NHTSA Complaint #10558199 — 2011 DODGE CHARGER

NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLAMP WAS NOT LIGHTING. INSTALLED A NEW LAMP WITH THE SAME CURRENT AND POWER SPECS. WITH LESS THAN 4 HOURS ON THE NEW LAMP IT ALSO FAILED TO LIGHT. REMOVED THE LAMP AND FOUND THE CONNECTOR SHELL/HOUSING CHARRED AND BRITTLE. CONTACTS ON ONE SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR AND BOTH THE ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT LAMPS WERE DISCOLORED BY INTENSE HEAT. EVIDENTLY, THE CONNECTOR CONTACT WAS NOT PROVIDING A SOLID CONNECTION WITH THE LAMP TERMINALS, AND THE HIGH RESISTANCE CONNECTION RESULTED IN OVERHEATING AND MELTING OF THE CONNECTOR, A DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN, ONGOING PROBLEM FOR WHICH THE SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY CHRYSLER, BUT ONLY POLICE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED. TO AVOID SPENDING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE THE ENTIRE HARNESS REPLACED, THE ORIGINAL CONNECTOR HAS BEEN REMOVED AND A REPLACEMENT CONNECTOR INSTALLED. WHETHER "NEW" HARNESSES INSTALLED TO FIX THE PROBLEM USE THE SAME INADEQUATE CONNECTORS IS UNKNOWN. *TR