NHTSA Complaint #10916381 — 2016 DODGE CHALLENGER

MY 17 YEAR OLD SON'S 2016 DODGE CHALLENGER TURNS OFF WHILE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. THE IGNITION SWITCH USUALLY GOES TO ACC (SOMETIMES RUN). ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, BRAKING IS DIFFICULT, HEATING/COOLING TURN OFF, AND ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL THE AIRBAGS BECOME INACTIVE IN ACC. MY SON HAS NEARLY HIT A TREE AND HE HAS CROSSED LANES INTO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED. THE PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING AT ABOUT 2500 MILES 04/2016. IT HAS HAPPENED FROM10 MPH TO 70 MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED 15 OR MORE TIMES AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN OVER 20 MILES, PARKED, AND THEN DRIVEN AGAIN. IT HAS HAPPENED ON ALL TYPES OF ROAD--RESIDENTIAL, CITY AND HIGHWAY. IT HAS OCCURRED WHILE BEING DRIVEN STRAIGHT AND WHEN TURNING, ON LEVEL ROADS AND UP HILLS. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER CONTACTED CHRYSLER DETROIT WITHOUT SUCCESS. THEY INSTALLED A SPECIAL DATA COLLECTING SWITCH WHICH WE MANUALLY ACTIVATED WHEN THE CAR STALLED. THE DATA WAS FORWARDED TO DETROIT FOR ANALYSIS. I HAVE ATTACHED SERVICE RECORDS. WE HAVE SUPPLIED PHOTOS OF THE INSTRUMENTATION AFTER THE CAR TURNS OFF. MY SON STARTED DRIVING WITH ONE HAND ON HIS IPHONE MAKING A VIDEO RECORDING OF THE CAR STALLING IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2016. THE VIDEO RECORDING IS ON YOUTUBE AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=SE5TAGU6MY8&FEATURE=YOUTU.BE ON OCTOBER 7, 2016, I MET AT OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER, SERVICE MANAGER, AND HEAD MECHANIC TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS AND TO REVIEW THE VIDEO. THEY STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THE CAR AND HAD TO RELY ON CHRYSLER. THE NEW VIDEO WAS FORWARDED TO CHRYSLER AND A MASTER MECHANIC WAS TO REVIEW IT BUT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. FURTHER, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AS IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. SINCE THEN, THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED. *TR