NHTSA Complaint #10684032 — 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

WHILE DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET A WARNING MESSAGE OF "SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM" CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY MOVED TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED THE CAR OFF, RESTARTED IT, AND GOT THE SAME MESSAGE. NOT KNOWING IF IT WOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE ANY FURTHER AND NOT HAVE ANY LOSS OF CONTROL IN TRAFFIC I CALLED A FRIEND WHO SAID THE BATTERY MIGHT HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER TO ALLOW ME TO LIMP IN TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE. AFTER A "WHITE KNUCKLE" DRIVE I GOT TO THE DEALER AND ABOUT $1150 WORTH OF REPAIRS LATER THINGS SEEM TO BE BACK IN ORDER. I WAS TOLD THE CHARGING SYSTEM FAILED. HARD TO BELIEVE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS AND LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE ENGINE HAD LOST POWER BECAUSE OF THIS PREMATURE AND SUDDEN FAILURE. *TR