Selling a junk or non-running Dodge Nitro

If yours has electrical gremlins, a dead engine or a failed inspection, you can sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

The Nitro in a few lines

Wikipedia says the Nitro went into production in August 2006 at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in Ohio, alongside the Jeep Liberty, and came only as a four-door. It used a 3.7 liter PowerTech V6, with a six-speed manual offered through 2008. About 200,000 were built before production ended in December 2011. It was Dodge's first compact SUV since the Raider left in 1990.

Problems, grouped by years

2007 and 2008: electrical and fuel complaints

Electrical leads both years: 195 complaints on the 2007 and 157 on the 2008. Two fuel categories follow. "Fuel system, gasoline" has 140 on the 2007 and 63 on the 2008, and "fuel/propulsion system" has 67 and 35. Complaints on the 2007 report 24 crashes and 17 fires.

Several 2007 recalls center on the power module, called the TIPM. Recall 07V291 reprogrammed it because its software could let the engine stall; the campaign lists 80,894 vehicles. Recall 09V438 added outside relays and updated TIPM software after heavy use of the wiper delay mode caused trouble on 2007 Nitros.

Brakes show up too. Recall 06V493 reprogrammed anti-lock brake software that could lock the rear brakes. Recall 07V434 did the same for software that could briefly delay braking when coasting up a hill, in a campaign of 296,550 SUVs. Recall 06V341 reprogrammed powertrain software that could briefly lock the drive wheels.

Two more cover both years. Recall 08V525 replaced the parking brake lever on 3,663 manual-transmission Nitros and 2008 Liberties. Recall 13V121 adds a bracket to hold up the rear of a heat shield on 2007-2008 Nitro 4x2s and 2008 Liberty 4x2s, 62,578 vehicles in all.

2009 to 2011: far fewer complaints

Complaints drop to 36 on the 2009, then climb to 78 on the 2010 and 122 on the 2011. Electrical still leads each year, and air bags move up to second: 5, 12, then 23.

On the 2010, recalls 10V009 and 10V315 replace a brake booster rod clip and brake tubes at the master cylinder; both campaigns include Jeep and Ram models. On the 2011, recall 11V315 checks the steering column pivot, and recall 13V282 flashes the TIPM or replaces the restraint module in a 442,320-vehicle campaign. Recall 20V396, for a loose steering wheel emblem, covers every Nitro year from 2007 to 2011.

NHTSA complaints and recalls by model year

Tallied from the complaints Nitro owners sent NHTSA, through October 10, 2026. None of it is a finding about the vehicle. A 2011 has had fewer years of filing than a 2007. Campaigns overlap years, so the recall column sums past 12.

The vehicle count on each Nitro recall is for the whole campaign. Most Nitro campaigns also include the Jeep Liberty or other Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models.

Repair it or let it go?

Put the shop's written estimate beside the price of a Nitro that runs, same year and miles. When the estimate comes near that, it's often smarter to sell it as is.

• Stalling, wipers with a mind of their own, odd electrical faults on a 2007: run the VIN at NHTSA for the TIPM recalls first. Then see electrical problems.
• Check engine light on? Read check engine light before you pay for parts.
• Parked for a year or more? See car sitting for years.
• Any open recall is worth asking a dealer about; the open recall guide explains how.

Selling your Nitro whole

1. Have handy the VIN, the miles, whether it's 2WD or 4WD, and the problem.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where the Nitro is parked and if it rolls. Lots of Nitros end up locked in Park with a flat battery. Let us know if yours is one, and we'll get it from your home, a curb or a repair bay. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Leave it whole. Don't pull the converter, wheels or battery first. Missing parts change the offer.
5. At Nitro pickup, the driver looks at your ID while you sign the Nitro title over. Plate rules differ by state, so check after you sell.

More on dead SUVs in junk truck or SUV. Other Dodges: the Durango, Journey and Magnum, or all Dodge models.