NHTSA Complaint #11351842 — 2013 DODGE DURANGO

WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY CAR, I HEARD A WHINING NOISE THAT DIDN'T SOUND NORMAL, BUT WAS NOT OVERLY LOUD. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER (MAYBE LESS), AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A TOWN ROAD DOING 30MPH THE CAR SHUT OFF. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STILL WORKED AS THE RADIO AND AIR CONDITIONING WERE ON. I PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY OF A BUSINESS (WITHOUT POWER STEERING) AND PARKED. I WAS GOING TO CHECK TO SEE IF EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL AND SEE IF MAYBE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY HAD AN ISSUE. MY FUEL PUMP RELAY HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED IN 2015 DUE TO NHTSA RECALL # 15V-115. HOWEVER, IN MAY 2019, THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHEN IT WAS DRIVING 70MPH DOWN AN INTERSTATE. I WAS INFORMED BY DODGE THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR A SECOND TIME BECAUSE IT HAD EXPIRED AFTER 2 YEARS. IN NOVEMBER 2019, I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR THE FUEL PUMP RELAY (NHTSA RECALL # 19V-813); HOWEVER, IT WAS INCOMPLETE BECAUSE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR, I SMELLED BURNING RUBBER BUT DID NOT OBSERVE ANY SMOKE. AFTER I WAS ABLE TO POP THE HOOD, I SAW A SMALL FLAME IN THE AREA OF THE ALTERNATOR. I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY TWO CHILDREN (AGES 3 AND 6) OUT OF THE CAR AND CALLED 911. MY HUSBAND ARRIVED BEFORE THE FIRE TRUCK, BUT THE 911 OPERATOR TOLD US NOT TO TRY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER HE BROUGHT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS BY THE TIME THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY FIREFIGHTERS. I'M JUST THANKFUL, FOR ONE, THAT MY CHILDREN AND I MADE IT SAFELY OUT OF THE CAR, AND FOR ANOTHER, THAT I DID NOT MAKE IT THE MILE AND A HALF LEFT TO HOME AND GET PARKED IN MY CARPORT BEFORE MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE. I WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA RECALL # 17V-435 RELATING TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE AND CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FLAME, IF MY VIN SHOULD'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL, BUT WAS NOT.*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT*JB*DT *TR