Window & Wiper complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Airbags: This vehicle has had a recall for a "Ram" emblem being placed over the airbag such that it becomes a projectile in an airbag depleyment. Dodge makes it very difficult to avail of getting it removed. I am not close to the dealership, I am very busy and somewhat disabled. Since the first notice arrived in the mail-- maybe three years ago-- I have returned the notices with a request for them to send a tech to my home and make the repair. I see there has been at least one death due to this obvious flaw, butthey have not cared enough to answer. Why should I take a day so that they can fix this deadly "extra feature" of shrapnel being placed over an explosive? Electrical: This is a serious safety issue that Dodge will not recognize or even discuss. …
Since last week, randomly while vehicle was in motion or sitting at idle, it will chime with a warning. All my warning lights flash, all my gauges stop working except vehicle temp, my odometer reads "no bus". The wipers begin to go crazy on their own and I lose operation of my blinkers and high beams as well as fog lights and control of wipers. Main headlights just stay on. The vehicle still runs and drives but the gauges just sound like everything is constantly trying to reset. This lasts anywhere from a minute to 20 minutes. The vehicle will go back to normal and then randomly it will happen again. I drove from charleston wv to la plata md and this instance occurred 9 times in that 6 hour drive. It was completely random and lasted random amounts of time. No bumps or turns triggered it. It didn't favor happening going up or down mountains, just whenever it decided to glitch out. …
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle the horn inadvertently started blowing and windshield wipers activated independently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with an unknown electrical wiring failure. The dealer replaced the battery cables; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 57,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Dodge Nitro. The contact stated that the horn and the rear and front windshield wipers were inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that her neighbor disconnected and reconnected the battery and the failure was corrected. The vehicle was not diagnosed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 168,000.
The day after I bought this vehicle it had to go directly back because of the catalytic converter. I was told they replaced it but did not show me the proof nor did they give me a valid warranty card. There is something wrong with the electrical system everything flickers and it just sounds really bad. The driver side passenger side window broke because it's made of plastic. The front both passenger and driver side door handles broke off. I had to Jerry rig it. And the reason I think this would be dangerous is if we were to need to get out of the car we would not be able to in case of an emergency. I've looked under the items that were recalled on this vehicle. But I get a notification that says I'm not allowed to have it fixed. Unless it's out of pocket. I purchased this car in August 2015 or 2016. …
Took car in for windshield wiper safety recall on 3/24/23. BEFORE the recall the wipers worked perfectly. After the dealer serviced the wipers they sometimes would not go off and then seemed to be stalling a lot but I did not have many occasions where I needed to use the wipers as I work from home and have a second car in the household. Today I was driving in a severe thunderstorm when they stopped working completely. In fact, they are now stuck in the upright position and will not move. This is EXTREMELY dangerous and exactly what the recall was meant to avoid! It makes me wonder if the mechanics actually did anything to my car at all.
Related recalls (1)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2007 Dodge nitro passenger vehicles. The windshield wiper system May experience a condition over time where high usage of the variable pause wiper function ("delay" mode) May eventually affect primary wiper function, rendering the wiper system inoperable.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and add external relays and update the totally integrated power module software to control the wiper functions. The safety recall is expected to begin during February 2010.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dodge Nitro years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (54), 2008 (40) and 2011 (11) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Dodge Nitro window & wiper problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 09V-438 (windshield wiper/washer, Nov 6, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Dodge Nitro window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles; 19% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the power window devices and controls (5 mentions), followed by the windshield wiper/washer (5).
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.