NHTSA Complaint #10597421 — 2011 DODGE CHARGER

I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR ON MY 2011 DODGE CHARGER AT A TOTAL PERSONAL COST OF MORE THAN $800. CONSIDERING THAT MOST PEOPLE THESE DAYS DON'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF MONEY JUST SITTING AROUND, IT WAS A VERY TROUBLING SITUATION. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET I NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE BEGAN SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT ME BREAKING AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAYS STARTED FLICKERING. BATTERY SAVE MODE WAS DISPLAYED AND THE CAR STARTING MAKING A LOUD WHINING SOUND. THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AND THROUGH THE FRONT VENTS. OF COURSE I WAS EXTREMELY ALARMED AND AT THE SAME TIME OTHER VEHICLES WERE HONKING AT ME BECAUSE MY CAR WAS GOING SO SLOW AND I WAS IN EVERYONE'S WAY. THE BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE WERE SO BAD THAT I JUST KNEW SOMETHING HAD TO BE ON FIRE. I STOPPED MY VEHICLE IN THE STREET AND SIGNALED FOR DRIVERS TO GO AROUND ME. I CALLED A TOWING COMPANY TO HAVE THE CAR TAKEN TO THE SHOP SINCE I OBVIOUSLY WOULD NOT BE CONTINUING MY COMMUTE HOME. THE SHOP INFORMED MY THAT MY ALTERNATOR WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THAT WAS NEWS THAT NO CAR OWNER WANTS TO HEAR. THE COST TO ME WOULD BE OVER $800 BECAUSE AN AFTERMARKET ALTERNATOR DID NOT EXIST FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THIS ENTIRE MATTER HAS HAD ME SCARED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND PISSED AT THE TIME OF THE BILL. I HAVE SEEN TONS AND TONS OF COMPLAINTS ON BOTH THIS WEBSITE AND ONLINE IN GENERAL REGARDING THE BAD ALTERNATORS ON THE 2011 DODGE CHARGERS. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT DODGE/CHRYSLER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR ALTERNATORS THAT WERE INSTALLED ON THESE MODELS SO THAT CONSUMERS CAN EITHER AVOID THIS SITUATION OR BE COMPENSATED FOR THE CRAZY AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I AM HOPING THAT EVERYONE WHO ENCOUNTERS THIS PROBLEM WILL PUT IN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO MAKE DODGE/CHRYSLER TAKE ACTION. ...UPDATED 07/15/14 *BF *TR UPDATED 8/30/2017*CN