1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

WE OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINIVAN. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN 2001. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL 2005 AND THEN WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE STRUT TOWERS WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. HE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THE CHRYSLER PRODUCT. WE WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN OTHERWISE--WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A STRUT TOWER WAS UNTIL HE POINTED IT OUT. IF ONE OR BOTH OF THE THE STRUT TOWERS WERE TO GIVE WAY AFTER HITTING A POTHOLE (OR JUST FROM CONTINUED RUSTING) THIS COULD CAUSE A SUDDEN CHANGE IN STEERING GEOMETRY, AND OR COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING, AND OR THE TIRE WELL DROPPING ONTO THE TIRE AND ACTING LIKE A BRAKE, AND OR BLOWING OUT COMPLETELY. ANY OF THESE SCENARIOS COULD EASILY CONTRIBUTE TO A SERIOUS, EVEN TRAGIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING ONE OR MORE VEHICLES. IMAGINE IF WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55-65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE THE STRUT WERE TO GIVE WAY. THE CHRYSLER DEALER, DISTRICT MANAGER AND CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ALL REFUSED TO HELP US IN ANY WAY BECAUSE WE JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE IT OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND CHRYSLER IS BEING VERY UNCOOPERATIVE NOT TO MENTION IRRESPONSIBLE BY PUTTING MANY PEOPLES LIVES IN JEOPARDY.

DT: ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AT THE TIME. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO A GARAGE. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. EVERYTHING WORKED FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND THEN IT HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THEN TODAY WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING AGAIN, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. *JB

DT THE STRUTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAVE RUST TOP SERVICE. IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM TOP NEAR THE WINDSHEILD BETWEEN THE 3 O'CLOCK AND 6 O'CLOCK YOU CAN SEE IT STARTING TO RUST. ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE THE RUST AS OF RIGHT NOW IS NOT VISIBLE. AS OF RIGHT NOW HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT HAVE CONTACTED THE BODY SHOP AND THEY HAVE NOTICED THIS MODELS MORE FREQUENTLY. TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO MY AUTO REPAIR MECHANIC YESTERDAY JULY 12, 2005 AND HE SHOWED ME THIS ON MY 96 MODEL AND HAVE THE SAME THING ON 99 MODEL IN AN EARLIER. STAGE.

FACTORY INSTALLED CHROME WHEELS ON MY VAN. PLATING ON BEAD OF WHEEL IS PEELING ALLOWING AIR TO ESCAPE CAUSING A SAFTY HAZARD .

WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER WAS RUSTED AND CRACKED. THE LOCAL SERVICE DEALER CAN REPAIR IT BUT THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. *NM *SC *JB

1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY RIGHT SIDE STEERING TIE ROD FAILED.*MR IT APPEARED THAT THE RUBBER SEAL MAY HAVE CRACKED OPEN AND ALLOWED WATER INTO THE AREA OF THE BALL AND CAUSED CORROSION. *JB

THE SERPENTINE BELT HAS FALLEN OFF THE CAR 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. THE FIRST TIME IT BROKE, I WAS OUT OF TOWN. THE OTHER 2 TIMES IT FELL OFF IN TOWN. ALL 3 TIMES I HAD JUST DRIVEN THROUGH AN UNAVOIDABLE DEEP PUDDLE DURING A HEAVY THUNDERSTROM. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOAST POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL OFF THE ROAD. LUCKILY I WAS ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS EACH TIME, BUT JUST AS EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY - WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. ALSO, EACH TIME I HAD A CAR FULL OF CHILDREN AND TWICE IT WAS AT NIGHT. AFTER THE THIRD TIME (AND THIRD TOW/REPAIR), THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND THE SERVICE BULLETIN FROM CHRYSLER. THE VAN HAD A BRACKET ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT IT REPLACED AGAIN ANYWAY. I THINK THIS PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL, NOT SERVICE BULLETIN.

DT: CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL ON SEATS TO HAVE THEM REDONE. THERE WAS A PROBLEM ABOUT THE HEATED SEATS GETTING HOT. THEY HAD THE SEATS REDONE. WHEN THEY DROVE THE CAR A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MILES THE BACK OF THE VAN/THE TAILLIGHT, AND BACK BUMPER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED.*AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR GENERAL INSPECTION, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE METAL ON TOP OF STRUT WHICH HELD THE STRUT IN PLACE WAS CORRODED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *BF *NM

1999 CHRYSLER MINIVAN DEFECTIVE AIR BAG EQUIPMENT. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** . *MR ONE WEEK PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL ON THE AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL INJURIES. *NM