission bracket to the transmission case fasteners are removed during servicing, the fasteners (Part Number…
9004009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2021
NAG1 Transmission Before installing the transmission with the engine, check for dowel pins (2) for alignment. If the pins are missing request to add the dowel pin first and then install the transmission
9004361 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 2021
NAG1 Transmission Before installing the transmission with the engine, check for dowel pins (2) for alignment. If the pins are missing request to add the dowel pin first and then install the transmission
9004361 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 2021
Safety recal w09 driver air bag emblem updated dealer instructions
72301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 4, 2021
Safety recal w09 driver air bag emblem updated dealer instructions
72301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 4, 2021
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2009 Dodge Nitro has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2009 Dodge Nitro?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 95,717 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.