NHTSA Complaint #10949631 — 2011 DODGE DURANGO

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, THE WIPERS CAME ON, AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. LUCKILY SHE WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE CAR WAS LOCKED, AND NOTHING WORKED. I TRIED TO JUMP START THE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT WORK. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND DROVE IT HOME 3 MINUTES AWAY, AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I COULD SMELL A BURNING WIRE SMELL, AND THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE VERY HOT. I READ ONLINE ABOUT NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 160 AMP ALTERNATOR, AND THAT MANY HAD BEEN RECALLED. I CALLED THE DODGE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY OPEN RECALLS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR MYSELF AND THE NEXT DAY THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AT THIS POINT I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS WRONG, BUT HAVE READ ONLINE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THIS ISSUE AND IT BLEW EITHER THE FUSE PANEL, OR A PCM. THIS IS THE 3RD ELECTRICAL ISSUE I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE BETWEEN 0 AND 57,000 MILES.