Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while his daughter was starting the vehicle, the steering wheel inadvertently lost power steering functionality. Additionally, the windshield wipers remained operational after the windshield wiper button was disengaged. The contact's daughter was also unable to move the gear shifter from PARK to DRIVE. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Dodge Nitro. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the steering wheel as it became very loose. The contact had to steer the vehicle in excess to keep the vehicle in position. The traction control warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering rack fractured and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After the vehicle was repaired, the traction control warning light illuminated intermittently and the brakes independently engaged. In addition, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the brake pedal and it failed to depress. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but it could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2010 Dodge Nitro. The contact received a recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air Bags, Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was intermittently illuminated. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part may not be available, and the contact was informed that she would receive a call back to schedule an appointment but had not yet received a callback. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Dodge Nitro. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V396000 (air bags, steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that after having a routine check at napleton's mid rivers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (44951 veterans memorial pkwy, saint peters, mo 63376, [phone]) when the vehicle was returned, the dab (digital audio broadcasting) was no longer present on the steering wheel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 35,500. Parts distribution disconnect.
...so, I left my house, got about a block down the street and all of a sudden my horn starts blaring, windshield wipers started moving, the windshield wiper fluid sprayed, all of my interior and warning lights starting blinking in and out and my Nitro started sputtering. At this point I had lost power steering and power brakes but I managed to pull it over to the curb and the car dies. I'm sitting there thinking to myself, "what in the hell?!" I was already startled from the horn randomly blaring, so I'm in the middle of swallowing my heart when heavy, thick smoke starts coming from under the hood. ...and it stinks like smoldering wiring. I snatched my keys, popped the hood (which probably wasn't too bright in hindsight) and ripped the wiring off of the battery terminals. It was hot under that hood and I'm glad I had the wherewithal to disconnect the battery. …
The first time it happened I had just turned off the highway and the vehicle completely shut down but the horn was going non stop and the wipers too. I couldn't pull over because the steering was not working correctly. I eventually was able to get it to stop when my fianc attempted to unhook the battery. This has happened about 4 times totally. The last time I was driving home from work at night, it was dark and the wipers went crazy and my lights went out then the vehicle just shut down, I couldn't see anything, thank god no car was passing by. At times it doesn't want to start but the wipers come on. I took it to the shop and after a few hrs they said it was the integrated power module. Very expensive that I can't fix right now. Very unsafe!
Ever since I bought this vehicle, I have been having issues with it registering the key, which keeps causing an automatic security alert system to shut down my vehicle the moment I start it. I've already replaced the battery to my car. I've already had locksmiths examined the issue and nobody can seem to find the problem. The issue with the car is definitely a security issue. The car shuts down automatically and goes into theft mode which prevents me from driving my vehicle. That could be a result to a software malfunction or something but it doesn't register the keys which originally sets off the security warning. Whenever the car does register the key it drives and operates just fine. It's the computer that prevents me from driving it or whatever automatic system that is related to theft mode.
The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Nitro. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V396000 (Air bags, Steering) The contact stated the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact then took the vehicle back to the dealer weeks later where they partially serviced the recall but did not have all of the parts to complete the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Column
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011dodge journey, Jeep wrangler, Chrysler 200, Chrysler 200 convertible, Dodge avenger, Dodge nitro, Jeep liberty, Dodge caliber, Jeep compass, Jeep patriot, Dodge grand caravan and Chrysler town & country vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for rivet presence and alignment and repair the steering column pivot as required, free of charge. The safety recall began on July 4, 2011. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Nitro years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (28), 2008 (12) and 2011 (6) model years. Steering complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Dodge Nitro steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 11V-315 (column, Jun 8, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Nitro steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles; 33% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (2 mentions), followed by the steering wheel/handle bar (2).
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.