2011 Dodge Charger Steering Problems

Car stalled and was hot and battery light turned on.

NHTSA ID

11533841

Incident

Jul 18, 2023

POWER STEERING PUMP IS MESSED UP, I'VE TAKEN TO THE SHOP AND THEY ARE SAYING IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2011-2014 DODGE CHARGERS. I CHECKED AND SAW THAT MULTIPLE DODGE CHARGERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED HOWEVER IT SEEMS OURS WAS NEVER RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11337593

Incident

Jun 30, 2020

Mileage

114,000 mi

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ILLUMINATED IN DASH, TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF OFTEN WHEN DRIVING AND WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2016 THE CAR HAS BEEN HARD TO STEER. THE CARS STEERING IS STILL HARD TO STEER WHEN MAKING TURNS. IT ACTS AS IF IT IS GOING TO LOCK UP

NHTSA ID

11232974

Incident

Sep 16, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LARRY H MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM PROVO (1825 NORTH UNIVERSITY PARKWAY, PROVO, UTAH 84604, 801-734-9791) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRO HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE ELECTRO HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11174777

Incident

Feb 5, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE WIRING WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ID

11113536

Incident

Jun 23, 2018

SEVERAL TIMES, THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT HAS GONE AWAY. IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED ON RANDOM OCCASIONS, WHEN DOING A LEFT TURN, IT FEELS LIKE THE POWER STEERING IS NO LONGER WORKING, AND THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON LEFT TURNS. FINALLY, I HAVE SOME STRANGE ELECTRICAL ISSUES HAPPENING, SOMETIMES MY LEFT LOW BEAM WILL WORK, OTHER DAYS IT WON'T. NOW THE SOUND TO THE SPEAKERS HAVE STOPPED, AND THEN TODAY, I LEFT TO GO TO WORK, MY CAR WON'T START, ALL I HAVE IS AN ILLUMINATED ETC LIGHT AND NOTHING. I HAVE TRIED GETTING DODGE TO LOOK AT IT REPEATEDLY, IT IS CLEARLY A WIRING ELECTRICAL FAULT, THEY KEEP TELLING ME NOTHING IS UNDER REAL, AND I KEEP PUTTING MONEY AFTER MONEY INTO THE CAR, AND I THINK ITS GOING TO GET ME HURT ONE DAY.

NHTSA ID

11075096

Incident

Feb 26, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

I DRIVE A 2011 DODGE CHARGER RT MY VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LOSS POWER AND WHEN POWER IS LOST I HAVE NO POWER STREERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ADVISED MY VEHICLE HAS A ACTIVE RECALL T-36 IN WHICH THE PROBLEMS I'M HAVE ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RECALL. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AT CLASSIC DODGE IN DENTON TX. THE ONLY THING CLASSIC DODGE HAS DONE IS REPLACE THE BATTERY STATING WE HAD TO START THERE AND ADVISED ME FCA HAS NOT SENT OUT A FIX AND WONT UNTIL FEB 2018. I HAVE REPORTED TO CLASSIC DODGE IN DENTON AS WELL AS MY FCA CASE MANAGER MY VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LOSS POWER AND HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN SEVERAL CRASHES AND FCA HAS FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND HAS STOPPED RETURNING MY PHONE CALLS. ON 12-05-17 I WAS INVOLVED IN A AUTOMOBLE CRASH IN THE CHARGER CAUSED BY THE LOSS IN POWER AND I RAN INTO A TREE CAUSING VEHICLE STRUCTUAL DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

11052954

Incident

Dec 5, 2017

Mileage

93,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10946717

Incident

Jan 18, 2017

Mileage

10 mi

I WAS DRIVING, WITH MY SON IN THE CAR, AND MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. MY WINDOWS, STEERING, BRAKES,AND ETC. STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. BEHIND ME WAS AN LOG TRUCK FULLY LOADED. THANKS GOD THERE WAS JUST ENOUGH SPACE FOR HIM TO SWURVE AROUND MY CAR. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY ACCIDENT. THIS ALL HAPPEN WHILE MY CAR WAS MOVING AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IN A SAFE POSITION BEFORE STOPPING THE CAR. AFTER IT STOPPED, NOTHING WORKED IN THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10862897

Incident

May 3, 2016

Mileage

68,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME FROM WORK WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON THE FREEWAY. ALL THESE LIGHTS CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD FROM TRACTION ABS BATTERY CAME ON. LUCKILY I COULD PULL OVER I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON BUT IT DID IT ANOTHER 3 TIMES BEFORE I GOT HOME VERY UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

10777362

Incident

Sep 25, 2015

Mileage

84,103 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN ABNORMALLY VIBRATED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SPOILER FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED WOBBLING IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ID

10734775

Incident

May 6, 2015

Mileage

69,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V634000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

NHTSA ID

10730319

Incident

Jun 20, 2015

Mileage

34,000 mi

CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER WHILE APPROACHING RED LIGHT A RED LIGHT. FIRST RADIO STOP WORKING, TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, WOULDN'T COME ON. THEN LOST CONTROL AND ALL POWER TO VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10684083

Incident

Feb 16, 2015

Mileage

76,000 mi

MY CHARGER COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I WAS FORCED TO GLIDE TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC. THE DASHBOARD, BRAKES, AND STEERING ALL SHUT OFF AT ONCE. I WAS THEN UNABLE TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND FORCED TO TOW IT OUT OF TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10662187

Incident

Dec 3, 2014

Mileage

37,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE BATTERY SAVER MODE AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,550.

NHTSA ID

10661160

Incident

Oct 28, 2014

Mileage

67,550 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE BATTERY SAVING MODE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

NHTSA ID

10654690

Incident

Nov 12, 2014

Mileage

77,000 mi

WHILE LEAVING WALMART THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A WHINING LOUD NOISE THAT CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AT THE SAME TIME MY CAR MADE A SOUND AND BATTERY SAVER MODE CAME ON. THE LIGHTS FLICKERED ABS & TRACTION LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD. THE RADIO STOPPED PLAYING AND WOULDN'T COME BACK ON. AS I STARTED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY. I WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE THE WHEEL AND THE BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK. I CALLED MY NCO FOR A JUMP BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. THE CAR BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I NOTIFIED CHRYSLER AND IS WAITING FOR A CALL BACK AS IT SEEMS THERE WILL BE A RECALL BUT IT WONT START UNTIL NOV 28. BEING IN THE ARMY I NEED TRANSPORTATION I HOPE CHRYSLER DON'T THINK I AM SUPPOSE TO GO WITHOUT A CAR UNTIL THEY START THE RECALL... THIS IS A DISGRACE, I HAD A CHEVY MAILBU FROM 2007-2012 AND IT NEVER ONCE HAD A RECALL LET ALONE 5, WORKED LIKE A CHARM! OUR NEXT FAMILY CAR WAS GOING TO BE A 2014 CHRYSLER 300 BUT NOW WE WILL BE LOOKING BACK INTO CHEVY!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10650151

Incident

Oct 25, 2014

Mileage

79,982 mi

THIS IS THE THIRD DAY IN A ROW OF GETTING BATTERY SAVER MODE MESSAGE IN IVIC. FIRST DAY IT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX. 50 MPH AND EXPERIENCED POWER LOSS (RADIO SHUTTING OFF, LIGHTS ON DASH ILLUMINATING, LOSS OF STEERING, ETC.) WITHIN 5 MINUTES. PULLED ALTERNATOR (REPLACED BOTH BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR IN MAY AFTER SAME ISSUE) AND SHOP SAID IT TESTED FINE. BATTERY ALSO TESTED FINE. PUT ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY BACK IN AND CAR STARTED UP AND DROVE FOR OVER AN HOUR WITH NO ISSUES. NEXT DAY WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC CAR AGAIN WENT INTO BATTERY SAVER MODE AND I EXPERIENCED SAME POWER LOSS WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. CALLED DEALERSHIP AFTER I PARKED AT WORK AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN RIGHT AWAY. WENT BACK OUTSIDE TO SEE IF CAR WOULD START AND THERE WERE NO ISSUES. CAR RAN FINE AND DROVE FINE FOR OVER AN HOUR STRAIGHT AND THE REST OF THE DAY. THIS MORNING I GOT THE BATTERY SAVER MODE MESSAGE WHILE AT A STOP SIGN! I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND CAR IS STILL FINE SO FAR. I AM AFRAID THAT SOMETHING SERIOUS WILL HAPPEN WHILE I HAVE MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643257

Incident

Oct 6, 2014

Mileage

66,000 mi

DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR IN HEAVY MORNING TRAFFIC AND IVIC MESSAGE CAME ON STATING CAR WAS IN BATTERY SAVER MODE. SECOND TIME IN 4 MONTHS THIS HAS HAPPENED (GOT ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY TESTED AND REPLACED THE FIRST TIME) SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND TO HEAD BACK HOME. BY THE TIME I GOT NEAR MY NEIGHBORHOOD ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER EVERYTHING WAS SHUTTING OFF AND I COULD ONLY GO 25 MPH WITH NO POWER STEERING. ABOUT A MINUTE OR SO BEFORE THE IVIC MESSAGE I NOTICED A SLIGHT WHINING COMING FROM MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IF I JUMP THE BATTERY, CAR STARTS BUT STILL IN BATTERY SAVER MODE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641605

Incident

Oct 6, 2014

Mileage

62,000 mi

DRIVING HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH, THE MESSAGE SCREEN INDICATED "BATTERY SAVER MODE". AT THIS TIME, THE RADIO SHUT ITSELF OFF, THE AIR CONDITIONING SWITCHED TO FULL-BLAST HEAT, THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, ALL LIGHTS SHUT OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON FOR A FEW SWIPES AND THEN STOPPED, AND THE THROTTLE RESPONSE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD ONLY ALLOW ME TO REACH AROUND 30MPH (ON A 50MPH HIGHWAY). I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT DIED BEFORE I COULD PARK IT. I HAD TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND PUSH IT INTO A PARKING SPACE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641366

Incident

Aug 20, 2014

Mileage

70,049 mi

I WAS PULLING INTO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA THAT I LIVE IN AT APPROXIMATELY 17 MPH AND MY STEREO SHUT OFF, AND I NOTICED ON THE DASHBOARD A WARNING MESSAGE THAT READ "POWER SAVING MODE" THEN THE ABS LIGHT AND THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH THE LIGHTNING BOLT CAME ON, THEN THE AIR SHUT OFF AND IT FELT LIKE THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON, THE DASHBOARD SHOW THE TEMPERATURE BEING 105 AND THERE WAS A WEIRD SMELL THAT CAME THROUGH THE AC VENTS. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND UPON OPENING THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE YOU COULD FEEL THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO JUMP START THE CAR THE CAR WOULD TURN ON BUT THEN WHEN THE JUMPER CABLES WHERE REMOVED THE VEHICLE'S WIPERS BEGAN TO WIPE AND THE SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE BEGAN OCCURRING. I CALLED ONE OF MY FRIENDS THAT IS A DODGE TECHNICIAN AND HE SAID THAT BASED ON THE INFORMATION I TOLD HIM HE WAS 95% SURE THAT IT WAS A BAD ALTERNATOR. THIS IS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER WITH 66,000 MILES. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY TO HELP THOSE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND TO AVOID ANY MORE OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641349

Incident

Oct 3, 2014

Mileage

66,000 mi

I HAVE A 2011 DODGE CHARGER THAT I SAVED UP A LONG TIME TO BUY. LAST WEEK ON 9/3/14 ON MY TO TAKE MY KIDS TO SCHOOL THE AUDIO IN THE CAR WENT OUT. THE TOUCH SCREEN STILL HAD FUNCTIONALITY JUST NO AUDIO, FIGURED A FUSE MAY HAVE BLOWN. CHECK THE FUSES AND EVERYTHING SEEMED OK. LATER ON THE SAME DAY, ON THE WAY TO PICK THE KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL THE RADIO WAS WORKING FINE. I APPROACHED A INTERSECTION AND STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHEN THE RADIO CUT OFF. THE CAR STARTED PUTTERING AND THE INSIDE GAUGES BEGAN FLASHING AND THE WIPERS JUST TURNED ON BY THEMSELVES. NEXT THING I KNOW EVERYTHING IN THE CAR SHUT OFF. THE RADIO,THE ENGINE, THE LIGHTS, EVERYTHING. I COULD NOT GET IT TO GO INTO NEUTRAL TO PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE ROAD BECAUSE NOTHING IN THE CAR WOULD COME ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10631428

Incident

Sep 3, 2014

Mileage

45,670 mi

ON 8/24 I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN MY CAR STARTED CUTTING OUT. THE RADIO WENT OFF, MY ENGINE DIED AND MY STEERING LOCKED. I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN AND WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A FEW CARS BUT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID IT. I STOPPED AND WAS ABLE TO START MY CAR TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TOWED HOME, NEXT DAY I HAD IT TOWED TO MOMENTUM DODGE BECAUSE I LOOKED ONLINE AND HAD 3 RECALLS, DOOR HANDLES, HEADLIGHTS AND I DON'T KNOW THE 3RD ONE. I WAS HOPING IT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT WAS NOT. I THEN HAD MY CAR TOWED TO ANOTHER SHOP WHO VERIFIED MY ALTERNATOR IS OUT. AS OF NOW THE ONLY PLACE I CAN THE FIND THE ALTERNATOR IS, OF COURSE, THE DODGE DEALER WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10629603

Incident

Aug 24, 2014

Mileage

89,999 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE CHARGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNLATCH THE BUCKLE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. IN ADDITION, THE HORN FAILED AND WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A LOUD SCREECHING SOUND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, TIE ROD END, AND WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURES RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ID

10628059

Incident

Jun 12, 2014

Mileage

53,000 mi

WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I BEGAN TO SMELL A PLASTIC MELTING SMELL. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE RADIO SHUT OFF AND I GOT A "BATTERY SAVER MODE" MESSAGE. WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR'S ENGINE QUIT. WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED SO DID ALL POWER TO THE CONTROLS INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKES. WHEN GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I COULD SEE VISIBLE BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. POPPED THE HOOD AND IDENTIFIED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. HAD TOWED TO SHOP AND ALTERNATOR IS SHOT. APPARENTLY THERE IS A 2 TO 3 WEEK BACK ORDER DUE TO HIGH DEMAND RELATED TO FAILED ALTERNATORS. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED OTHERS EASILY WHEN I LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10622385

Incident

Aug 13, 2014

Mileage

63,200 mi