NHTSA Complaint #10252995 — 2002 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

1. SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ALL LIGHTING, INTERIOR DASH, HEADLAMPS, ETC. HAVE A "FLICKERING" OR "PULSING" EFFECT. OVER TIME, THIS HAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE, AN 02 CHRYS CONCORDE, HAS ONLY 26K MI AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. THIS FLICKERING OF LIGHTING HAS WORSENED TO THE POINT THAT IT BOTHERS OTHER MOTORISTS. 2. THIS CONDITION IS CONSTANT. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START WHEN LEFT 24 HRS WITHOUT RUNNING. VEHICLE STALLED ON AN INTERSTATE, IMMEDIATELY PUT IN NEUTRAL AND ATTEMPTED TO START, NEGATIVE. ALL LIGHTING CEASED TO FUNCTION PRIOR TO BEING ABLE TO FULLY STOP THE VEHICLE. 4-WAY-FLASHERS FAILED TO FUNCTION WHILE ON SHOULDER AND MY VEHICLE WAS NEARLY STRUCK BY ANOTHER MOTORIST. 3. THIS IS CLEARLY A FACTORY DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. DIAGNOSIS OF THE ALL SYSTEMS WERE NORMAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF "EXCESSIVE RIPPLE" NOTED FOR THE RECHARGING SYSTEM. PERSONS TESTING VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE EXPLANATION FOR THIS "EXCESSIVE RIPPLE" BUT WERE WILLING TO SELL ME A NEW ALTERNATOR THAT MAY OR MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. BATTERY (ORIGINAL) WAS REPORTEDLY STILL GOOD BUT NEEDED RECHARGING. I FOUND THE GROUND FROM ENGINE TO REMOTE NEGATIVE TERMINAL SEVERED IN HALF--IT RUNS RIGHT OVER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I THINK ORIGINALLY, IT MAY HAVE BEEN TOUCHING THE CONVERTER. IT WAS BRITTLE AND GREENISH OXIDIZED COLOR (I STILL HAVE A PIECE OF IT). I AM PLANNING TO TRY A NEW ALTERNATOR IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE AND I WILL HANG ONTO THE OLD ONE. *TR