NHTSA Complaint #11019320 — 2012 DODGE CHALLENGER

REFERENCE: T36 RECALL INCIDENT: ON 22 AUGUST 2017 MY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN DURING OPERATION, THE AC BEGAN PUSHING WARM AIR, AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE. THE ALTERNATOR WAS SMOKING, AND I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO BRING MY VEHICLE TO MY RESIDENT DEALER (OURISMAN DODGE OF ALXANDRIA, VA). THE DEALER REQUESTED $1100 FOR REPAIRS, AND I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT RESEARCH, WHERE I LEARNED OF THE PENDING T36 RECALL, AND OTHER CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. CUSTOMER SERVICE 1: I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 23 AUGUST, AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PENDING T36 RECALL. THEY DESCRIBED THAT THEY HAD NO AWARENESS OF SUCH A RECALL. I CALLED AGAIN ON 24 AUGUST AT 1:00 AM EST WHEN I REALIZED MY VIN NOW REFLECTED THE T36 RECALL. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD INCUR NO COSTS, AND PROVIDED ME WITH A REFERENCE NUMBER IS CASE THERE WERE ANY ISSUES (32257716). CUSTOMER SERVICE 2: I WAS INFORMED ON THE MORNING OF 24 AUGUST BY THE DEALER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIR COSTS BECAUSE THE T36 RECALL PARTS WERE NOT MANUFACTURED, AND WERE NOT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE UNTIL OCTOBER. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIR COSTS FOR A FAULTY ALTERNATOR, WOULD HAVE TO REQUEST A REIMBURSEMENT, AND WOULD THEN NEED TO WAIT FOR THE RECALL. WHEN I INSISTED ON AN EXPLANATION, I WAS EVENTUALLY TOLD THAT DODGE WANTED TO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE A REIMBURSEMENT. WHEN I CLARIFIED, AND EXPLAINED SHE WAS DESCRIBING A LOOPHOLE, SHE CONFIRMED. SHE REFUSED TO LET ME TALK TO HER SUPERVISOR, TO PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION LIKE THE PREVIOUS SERVICE REP HAD, AND MADE MANY OTHER FALSE CLAIMS AS TO HER ABILITY TO DOCUMENT THE MATTER. CLEARLY, MOST ALARMING, IS DODGE/CHRYSLER'S ADMITTANCE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO AVOID REIMBURSEMENT FEES. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INTO THE EXPERIENCE.