NHTSA Complaint #10630458 — 2012 DODGE CHARGER

DRIVING ON A TURNPIKE WITH THE CRUISE SET AT 75MPH AND THE "BATTERY SAFE MODE" INDICATOR CAME ON. FROM THEN IN A MATTER OF SECONDS MY RADIO FIRST SHUT OFF, THEN MY FORWARD COLLISION SENSOR, THEN MY BLIND SPOT SENSOR. THEN IN THE NEXT FOLLOWING MINUTE OR SO, EVERY ELECTRONIC DEVICE SHUT OFF AND MY CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE". IT WAS RAINING AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE FAST. WITH RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ALL AROUND ME AND ME HAVING TO FIND MY WAY THROUGH THE TRAFFIC TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY WITH NO BLINKERS, POWER STEERING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND MY CAR WOULD NOT RUN OVER 1200 OR SO RPM'S. MY CAR WAS SLOWING FAST. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE SHOULDER MY CAR HAD DIED. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOUSE. TRIED TO JUMP IT WITH NO SUCCESS. I TOOK THE BATTERY TO GET IT CHECKED NOT THINKING ABOUT HOW I WOULD GET BACK INTO THE TRUNK. I HAD TO CRAWL THROUGH THE BACK SEAT ACCESS TO THE TRUNK AND PULL THE EMERGENCY TRUNK CABLE. BATTERY WAS FINE AFTER ALL, AND TURNS OUT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR, WHICH I FIGURED FROM THE START, I WAS JUST COVERING MY BASES. NEXT LOOKING FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR OR TO GET IT REPAIRED, I COULD NOT DO EITHER. ALL PLACES, PEP BOYS, O'REILY'S, AUTO ZONE, AND NAPA DID NOT HAVE THIS ALTERNATOR AVAILABLE. I WENT TO GET IT REPAIRED AND THEY SAID THE PART I NEEDED WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. MY ONLY WAY WAS TO GO TO A DEALERSHIP TO BUY A NEW ONE. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE TURNPIKE, BUT IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD HAVE TURNED OUT VERY BAD FOR ME AND MY 2 YEAR OLD SON IN THE BACKSEAT. THIS IS A PROBLEM DODGE NEEDS TO RECALL OR COVER THE COST FOR IT BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THE MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IS HOW THE CAR DEALS WITH THIS FAILURE AND MAKES IT COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES FROM THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. *TR