NHTSA Complaint #10604422 — 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER

WIFE WAS DRIVING INTO TOWN FROM HER SISTERS HOUSE AND NOTICED ABS, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND OTHER LIGHTS BEGIN TO COME ON WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. SHE BEGAN TO NOTICE A BURNING SMELL AT AROUND 40 MPH JUST BEFORE GETTING INTO TOWN. WHEN SHE PARKED THE CAR AT WALMART SHE NOTICED ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHING LIKE A CASINO AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SHE CALLED ME TO COME GET HER WHILE SHE WAS IN THE STORE SO I WENT AND GOT HER KEYS, GAVE HER MY TRUCK TO DRIVE BACK TO HER SISTERS, AND WENT TO HER VEHICLE WHICH STARTED UP WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT ON. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME I NOTICED A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I EXPERIENCED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THE NEXT DAY I HAD MY FATHER COME BY SO WE COULD TAKE HIS TRUCK WITH US IN CASE IT MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. AS MY FATHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR INTO TOWN TO AN AUTO PART STORE THE CASINO LIGHT SHOW STARTED UP AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH SO HE HAD TO COAST IT DANGEROUSLY INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT, THANKFULLY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 WITH 18 WHEELERS AROUND. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TOWED TO DODGE DEALERSHIP DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR NEEDED REPLACED WHICH IS GOING TO COST AROUND $900. THIS HAS ANGERED ME ALL DAY THAT THEY KNEW THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THIS. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE BECAUSE IT SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AND NOT EVERYONE CAN CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 59,000 MILES. WE WONT BE BUYING ANYTHING FROM CHRYSLER OR DODGE FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. *TR