2011 DODGE CHARGER Complaints

RECEIVED A INDICATOR MESSAGES STATING "BATTERY SAVE MODE" WHILE DRIVING. ONCE WE MADE IT TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STRUGGLE A BIT. I DROVE IT HOME. THANK GOD I DID BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP, IT LOST POWER. IT APPEARS FROM RESEARCHING THE SYMPTOMS, THE ALTERNATOR IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO EFFICIENTLY POWER THE VEHICLE. I'M GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE ROAD DRIVING WHEN IT SHUT OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALLAST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V101000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE LIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000. UPDATED 05/10/17*LJ *CN

I NOTICED THERE IS A RECALL ON EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS ON 2011 DODGE CHARGERS, MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MAY 2010 AND NOVEMBER 2011 MY CHARGER R/T MAX WAS MANUFACTURED IN THAT TIME. BUT THIS RECALL IS NOT NOTED TO MY VIN #, I LOOKED INTO IT THE RECALL IS ON EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHARGERS MANUFACTURED IN THE TIME NOTED ABOVE, THAT IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM IN MY VEHICLE MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME TIME FRAME. WHEN I START MY CAR THE LIGHTS TURNS ON, BUT AFTER I BEGIN DRIVING THEY TURN OFF ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

ON FREEWAY WHEN LIGHTS ON DASH ALL STARTED FLASHING. AS PULLING OVER, I LOST POWER STEERING IN MY CAR AND ALL ELECTRONICS. AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN PARK MY CAR SHUT OFF. LOOK UP THE P60 RECALL ON 160AMP ALTENATOR ON CHARGERS. I HAVE THE 180AMP THAT DID THE EXACT SAME THING BUT IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS IT CAN BE A MAJOR HAZARD TO ME OR OTHERS. ALL WITH NOT ONE INDICATION MY ALTENATOR WAS GOING OUT.

TAKATA RECALL ON PASSENGER SIDE AIRBACK HAS BEEN OPEN FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW, VIN LOOKUP SHOWS SINCE MAY 2016. NO PARTS AND NO REMEDY AVAILABLE, HAVE CONTACTED LOCAL DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR. I AM UNABLE TO SAFELY CARRY A PASSENGER IN THIS SEAT WHILE THE DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT REMAINS UNREPAIRED.

P60 / NHTSA 14V-634 IS A RECALL THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE TO VEHICLE DUE TO MY ALTERNATOR HAVING 180 AMPS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE 180 AMP ALTERNATORS AS WELL AS IT FALLS UNDER THE SAME RECALL REASONS OF THE P60 / NHTSA 14V-634. I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD STARTED LIGHTING UP. I FELT A LITTLE UNEASY ABOUT WHY ALL THESE LIGHTS STARTED LIGHTING UP, SO I EXITED. AS I EXITED, THE WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP, AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, THE CAR HAD COMPLETELY DIED. I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I HAD NO DETECTION OF THE ALTERNATOR FAILING AT ALL AND WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND CALLED TRIPLE A FOR A TOW. I WAS RELIEVED WHEN I SAW P60 / NHTSA 14V-634 ONLINE FOR A RECALL OF MY MAKE AND MODEL, BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY HAD ADVISED ME THAT I HAD NO RECALLS FOR ANY ALTERNATORS. THAT IS WHEN I FOUND OUT BY CALLING THE FCA GROUP RECALL ASSISTANCE CENTER THAT MY ALTERNATOR HAS 180 AMPS AND THE RECALL WAS ONLY FOR 160 AMP DODGE CHARGERS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE 180 AMPS. LUCKILY, MY FAMILY WAS NOT IN THE CAR WITH ME WHILE THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING IN THE CAR WOULD BE TERRIFYING FOR THEM. *TR

TAKATA RECALL. MY PASSENGER AIRBAG RATTLES LIKE THERE ARE PARTS LOOSE INSIDE OF IT. CHRYSLER JUST KEEP SAYING THAT THE PARTS AREN'T AVAILABLE AND THAT I MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO MANUFACTURE PARTS AND DISTRIBUTE THEM EVERYWHERE. WITH ALL OF THE RATTLING INSIDE THIS AIRBAG DEVICE I'M FAIRLY SURE IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT MY PASSENGER WON'T SURVIVE. IN REGARDS TO THE ELECTRICAL OFTEN WHEN I TURN MY VEHICLE OFF LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD RADIO AND CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL STAY ON EVEN IF THE DOORS OPEN. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME AND THESE ARE NOT LIGHTS OR FEATURES THAT SHOULD BE ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF SUCH AS THE AIR CONDITIONER LIGHT. THE PROBLEM BEGAN SOMEWHERE AROUND THE END OF 2013 BEGINNING OF 2014 THERE HAVE EVEN BEEN A FEW TIMES WHEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALL OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS INCLUDING THE DASHBOARD GO OUT. I'VE REPORTED IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND SHOWN PHOTOS TO THE DEALER WHEN REPORTING THE PROBLEM, THEY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW HOW TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND OR HAVE TOLD ME THERE IS NO PROBLEM. *TR

3 SEPARATE VEHICLE SHUTDOWNS WHILE ACCELERATING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND TO OVERRIDE CRUISE CONTROL. ESC AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH "ACC/FCW UNAVAILABLE VEHICLE SYSTEM ERROR" IN THE EVIC AT 30MPH. SECONDS LATER ALL WARNING LIGHTS SHUT OFF, THE TURNED BACK ON A FEW SECONDS LATER AND REPEATED CONSTANTLY. POWER STEERING WAS 100% LOST WHILE TURNING, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GO INTO A DITCH. AT ABOUT 25MPH, AGAIN AT 35MPH, AND AGAIN AT 40MPH, MY CAR HAD BRIEFLY APPLIED THE EBRAKE BY ITSELF, EVEN THOUGH THE EBRAKE WAS FULLY DISENGAGED, AND A CLICKING SOUND COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE SHIFTER. THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO, THEN WARNING LIGHTS TURN OFF AGAIN AND SPEEDOMETER GOES BACK TO NORMAL FUNCTION. BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY STIFF, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. WHEN I CAME TO A FULL STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, THE EBRAKE PREVENTED ME FROM ACCELERATING, THEN I WAS ABLE TO ACCELERATE AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER THE INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON, SPEEDOMETER STAYED AT 0, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYED ON. DINGING CONSTANTLY, AS CARS NORMALLY DO WHEN YOU FIRST START THEM ( ABOUT 1 DING A SECOND). RADIO AND MOST INTERIOR LIGHTING SHUT OFF, HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF, THEN CAME BACK ON AND STARTED FLICKERING, ACCOMPANIED BY A "BATTERY SAVER MODE" MESSAGE ON THE EVIC. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED MOVING, BUT VERY SLOWLY. ENGINE SOUNDED WINDY, LIKE A SIREN FROM A FIRE TRUCK AND ENGINE WAS NOTICEABLY LESS POWERFUL. BURNING SMELL FROM ENGINE. ONCE STOPPED, CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND ALMOST NO POWER TO ANY AREA OF THE CAR. REPLACED BATTERY, WHICH FIXED NOTHING. WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN, SO WE PULLED THE BATTERY AND PUT IT ON A CHARGER TO SEE IF IT WAS CHARGED, AND PUT IT BACK IN THE CAR. THE BATTERY WAS CONNECTED ABOUT 45 SECONDS, WITH THE ENGINE OFF BUT THE CAR IN ACC MODE, AND ALTERNATOR STARTED SMOKING. 20 CEL CODES. *TR

BATTERY SAVE MODE MESSAGE, CAR MESSAGE CAME UP, LOST POWER TO RADIO, AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. HAD THE ALTERNATOR TESTED AND IT CAME BACK OK AND REPLACED BATTERY. IT WORKED FOR A DAY AND GOT THE SAME MESSAGE AND RADIO SHUT OFF AGAIN.

WHEN THE CAR IS FILLED WITH GAS, IT EMITS A STRONG ODOR OF GAS AND LEAKS UNDER THE REAR PASSAGE SIDE OF CAR APPROX. 16 INCHES IN FRONT OF REAR TIRE. AS THE TANK GETS LOWER OF FUEL, THE SMELL IS NOT AS STRONG AND LEAK DISAPPEARS. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED. IF THE CAR IS DRIVEN WITH A FULL FUEL TANK, THERE IS A STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN. THIS SMELL LESSENS AS THE FUEL TANK EMPTIES. I HAVE TAKEN VIDEO OF THE EXTERIOR FUEL LEAK APPROX.17 HOURS AFTER FILL UP THAT SHOW A STEADY FUEL DRIP EVERY 12-15 SECONDS.