2000 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

THE CONSUMER NOTICE AN UNUSUAL SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SEAT WARMER WAS ON AND A JACKET WAS IN THE SEAT. WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE JACKET FROM SEAT SHE SAW BURN HOLES IN THE SEAT AND JACKET. *NM

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT SEAT BELTS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE WHICH SECURED CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *AK WHEN THE DRIVER MADE A SUDDEN STOP THE SEAT BELT, WHICH SECURED THE CHILD SEAT POSITIONED BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT, BECAME UNLATCHED AND AS A RESULT THE SEAT HIT THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE BUCKLES CHECKED AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND BOTH TIMES THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BUCKLES WERE FINE. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT COVER FELL OFF. THE SLIDING DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF. *NM

THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE OWNER PRESUMED THAT THE WIRING IN THE SEAT WAS DEFECTED. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED SEATS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING OVER PUDDLES. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T THINK IT'S DANGEROUS. THE VAN HAS BEEN SERVICED 5 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN TO 50 MPH AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I THEN PRESSED THE BRAKES ALL I COULD TO SLOW DOWN TO 20 MPH, THE ENGINE WAS SMOKING AND I COULD SMELL BURNT RUBBER. I GLIDED HOME.*JB

RECENTLY MY DAUGHTER MOVED FROM A CAR SEAT TO A BOOSTER SEAT. ON THE WAY HOME SHE FELL ASLEEP. WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER, SHE MOVED AROUND LIKE A CRASH TEST DUMMY. WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, SHE FELL FORWARD. I AM VERY CONCERNED, SO I BEGAN CHECKING WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES WHO HAVE CHILDREN MY DAUGHTERS AGE. SOMEONE TOLD ME ABOUT THE EMERGENCY LOCK FEATURE OF THE SEAT BELT. BY PULLING THE SEAT BELT ALL THE WAY OUT AND THEN SLOWLY ALLOWING IT TO RETRACT, THE SEATBELT WILL LOCK IN PLACE KEEPING A CHILD IN A BOOSTER SEAT MORE SECURE. I CHECKED MY CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VAN, NO LOCKING FEATURE. I CHECKED MY CHEVY TAHOE, SEATBELT LOCKED IN PLACE. I CHECK MY COMPANY FORD ECONOLINE VAN, IT ALSO LOCKED. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING I COULD DO. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SEATBELT IS THE WAY IT IS AND THAT IN AN ACCIDENT THE SEATBELT WOULD LOCK. THAT IS GREAT IF SHE IS AWAKE AND SITTING STRAIGHT. WHAT IF SHE IS ASLEEP HAS FALLEN OVER WHILE MAKING A TURN AND IS THEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE SEATBELT AT THAT POINT, WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY DO MORE HARM THAT GOOD. I AM VERY UPSET WITH CHRYSLERS MARKETING OF THERE MINIVANS TO CONSUMERS AND THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED FROM THEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOME CHILD IS INJURED OR KILLED. AS I TOLD CHRYSLER, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PAYING TO FIX THIS, JUST FIX IT. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS? *JB

UPDATE TO THE PROBLEM RELATED TO THE SERPENTINE BELT OF A 2000 TOWN AND COUNTRY.(ODI NUMBER: 770436 12/4/02). A FIFTH (5TH) OCCURENCE OCCURED ON JAN 17, 2004 . STILL WITHOUT RESOLUTION OTHER THAN TOW THE VAN AND PUT BACK THE SERPENTINE BELT. *AK

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON MAY 30 MY BRAKES SUDDENLY FAILED AS I WAS LEAVING ONE STOP LIGHT INTERSECTION AND STOPPING FOR ANOTHER. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY TRAVELING AT ABOUT 10 MPH AND BY PUMPING BRAKES, GEARING DOWN AND STEERING, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. ON INSPECTING MY VEHICLE, UNDER THE DRIVER?S SIDE I FOUND A LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE WHERE THE BRAIDED GAS LINE JOINS WITH THE STEEL GAS LINE. THERE ARE 2 BRAIDED LINES WITH CONNECTIONS AT BOTH ENDS TO 2 STEEL LINES. ALL 4 CONNECTIONS SHOW EXTENSIVE CORROSION AT THE JOINT. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY GALVANIC ACTION BETWEEN 2 DISSIMILAR METALS AT THE JOINT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER NEUWIRTH MOTORS IN WILMINGTON NC AND WILL HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN ON MONDAY. AS OF THIS POINT I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER OR CHRYSLER CONCERNING THE REPAIR. MY CONCERN IS, IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT A REGULAR HIGHWAY SPEED AND HAD TO STOP MY FAMILY AND I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THERE WAS NO PREVIOUS WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IF THE SAME LINES I OBSERVED UNDER MY CAR IS STANDARD, AND I BELIEVE IT IS, THEN CHRYSLER HAS A DEATH TRAP TRAVELING THE HIGHWAY WAITING TO KILL OR INJURE THOUSANDS OF OTHER TOWN AND COUNTRY OWNERS. I HAVE ATTACHED THE 4 PICTURES THAT I TOOK FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE (2000 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY). THE LINE THAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT IS THE BOTTOM LINE SHOWN IN PICTURE 2 AND 3. LUCKILY I HAD JUST LEFT A STOP LIGHT AT ONE INTERSECTION AND STOPPING FOR ANOTHER LIGHT ABOUT 10 CAR LENGTHS UP. MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 10 MPH SO I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND MISS THE CAR AHEAD BY USING MY EMERGENCY BRAKE, GEARS AND STEERING. BASICALLY I WENT FROM FULLY WORKING BRAKES TO NO BRAKES AT ALL. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY SO IT WAS FIXED AND ALL I PAID WAS THE $100 DEDUCTIBLE. I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AND SPOKE WITH A FEMALE REPRESENTATIVE. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE MY COMPLAINED. SHE SAID NO ONLY IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WOULD THEY INVESTIGATE.

NOT KNOWING HOW FAST YOUR DRIVING CAN BE DANGEROUS. I'VE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH MY VAN STARTING WAY BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2001 WITH 13,000 MILES ON IT AND AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME, DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLICKER, THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER AND RPM'S RANDOMLY GO UP AND DOWN AND SOMETIMES DON'T WORK AT ALL. THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SOMETIMES FOR 2 WEEKS AT A TIME. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE COMPUTER, HARNESS (TWICE), IGNITION SWITCH, FUSES, ETC. THEY JUST HAD IT LAST WEEK AND TODAY I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. BASICALLY IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. BY THE WAY, I HAVE BEEN TAKING IT TO A CHRYSLER SHOP IN NANUET, NY. I CALLED THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE 800 NUMBER AND THEY SAID BASICALLY ALL THAT THEY COULD DO IS TO TRY TO HELP THE SERVICE CENTER GET THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO HELP THEM FIX IT. BUT AGAIN, THEY JUST HAD THE CAR LAST WEEK AFTER I CALLED AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL HERE. I HAVE HAD TO RENT CARS AND BORROW CARS TO USE WHILE IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP. I REALLY HASN'T COST ME ALL THAT MUCH MONEY BECAUSE THEY ARE FIXING IT (TRYING TO FIX IT) UNDER WARRANTY. I'VE ONLY HAD RENTAL CAR EXPENSES. THE BIG INCONVENIENCE IS GETTING THE CAR TO THE SHOP, ETC... IT HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING TO SAY THE LEAST.

TRANMISSION COOLER LINE LEAKS IT WAS REPAIRED BY STEVENS OF MILFORD IN FEBRUARY OF 2001 2 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED VECHICLE. THE SECOND TIME WAS NOVEMBER OF 2002 THE DEALER (SCAP MOTORS) SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED AND CHARGED ME $91.20. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY REIMBURSED ME. THE THIRD TIME WAS JANUARY 2003 SAME PROBLEM (WHICH HAS NOW DAMAGED MY NEW DRIVEWAY) SCAP MOTORS SAID THAT THE LINES BECOME LOOSE DUE TO WEATHER AND DRIVING CONDITIONS THEY REPAIRED IT AGAIN. I KNOW OF AT LEAST 5 OTHER OWNERS OF CHRYSLER GRAND VOYAGERS (TOWN AND COUNTRY) AND DODGE GRAND CARAVANS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR VECHICLES. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND GET CHRYSLER TO REPAIR IT SO THAT IT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. TO TELL ME THAT WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS ARE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM IS CRAZY I OWN 3 OTHER CARS AND IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE TRANMISSION LINES ON THOSE. EITHER CHRYSLER USED (USES) DEFECTIVE OR POOR QUALITY HOSES OR IT IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN THAT WAS SENT TO THE DEALERS ON THIS PROBLEM SO I KNOW THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY ARE NOT FIXING IT ONLY REPAIRING TEMPORAIRLY.