2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WEBBING ON THE HARNESS CAN LOSEN ALLOWING CHILD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE SEAT. *MC *JB 22-249WAL DOM 1-8-04 COSCO VENTURA

POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN VEHICLE WAS COLD AND TURNING TO THE LEFT. NO EVENTS LED UP TO THE FAILURE, IT JUST DID IT. WE BOUGHT THE 2002 T&C IN MARCH 2007... GOT A GREAT DEAL. BUT THEN, AFTER ONE WEEK, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FAIL. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND EVERY MORNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT BE TURNED, BUT ONLY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS, AND IN DRIVE. TAKING BACK TO DEALER TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AGAIN TODAY. *AK

THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON IN THE 2002 TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED SHORTLY AFTER STARTING IT AND AS WE DROVE INTERMITTENTLY. IT STAYED LIT FOR 5-20 SECONDS EACH TIME. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO ASK THE QUESTION, AND WAS TOLD THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE CLOCK SPRING. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER, ESPECIALLY FOR STEERING WHEELS WITH THE RADIO CONTROLS BUILT IN WHICH MINE HAD. THE PARTS REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE COULD ORDER IT BUT DIDNT KNOW WHEN IT WOULD BE IN. IN ADDITION, I THERE WAS A COST FOR INSTALLATION AS WELL AS THE PART. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT AN AIRBAG MISFIRE OR FAILURE TO FIRE, AND HE SAID THAT THE AIRBAG DEACTIVATED WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON, BUT AS LONG AS THE LIGHT WAS OFF IT SHOULD WORK FINE. ALSO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY RISK OF MISFIRE, BUT HE COULDNT GUARANTEE IT. IS THIS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY SINCE WHILE THE LIGHT WAS ON THE AIRBAG WON'T FIRE? SHOULD I BE CHARGED FOR SUCH A REPAIR IF IT WAS SAFETY RELATED? I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE SINCE I TRAVEL WITH MY FAMILY IN IT.*AK

THE VEHICLE I OWN, A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY, IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM INDUSTRY WIDE. MANY, IF NOT MOST CASES THESE DAYS HAVE PLASTIC COVERS OVER THE HEADLIGHTS. WITHIN A FEW YEARS, DEPENDING ON MILEAGE AND DRIVING CONDITIONS THE COVERS GET SCRATCHED AND MORE IMPORTANTLY CLOUDY AND DISCOLORED. THIS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED THE LIGHT OUTPUT AND CREATED A SAFETY HAZARD AT NIGHT. THIS WOULD NOT BE SO BAD IF THE COVERS COULD BE READILY REPLACED AT NOMINAL COST. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. IN MOST CASES THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED AT VERY HIGH COST. IN MY CASE, THE COST WAS IN EXCESS OF $1000 EACH. THUS, MOST PEOPLE SIMPLY WILL NOT REPLACE THEM. I THINK RULES SHOULD BE IN PLACE TO FORCE THE USE OF A LONGER LASTING MATERIAL, OR TO FORCE THE DESIGN TO ALLOW REPLACEMENT AT REASONABLE COST.*AK

THE VAN WAS PROFESSIONALLY MODIFIED STRAIGHT FROM FACTORY BY INDEPENDENT MOBILITY SYSTEMS, INC (IMS) A COMPANY OUT OF BUSINESS THAT SPECIALIZED IN THESE MODIFICATIONS. I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BACK AROUND EARLY 2006 ABOUT A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED WITH THE VEHICLES REAR SHOCK-ABSORBER LOWER TIE-DOWN BRACKETS. IN MY COMPLAINT I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING INCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH THE LEFT BRACKET BROKE AT THE WELD THAT CONNECTED IT TO THE REAR AXLE, CAUSING THE HIGHLY PRESSURIZED SHOCK-ABSORBER TO EXTEND AND JAMMED AGAINST THE PAVEMENT AND THE AXLE. THIS CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO JUMP AND SHUTTER VIOLENTLY AND MAKING ME STOP RAPIDLY. REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $100.00. ON THIS OCCASION I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP WHEN THE WELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET BROKE OFF. AGAIN I TOWED IT TO A MIDAS AT DIFFERENT LOCATION AND SPENT $45.00 ON THE REPAIR. WELL THIS WAS REPORTED TO BRAUN ENTERPRISES , A COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZED IN THESE MODIFICATIONS THAT HAS TAKEN UP WARRANTY AND PARTS ISSUES FROM IMS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PAST ITS WARRANTY PERIOD THEY WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO COVER THE REPAIRS. THIS RESULTED IN MY FIRST REPORT TO DOT. THE REASON FOR MY REPEATING THIS REPORT WAS THAT IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN TO ONE OF THE SAME BRACKETS. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. IN MY INITIAL REPORT I STATED THAT THE REASON I SUSPECTED THIS HAPPENED WAS DUE TO FAULTY ENGINEERING. SINCE THE BRACKETS WHERE LOCATED LOWER THAN ANY OTHER PARTS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS PROBABLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ROAD OBSTACLES. I FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT ANOTHER CAUSE MIGHT BE DUE TO WHERE THE BRACKETS WERE PLACED AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE MOUNTED THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES OF EVERYDAY DRIVING. REMEMBER THESE MODIFICATIONS WERE DONE ON VEHICLES THAT TRANSPORT PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY EFFECTED CHALLENGES. *AK

ALL TIRE AND WHEEL ROTATIONS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED AT CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE NEW FROM O'BRIEN DEALERSHIP IN PEORIA. TIRES WERE ROTATED BY O'BRIEN CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP IN PEKIN, IL ON 21-FEB-2007. ON MY CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 2002 MINIVAN, ALL FIVE BOLTS ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SHEARED OFF RESULTING IN MY TIRE FALLING OFF THE VEHICLE. ALL FIVE OF THE SHEARED BOLTS REMAINED IN THE VEHICLE WERE THEY WERE BOLTED. THE DAMAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,200 TO THE REAR SUSPENSION AND WHEEL. THE DEALER AND CHRYSLER CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILURES AND DID NOT PERFORM ANY TESTS ON THE BOLTS AFTER REQUESTED BY US. DEALER IS CURRENTLY REPAIRING WITH REPLACEMENT PARTS AND IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE US WITH ALL REPLACED PARTS. *TR

I AM WANTING TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON HEADLIGHT LENS QUALITY/SAFETY. THE LENS I AM REFERRING TO ARE THE COMPOSITE "LEXAN"LENSES USED ON MOST VEHICLES TODAY. AFTER JUST A FEW VERY SHORT YEARS THE COATING PEELS AND THE PLASTIC BREAKS DOWN CAUSING POOR LIGHT TRANSFER AND VERY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS."CHRYSLER"HAS DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE TO REPLACE THE LENSES ON MY 2002 VEHICLE WITH 62,000 MILES STATING THAT IT IS WAY BEYOND ANY WARRANTY PERIOD. I CONSIDER THIS BESIDE THE POINT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MILLIONS WHO RELY ON SAFE LIGHTING TO OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES SAFELY. THE EXTREME COSTS OF THE LENS ASSEMBLIES MAKES SIMPLY REPLACING THEM AN UNACCEPTABLE OPTION. MINE ARE NOT YET HAZED OVER ON MY 2002 BUT THE COATING IS PEELING DUE TO UV BREAKDOWN, MY 1994 IS YELLOWED AND HAZED AND DEFINITELY SUFFERS FROM POOR LIGHT TRANSMISSION. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MOST OTHER MANUFACTURERS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM(I AM AN AUTO TECHNICIAN)WHY DOES THE CONSUMER HAVE TO ALWAYS BEAR THE EXPENSE OF SOMETHING THAT IS SUCH A SAFETY CONCERN JUST BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURE DOES NOT CARE OR WANTS TO SELL CHEAPER GRADE PARTS TO INCREASE PROFIT. I NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH OLD GLASS SEALED BEAMS ON MY OLDER CARS AND THEY WERE JUST A FEW DOLLARS COMPARED TO HUNDREDS FOR COMPOSITES. I FEEL THE GOVT. NEEDS TO REVIEW THIS CONDITION AND MAKE THE MANUFACTURERS STAND BEHIND SUCH AN IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE .I HAVE LITERALLY HAD HUNDRED OF CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN OF THIS PROBLEM OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS OR SO. BUT NOW IT HITS HOMES AND IT AFFECTS ME AND MY FAMILY SO I FIGURED IT WAS TIME TO MAKE WAVES,ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING TOLD BY THE DIST REP THEY WOULDN'T HELP AT ALL .I KNOW THE IMPORTS ALSO SUFFER FROM THIS HAZING PROBLEM BUT I ALSO KNOW THEY ARE WILLING TO ASSIST AS GOODWILL REPAIRS,ETC. I REALLY FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL INVESTIGATION DONE CONCERNING THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, ALL PERSONAL DISSATISFACTION ASIDE. THAT INCLUDES ALL MAKES/MODELS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *JB

1) AT LOW SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY TURNING THERE WAS NOISE AND SHAKING IN THE FRONT OF THE CHRYSLER 2002 TOWN AND COUNTRY. IT WAS IDENTIFIED AT A GARAGE AS A POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE PROBLEM AND IN FACT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS. I THEN TOOK IT TO A CHRYSLER DEALER - DOAN IN ROCHESTER NY - WHO AGREED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, BUT MY VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR REPLACEMENT. I FOUND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE CORRECT PROBLEM DID NOT QUALIFY. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOT THE SAME STORY. THEY SAID THAT THE VIN NUMBERS LISTED WERE DETERMINED BY NHTSA AND THEY - IN SO MANY WORDS - WERE OFF THE HOOK. I DID HAVE IT REPLACED WITH MY OWN MONEY, BUT I AM UPSET ABOUT IT. 2) MY AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED TO GO ON TELLING ME THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE TURNED OFF. THEN THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF FOR A LITTLE AND COME BACK ON FOR NO REASON , SPEED, OR OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. AGAIN I WAS TOLD IT WAS CLOCK SPRINGING IN THE MECHANISM IN THE STEERING COLUMN. I FELT THAT THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM INVOLVING THE LIFE OR DEATH OF MY FAMILY SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR. THE DEALER AGAIN AGREED THAT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM, ENCOURAGED ME TO GET IT FIXED, AND GAVE ME AN INDICATION THAT THIS WAS COMMON AND THAT AGAIN MY VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY RECALL. I HAD IT FIXED, BUT FEEL THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS ON THE POWER STEERING HOSES. ONCE THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING AND MAKING A HUMMING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW POWER STEERING RACK. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE DEALER THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK AT NO CHARGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90000, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97000.*AK THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPLACED

2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY EX. AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY ON SINCE TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE NEW VEHICLE IN 2002. WAS TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. WITHIN 2 DAYS, AIR BAG LIGHT IS BACK ON. SEVERAL TIMES LATER NO SOLUTION. THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO A DOCUMENTED RECALL ON PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS OF THIS VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN OVER 5 YEARS NOW AND NO SOLUTION. I BELIEVE CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THE 2002 YEAR MODEL FOR THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. *JB