NHTSA Complaint #10745968 — 2011 DODGE DURANGO

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY WHEN I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC I COULDN'T PULL TO THE SIDE. I GOT FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND HEARD A LOUD WHINING NOISE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DODGE DEALERSHIP TO SPEAK WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ALTERNATOR BUT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED IN THE RECENT RECALL SINCE I HAVE THE 180AMP ALTERNATOR. THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR THE 160 AMP ALTERNATORS. I WAS SHOCKED SINCE MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT. RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ONLINE I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH THE 180AMP ALTERNATOR (WITH THE SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR) THAT CAUSED THE RECALL OF THE 160AMP ALTERNATORS. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE TO SEE IF THEY WOULD STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT AND DO THE RIGHT THING CONCERNING THIS. ONCE AGAIN THEY HAVE FAILED ME. CONSUMERS ARE REPORTING AN AVERAGE OF $1400 TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED WITH NO RECALL OR WARRANTY. I HAVE 4 PICTURES OF MY SOOT COVERED ALTERNATOR ( I AM A FIREFIGHTER I KNOW WHAT ELECTRICAL SOOT LOOKS AND SMELLS LIKE). THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO THINK I COULD LOSE MY DURANGO COULD CATCH FIRE, LOOSE POWER AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR HAVE MY WIFE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DUE TO THIS.