NHTSA Complaint #10639354 — 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER

I HAD OBSERVED A WHINING SOUND FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE INCIDENT. IT WAS LIKE A POWER STEERING PUMP WITHOUT ANY FLUID IN IT. I TRIED TO LISTEN UNDER THE HOOD TO LOCATE THE SOUND BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM LOW IN THE ENGINE BAY ON THE LEFT SIDE, LOOKING AT IT. MY WIFE LEFT FOR WORK AND AS SHE PULLED OFF, THE NOISE WAS VERY LOUD AND WORSE THAN BEFORE. I HOPED SHE WAS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT AND MAKE IT TO WORK. SHE CALLED ME JUST AS SHE WAS GETTING TO WORK, WHEN THE VEHICLE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS LIT UP ALONG WITH A CONSTANT ALARM CHIME. SHE WAS ABLE TO PARK AND CALL ME. I LEFT HOME TO GO THERE. I STARTED THE CAR UP WHEN I GOT THERE AND ALL WAS NORMAL UNTIL I STARTED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. ON THE WAY, THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT ALARM CHIME. I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOWS DURING THE RIDE TO LISTEN FOR NOISES. AS I APPROACHED THE DEALER AND PARKED, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LAMP LIT UP AS WELL AS SOME CHIMING. I TRIED PUSHING THE TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH WITH NO RESULT. I TRIED TO ROLL UP THE WINDOWS BUT THEY WOULD NOT WORK. AS I WAS GETTING READY TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, THE ENGINE DIED. THE SERVICE TECH WAS RIGHT THERE AND ASKED WHAT HAPPENED. I SAID I HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. HE CHECKED ME IN AND GOT THE TABLET OUT TO READ THE ERROR LOG IN THE CAR. HE SAID I HAD AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE. WHEN THEY CHECKED THE CAR IN AND WERE TRYING TO MOVE IT, THE BATTERY HAD DIED AND THEY JUMPED IT TO GET IT GOING. I ASKED ABOUT ANOTHER NOISE AND SAID IT WAS THE WATER PUMP. *TR