NHTSA Complaint #11493936 — 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at 35-40 MPH, the message "Low Volt" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that he heard an abnormal squealing sound coming from the hood and he noticed a burning rubber odor. The contact was able to drive to his nearby residence where he noticed smoke coming out from underneath the hood. The contact stated upon opening the hood, he noticed smoke and flames coming out of the alternator. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the water hose. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic the next morning. The independent mechanic diagnosed that the alternator experienced a short circuit. The independent mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V435000 (Electrical System). The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under the recall as the VIN was not included. The independent mechanic replaced the alternator and the battery. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but advised the dealer and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.