2011 DODGE CHALLENGER Complaints

THERE IS A PAINT BOOTH ISSUE AT THE FACTORY IN ONTARIO CANADA. MY REDLINE 3 PEARLCOAT HAS BUMPS ALL OVER THE BODY PAINT JOB. ITS LIKE THE BOOTH WAS DIRTY AND IT EITHER GLOBBED OFF THE END OF A SPRAYER OR IT WAS REALLY DIRTY INSIDE BUT I DID NOT SEE IT UNTIL AFTER I PURCHASED IT. I PAID AN EXTRA $995 FOR THIS SO WTF OVER? ORANGE PEEL AND YOU NAME IT. DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A FACTORY PAINT JOB UNLESS IT WAS MONDAY OR FRIDAY I GUESS! I HATE THAT WHEN YOU CALL DODGE CORPORATE THEY COULD GIVE A RATS [XXX]! ONE LADY SAID "WE DON'T CARE WE DON'T SELL THE VEHICLES WE JUST MAKE THEM" I SAID SERIOUSLY SO YOU MAKE A PRODUCT BUT DON'T STAND BEHIND IT [XXX]! NONE OF THEM CARE, EVEN AFTER DROPPING $50K SO YEAH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ALTERNATOR STARTED WHINING AND GOT EXTREMELY HOT AND STARTED SMOKING AND FAILED WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

I WAS TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE OF THE HWY,GOING APPROX 60 MPH WHEN THE CAR IN THE LEFT LANE A RED CHEVY IMPALA SIDESWIPED A SUV BEHIND ME, AT THAT TIME THE RED CHEVY LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR AND HIT ME IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR QUARTER PANEL, THAT SPUN MY CAR, I THEN HIT THE GUARD RAIL WENT BACK ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC HIT THE CAR THAT HIT ME AND STOPPED NEAR THE SHOULDER OF THE HWY.NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, MY WIFE'S HEAD SMACKED THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND ENDED UP WITH A MAJOR CONCUSSION,AND OTHER INJURIES. *TR

MY FIANCE AND I WERE LEAVING A STORE WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE CAR STARTED FLASHING AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A WEIRD HUMMING SOUND AND THEN THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN! I HAD TO PAY A TOW TRUCK TO COME OUT AND PICK IT UP AND TAKE IT IN TO THE DODGE DEALERSHIP. WAS WITHOUT MY CAR FOR ALMOST A MONTH BECAUSE I HAD TO SLOWLY PAY THE DEALERSHIP $600 THAT I DID NOT HAVE. THEN THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T EVEN MENTION THE BATTERY WAS PROBABLY GONNA DIE SO A WEEK LATER AFTER I FINALLY GOT MY CAR BACK, I GO OUT AND IT WON'T START AGAIN! SO THEN I HAD TO SPEND ALMOST ANOTHER $200 ON A BRAND NEW BATTERY. I AM JUST COMPLETELY OFFENDED THAT THIS A HUGE AND MASSIVELY COMMON PROBLEM AND DODGE HASN'T EVEN TRIED TO FIX IT! I LOVE MY CHALLENGER BUT I WAS SO EXASPERATED WITH ALL THE BS THAT I WAS READY TO TAKE IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT A YEAR AGO AND GIVE IT BACK. DODGE NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND COMPENSATE ALL OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS MESS! LUCKILY FOR THEM THEREHAVEN'T BEEN ANY FATALITIES CONNECTED WITH THIS PROBLEM! *TR

ON MAY 30TH I WAS HEADING HOME AFTER A LOG DAYS WORK WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE BATTERY LIGHT HAD TURNED ON, THINKING IT WAS JUST THE BATTERY NEEDING TO BE RECHARGED I KEPT DRIVING. MINUTES AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE(MIL), BRAKE (PARKING BRAKE?), ABS, ESP BAS, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!? I LOSE MY ABILITY TO STEER AND BRAKE MY VEHICLE GOING 60 ON THE HIGHWAY! LUCKILY I LIVED 8MIN AWAY FROM MY PLACE AT THE TIME AND MANAGED TO GET TO MY HOME WITH NO POWER STEERING ON BRAKING ABILITY! SO I WENT TO AUTOZONE AND BOUGHT MYSELF A BATTERY BECAUSE IT WAS TESTED AS A BAD BATTERY IT WAS INSTALLED ON MY CAR & IT TURNED ON AS NORMAL, UNTIL I ACTUALLY DROVE MY CAR TO SCHOOL THE FOLLOWING MORNING, SET IT ON PARK & SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF MY ALTERNATOR. KNOWING HOW MUCH A ALTERNATOR FOR MY CAR COSTS I SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY A AFTERMARKET ALTERNATOR SO I WENT TO AUTOZONE TO BUY ONE AND THE GENTLEMEN TOLD ME THAT IT GIVES HIM THE OPTION TO ORDER ONE BUT WHEN HE DOES THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BECAUSE SINCE THE CAR IS NEW THE ONLY I COULD GET IS THE MANUFACTURED ALTERNATOR WHICH THEY SELL FOR $545 AND ARE ON BACK ORDER!? REALLY DODGE REALLY? IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO SET ASIDE MONEY FOR WHAT I THOUGHT I COULD BUY A ALTERNATOR AND COME TO FIND OUT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT SELL IT, SHAME ON YOU GUYS! I'M FATHER A HARD WORKER AND A STUDENT AT UTI AND YOU GUYS DON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO SELL YOUR ALTERNATORS. DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BEING THAT YOU'RE ON BACK ORDER. THIS COULD'VE ENDED WAY WORSE WHEN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. IF YOU'RE READING THIS AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE SUBMIT A COMPLAINT AS THEY WILL EVENTUALLY SEE A TREND ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY RECALL THESE BAD ALTERNATORS THAT DENSO MANUFACTURES. *TR

PROBLEM IDENTICAL TO PRIOR CUSTOMER COMPLAINT WITH ALL INTERNAL LIGHTS AND GAUGES BLINKING. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, ENGINE STARTED RACING, SMELLED RUBBER, SPEEDOMETER RACING. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PUT THE CAR IN PARK, AND THE LIGHT SHOW CONTINUED. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR CUT OFF AND NEVER STARTED AGAIN. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP AND TAKE TO REPAIR SHOP. REPAIRMAN EXACT WORDS WERE "THE ALTERNATOR IS FRIED AND IT DESTROYED YOUR BATTERY". AFTER A NEW BATTERY WAS PUT IN THE CAR, THE ALTERNATOR STARTED SMOKING. BATTERY/INSTALLATION $250, ALTERNATER/INSTALLATION $750. COULD ONLY GET ALTERNATOR FROM DODGE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THE CAR WAS TOO NEW FOR AN AFTERMARKET ALTERNATOR.... AND WAS ON BACK ORDER. I MAY NOT BE THE SMARTEST SPERSON IN THE WORLD, BUT DOESN'T IT SEEM THAT THERE ARE SOME MAJOR ISSUES GOING ON IF THE SUPPOSEDLY NEW ALTERNATOR IS ON BACKORDER. HAD MY SON AND I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING AND THE CAR CUT OFF, THIS STORY MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT ENDING. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. I HOPE AND PRAY THAT DODGE IS NOT WAITING FOR SOMEONE OR SOME FAMILY TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE MAKING THIS A SAFER VEHICLE. THIS NOT ONLY PUTS DODGE CHALLENGER OWNERS AT RISK, BUT THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. *JS

WIFE WAS DRIVING INTO TOWN FROM HER SISTERS HOUSE AND NOTICED ABS, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND OTHER LIGHTS BEGIN TO COME ON WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. SHE BEGAN TO NOTICE A BURNING SMELL AT AROUND 40 MPH JUST BEFORE GETTING INTO TOWN. WHEN SHE PARKED THE CAR AT WALMART SHE NOTICED ALL THE LIGHTS FLASHING LIKE A CASINO AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SHE CALLED ME TO COME GET HER WHILE SHE WAS IN THE STORE SO I WENT AND GOT HER KEYS, GAVE HER MY TRUCK TO DRIVE BACK TO HER SISTERS, AND WENT TO HER VEHICLE WHICH STARTED UP WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TURN IT ON. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME I NOTICED A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I EXPERIENCED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THE NEXT DAY I HAD MY FATHER COME BY SO WE COULD TAKE HIS TRUCK WITH US IN CASE IT MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. AS MY FATHER WAS DRIVING THE CAR INTO TOWN TO AN AUTO PART STORE THE CASINO LIGHT SHOW STARTED UP AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY DIED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH SO HE HAD TO COAST IT DANGEROUSLY INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT, THANKFULLY THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE GOING 70 WITH 18 WHEELERS AROUND. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TOWED TO DODGE DEALERSHIP DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR NEEDED REPLACED WHICH IS GOING TO COST AROUND $900. THIS HAS ANGERED ME ALL DAY THAT THEY KNEW THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THIS. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE BECAUSE IT SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE DRIVING AND NOT EVERYONE CAN CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 59,000 MILES. WE WONT BE BUYING ANYTHING FROM CHRYSLER OR DODGE FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. *TR

THE FIRST TIME MY 11 DODGE CHALLENGER MESSED UP WAS JANUARY 2014. WENT TO START IT AND IT WOULDN'T. GOT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP-WAS TOLD THE DOOR HANDLED SHORTED OUT. 2ND TIME WAS IN APRIL 2014 I SMELT BURNING RUBBER TURNED MY CAR OFF AND THEN IT WOULD NOT START AND WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN. GOT TOWED- WAS TOLD BAD BATTERY. NOW THE 3RD TIME JUNE 2014 I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THE INSIDE OF MY CAR LOOKED LIKE A CASINO SLOT MACHINE WITH ALL THE LIGHTS AND SOUNDS GOING OFF! EVERY LIGHT ON MY DASH FLASHED OVER AND OVER! MY SEATBELT LIGHT SAID I DIDN'T HAVE MY SEAT BELT ON WHEN I DID! THEN MY SEAT WARMER CAME ON AND WAS HOT AS FIRE, THEN I DID HAVE TO UNBUCKLE SO I DID NOT GET BURNED! RADIO WAS FLASHING ON AND OFF. HOT AIR CAME POURING IN THROUGH MY VENTS. I LITERALLY THOUGHT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE! MY GAS NEEDLE KEPT JUMPING FROM FULL TO EMPTY! CAR STALLED 2 TIMES BEFORE MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I HAD TO RUN UP INTO MY PARENTS NEIGHBORS YARD!! AFTER CAR DIED MY GAS NEEDLED STAYED AT F AS IF IT WERE ON, AND MY TEMP NEEDLE STAYED BETWEEN COLD/HOT AS IF THE CAR WERE RUNNING. I COULD NOT OPEN MY TRUNK. MY TRUNK LIGHT ON TAIL END WAS FLASHING ON AND OFF. OF COURSE TOWED AGAIN AND NOW THEY SAY IT IS THE ALTERNATOR! IT HAS BEEN 6 DAYS AND I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN MY CAR BACK! SAYS IT SHOULD BE IN TOMORROW AND IT IS NO BIGGIE TO PUTTING IT ON. BUT YET WHEN I WAS THERE 5 DAYS AGO HE SAYS CHALLENGERS GO THROUGH ALTERNATORS A LOT THAT'S WHY AUTO ZONE AND DODGE STOCK UP ON THEM, BUT YET I AM HAVING TO WAIT FOR ONE TO COME IN?? BS AS OF TODAY MY CAR HAS 32,200 MILES ON IT! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHALLENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT PRETENSIONER CIRCUIT WAS FAULTY CAUSING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG TO BECOME DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V118000 (AIRBAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,344.