NHTSA Complaint #10438164 — 2007 DODGE NITRO 4X4

I HAVE HAD MY 2007 DODGE NITRO FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE DOOR HANDLES INSIDE THE VEHICLE ARE FAULTY AND CONTINUALLY FAIL. THEY BREAK AND BECOME INOPERABLE, LEAVING WHO EVER IS SITTING BY THE DOOR TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE UNLESS OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. MY DOOR HANDLE BROKE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MY FAULT. SINCE THEN MY DOOR HANDLES HAS BROKEN SEVERAL TIMES AND I HAVE HAD TO SPEND ALOT OF MONEY TO REPLACE THEM EVERY TIME. I MAKE LESS THAN THE AVERAGE BLUE COLLAR WORKER AND DO NOT HAVE THE $175 EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE DOOR HANDLE BREAKS. THEREFORE, AT TIMES SUCH AS NOW I HAVE TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE HANDLES BROKEN BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT. I CURRENTLY HAVE TWO DOOR HANDLES BROKEN RIGHT NOW. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IF A CAR ACCIDENT WERE TO HAPPEN, AND THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO THE DOOR WITH THE BROKEN HANDLE NEEDED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN A HURRY, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. ONCE THE HANDLE IS BROKEN, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. SO, LETS SAY THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE PERSON NEXT TO THE DOOR WITH THE BROKEN HANDLE WOULD BE STUCK UNLESS SOMEONE OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE OR UNLESS THAT PERSON WERE TO QUICKLY ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN, REACH OUT AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND HAVE VOICED MY OPINION TO DODGE ABOUT THE ISSUE. I ASKED THEM TO START A RECALL OF THE ITEM AND FIND A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT FOR IT THAT WILL NOT BREAK ALL THE TIME. DODGE WOULD NOT EVEN HEAR MY CONCERNS AND POINTED ME TOWARDS THIS WEBSITE. I HOPE THIS ISSUE IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS HAVING THIS ISSUE. MANY DODGE NITRO OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE OF YOU GOOGLE IT, YOU WILL SEE. I FEEL DODGE MIGHT HAVE A MAJOR LAW SUIT COMING IF THIS ISSUE CAUSES THE DEATH OF A PERSON. *TR