NHTSA Complaint #10695004 — 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER

FIAT CHRYSLER DODGE HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON ALL 3.6 LITER V6 ALTERNATORS BECAUSE THE AMPERAGE IS CAUSING FIRES IN SOME CARS BUT MOSTLY THE ALTERNATORS ARE FAILING AND ONCE THEY FAIL, THE BATTERY GOES WITHIN A FEW DAYS WITH NO WARNING. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR LOST ALL ELECTRICAL, NO POWER STEERING, NO LIGHTS, WHICH ALSO MEANS NO AIRBAGS OR ANYTHING. I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO KEEP IT RUNNING AND WAS AT 40 MPH BEFORE I COULD FINALLY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. I STOPPED AT THE REDLIGHT AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER THROUGH MY SERVICE AGREEMENT AND GOT ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT IN 2012, I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RECALL AND THEY TOLD ME DODGE HAD NOT RELEASED THE PARTS TO ANYONE YET. THEY GAVE ME ANOTHER FAULTY ALTERNATOR AND A NEW BATTERY, LIED TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CHARGING A BATTERY, TOLD ME THAT DODGE WOULDN'T REIMBURSE ME FOR THE SERVICE, AND TOLD ME TO COME BACK IN A FEW MONTHS IF DODGE HAD SOURCED THE PARTS. IT'S FOUR MONTHS LATER AND DODGE IS SPORADICALLY RELEASING THE NEW HIGHER AMPERAGE ALTERNATORS, SOME DEALERSHIPS ARE GETTING AS LOW AS 4 ALTERNATORS AND THAT'S IT. SO EVERY DAY I DRIVE MY CAR, I WONDER IF THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILS AGAIN, AND LEAVES ME ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, OR ON TRAIN TRACKS OR GOD KNOWS WHERE ELSE! I'M CONTACTING DODGE AFTER THIS TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AND HOW DISPLEASED I AM. *TR