2011 Dodge Charger: won't start

Filed May 13, 2026 · Electrical · NE

Manufacturer failed to provide an adequate remedy for Safety Recall 17V‑435 (T36). On 09/12/2018, the dealer "inspected" the 180-AMP alternator (Part 4801833AB) and cleared it as safe. On 09/25/2019, this exact component suffered a total fatigue failure, causing a "no-start" condition and electrical collapse. Safety Risk: This vehicle is equipped with Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS). The alternator failure poses a risk of sudden loss of power steering assist and engine stall, which are the primary safety hazards identified in 17V‑435. Regulatory Issue: FCA (Stellantis) has denied reimbursement for the repair by incorrectly citing "Basic Warranty Expiration," which is a violation of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety recalls do not expire). Furthermore, FCA claims the part is "not covered," despite the dealer invoice identifying it as the 180-AMP unit central to the T36 recall. I am requesting an ODI review of the adequacy of the "inspection-only" remedy for this VIN.

Filed Oct 3, 2019 · Electrical · 135,025 miles · CA

While I was driving on the highway the car suddenly began to lose power. I was putting on the gas but the car was slowing down so quickly that I had to pull off on the side of the road. Once I turned the engine off it would not start again.

Filed Sep 10, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 58,700 miles · OK

I was driving my vehicle straight down a city street at 36 miles per hour through an intersection light and my car began to shake really hard and the car began to drop speed on its own, I went to press the gas to acelerate and the egine light began to flash and the air conditioner started blowing really hot air and I lost all power to the vehicle.I tried to push the gas to turn off the busy street but I had no power so I had to pretty much coast to the nearest place to get out of traffice. Once I pulled over into a parking lot the car started to have a smell as if something was burning underneath the hood, at that point I put the car in park and pushed the off button, I sat a few minutes then tried to restart the car but it would not start and kept making a noise so I turned the car off got out and got my toddler out of the backseat and called my husband, he arrived about 10 minutes later and tried jump starting the car but it would not start and was making a weird noise when pushing the start button, at this point I figured the car stopped due to the alternator recall that was issued so I called my insurance company and had the vehicle towed to my local dodge dealership where I had a diagnostic done on the vehicle and was told my engine is completely burned up due to lack of oil which is not true becuase I checked the oil dipstick 2 days after it had been sitting at the dodge dealership and there was oil in the car and no oil leaks, I just had an oil change in march of this year (2018) so I believe my engine was burned up completely due to the alternator and a circut shortage cased the car to over heat and burn the engine, I need this to be investgated to see if this is secondary to the recall so that I can see if im responsible for the damages or not because now I need an entire new engine which is over $8,000 in costs.

Filed Feb 26, 2018 · Electrical, Lights · 150,000 miles · OH

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.

Filed May 14, 2017 · Electrical · 30,030 miles · AR · 1 injury

Get in car to go to wal-mart one saturday morning the low battery light comes on and get a message that car was going to battery saving mode. Drove to store got my items got back into car and all electronics just started shutting off then car started to idle and cut out made a u shape in parking lot as was afraid to get on the road for fear of it quitting in the middle of the highway. Turn car off wouldn't start backup you could smell something hot under the hood. The alternator was so hot burnt hand. Had to call tow truck to take to dealership for them to fix. I was lucky this happened in a parking lot and not on a road could have caused a serious accident. The cost of repair was $1, 187.75 plus it took 2 weeks for repair. This could have caused an accident or caught my car on fire.

Filed Feb 25, 2017 · Electrical · 70,000 miles · IL

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.

Filed Oct 20, 2016 · Electrical · 57,000 miles · HI

My vehicle started making a whining noise and I started smelling something burning, the battery saver mode came on and the ABS and I turned the vehicle off and popped the hood and my alternator is fried less than 60,000 miles on the vehicle and it won't start or I can't jump it. I was sitting in a parking lot and my car is still in that parking lot right now

Filed Oct 16, 2016 · Electrical · 69,000 miles · TN

My dodge charger last night would not start. I got it jumped and it started, I left the cables hooked up for a while then unhooked them. After unhooking the cables the car still would run but lights started popping up on the dash, I put the car in drive and the wiper blades came on, radio turned off, battery power saver came on and all the ABS lights check engine light etc came on and the car just cut off. I did a little research and comes to find out that is the alternator and this is a common issue in the 2011 to 2014 dodge chargers.

Filed Nov 2, 2015 · Electrical · 80,000 miles · GA

I have a 2011 charger r/t awd and had the battery saver mode come on yesterday, along with a winding noise and electrical burning odor. After this the car would not start no more and the battery drained. Just got a call from dodge it is my altanator gone bad. They have a recall with this issue for other vehicles but not mines and its the same type altanator.

Filed Jul 29, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 61,929 miles · GA

I owned and purchased my 2011 dodge charger since 5-17-2014. On 7-13-2015, my son was getting ready to leave art institutes of atlanta/decatur, the 2011 charger he was operating would not crank. After the wrecker arrived to get ready and tow, the car cranked and he made it home from decatur, ga to mcdonough, ga. The next day, 7-14-2015, I tried to start the car and it wouldn't crank till I called a wrecker on 7-16-15 to tow the vehicle to landmark dodge in morrow, ga. They called me on 7-20-2015 and informed me my warranty or chrysler would not cover the issue bothering the car (lost engine ground and melted ground wire, left side engine at motor mount). They tested the electric system, starter, starter wiring and relay, and tightened all engine grounds, replaced engine ground left side at motor mount. It was repaired on 7-20-2015. The repair came up to $308.29 (parts and labor). Please investigate this matter on the 2011 charger before it happens to someone else and it really costed me. Updated 9/28/15 *ln. Updated 12/13/2017

Filed Jul 28, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 102,300 miles · AL

First the ABS and ESC lights came on then the message battery saver mode then the radio turned off and the AC stopped blowing cold air then the battery light came on. I turned off the car and tried to start it but it would not start but the windshield wipers did come on for 1 pass and the speedometer and tac also did 1 pass left to right and back slowly. Checked the internet and seen others with same problem cause by the alternator and their is a current recall on the v6 but I have the hemi v8. Had the car towed to the dodge dealer.

Filed Jul 22, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 50,365 miles · NC

On 07/20/2015 at around 1:15 I parked my vehicle in concord mills mall parking lot, went in to return a product. I returned to my car around 1:25, attempted to start my vehicle(push button start) it cycled to the "run" position, but the car didn't start. After about 4 attempts I knew something was wrong because I smelt a "burnt electrical smell". I exited the vehicle and popped my hood, I took a look around at all physical features of the engine to try and locate a visual problem. Nothing was visible to my eye, I then got back into the vehicle and attempted to start the vehicle again, after a few attempts I called to my local dealership to ask a couple questions on what might be going on, after some speculation we came to check my fuses. I then exited the vehicle and took a look at my fuse box located under my hood, I noticed that I had a 30amp 58v "boxed shaped fuse" that had blown. I visited a near by advance auto parts store to purchase a fuse, they did have one so I purchased the fuse and returned to the vehicle to install. Once I returned to the vehicle I disconnected my "+ positive" battery terminal and installed the fuse. Afterwards I reconnected the battery terminal and attempted to start the vehicle again. Once again I got nothing, I also checked the fuse and it had blown again. I then contacted a tow truck and was towed to henedrick dodge on 7/20 around 5:45. They contacted me on 7/21 and I was told that my engine wire harness had melted!! And that it had shorted out my starter. I'm very upset because I feel that this engine harness could have caught fire. My obd didn't make me aware of any type of issue or no check engine light ever came on. My car has been serviced on time to factory standards at only dodge dealerships. No major work has ever been done to my vehicle before also. I'm getting the $1600.00 fix but feel bother that something could catch fire.