NHTSA Complaint #10907460 — 2008 DODGE CHARGER

ON THE EVENING OF 09/17/2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 2200HRS, MY WIFE WAS LEAVING A LOCAL STORE PARKING LOT WHEN SHE HEARD A NOISE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND MAKE A LOUD NOISE. SMOKE AND FLUID BEGAN COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT IT OFF. I RECEIVED A FRANTIC PHONE CALL AND RESPONDED TO THE LOCATION TO FIND THAT A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF OF THE ELECTRIC RADIATOR COOLING FAN BLADES HAD DESENTIGRATED INTO PIECES, CUTTING INTO THE RADIATOR. THE VEHICLE IS NOW INOPERABLE AND PARKED AWAITING TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS WARNING SIGNS OF THIS EVENT HAPPENING AND AM VERY GLAD MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED AS THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH DIFFERENT. LOOKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS FROM DODGE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MUCH MORE SERIOUS INCIDENT HAD MY WIFE BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS.