NHTSA complaint #11747275

Owner complaint summary

System/Component Malfunction: High-voltage hybrid powertrain system failure. Code P0DAF-00 (Hybrid EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit) is present and locked in the Hybrid Control Processor (HCP). Vehicle is available for inspection. Safety Risk: Operating a vehicle with an unresolved high-voltage hybrid cell balancing defect poses an immediate safety risk. Cell imbalances can cause sudden loss of motive power at highway speeds, propulsion shutdown, or an increased risk of a thermal event in the high-voltage pack. The manufacturer (Stellantis/RAM Care) refuses to provide a written safety determination, yet the dealer instructed me to continue driving a compromised high-voltage system on public roads until the failure worsens. Dealer Confirmation & Inspection: Confirmed and reproduced by authorized dealer (Ron Tonkin RAM) across multiple visits: Feb 25, 2026 (RO 502329): Code P0DAF-00 present. Dealer performed a BPCM software flash, which failed to resolve the underlying fault. June 2026 (RO 504097): Held for 10 days. Technician documented: "Scanned codes and found code P0DAF-00- Hybrid EV Battery Cell Balancing Circuit present but code is stored (not active) and also not stored in PCM, only the HCP." Tech test-drove 97 miles but corporate engineering (STAR) rules prevent parts authorization until the code migrates from HCP to PCM as an active fault. Dealer explicitly instructed me to drive it until it triggers a hard failure. Warning Lamps & Symptoms: First appeared Feb 25, 2026, via a yellow Check Engine Light. The light intermittently cycles on/off as the computer stores the code, but the underlying high-voltage defect is completely un-repaired.