1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

ACUTE FAILURE OF ENGINE BELT TENSIONER RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKES. ENGINE COOLANT CIRCULATION LOST AS WELL AS THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD DERAILED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO REINSTALL THE BELT AS THE TENSIONER WAS FROZEN IN PLACE.*AK

VAN WOULD NOT START. BATTERY APPEARED WEAK. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE HAD CORRODED THROUGH, ABOUT 6 INCHES DOWN FROM TERMINAL CLAMP. NO OUTSIDE INDICATION OF SERIOUS CABLE CORROSION. CONCERN IS THAT THE VAN GAVE NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM UP UNTIL THE TIME IT WOULD NOT START. IF THE CABLE HAD FAILED WHILE DRIVING WE COULD OF EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, LEADING TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. SERVICE REPAIR DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY ARE REPAIRING SEVERAL OF THESE CABLE PER YEAR, AT LEAST ON THE 1999 MODEL VANS. SERVICE DEPARTEMENT ALSO STATED THAT THE WIRING DESIGN HAD BEEN CHANGED DUE TO THE HIGH COST TO REPLACE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE (QUOTED AS BEING $720) AS IT IS PART OF THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AS WELL AS STARTING SYSTEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIAL DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY CHRYSLER. IN OVER 40 YEARS OF MOTOR VEHICLE ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES I HAVE NEVER HEARD OR SEEN A BATTERY CABLE ITSELF THAT HAS CORRODED. I HAVE SEEN CORROSION ON A CABLE NEXT TO THE OLD STYLE TERMINAL CLAMPS (E.G., MADE OUT OF LEAD) BUT NOT TO THE CABLE ITSELF. IT APPEARS TO BE SOME KIND OF GALVANIC CORROSION AS IT IS ONLY THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL THAT EXHIBITS CORROSION. THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL CLAMP IS MADE OUT OF A DIFFERENT METAL THAN THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE TERMINAL CLAMP.*AK

WHILE IN PARKED POSITION WITH ENGINE RUNNING, BELT TENSIONER BROKE OFF CREATING A LOUD NOISE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. *YH

I HAVE TWO WHEELS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT KEPT GOING FLAT WITH NO APARENT REASON. INVESTIGATION REVEALED IT WAS CORROSION AROUND THE VALVE STEM. THIS WAS ORIGINALY BLAMED ON SALT CORROSION. THIS VEHICLE HASN'T BEEN IN SALT AS I AM A SNOW BIRD AND GO SOUTH FOR THE WINTER. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED SAVERE CORROSION AROUND THE SAFETY AND SEALING BEAD. IN THE INNER SECTION OF THE WHEEL WHERE IT IS ONLY .150 INCH THICK THE CORROSION IS .110 INCH DEEP. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND HAVE REPLACED THE TWO DEFECTIVE WHEELS. ONE OF THE WHEELS WHEN REMOVED CONTAINED ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE WATER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH IT WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF,WHEN IT SLOWS TO 5MPH IT SHIFTS BACK INTO DRIVE BY ITSELF.HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN LAST 2 YEARS COMPUTER SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND I AM TOLD NEVER COULD HAPPEN AS I DESCRIBE IT. NOT POSSIBLE ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER AND THE DEALER. SO FAR LUCKY NO ACCIDENTS. PLEASE HELP. *AK

TENSIONING DEVICE THAT HOLDS SERPENTINE BELT IS DEFECTIVE, IT DOES NOT HOLD BELT IN PLACE, AND THE BELT COMES LOOSE. WHEN BELT COMES LOOSE, VEHICLE WILL LOOSE POWER STEERING AND ABS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE IN. *AK *SLC

THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERE DETERIORATION OF THE ALUMINUM WHEEL PLATING AT THE TIRE BEAD CAUSING CONTINUOUS AIR LEAKS WHICH CAUSE THE TIRES TO SLOWLY DEFLATE, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY A PLATING COMPANY THAT THE WHEELS HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY PREPARED PRIOR TO THE PLATING PROCESS, THE DEALER STATED THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME TYPE OF ELECTROLYSIS OCCURING BETWEEN THE TIRE AND WHEELS. NLM

WHEN CHANGING GEARS CONSUMER DOESN'T HAVE TO PUT ON BRAKES. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC INTERLOCK SYSTEM. *AK

WHEN LOCAL TIRE SERVICE CENTER EXAMINED TIRES FOR AN AIR LEAK ALL OF WHEELS WERE CORRODED ON THE INTERIOR, ALLOWING AIR TO ESCAPE THROUGH THE RIM. NTS. *AK THE FOUR CHROME WHEELS WERE CORRODED AND WERE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE WHEELS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REIMBURSE HIM THE COST OF THE WHEELS. *YH

THERE IS NO SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM IN VEHICLE TO PREVENT CHILD FROM TAKING VEHICLE OUT OF PARK GEAR. .*AK *JB