1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 4, 2002 FOR CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINI VANS 1996-1998 MODEL YEARS. SITUATION: THE CLOCKSPRING ON ABOUT 1,475,000 OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY LOSE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE STEERING WHEEL MOUNTED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. [NHTSA RECALL NO. 02V293/DAIMLERCHRYSLER RECALL NO. B24] MY 1999 TOWN AND COUNTRY MINI VAN HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THIS POSES A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY VAN IS NOT COVERED. IT IS ONLY LOGICAL THAT OTHER YEAR VANS EVEN NEWER THAN THE RECALL YEARS BE COVERED. MINE WAS BUILT 6 MONTHS AFTER RECALL END. CONSIDERING THE RECALL OF OVER 1.5 MILLION OTHER UNITS. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THE 1999 MODEL YEAR WAS ALSO PUT TOGETHER WRONG ALSO. I HAVE WRITTEN TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER BUT WAS TURNED DOWN BY: ANDREW MILLER SENIOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER HE GAVE ME THE TYPLE CORPORATE REPLY IN TRYING TO GET OFF THE HOOK. IS THERE ANYTING YOU CAN DO?*AK

THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL AND HORN WERE INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE CLOCK SPRING. THE VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *CB *NLM

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH RIMS AND THE WHEELS. STATED THAT THEY ARE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND THE CHROME ON THE WHEELS RIMS IS PEALING OFF AND DAMAGING THE TIRE FROM THE INSIDE BECAUSE OF THE CORROSION OF THE RIMS. MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY NEVER HAD A PROBLEMS LIKE THAT AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT.

SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF MY 80 YR. OLD MOTHER. 1999 TOWN & COUNTRY PURCHASED NEW SEPT. 1999 NOW 40000 MILES. REQUIRED REPAIRS PAST 2 WEEKS. AIRBAG AND HORN $250, SPEEDOMETER $135, CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD COST TO BE DETERMINED. AIRTCONDITIONER $ TO BE DETERMINED EST. TO COST $1100. OUR PHONE CALL TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE (800-426-6451) WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIECE. *AK

CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH A TEARING ON A TIRE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THE RIMS WERE BAD.*AK

CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINED WHEN DRIVING. HORN, CRUISE CONTROL AND RADIO CONTROL ON STEERING WHEEL DO NOT WORK. MECHANIC IDENTIFIED DEFECTIVE CLOCK SPRING ASSY. SAID IT WAS A RECALL ITEM. DEALER SAID RECALL ONLY APPLIED TO 1996-1998 MODEL YEARS, NOT MINE WHICH WAS 1999. SAME CLOCK SPRING ASSY AS RECALL. *NLM

VAN PURCHASED NEW IN 7/99. NOW HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT AND FINAL PAYMENT IS NEXT MONTH. IN DEC. 02, DRIVERS SIDE HEATING ELEMENT WENT OUT. IN FEB. 03, PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT. NOTICED A SMALL BURN HOLE IN SEAT, TOOK IT TO DEALER, THEY WOULD ORDER NEW ELEMENTS, BUT WE'D HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE HOLE. FEB 24, DROPPED SON OFF AT SCHOOL, DRIVING TO WORK, KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING. LOOKED OVER AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOLE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. PULLED OVER, PUT IT OUT WITH SNOW. GOT TO WORK, CALLED THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT DAY!! WHEN LEAVING WORK, SEAT MOTOR KEPT RUNNING. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY, ASKED THEM TO PULL THE FUSE SO THERE WOULD BE NO POWER TO THE SEATS. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO WAY IT DISCONNECT THE SEATS. WHEN HUSBAND GOT HOME, HE REACHED UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT AND PULLED THE FUSE. TOOK IT IN THE NEXT MORNING, SAID THEY WOULD CHECK IT AND ORDER NEW ELEMENT. ONE HOUR LATER THEY CALLED AND SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER NEW SEATS FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THAT WAS 2/25/03. TODAY IS 6/19/03, STILL NOT FIXED. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BUT NOT THE DRIVERS SIDE. IT IS STILL AT FACTORY. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF CALLING, THEY HAVE SAID THE FACTORY SHIPPED IT OUT 6/17 AND SHOULD BE HERE IN ABOUT 2 WEEKS. I REFUSE TO LET THEM PUT THE PASSENGER SIDE IN WITHOUT THE DRIVERS SIDE BEING FIXED BECAUSE I AM AFRAID IT WILL CATCH FIRE ALSO. CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE IS NO HELP WHAT SO EVER. THEY REFUSE TO GIVE ME THE DISTRICT REPS NUMBER. THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE DEALER IS NO HELP, THEY JUST KEEP SAYING IT IS ORDERED. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE PARTS MANAGER, WE'D PROBABLY NEVER GET THE SEAT AT ALL. FROM THE LOOKS OF THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, THESE SEATS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN AND DEFINITELY WILL NOT BE PURCHASING ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT. THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR 5 STAR RATING. *NLM

MY 1999 TOWN AND COUNTRY AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, HORN, AND CRUISE CONTROL HAVE STOPPED WORKING. DEALER CLAIMS IT'S A DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY AND THEY ARE BEING RECALLED IN THE 1996-98 YEAR MODELS, BUT NOT 1999. MY COST - $180. I BELIEVE 1999 YEAR MODELS SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL. I SEE FROM YOUR WEBSITE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON IN THE 1999 YEAR CATEGORY THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM (OR SHOULD I SAY THE PRIVILAGE OF PAYING FOR IT). *AK

ALL OF A SUDDEN 3 OF 4 TIRES WERE NOT HOLDING AIR. SLOWLY DEFLATING REQUIRING AT LEAST WEEKLY INFLATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO TIRE SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ALUMINUM/CHROME WHEELS WHICH CAME ON THE VEHICLE WERE DETERIORATING, MAKING AN AIR-TIGHT SEAL IMPOSSIBLE. WILL THIS CONDITION ULTIMATELY AFFECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE WHEEL? CONTACTED DAIMLER/CHRYSLER AND THEY RESPONDED "...,YOUR REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER MUST BE DECLINED," AS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY PERIOD.*JB

MY 1995 DODGE CARAVAN AND MY 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN&COUNTRY BOTH HAVE GEN 3 DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS IN THEM. THEY NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. *NLM