The best and worst Dodge Nitro years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Dodge Nitros old enough to judge (2006–2012), the 2006, 2009 and 2012 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2007–2008 and 2011 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2012 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2007 Dodge Nitro · 60.1 per 10,000 sold (1.7× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body control and other modules, typically around 110,265 miles; then tank, lines and filler.
2008 Dodge Nitro · 105.0 per 10,000 sold (3.0× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body control and other modules, typically around 91,590 miles; then tank, lines and filler.
2011 Dodge Nitro · 49.9 per 10,000 sold (1.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body control and other modules, typically around 63,000 miles; then airbags, seatbelts and restraints.
Years with the fewest complaints
2006 Dodge Nitro · 0.0 per 10,000 sold (0.0× this model’s typical year)
2009 Dodge Nitro · 13.8 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Body control and other modules, typically around 89,977 miles.
2012 Dodge Nitro · 4.8 per 10,000 sold (0.1× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 38,000 miles.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Dodge Nitro year: 34.5 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Dodge Nitro?
Among Dodge Nitros old enough to judge (2006–2012), the 2008 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 105.0, about 3.0× a typical Dodge Nitro year. The 2007 and 2011 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Dodge Nitro?
The 2006 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Dodge Nitros from 2006–2012: 0.0, against 34.5 for a typical year. The 2009 and 2012 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2008 Dodge Nitro?
The most-reported problem on the 2008 Dodge Nitro is body control and other modules, typically around 91,590 miles.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.