Total Complaints
3 filings
DODGE NITRO · model year
2012 DODGE NITRO
3 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2012DODGENITRO carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2012 NITRO is equipment adaptive/mobility with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 2012 NITRO, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recalls (1)
13V28200002/07/2013
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Sebring and 200 vehicles manufactured June 28, 2011, through December 13, 2012; model year 2011-2013 Dodge Avenger vehicles manufactured June 25, 2011, through January 14, 2013; model year 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro vehicles manufactured June 17, 2011, t
Recent Complaints
20201027ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE IGNITION SWITCH SNAPPED BACK AND TURNS THE KEY OFF RESULTING IN A COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SHUT DOWN AT SPEED. THE STEERING AND BRAKES DO NOT WORK AT THAT POINT. IT HAPPENED TWICE WHILE GOING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. ONE ADDITIONAL TIME, THE IGNITION SWITCHED SNAPPED BACK, AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, THEN BACK ON AGAIN. JOHNSON AUTO PLAZA IN BRIGHTON, CO, TOLD ME IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, AND THE SWITCH IS NOW AF OR IN ITS 5TH GENERATION. THIS REPLACEMENT JUST COST ME $593.00. PLEASE PUT A NOTICE OUT THERE AND FORCE RAM TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR FREE OR ELSE THIS COULD END UP KILLING PEOPLE.
Mileage: 145,000
20150518EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OUR DODGE NITRO. HOWEVER DODGE HAS MADE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE TO HAVE THIS RECALL CORRECTED IN THE HOPES YOU WON'T TAKE YOUR VEHICLE IN AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY OR TIME CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO HAVE A OUR VEHICLE RECALL CORRECTED WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD TO BRING IN OUR VEHICLE IN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SO IT DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS SO IT COULD BE INSPECTED. AFTER THEY INSPECT IT THEY TELL YOU THERE IS A PROBLEM AND YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS. THIS NOW REQUIRES YOU TO TAKE OFF TIME DURING WORK TWICE BUT YOU ARE ALSO WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO HOLD ONTO IT.
Mileage: 38,000
20150518AIR BAGS
WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OUR DODGE NITRO. HOWEVER DODGE HAS MADE IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE TO HAVE THIS RECALL CORRECTED IN THE HOPES YOU WON'T TAKE YOUR VEHICLE IN AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO SPEND MONEY OR TIME CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. IN ORDER TO HAVE A OUR VEHICLE RECALL CORRECTED WE WERE TOLD THAT WE HAD TO BRING IN OUR VEHICLE IN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY SO IT DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS SO IT COULD BE INSPECTED. AFTER THEY INSPECT IT THEY TELL YOU THERE IS A PROBLEM AND YOU WILL HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY DURING NORMAL WORKING HOURS. THIS NOW REQUIRES YOU TO TAKE OFF TIME DURING WORK TWICE BUT YOU ARE ALSO WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO HOLD ONTO IT.
Mileage: 38,000
Compare 2012DODGENITRO to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2012 DODGE NITRO have?▼
The 2012 DODGE NITRO has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2012 DODGE NITRO?▼
Yes, the 2012 DODGE NITRO has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 DODGE NITRO?▼
The most-complained component for the 2012 DODGE NITRO is EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2012 DODGE NITRO safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.