NHTSA Complaint #10850666 — 2007 DODGE NITRO 4X4

TAKATA RECALL I LEASED MY DODGE NITRO IN 2007 AND DECIDED TO BUY IT OUT DUE TO OVER MILEAGE ALLOWANCE. ISSUES WITH THIS CAR STARTED SLOWLY AND ESCALATED OVER TIME. MY TIRES LOST AIR CONSTANTLY. NEW TIRES DIDN'T HELP. WINTER I HAVE TO PUT AIR IN ALL TIRES ONCE A WEEK. POSSIBLY DUE TO RIMS. WHEN BACKING UP THIS VEHICLE WOULD JOLT OUT ON ITS OWN NOT GIVING ME ENOUGH TIME TO REACT TO HITTING SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. THE ENGINE WAS SPORADIC WITH THE WAY IT HANDLED POWER AND ADMINISTERING IT THROUGHOUT FUNCTIONS. CONSTANT LEAKING OF FLUIDS. MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH POWER LOSS WAS GETTING ONTO HIGHWAY, SPED UP LOSING POWER AND LUCKILY ABLE TO REACH THE BREAK DOWN LANE SAFELY.AFTER SEVERAL TIMES THE DEALER TOOK IT IN AND SAID THEY FIXED IT. THEN TRUCK STARTED TO OVER HEAT AND ANTI FREEZE WOULD NOT STAY IN ENGINE AND OUT OF NO WHERE IT WOULD JUMP TO HOT,LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULL OVER ANYWHERE I COULD. AFTER 5 TIMES OR MORE HERB CHAMBERS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY KEPT MY TRUCK FOR SEVERAL WEEKS FIXING MY HEAD GASKET , WATER PUMP AND 5 OTHER PARTS, THEY TOLD ME I WAS ALL SET TO GO. I DROVE OFF LOT 10 MINUTES UP THE HIGHWAY TO HAVE IT OVER HEAT LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AGAIN WITHOUT POWER BACK IT GOES TO REPLACE THE HEATING CORE ELEMENT. SIX MONTHS LATER I LOSE POWER AROUND A ROTARY, ON HIGHWAY AND IN A FEW PARKING LOTS.I DECIDE TO INVESTIGATE MY OPTIONS TO DISCOVER THERE IS A RECALL AND PURSUE THE DEALER ABOUT HOW UNSAFE THIS VEHICLE IS AND NO ONE EVER TOLD ME IT HAD A RECALL AND DID NOT FEEL SAFE GOING ANY FURTHER. I WAS TOLD TO SETTLE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND DIDN'T SEEM WORRIED SENDING ME &MY KIDS BACK INTO AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. I BECAME SICK DURING THE LAST FEW YRS OF THIS AND AM STILL BATTLING WITH MY HEALTH. SOME OF THIS PROLONGED TIME HAS BEEN A RESULT OF NOT HAVING THE MENTAL OR PHYSICAL CAPABILITY. *TR