2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE THE KEY HAS REFUSED TO TURN. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF BANGING ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND PULLING OUT THE KEY AND RE-INSERTING IT FINALLY TURNS. HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. STARTED AROUND 65,000 MILES NOW HAS 73,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE VEHICLE HAS UNIROYAL TIGER PAW TIRES. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON AUGUST 18, 2008. ON AUGUST 21, 2008, WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE TIRES HAD LESS THAN 100 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER ACCUSED THE CONTACT OF RUNNING OVER SOMETHING IN THE ROAD. THE TIRE WAS RIPPED APART ON THE HIGHWAY. THE DOT NUMBER, TIRE SIZE, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 10/07/08. *LJ UPDATED 10/10/08.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL FAILURES WITH THE IGNITION KEY SHAFT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, SHE COULD INSERT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, BUT IT REMAINED LOCKED. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES TO THE POINT THAT IT COULD TAKE UP TO 15 MINUTES TO GET THE KEY TO TURN. THE CONTACT WOULD BANG ON THE KEY AND PULL THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE KEY TO TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE HAS PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/10/8. *JB

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO LIGHT (INTERMITTENTLY) AT APPROX 58,500 MILES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. PROGRESSIVELY BECAME MORE FREQUENT, AND WOULD REMAIN LIT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME / MILES. THE FEW TIMES THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD CEASE, I WAS ABLE TO TRIGGER THE ERROR BY WIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES. SUSPECTED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' CABLE IN STEERING COLUMN, SINCE THE PROBLEM SOUNDED VERY SIMILAR TO RECALL 04V480000 (WHICH COVERS 1998-2000 TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVANS). BECAME CONCERNED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT AIR BAGS WOULD LIKELY NOT DEPLOY IF THE WARNING LIGHT WAS LIT DURING AN ACCIDENT. REQUESTED DEALER INSPECT AND ADVISE. I ALSO POINTED OUT THE EARLIER RECALL ON 1998-2000 MODELS. DEALER INDICATED A $100 DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE WOULD BE BILLED TO ME. I SPOKE TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 21-JULY 2008 WHO INDICATED NO RECALL WAS IN EFFECT FOR 2002 T & C'S, AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. CUSTOMER SERVICE INDICATED I MIGHT GET REIMBURSED IF A RECALL WAS EVER ORDERED. END RESULT: DEALER TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THE 'CLOCK SPRING' WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INDEED FAULTY AND SO I PAID THE DEALER $244.41 TO REPLACE THE 'CLOCK SPRING'. AIR BAG LAMP NOW ONLY LIGHTS DURING THE TEST PHASE / INITIAL START-UP AND QUICKLY GOES OUT (AS IT SHOULD). PLEASE NOTE: IN CONTRAST TO EARLIER REPORTS OF 'CLOCK SPRING' FAILURE / DEFECT, I DID NOT HAVE ANY CONCURRENT PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OR HORN WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. THESE WORKED FINE BEFORE AND AFTER REPAIR. *TR

TRANSMISSION ISSUES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. LAST ISSUE CURRENTLY HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *TR

I BOUGHT A CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD INTO 2ND GEAR. AFTER THE 4TH TIME TO THE DEALER AND TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST FINALLY TOOK THE VAN TO AUTO WEST DODGE. AUTO WEST DODGE SAID THEY HAVE A HISTORY ON THE VEHICLE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND AS OF NOW THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE IT IS A COMPUTER PROBLEM NOT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAY I AM GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR A FIX. THE SHIFTING OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. THE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST HAS REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION, BUT CAN NOT FIX THE COMPUTER AND AUTO WEST DODGE SAID THEY CAN NOT FIX THE COMPUTER AT THIS TIME EITHER. *TR

MY NEW TOWN AND COUNTRY (2002) HAS BEEN RUSTING SINCE DAY ONE. IT WAS FINALLY PAINTED SLIGHTLY UNDER WARRANTY AT 28,000M ON TAILGATE WHERE IT WAS BUBBLING. I CONTINUED TO COMPLAIN BUT IT FELL ON DEAF EARS. THE INSIDE OF THE DOORS WERE PHOTOGRAPHED BUT NOTHING DONE. THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED. IT HAS HOLES IN THE BODY ALL AROUND AND BUBBLING IS SEEN EVERYWHERE. IT SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS PER LOCAL BODY SHOPS AND EVEN DEALER BUT NO ONE WILL DO ANYTHING. I AM FURIOUS. CHRYSLER ONLY THANKED ME FOR MY COMMENTS. HAS 68,000 ON IT NOW AND HAS BEEN CARED FOR. HAS NO RESALE VALUE DUE TO ITS CONDITION AND THE OTHER ISSUES YET PAID A MINT.

THE POWER WINDOW MOTORS ON BOTH FRONT DOORS AND LIFT MECHANISMS WENT BAD WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. RESULTED IN A 500 REPAIR. ONLY A FEW WEEKS LATER THE GENUINE CHRYSLER PARTS WENT BAD ON ONE OF THE WINDOWS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN RESULTING IN FREE REPAIR BUT HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT AGAIN WAS RIDICULOUS. LEMON

MY TOWN AND COUNTRY HAS BEEN A LEMON FROM DAY ONE. IT HAS HAD A NUMBER OF STEERING PROBLEMS( IS NOW UNDRIVABLE AS IT IS LEAKING AND HEAT SHIELD IS DOWN) DEALER CLAIMS NO RECALL. IT HAS BEEN RUSTING SINCE BEFORE 30,000MILES. IT NOW HAS HOLES IN IT AND UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTED OUT. CHRYSLER HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ME. POWER WINDOW MECHANISMS/MOTORS WERE INOPERATIONAL A YEAR AGO-AT THE SAME TIME. IT SHAKES. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. PAID PLENTY. HAS 68,000M.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WILL REMAIN RUNNING FOR A VERY SHORT TIME BEFORE SHUTTING OFF. THE CONTACT HAS TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF THREE TIMES BEFORE IT WILL COMPLETELY STOP WORKING. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WHICH OCCURS ONCE EVERY THREE DAYS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85,000.