NHTSA Complaint #11388720 — 2010 ACURA MDX

VEHICLE: 2010 ACURA MDX. I WAS ON HWY 395 AT NIGHT AND THE CHECK BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. WE RECENTLY REPLACED THE BATTERY AND I FELT IT SAFE TO DRIVE TO THE NEXT TOWN TO HAVE THE BATTERY CHECKED BEFORE CONTINUING. WITHIN ABOUT 50 MILES, ALL OF THE OTHER WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON IN SUCCESSION. THERE WAS NO SHOULDER OR AREA TO PULL ON THIS SECTION OF HIGHWAY NEAR MONO LAKE AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AND ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. I TRIED TO TURN ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND THEY WOULDN'T WORK. I COULDN'T SEE THE ROAD AND WAS GOING TO RAM THE SIDE OF THE CAR INTO THE RAILING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO TRY TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT (STILL NO SHOULDER ON MY SIDE AND I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS) AND MY DAUGHTER THOUGHT TO TURN ON HER CELL FLASHLIGHT WHICH GAVE ME ENOUGH LIGHT TO COAST ONTO THE OPPOSITE SHOULDER FACING AGAINST TRAFFIC. OUR CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WE ALSO HAD NO EMERGENCY LIGHTS. WE QUICKLY GOT OUT OUR CAMPING LANTERN AND WRAPPED OUR REFLECTIVE SAFETY ROPE AROUND THE CAR AND LUCKILY HAD CELLPHONE RECEPTION AND CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE. IT TOOK A CHP OFFICER OVER AN HOUR TO SHINE LIGHTS ON THE CAR AND ANOTHER 90 MINUTES FOR A TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. WE WERE TOWED TO MAMMOTH LAKES WHERE WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS THE BATTERY WHICH THEY REPLACED WHEN THEY OPENED IN TWO DAYS. PULLING OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP, WE GOT A CHECK CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT AND TURNED AROUND FINDING OUT IT WAS ACTUALLY THE ALTERNATOR WHICH WAS REPLACED THE NEXT DAY. MY CONCERNS ARE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A CHARGING SYSTEM ALERT AND WHEN THE BATTERY DIED WE HAD NOTHING, NO POWER, HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, OR EMERGENCY FLASHERS. IF WE WERE UNABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, I'M CERTAIN THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BAD OUTCOME FOR US AND WHOMEVER WOULD HAVE SLAMMED INTO OUR CAR IN THE DARK.