NHTSA Complaint #10667714 — 2008 DODGE NITRO

IT WAS MAY OF 2013, NOT SURE OF EXACT DATE. IT WAS EVENING AND RAINING OUT. I WENT TO GET IN MY CAR AND WHEN I STARTED THE IGNITION AND PUT MY HEADLIGHTS ON, THEY WENT OFF. AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS THEY CAME BACK ON, BUT STARTED TO FLICKER. AFTER I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED BACK ON THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ON. OVER THE PAST YEAR THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE AND MORE. EACH TIME IS WHEN THERE IS MOISTURE: RAIN, SNOW OR FROST. THIS YEAR THE OCCURRENCES ARE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. I HAVE HAD HEAD LIGHTS REPLACED. THE SWITCH. A BATTERY. I WAS FINALLY TOLD IT IS THE TIPM. THE PART WILL BE BETWEEN $600-700 (JUST FOR THE PART), ITS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER, IT COULD BE MONTHS UNTIL THEY EVEN GET IT IN. NOW THIS MEANS MY ONLY VEHICLE I CAN'T DRIVE. I LEAVE FOR WORK AT 5:00 A.M, WHICH IS DARK AND RETURN IN THE EVENING (IN WINTER) AROUND 5:30 WHICH IS DARK. THESE LIGHTS GO OUT RANDOMLY AND DODGE SAID THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY TIPM PROBLEMS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE TO MYSELF AND THE PUBLIC. *TR