Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Dodge Nitro owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while the son was driving approximately 5 MPH, the front drive shaft fractured, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop, and the front driver's side and passenger's side airbags erroneously deployed. The contact stated that there was no collision during the incident. The contact's son sustained a concussion and facial injuries, causing severe swelling to the face and severe headaches. No medical treatment was received, but the son remained bed ridden for several days from the injuries sustained during the air bag deployment. The cause of the failures were not determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were notified of the failures. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V121000(Power Train, Air Bags, Structure), which the contact's son related to the failure. The failure mileage was 203,000.
2008 Dodge nitro in a collision going between 35 and 45 miles per hour had a major rear end accident. Police paramedics and fire came on scene. The air bags never deployed. This vehicle was taken for the air bags emblem recall in 2022. The vehicle should have air bags that deploy.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Dodge Nitro. While driving 40 MPH, the contact suddenly heard a loud pop and the air bag inadvertently deployed. The deployment caused the contact to instantly lose consciousness. The vehicle ricocheted over a tree, ditch, and then bounced until it came to a complete stop. The contact received medical attention and was treated for a concussion, head injury, chest wall pain, back pain and contusions to the knee, chest, and abdomen. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not associated with NHTSA campaign number: 13V121000 (air bags, power train, structure). The failure mileage was 100,000.
On 2/11/2021 me an my mom was head to doctor at 445 am and it was just raining cold and we hit a patch of ice going 20 miles and hour and I lost control and we went rolling 3 times and air. Bags did not deploy and the seat belt restriors didnt restrict as we was rolling some time in process my head hit windshield and got knocked out it was on a hwy moving their was no one on the road but us.. It wount let me up load my pictures I have but will be glade to mail them to u waiting on police report he put wrong information about me on for so it needto be fixed.
Takata recall on 9-6-2012 my husband was involved in a car accident not his fault. He was the 3rd car in right hand lane heading east at a stoplight with cars in the next lane also at the stoplight next to him, a truck hit him going about 55-65 MPH and his head hit the steering wheel causing him to have injuries requiring lifeflight to a trauma center in houston, tx. He had a brain injury and required 124 stitches in his mouth and a severed spleen. He had a brain bleed and it never fully went away. Many visits to the neurosurgeon and cat scans followed for a year. He was never able to go back to work. He was 65 at the time and was a correctional officer at texas dept of criminal justice. His personality changed due to the pain he suffered and he died 7-2-17 with headaches and a brain bleed going on. His air bags never deployed in the accident. …
The airbags failed to deploy when I was in an accident. I t-boned another vehicle at approximately 35 MPH, when they turned into my path. I hit the car squarely in the rear passenger door. Both vehicles came to rest 90+ degrees clockwise from the direction we were traveling. The plastic front bumper, grill, fenders, and inner fenders were destroyed. The right side front tire of my Nitro was pushed back about 3" from its normal position. The center support of the bumper was broken and pushed about 12" into the radiator. I am sure there is a defect that prevented the air bags from working.
I was driving my 2008 Dodge Nitro and felt a jerk then air bag tried to deploy and vehicle lost power while driving down the road. It did this twice and air bag on drivers side is trying to deploy with light and dinging every time driven. The gas cap will not seal causing check engine light to stay on and there has been contant electric issues. Head lights and tail lights have to now be constantly replaced and air bag light is always coming on with dinging noise. I believe I'm having issues with the drive train and several other issues that are all recalls in this year of Dodge Nitro.
Tl contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. While driving 40 MPH another vehicle crashed into the front end of her vehicle. The seat belts did not secure the occupants and the airbags did not deploy. One of the occupants spine was knocked out of the alignment. The vehicle was towed to a local repair facility, and the vehicle was being repaired. The dealer was contacted and they stated that the air bags were not defective. Two engineers were sent to diagnose the vehicle. They concluded that all components were functioning normally. The failure and current mileages were 31000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the air bag warning indicator illuminated intermittently. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic for diagnostic testing where it was observed that an unknown component in the steering wheel was causing the air bag warning indicator to illuminate. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,635.
I was driving on a street where I had no stop signs or stop lights and at the cross street, I was hit (t-bone) by someone . The person had just been at the stop sign but did not see that I was passing by as I had no stop sign. Their car collided with mine on the driver / left passenger side. The airbags never deployed. The car shut off and I was unable to turn in on to move it. The driver side door was jammed shut. The car was in the shop for over 30 days due to the damage.
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2008-2010 Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan and 2007-2011 Dodge Nitro vehicles. These vehicles may have a loose or missing brand emblem in the center of the steering wheel.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag cover with a redesigned cover, free of charge. The recall began February 11, 2021.
Airbag complaints in other Nitro years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Dodge Nitro?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Dodge Nitro, 6% of the model year's 393 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Dodge Nitro airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 20V-396 (inflator module, Jul 7, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Dodge Nitro airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 124,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 11 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.