NHTSA Complaint #10554818 — 2010 DODGE JOURNEY

I WAS STRUCK ON THE LEFT FRONT BY A 1997 DODGE STRATUS OCCUPIED BY 5 TEENAGE BOYS. THE DAMAGE WAS BUMPER AND LEFT FENDER (INSURANCE ESTIMATE ABOUT $3,000. BUT THE BATTERY WAS PLACED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE BATTERY WAS THE ORIGINAL BATTERY INSTALLED ON CAR. NO ENGINE REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE ON THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY EXPLODED AND THE ENGINE WAS COVERED BY BATTERY ACID WHICH DESTROYED ALL THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE. BATTERY ACID ALSO WENT DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR DESTROYING PAINT AND EATING INTO METAL. TWO ADJUSTERS EXAMINED THE CAR AS THE INSURANCE WAS AMAZED AT AMOUNT OF DESTRUCTION. THEY EACH STOPPED AT $11,000 DAMAGE AND TOTALED THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT HAD ANY GLASS BEEN BROKEN AND I GOT BATTERY ACID ON MY BODY, THE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE. A MECHANIC AT THE SCENE SAID THE BATTERY PLACEMENT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AS WAS SAID BY INSURANCE ADJUSTERS AND REPAIR SERVICE WHERE THE CAR WAS TOWED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND DODGE ITSELF AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY BOTH SAID THEY NEVER HAD HEARD OF ANY PROBLEM. I WALKED AWAY UNHURT BUT COULD HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE (I'M 73) HAD THE BATTERY BEEN PLACED IN A DIFFERENT SPOT IN THE ENGINE. I BELIEVE THIS BATTERY PLACEMENT TO BE VERY DANGEROUS AND AM CONCERNED FOR OTHERS WHO MIGHT HAVE AN ACCIDENT IN A CAR LIKE MINE. *TR