NHTSA Complaint #11057391 — 2013 DODGE DURANGO

ON 12/24/2017 I STARTED MY DURANGO TO LET IT WARM UP BEFORE LEAVING MY HOUSE, REMOTE START WAS USED. IT WAS MAKING A FUNNY NOISE SO I TURNED IT OFF AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. AT THIS TIME I SAW SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ALTERNATOR AND HAD TO PUT WATER ON IT. I TOOK MY DURANGO ON 12/26/2017 TO DWAYNE LANE'S CHRYSLER AND JEEP AT 10515 EVERGREEN WAY, EVERETT, WA 98204. THEY SAID THIS IS RELATED TO RECALL T36 AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN FIX. I UNDERSTAND IF THE ALTERNATOR WAS STILL FINE THEY COULD DO NOTHING. HOWEVER SINCE IT WAS CLEARLY FAULTY AFTER RUNNING THEIR TESTS THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET NEARLY $1200 DOLLARS AND THEN GET REIMBURSED AFTER 90 DAYS. I CALLED DODGE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WORKED WITH SOMEONE TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO GET PAID. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET THIS APPROVED DUE TO MULTIPLE REASONS (MANAGERS ON VACATION/SYSTEM NOT SETUP TO DO SO). AT THIS POINT I WAS LOOKING AT EITHER NOT HAVING A VEHICLE OR MAKING THE $1200 PAYMENT. I CHECKED AT ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE DEALT WITH THIS EXACT ISSUE, AND COULD GET IT COVERED. MY CALLS TO DODGE MUST HAVE WORKED BECAUSE THE FIRST DEALERSHIP GOT APPROVAL TO REPLACE WITH ANOTHER ALTERNATOR THAT MIND YOU MIGHT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. I PICKED UP MY DURANGO 12/27 AND AFTER DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE IT TO THE NEW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID YES SOME BATTERIES HAVE DIED DUE TO THE BAD ALTERNATORS. THEY SAID DODGE IS NOT COVERING THIS SO $200 DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET. AFTER DRIVING MY DURANGO IT NOW HAS THE BATTERY LIGHT ON AGAIN. NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT IS THE PCM MODULE THAT HAS GONE OUT AND THIS MAY NOT BE COVERED AS WELL. CURRENTLY IT IS 12/29 AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE MY DURANGO.