NHTSA Complaint #10735803 — 2011 DODGE CHARGER

ON 07/20/2015 AT AROUND 1:15 I PARKED MY VEHICLE IN CONCORD MILLS MALL PARKING LOT, WENT IN TO RETURN A PRODUCT. I RETURNED TO MY CAR AROUND 1:25, ATTEMPTED TO START MY VEHICLE(PUSH BUTTON START) IT CYCLED TO THE "RUN" POSITION, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T START. AFTER ABOUT 4 ATTEMPTS I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE I SMELT A "BURNT ELECTRICAL SMELL". I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND POPPED MY HOOD, I TOOK A LOOK AROUND AT ALL PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE ENGINE TO TRY AND LOCATE A VISUAL PROBLEM. NOTHING WAS VISIBLE TO MY EYE, I THEN GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN, AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS I CALLED TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON WHAT MIGHT BE GOING ON, AFTER SOME SPECULATION WE CAME TO CHECK MY FUSES. I THEN EXITED THE VEHICLE AND TOOK A LOOK AT MY FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER MY HOOD, I NOTICED THAT I HAD A 30AMP 58V "BOXED SHAPED FUSE" THAT HAD BLOWN. I VISITED A NEAR BY ADVANCE AUTO PARTS STORE TO PURCHASE A FUSE, THEY DID HAVE ONE SO I PURCHASED THE FUSE AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE TO INSTALL. ONCE I RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE I DISCONNECTED MY "+ POSITIVE" BATTERY TERMINAL AND INSTALLED THE FUSE. AFTERWARDS I RECONNECTED THE BATTERY TERMINAL AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. ONCE AGAIN I GOT NOTHING, I ALSO CHECKED THE FUSE AND IT HAD BLOWN AGAIN. I THEN CONTACTED A TOW TRUCK AND WAS TOWED TO HENEDRICK DODGE ON 7/20 AROUND 5:45. THEY CONTACTED ME ON 7/21 AND I WAS TOLD THAT MY ENGINE WIRE HARNESS HAD MELTED!! AND THAT IT HAD SHORTED OUT MY STARTER. I'M VERY UPSET BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS ENGINE HARNESS COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. MY OBD DIDN'T MAKE ME AWARE OF ANY TYPE OF ISSUE OR NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER CAME ON. MY CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED ON TIME TO FACTORY STANDARDS AT ONLY DODGE DEALERSHIPS. NO MAJOR WORK HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO MY VEHICLE BEFORE ALSO. I'M GETTING THE $1600.00 FIX BUT FEEL BOTHER THAT SOMETHING COULD CATCH FIRE.