2012 DODGE CHARGER Complaints

I HAD HE EXACT SAME ALTERNATOR FAILURE AS DESCRIBED BY THE DODGE CHARGER P60 RECALL. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 60MPH WHEN MY RADIO AND FRONT PANEL FLICKERED, THEN CUT OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE COMING BACK ON. MY TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS STAYED ON. ABOUT A MINUTE LATER, I LOST POWER AND MY CAR COMPLETELY STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE CENTER LANE BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS WAS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE, IT'S A POORLY LIT ROAD AND OF COURSE I HAD NO ELECTRICITY TO TURN ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS. WITH NO WAY TO POP THE TRUNK, I HAD TO CRAWL INTO IT VIA THE BACK SEAT TO GRAB FLARES (LUCKILY I HAD SOME-MOST PEOPLE DON'T). I WAS ALMOST STRUCK BY SEVERAL CARS DURING THIS TIME. ALAS, THE TOW TRUCK CAME AND I WAS TAKEN TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE AVERAGE QUOTE FROM MECHANICS IN THE DC AREA IS ABOUT $800. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $970. THE 180AMP ALTERNATOR SHOULD BE RECALLED JUST AS THE 160AMP ALTERNATOR. ITS DEFECTIVE AND ITS A SAFETY RISK.

APPARENTLY IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH DODGE CHARGERS AND OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE BUT THE 3.5L WILL DEVELOP A "TICKING" NOISE THAT IS CAUSED BY A ROCKER DOWEL PIN SHEARING OFF. A SIMPLE SEARCH ONLINE WILL SHOW NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. FROM THE SHIFTING OF THE SHEARED PIN, THE OILING HOLES BECOME MISALIGNED AND THE ROCKERS STARVE FROM OIL A BIT. (ACCORDING TO ONE DISCUSSION) (HERE ARE A COUPLE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IT: HTTP://WWW.CHARGERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=152670 HTTP://WWW.LXFORUMS.COM/BOARD/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/300445-3-5-LIFTER-ROCKER-TICK-FIX ) IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING OR AT SPEEDS UNDER 15MPH DUE TO OUTSIDE ROAD NOISE BUT IT IS ALWAYS HAPPENING. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND ONLY AFTER IT STARTED GETTING LOUDER DID I REALLY START RESEARCHING THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM. THERE IS NO POINT THAT THE ENGINE DOES NOT MAKE THE NOISE. WHEN IT IS RUNNING, IT HAS A TICK NOISE AND I'M AFRAID ITS GOING TO WEAR OUT THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE OR CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE.

180 AMP ALTERNATOR HAD SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALLED 160 AMP ALTERNATOR (P60 RECALL). ALTERNATOR FAILED, ONLY WARNING WAS A MESSAGE THAT SAID "BATTERY SAVER MODE". DROVE TO A DODGE DEALER AND SERVICE COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT THE MESSAGE MEANT AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 4 DAYS LATER. ALL POWER FAILED THE SAME DAY I TALKED TO DEALER WITHIN 10 MILES AND 15 MINUTES LATER. I HAD JUST PULLED OVER WHILE ON A FREEWAY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS EMITTING A BURNET ELECTRICAL SMELL AND I WAS TURNING AROUND TO RETURN TO THE DEALER WHEN POWER FAILED.

IN MOTION ON BUSY HIGHWAY, HEARD NOISES FROM ENGINE, STEREO SUDDENLY TURNED OFF AND ABS AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND COULD SMELL BURNING ELECTRICAL THEN WENT INTO A STALL. BATTERY SAVER MODE INDICATOR CAME ON. ALTERNATOR IS SHOT. CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOT COVERED (DID A VIN CHECK) UNDER THEIR CURRENT ALTERNATOR RECALL/BATTERY. RECALL NUMBER IS P60. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 2 MONTHS AND IT ONLY HAS 58K MILES ON IT. WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAVE NOT PERFORMED THE REPAIRS YET BUT AM ORDERING A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY TODAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V634000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

I STARTED DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES NOTICED A QUIET "WHIRRING" NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHORTLY AFTER A RED BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT TURNED ON, FOLLOWED BY A "BATTERY SAVER MODE" MESSAGE. I HEADED FOR A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET A NEW BATTERY. WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS STARTED TURNING OFF; SOUND SYSTEM, BLUETOOTH, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. A FEW MINUTES LATER OTHER INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON LIKE MY ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND POWER STEERING. I ARRIVED AT THE STORE AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT. TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND REFUSED TO ENGAGE REVERSE. MORE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. NOTHING I DID COULD GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WAS GREETED WITH A MESSAGE SOMETHING LIKE, "CAR MUST BE IN PARK TO TURN OFF". I ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND FAILED. I ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WENT INSIDE TO EXPLAIN WHY MY CAR WAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT. ONCE I RETURNED TO THE CAR THE LED SCREEN IN THE CONSOLE STARTED FLICKERING WHITE AND BLACK AND I SAW SOME LIGHTS CHANGE ON THE SHIFTER. IT CLAIMED IT WAS IN PARK BUT THE CAR ROLLED AFTER DISENGAGING THE E-BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF BUT NOT ENGAGE PARK. AUTO PART STORE EMPLOYEE TESTED BATTERY AND SUGGESTED THAT BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE DEAD. WE TRIED THEIR JUMP UNIT BUT COULD NOT START THE CAR. EMPLOYEE DROVE HIS TRUCK OVER AND MANAGED TO JUMP START THE CAR. AFTER REMOVING JUMPER CABLES THE ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING AND TURNED OFF IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT MY YEAR MAKE AND MODEL ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT MY ALTERNATOR BECAUSE IT WAS 180AMP (INSTEAD OF THE RECALLED 160AMP). DEALERSHIP MECHANIC CONFIRMED DEAD ALTERNATOR WHICH KILLED BATTERY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEAT WAS ACTIVATED IN THE VEHICLE AND COLD AIR BLEW OUT OF THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED COOLANT AND THERE WAS A SLOW RADIATOR LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY SAVER MODE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER WARNING INDICATORS. ALSO, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

WHILE STATIONARY ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR CAME ON ACCOMPANIED BY SOUND IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PLASTIC MELT SMELL. RESTARTED CAR, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, SOUND AND SMELL PERSISTED. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED ALTERNATOR MELTED. PART ON BACK ORDER, POSSIBLY 10 DAYS TO REPAIR. CAR REPAIR NOT COVERED, NOR RENTAL.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V467000 (AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,700.

TL* THE CONTACT WAS A 2012 DODGE CHARGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 80 MPH, THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COMPUTER CODE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,648.