2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

CONTINUED STEERING RACK FAILURE ON 2004 TOWN AND COUNTRY. REFUSAL BY CHRYSLER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFICIENCY AND FAILURE OF THIS DESIGN. MAY PARENTS BOUGHT THE SAME VEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME AND THEY ARE ON THEIR 3RD STEERING RACK. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR WAS CLOSED AND WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN THE DOOR CAUGHT FIRE AND STARTED BLOWING SPARKS ON TO MY 2 YEAR OLD STRAPPED IN A CAR SEAT. BY THE TIME I STOPPED THE VEHICLE, GOT OUT, AND TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD TO RUN TO THE OTHER SIDE AND OPEN THE OTHER SLIDING DOOR. I THEN, HAD TO REACH ACROSS MY OTHER DAUGHTER TO UNBUCKLE MY BABY GIRL. IT WAS TAKEN APART AND REVEALED THAT THE ELECTRIC DOOR LATCHING SYSTEM CAUGHT FIRE AND FROZE THE DOOR SHUT. THIS WAS REVEALED TO CHRYSLER AND THEY DENIED THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. *TR

BUMPING SOUND COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT WHEEL AREA WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN ROADS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM THE WEAR AND TEAR OF THE SUSPENSION. THE DEFECT WAS REPLACED WITH A FRONT SUSPENSION BUSHING SWAY ELIMINATOR MODULE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN

I HAVE A VAN CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2007, I CRASHED IT INTO ANOTHER CAR, MY MOTHER WAS A FRONT PASSENGER AND MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ON THE BACK SEAT IN HER CAR SEAT. AFTER THE CRASH, I MADE SURE EVERYONE WAS OK, WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT ON THE SEAT, SHE WAS ON THE FLOOR OF THE VAN WITH HER CAR SEAT ON TOP OF HER, MEANING THAT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK, IT GOT LOOSE. THANKS GOD SHE WAS FINE, JUST VERY SCARED. ON THE OTHER HAND, MY MOTHER LOOKED OK, JUST A BIG BUMP ON THE BACK OF HER HEAD, SHE SAID, BUT WHEN SHE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, HER KNEES WERE ALL BRUISED AND SOAR. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY, WE REALIZED THAT HER SEATBELT WAS BROKEN. THE RELEASE RED BOTTOM WAS FOUND ON THE FLOOR, THEREFORE WE ALSO REALIZED THAT WITH THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH AND THE SEAT BELT BROKEN, SHE WENT FURTHER THAN SHE SHOULD HAVE AND BUMPED HER KNEES WITH THE DASH BOARD. THE VAN IS BEING COMPLETELY REPAIRED AND I HAVE THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELTS. *JB

MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY IS HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS. THE DEALER PUT A NEW RACK AND PINION IN IT JULY 5, 2007. WE BOUGHT IT ON JULY 6, 2007. IT HAD 42,729 MILES ON IT. BY JULY 30, 2007 TWO BOLTS FELL OUT OF SAID UNIT, AND THE OTHER BOLT WAS HALFWAY OUT ALSO. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MISSING ONES WITH USED BOLTS FROM ANOTHER VAN, AND DID AN ALIGNMENT. I PICKED IT UP LATE EVENING ON JULY 31, 2007. BY MID-DAY AUGUST 3, 2007 THE BOLTS WERE SO LOOSE THAT MY MECHANIC COULD SPIN THEM WITH HIS FINGERS. HE TIGHTENED THEM, AND IT TOOK TWO FULL TURNS WITH A TORQUE WRENCH. NOW IT'S AUGUST 6, 2007 AND MY STEERING IS LOOSE AGAIN. NOBODY CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE BOLTS KEEP COMING LOOSE. *TR

THE 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ESPECIALLY IN IDLE. THE ODOMETER READING WAS 37,500, THE VEHICLE WAS 3.5 YEARS. OLD, AND IT HAS A 3.8 LITER ENGINE. A CHRYSLER DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND DETERMINED THAT NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES WERE NEEDED. ALSO, SOME COMPUTER CODES MAY NEED TO BE RESET. COST WOULD BE $350. I BOUGHT THE PARTS AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF. I REPLACED MANY SPARK PLUGS IN THE OLD DAYS AND THESE WERE THE WORST LOOKING PLUGS I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE TIPS OF THE ELECTRODES WERE SEVERELY ROUNDED OFF ON ALL 6 PLUGS. I OWNED CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH MINIVANS SINCE 1984 AND ONLY REMEMBER REPLACING SPARK PLUGS ONCE, AND PROBABLY @ A HIGH MILEAGE. CHAMPION WARRANTS THEIR PLATINUM PLUGS FOR 5 YEARS. CHRYSLER'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE SAYS TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES @ "100,000 MILES". SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THIS ENGINE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THERE ARE FOUR RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE'S YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL #'S 03E045000 (EQUIPMENT), 03E053000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), 04V386000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS), AND 06E022000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). NO FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 74,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS INAPPLICABLE.

THE FRONT BUSHINGS ON MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY KEEP FAILING. I HAD THEM REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THAT TIME, THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT AN IMPROVED BUSHING WOULD BE USED. SINCE, IT IS AGAIN HAVING PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AGAIN. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE THAT THIS PART NEEDS CONTINUED REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. IS THERE A DANGER INVOLVED? DO I HAVE TO REPLACE IT? WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T REPLACE IT? THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, OR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE VEHICLE'S DOORS, INCLUDING THE REAR HATCH, ARE AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING. THE SIDE DOORS CLOSED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE CONTACT IS UNABLE TO STOP THEM WHEN SOMEONE IS ENTERING THE VEHICLE. ON FIVE ATTEMPTS, THE DEALER UNSUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. ONE MONTH AGO, AFTER ENGAGING THE KEYLESS RELEASE TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH, IT HESITATED, LOWERED, AND REOPENED TO FULL CAPACITY. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE REAR HATCH WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE DEALER NOTIFIED A TECHNICIAN WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CLOSE THE DOOR MANUALLY. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE PASSENGER HAD TO REMOVE THE ARM TO CLOSE THE HATCH. DURING A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT TO REPLACE THE TIRES AND REPAIR THE HATCH, THE DEALER REPLACED THE ARM WITHOUT REPAIRING IT AND STATED THAT IT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. ON MAY 14, 2007, THE HATCH WAS STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF, IT CLOSED. ON MAY 15, 2007, AFTER ENGAGING THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE HATCH, IT FULLY EXTENDED AND CLOSED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE HATCH HIT HER CHILD IN THE HEAD CAUSING A MINOR INJURY. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY DO NOT ISSUE RECALLS AND ADVISED HER TO CALL NHTSA. THE CONTACT WILL SCHEDULE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 54,669 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.