NHTSA Complaint #10269332 — 2008 DODGE NITRO

THE CHROME ACCENT PIECE ON THE REAR HATCH OF THE DODGE NITRO (JUST UNDER THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER) IS A LARGE HIGHLY REFLECTIVE SURFACE AREA THAT IS LOCATED AT EYE LEVEL FOR MOST DRIVES FOLLOWING THESE VEHICLES. THE SURFACE REFLECTION FROM THIS 'MIRROR LIKE' PIECE BLINDS THE DRIVES FOLLOWING THESE VEHICLES CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOLLOWING THIS MODEL VEHICLE AND DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO SHIELD MY EYES FROM THE REFLECTION WAS BLINDED TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER TO ALLOW MY EYES TIME RECOVER (THE EFFECT WAS SIMILAR TO THAT OF STARRING AT A WELDING ARC). A SIMPLE DESIGN CHANGE BY THE MANUFACTURE COULD ELIMINATE THIS HAZARD. *TR