1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH PANEL COMES ON AND STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME NOW. OCASIONALLY, IT GOES OFF. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY IN CASE OF A CRASH. *AK

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR OR SO THE TENSIONER ON THE ENGINE'S SERPENTINE BELT BROKE, CUASING THE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLING, ALTERNATOR, AIR CONDITIONING AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, POWER STEERING. WITH NO POWER THE CAR IS EXTREMELY HARD TO STEER. BOTH TIMES THIS ITEM FAILED I WAS DRIVING; IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE COULD NOT HAVE STEERED THE VEHICLE -- THE EFFORT REQUIRED IS TOO MUCH. BOTH FAILURES WERE AT LOW SPEED; HAD IT BEEN IN TRAFFIC REQUIRING STEERING, THIS MIGHT WELL HAVE LED TO ACCIDENTS. THE TENSIONER BOLT (INTEGRAL WITH THE TENSIONER) BREAKS BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF SHEAR PRESSURE ON IT. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE OF HIGH ENOUGH QUALITY FOR THIS APPLICATION. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A STRONGER BOLT. I AM CONSIDERING WHETHER MY WIFE SHOULD CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR; I CONSIDER IT DANGEROUS. *AK

1. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 62,038 MILES, NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH CHRYSLER FOR WHICH THEY HAVE NOT ASSUMED ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. 2. WIPERS COME ON INEXPLICABLY. PER "LEMON AID" WEB PAGE, THIS PROBLEM IS REPORTED TO BE WIDESPREAD WITH CHRYSLER VANS. 3. POWER DOOR LOCK ON RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS AND WILL NOT OPEN AUTOMATICALLY, EITHER VIA DRIVER CONTROL OR REMOTELY. *AK

CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE INSIDE OF GARAGE, AND WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A GASOLINE SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC SAID THAT FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS PLASTIC, LEAKED FUEL. *AK

WHEN VAN WAS BEING CHECKED BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT START, A MECHANIC FOUND A DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP. OWNER CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOWN & COUNTRY VANS. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK STARTER MOTORS FAILED. *YH

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TWICE REQUIRING TOTAL REPLACEMENT EACH TIME. IT TOOK THE DEALER 3 TRIES TO GET THE LAST REPLACEMENT INSTALLED PROPERLY. WE SOLD THE VAN SINCE WE DON'T FEEL WE CAN DEPEND ON IT. *AK

IN MY OPINION THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED DUE TO IMPROPER STRESS RELIEF. A PICTURE OF THE FAILED CLOCK SPRING CAN BE SEEN AT HTTP://HOME1.GTE.NET/JMOGENS1/CLOCKSPRING/MVC00113.JPG I HAVE OTHER PICTURES AT THAT SITE OF THE DISASSEMBLED CLCOK SPRING. NOTE THE BEND WHERE THE CONDUCTORS BROKE NEAR THE POINT WHERE THE RIBBON CABLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER STRESS RELIEVED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SNAP, AND THEN CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND LOST POWER STEERING. CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER CAR, AND SAW TENSIONER BELT WAS HANGING. SECOND TIME AFTER A CAR WASH, CONSUMER PUT CAR IN REVERSE, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THERE WAS A SNAP, AND CLICKING LOOKED UNDER VEHICLE, AND IT WAS HANGING AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER SAID THEY HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM A LOT WITH THESE VEHICLES. BOTH INCIDENTS, THE TENSIONER BROKE CAUSING THE BELT TO BREAK ALSO. *AK

STARTER AND ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ENGINE OFF. DEALER REPLACED STARTER. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS TO FIRE. THIS MAY HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES TO COSUMER.*AK

WE PURCHASED OUR TOWN AND COUNTRY VAN NEW AND HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH DIFFERENT COMPONMENTS OF THE VAN. THIS PROBLEM WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE. ALTHOUGH THE VAN HAS 111,000+ MILES, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF A PROBLEM ALREADY. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE COST OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT CHRYSLER DEFINITELY HAS A PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING WITH THE TRANSMISSION THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO ADMIT OR MAKE RIGHT WITH CONSUMERS. CORPORATIONS SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, NOT BE ABLE TO SWEEP THEM UNDER THE CARPET. WE ARE AWAITING ESTIMATES FOR THE REPAIR OF OUR VEHICLE. I WILL CONTACT CHRYSLER TOMORROW TO VOICE MY DISSATISFACTION. I HAVE RECEIVED TWO RECALL NOTICES ON THIS VEHICLE--NONE OF WHICH INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*AK