1997 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A DELAYED STOPPING DISTANCE WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO FRONT BRAKE ROTORS, BEING RUSTED/CORRODED AND PITTED. *SLC

MAKE: CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VIN:[XXX] ALL-WHEEL ALL THE TIME DRIVE VEHICLE. WELL MAINTAINED BY THE OWNER AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS HAVE ARISEN. IT WAS TAKEN OFF THE ROAD LAST FRIDAY,DECEMBER 15, 2000. SYMPTOMS: SOMEWHAT OF A CRUNCHING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW SPEED. SOME THUMPING HEARD - PROGRESSIVELY FASTER UNTIL VEHICLE WAS UP TO ROAD SPEED.REPAIR HISTORY: DEALER MAINTAINED VEHICLE. DEALER HAD REPAIRED IT BEFORE AND IN FACT HAD REPLACED BOLTS ON THE TRANSFER CASE YET NEVER MADE ANY STATEMENT ABOUT ANY DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION.DEALER & VISUAL OBSERVATION REVEAL:THE DEALER REP TOLD ME THAT IT MUST BE FROM ABUSE. WE SAW THE FRONT FRAME STRUTS - IN PERFECT SHAPE - AND THE DAMAGE IS ALL UP ABOVE IT. THE TRANSFER MECHANISM APPEARS TO BE EATING THE CASE FROM THE INSIDE. THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS WHIPPING AGAINST THE BODY STRUT AND ACTUALLY "CARVING" THROUGH IT JUST BY THE ROTATIONS. TRANSFER CASE, WHICH IS METAL, HAD SHATTERED FROM BOLT TO BOLT ON ALL VISIBLE SIDES.THE FRONT OF THE CASE WAS SHEARED TO THE DEGREE THAT IT WAS HANGING THERE NOT DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING - THE BACK OF THE HOUSING WOULD SHIFT TO ABOUT A 30 30 DEGREE CANT TO THE REAR IF THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS PHYSICALLY LIFTED BY HAND (HENCE THE WHIPPING "LIKE A JUMP ROPE") AND WOULD TOUCH THE UPPER BODY PARTS.THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ABUSE OF ANY SORT OR ANY REASON TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN DURING NORMAL WEAR. THIS SURELY COULD HAVE CAUSED A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT.THE ENTIRE TRANS-AXLE HOUSING WAS SHATTERED ON ALL VISIBLE SIDES AND THE BOLTS HAD SHEARED ALLOWING THE DRIVE TRAIN TO BOUNCE AGAINST THE CHASSIS HOUSING. TWO BOLTS WERE FOUND ON THE FRONT CROSS-STRUTS, MOST BOLTS WERE MISSING SEVERAL IN A BACKED-OUT POSITION. LEFT TIE ROD WS VERY LOOSE. THE FLOOR MANAGER LOOKED AT AND SAID THAT THIS SORT OF THING SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AND AGAIN AGREED THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY SOME INTERNAL PROBLEM IN THE DRIVE THAT WAS CAUSING THE HOUSING TO DISINTEGRATE. HELP!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS WHEN MAKING A ANY TYPES OF TURNS WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AROUND 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND SHAFT BROKE TO TRANSMISSION. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

FIRE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURNING THE FUEL RAIL. THERE IS RECALL 00V268000 FOR A FUEL RAIL LEAK ON THIS VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED BUT NOT DESTROYED. *YH

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ONE BELT SYSTEM AND IT SLIPPED OFF WITH NO REASON. STEERING BECAME HARD AND VEHICLE ALMOST CRASHED INTO OTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE.*AK

COMPLAINED LOUND HISSING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL- DEALER SAID IT IS NOMAL EVENTHOUGH, THEY ADMITED THAT THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THAT PROBLEM BUT THEY DID NOT OFFER US TO REPAIR TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SECOND PROBLEM: WHEN SHIFT GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE IT MAKE A BUZZZZZZ..TIC SOUND. I BROWSE THE WEB AND QUITE A FEW OWNERS ALSO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MY MINI VAN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE WARRANTY ON MY MINI VAN.

WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES, THE POWER STEERING FAILS. IT IS A MAJOR CONCERN AS WE WERE NEARLY INVOLVED IN A WRECK DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING.

FUEL INJECTOR O-RING HAVE FAILED,CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN FIRE HAZARD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE TO DRIVE POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILS, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION GEAR ASSEMBLEY. *YH