1992 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

NHTSA RECALL 96 V 099 000MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 685 CONCERNING BRAKES::ANTI:SKID SYSTEM: DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE UNTIL CONSUMER AGREED TO REPLACE HYDRAULIC CONTROL LINES. ED TOMKO CHRYSLER, AVON,OH; PHONE# 440/933-3500. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY, IT LOCKS INTO SECOND GEAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

A DEFECTIVE STANDARD SCREW JACK, FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO STRIPPING OF TREADS WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO FALL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK

ENGINE DOESN'T SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR AT THE PROPER TIME. VEHICLE JERKS JUST AS IT'S COMING TO A STOP. IT BUCKS WHEN T ACCELERATING. RECONDITIONED TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. CONSUMER HAS PUT ALOT OF MONEY IN TRANSMISSION THAT MAY BE DEFECTIVE. *AK

WHILE CHILDREN WERE UNLOADING VAN FROM REAR LIFT SPRING GAVE AWAY, CAUSING TRUNK TO HIT CHILDREN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CHRYSLER AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE IN 1998, DUE TO THE FAILURE OF 2ND GEAR. IN 1999, A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OCCURRED WITH ONLY 21,000 RECORDED MILES AFTER REPLACEMENT. BREAKDOWN OCCURRED WHILE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. REPLACED AGAIN WITH ANOTHER REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION SUPPLIED BY A CHRYSLER AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. UPSHIFT/DOWNSHIFTS CONTINUE TO BE HARSH AND JERK AT TIMES, EVEN WITH THE LATEST TRANSMISSION. *AK

HEAD LIGHT LENSES DEGRADING DUE TO WEATHER / UV EXPOSURE. LIGHT TRANSMISSION REDUCED BY AT LEAST 3 DB; PROBABLY 6 DB; POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 10 DB. NIGHT VISIBILITY SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. CHRYSLER CORPORATION WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM; CHRYSLER SAFETY COMPLAINT FILE # 7864868. VEHICLE CURRENTLY IS UNDER RECALL FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT PROBLEM. I CONSIDER LACK OF NIGHT VISIBILITY TO BE MUCH MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM. VEHICLE DOES NOT CURRENTLY MEET MINIMUM MANDATED LIGHTING STANDARDS OWING TO LENS DEGRADATION. SINCE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THESE CARS IS A TWO-PIECE UNIT, CONSISTING OF A LAMP AND A "BUCKET" CONTAINING THE LENS, NORMAL REPLACEMENT OF LAMPS DOES NOT CORRECT PROBLEM, AS WOULD BE THE CASE WITH SEALED BEAM LIGHTS. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS QUITE EXPENSIVE, AND WILL NOT BE REPLACED BY CHRYSLER. THIS MEANS THAT THERE IS A HIGH COST ITEM THAT MUST BE REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE PERIODICALLY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SAFETY. THE PLASTIC LENS ASSEMBLY WILL DEGRADE AGAIN WITHIN THE EXPECTED LIFE OFTHE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, THE FALURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IN THAT IT SNEAKS UP ON ONE... IT TAKES A CONSIDERABLE DEGRADATION OF LIGHT TO BE NOTICED, BECAUSE THE FAILURE IS SO GRADUAL. THIS IS WHY I WAS APROXIMATE IN DATING THE FAILURE ON THE FIRST PART OF THIS FORM... THE FAILURE WAS SO GRADUAL THAT I AM NOT SURE OF THE TIME FRAME, WITHIN 6 MONTHS OR SO, OF WHEN THE LIGHT OUTPUT FELL BELOW MINIMUM LEGAL STANDARDS. I FEEL THAT THE NHTSA SHOULD REQUIRE CHRYSLER TO RETROFIT ALL SIMILAR HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WITH NEW ASSEMBLIES BUILT WITH GLASS LENSES AT CHRYSLER'S EXPENSE. IF THIS IS NOT DONE, IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME (IT MAY HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED) THAT SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED IN A NIGHT TIME ACCIDENT DUE TO FAULTY ILLUMINATION. THANK YOU, JAMES K. THORUSEN. *AK

WHEN ABS LIGHT COMES ON VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, AND BRAKE PEDAL WILL BECOME HARD. ALSO, ON OCCASION BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY, CAUSING REAR ABS BRAKE LIGHT TO STAY ON, AND EFFECTING CRUISE CONTROL RELEASE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. A/C WENT OUT. SMOKE STARTED TO ENTER CABIN AREA. PULLED OVER AND THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS WAS ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINQUISH THE FIRE. IT SEEMS THE WIRE FOR THE HOOD LIGHT, ATTACHED TO THE HOOD HINGE, MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE HOOD, CUTTING INTO THE INSULATION AND SHORTING THE WIRE TO THE FRAME. IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE CAUSED AN OVERLOAD TO THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH STARTED ON FIRE. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLEW OPEN. VAN WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP WHERE THE DOOR HINGES WERE WELDED ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK