NHTSA Complaint #10632618 — 2011 DODGE CHARGER

I WAS DRIVING TOWARDS WORK IN THE MORNING, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE BATTERY LIGHT GOES ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ABS LIGHT GOES ON AND THEN THE TRACTION LIGHT GOES ON. THEN, THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BURNT WIRE AND A WHINING TYPE OF SOUND, SO I PARKED THE CAR AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON, I HAD MY HUSBAND TAKE A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AND HE STATED THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE SPARKS COMING OUT FROM THE ALTERNATOR, SO WE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER 3 MILES OF DRIVING IN TRAFFIC ON A 40 MPH ROAD, THE RADIO SHUTS OFF, THE LIGHTS GO OFF, THE AIR CONDITIONING TURNS OFF, THE DASHBOARD SCREEN/NAVIGATION SYSTEM TURNED OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT OUT, AND THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING. NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE WORKED OR WAS RUNNING, EVEN THE WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK. A BURNT ELECTRICAL WIRE SMELL CAME THROUGH THE VENTS. I COULDN'T EVEN TURN ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS OR UNLOCK THE TRUNK. SO MY HUSBAND PUSHED THE CAR OVER TO A PARKING LOT WHILE I STRUGGLED TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKES ALSO WENT OUT. WE TRIED TO JUMP START THE CAR; HOWEVER, WE STOPPED BECAUSE THERE WAS MORE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, SO WE CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK DRIVER. THE NEXT DAY, WE WENT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD US THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR; HOWEVER, WE PROBABLY NEED A BATTERY AS WELL. WE ALSO WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR TOWING. THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE TYPES OF ENGINE PROBLEMS. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN YOUR CAR TOTALLY SHUTS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, LEAVING YOU WITHOUT A WAY TO TURN ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS OR PROVIDE YOU WITH A SAFE WAY TO STEER AND BRAKE. *TR