NHTSA Complaint #10788811 — 2011 DODGE DURANGO

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION AT 45MPH. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED MY RED "BATTERY INDICATOR" CAME ON. I ASSUMED IT WAS A WARNING THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER APPROX 35 MILES, THE "DRIVER'S SEATBELT UNBUCKLED" WARNING CAME ON (IT WAS BUCKLED) AND THAT WARNING CYCLED OFF AND ON RAPIDLY, AND THEN OTHER WARNINGS TO CHECK THIS OR THAT APPEARED. WITHIN 30-60 SECONDS OF THAT BEGINNING, THE A/C SYSTEM SHUT DOWN, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHTS CAME ON, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON, AND THEN I LOST THE POWER STEERING AS WELL. I WAS ABLE TO STEER JUST ENOUGH TO ANGLE INTO A GAS STATION AND PUT IT INTO PARK. AT THAT POINT, NO ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONING, THE CAR COULD NOT BE PLACED BACK IN "NEUTRAL" TO MOVE IT FURTHER, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FOB. THERE WAS A FAINT SMELL, LIKE BURNING RUBBER OR SIMILAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO OUR HOME, AS IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY (111K MILES) AND MY HUSBAND WISHED TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND REPAIR HIMSELF, IF POSSIBLE. HE REMOVED THE BATTERY, APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, AND IT WAS STILL VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH. HE REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH A NEW ONE, BUT WITHIN 1/2 MILE DRIVE THE RED "BATTERY" INDICATOR CAME BACK ON AND WE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED HOME. UPON FURTHER TESTING WITH A VOLTMETER, HE DETERMINED THE ISSUE IS THE ALTERNATOR. WE BELIEVE THIS ALTERNATOR IS FAULTY AND DANGEROUS, HOWEVER OUR VIN NUMBER IS NOT LISTED UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL (14V634000) OF THE 160 AMP ALTERNATOR (I AM NOT SURE WHAT AMP ALTERNATOR I DID HAVE). MY HUSBAND HAS OPTED TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR HIMSELF, RATHER THAN PAY THE DEALERSHIP TO DO SO, BUT WE BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AS THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT SEEMS PRETTY HIGH IN THIS TYPE OF TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE.