NHTSA complaint: 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ON 376-E IN PITTSBURGH FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AT ABOUT 50-MPH, I SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR. THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE REPEATEDLY FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 198-250 DEGREES. AT TIMES ENGINE AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS WOULD COME ON, BUT TURN OFF AS TEMPERATURE WENT BELOW 230 DEGREES. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY PULLED OVER IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA NEAR MY HOME WHEN I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF MY HOOD. UPON OPENING THE HOOD, VOLUMES OF SMOKE CAME OUT. AND, THERE APPEARED TO BE A SMALL FIRE INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR. I POURED 3 BOTTLES OF WATER ON THE VERY HOT ALTERNATOR TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. I CALLED AAA FOR A TOW, BUT AFTER 20 MINUTES THE ALTERNATOR STOPPED SMOKING. THERE IS A GOODYEAR REPAIR SHOP A BLOCK AWAY-- THE JEEP STARTED, SO I DROVE IT THERE. AND, CANCELED AAA. THE GOODYEAR CONCURRED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS TOTALLY FRIED, SO I HAD THEM REPLACE IT--($700, WILL PROVIDE RECEIPT IF YOU REQUIRE IT). AFTER REPLACING IT THE JEEP WOULD NOT START. I CALLED AAA AGAIN, AND HAD THEM TOW IT TO MY JEEP DEALERSHIP. TOLD THEM OF THE INCIDENT. NOW THEY ARE SAYING I NEED TO REPLACE THE POWERTRAIN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE--($1,000), THAT SHORTED OUT THE RESULT OF THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE. I NEED MY JEEP FOR WORK, THEY ARE REPLACING THE PTCM ON MONDAY. I'VE SEEN ALTERNATOR RECALLS FOR SOME 2011-2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES AND WRANGLERS. I BELIEVE MY JEEP GC SHOULD BE INCLUDED--#T36 AND #P60.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation