Dodge Nitro
Registered from 2007 to 2009.
About this model
The Dodge Nitro is a compact SUV manufactured and marketed by Dodge for model years 2007–2012 across a single generation — as a close variant of the second-generation Jeep Liberty. Both vehicles use a composite unitized construction integrating the body structure with full-length frame rails.
From the Wikipedia article Dodge Nitro, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 2008 2.8 diesel. 218 of 697 tests failed, 31%.
Better than 12% of 2008 cars. The typical one fails 26%, across 922 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 66% | 144 |
| Lights and electrics | 52% | 113 |
| Suspension | 36% | 78 |
| Tyres and wheels | 19% | 42 |
| Visibility | 14% | 30 |
| Body and structure | 13% | 28 |
The defects inspectors cite
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Parking brake inoperative on one side
- A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Where it stands out against its peers
- Brakes: failed more often than 99% of 2008 cars — 66% of its 218 failed tests, where an ordinary 2008 car has 32%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 66% of its failures
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
- Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value
- Parking brake inoperative on one side
- Suspension — 36% of its failures
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
- Tyres and wheels — 19% of its failures
- Lights and electrics — 52% of its failures
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
- Visibility — 14% of its failures
- Body and structure — 13% of its failures
When it starts failing
At 140–160k miles this one fails 37% of its inspections, against the 30% an ordinary car of the same age fails.
| Odometer | Failure rate | Rate | Its age | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60–80k miles | 32% | 24% | 97 | |
| 80–100k miles | 33% | 27% | 163 | |
| 100–120k miles | 28% | 29% | 184 | |
| 120–140k miles | 32% | 29% | 136 | |
| 140–160k miles | 37% | 30% | 41 |
621 British inspections, grouped by the odometer reading recorded at the test.
Half of these have more than 100k miles on them. That is how far people drive this car, not how long it lasts.