NHTSA Complaint #10860167 — 2012 DODGE CHARGER

I STARTED DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES NOTICED A QUIET "WHIRRING" NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHORTLY AFTER A RED BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT TURNED ON, FOLLOWED BY A "BATTERY SAVER MODE" MESSAGE. I HEADED FOR A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET A NEW BATTERY. WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS STARTED TURNING OFF; SOUND SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. A FEW MINUTES LATER OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON LIKE MY ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND POWER STEERING. I ARRIVED AT THE STORE AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT. TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND REFUSED TO ENGAGE REVERSE. MORE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. NOTHING I DID COULD GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAS GREETED WITH A MESSAGE SOMETHING LIKE, "CAR MUST BE IN PARK TO TURN OFF". I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND FAILED. I ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WENT INSIDE TO EXPLAIN WHY MY CAR WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT. ONCE I RETURNED TO THE CAR THE LED SCREEN IN THE CONSOLE STARTED FLICKERING WHITE AND BLACK AND I SAW SOME LIGHTS CHANGE ON THE SHIFTER. IT CLAIMED IT WAS IN PARK BUT THE CAR ROLLED AFTER DISENGAGING THE E-BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF BUT NOT ENGAGE PARK. AUTO PART STORE EMPLOYEE TESTED BATTERY AND SUGGESTED THAT BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE DEAD. WE TRIED THEIR JUMP UNIT BUT COULD NOT START THE CAR. EMPLOYEE DROVE HIS TRUCK OVER AND MANAGED TO JUMP START THE CAR. AFTER REMOVING JUMPER CABLES THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING AND TURNED OFF IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT MY YEAR MAKE AND MODEL ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT MY ALTERNATOR BECAUSE IT WAS 180AMP (INSTEAD OF THE RECALLED 160AMP). DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CONFIRMED DEAD ALTERNATOR WHICH KILLED BATTERY.