1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS LOOSE. THE BELT WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED ONLY IN WET CONDITIONS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY 1999 TOWN AND COUNTRY HAS HAD BELT AND PULLEY PROBLEMS WHERE WHILE RIDING IN BUSY TRAFFIC RAINY DAYS, THE BELT WILL SLIP COMPLETELY OF THE PULLEY ITS ATTACHED TO,CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY LOSE ALL POWER STEERING ABILITIES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC,PRIOR TO THE BELT COMING OFF THE VEHICLES MAKES THIS LOUD CHIRPING NOISE FOR SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE BELT COMING OFF. I HAVE HAD SO MANY INCIDENTS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM,BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AS THIS ONE IS STILL NICE AND PAID OFF. EVERY MECHANIC I'VE USED IS TELLING ME THAT THIS IS A KNOW FACTORY ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES THEY'VE SEEN WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. AND HAVE SUGGESTED THAT I CHANGE MY VEHICLE FOR SOMETHING WITH LESS AGING PROBLEMS. THIS IS SUCH A PROBLEM. WE CANNOT TRAVEL IN THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS AS WE KNOW THE BELT OR PULLEY WILL DEFINITELY LEAVE US WALKING AGAIN. IF WATER PUDDLES ARE IN THE STREET IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN THROUGH THEM IN ORDER TO KEEP THE BELT ATTACHED AND NOT LOSE POWER STEERING THAT WILL FOR SURE CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON BUSY STREETS. IS THERE ANYTHING MY FAMILY AND I CAN DO TO AVOID BEING KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM? OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE MECHANICALLY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? WE STILL FAVOR THE TOWN & COUNTRY BUT NOT IN FAVOR OF THE KNOWN MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE BELT AND PULLY SITUATIONS. *TR

SERPENTINE BELT JUMPS OFF WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN IN RAINY CONDITIONS, LEAVING DRIVER AND FAMILY STRANDED ANYWHERE! SERPENTINE BELT CONTROLS ALL SORTS OF FUNCTIONS IN CAR INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO STEER THE CAR! *JB

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRONT INTERIOR STRUT TOWER MOUNT; ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *JB

EVERY TIME IT RAINS MY SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHICH CAUSES EXTREMELY HARD STEERING. MECHANICS SAY IT IS A CHRYSLER TENSIONER PROBLEM AND COMMON. I HAVE REPLACED TENSIONERS TWICE IN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND MANY (10=) BELT CHANGES TO PUT BELT BACK ON. FORTUNATELY I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SLOW AT THE TIMES (5-6 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS) THIS HAS OCCURRED. JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS DUE TO THIS RECURRENT PROBLEM. TIME FOR SOMEONE WITH CLOUT TO GET INVOLVED AND MAKE CHRYSLER FIX THIS PROBLEM. *JB

1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED: PROBLEM(S) WORSENING - BECOMING MORE FREQUENT OVER LAST 3 YRS: START VAN, RUNS 5-10 SECS, THEN SHUTS OFF, DISCONNECT BATTERY-WAIT 3 MINS, CRANKED IN BEGINNING, NOW ONLY 50/50: SECURITY SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND SHUT SYSTEM DOWN 24 HRS, DISCONNECT BATTERY BUT NO STARTL 24 HOURS, HAD NEW KEY MADE AT DEALERSHIP USE VIN, PROBLEMS PERSISTS: REAR VENT WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING, CHANGED MOTORS AND SWITCHES, PROBLEM CONTINUES: HEATER IN SEATS RECALLED, DEALER REPLACED; HEATERS ON RECALL BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE BOTTOM COVER(LEATHER)HAS HOLE FROM WHERE HEATER BURNING THROUGH, NOW HEATERS COME ON/OFF AT WILL: GAUGES GO OFF WITH ENGINE RUNNING, BACK ON WHEN THEY GET READY: RADIO AND POWER WINDOWS INTERMITTENT: TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST WHEN EXITING INTERSTATE AFTER TRAVELING IN OD FOR 100 MILES, HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES, NOT CONTINUOUS: ALARM SOUNDS IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT AND WHEN STANDING IN STREET 25FT+ BEHIND THE VAN; MANUFACTURED ON 4/17/98 SO 1999 HAS MOSTLY 1998 PARTS, REAL PROBLEMATIC WHEN PURCHASING PARTS: NOTE: HAVE TWO 1999 T&C LIMITEDS, ONE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS THE OTHER (RED) ONLY PAINT CLEAR COAT PEELING; HAD TO TOW VAN SEVERAL TIMES. NOW HAVING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LOCK SWITCH IN DRIVER'S DOOR REPLACE. NEXT STEP CHANGE BCM: I AM THROWING $1S AT VAN, DEALERSHIPS (MORE THAN ONE) SAY NO IDEA CAUSATION. DEALER HAS REPLACED BATTERY, CABLES, BELT, MAINTENANCE ON TRANSMISSION +). YOUR URL FROM CHAT ROOMS AND FORUMS. MANY OTHERS HAVING SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. NO LUCK WITH THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIPS EITHER. HAVE OWNED MANY CHRYSLER AND DODGE PRODUCTS, THESE MAY BE LAST! THANK YOU. PASTOR STEVE RANDALL *TR

I HAVE A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VAN AND TNBIS IS THE SECOND TIME WITHIN THE LAST 20 MONTHS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CIRCUIT BOARD, PART NUMBER 4874440, HAS FAILED. THIS CIRCUIT BOARD, BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CONTROLS MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS IN THE CAR. WHEN IT FAILS THE GAUGES DON'T WORK, THE WARNING LIGHTS DON'T WORK, THE DOOR LOCKS FAIL, IT AFFECTS THE RADIO, AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WON'T START. THE PROBLEM IS YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL FAIL. THIS IS THE SECOND CIRCUIT BOARD WE HAVE HAD REPLACED. THE TWO SAFETY ISSUES ARE THE FACT THAT THE CAR MAY NOT START. THE SYPTOMS ARE VERY SPORADIC. SOMETIMES ONLY THE GAUGES ARE AFFECTED. OTHER TIMES IT WON'T START BUT MAY START THE NEXT DAY OR NEXT WEEK. I WAS TOLD THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS. WHEN THE GAUGES GO OUT AND THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND AIR BAG LIGHT GOES ON THE CHANCES ARE THEY WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN AN ACCIDENT. CHRYSLER EITHER ENGINEERED THIS CIRCUIT BOARD POORLY, CAUSING THE HIGH FAILURE RATE, OR THEIR SUPPLIER IS SHIPPING DEFECTIVE PARTS. THIS SHOULD BE A FLEET-WIDE RECALL. I CALLED CHRYSLER SUPPORT AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPORT THE PROBLEM. THE CHRYSLER FILE NO. IS 16463834. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. ON MAY 4, 2007, THE VEHICLE'S CONTROL PANEL FAILED FOLLOWED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT RAN FOR A FEW SECONDS, ONLY TO FAIL AGAIN. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 102,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

MULTIPLE TIMES THE BELT HAS SLIPPED OFF... LUCKILY, BOTH DURING LOW SPEED MANEUVERS. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE CAR GETS WET UNDERNEATH AND THIS TIME I WAS GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH. I ALMOST RAN INTO THE SIDE OF THE WASH WHEN I WAS PULLING IN DUE TO THE LACK OF POWER STEERING. I HAVE REPLACED/PUT THE BELT BACK ON AT LEAST 5 OTHER TIMES. THIS IS CRAZY THAT IT KEEPS HAPPENING, AND YOU CAN TELL THE DESIGN IS JUST PLAIN FLAWED. *TR

I STARTED HEARING A CLICKING NOISE ON TURNING STEERING WHEEL ON THE 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. DEALER INSPECTED IT AND STATED THAT CLOCKSPRING MALFUNCTIONED AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER LIFETIME WARRANTY. ON THE DAY OF SCHEDULED REPAIR STATED THAT AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED, SHOULD START BEFORE THEY WILL REPLACE CLOCKSPRING. I AM NOW INTERMITTENTLY HEARING A CHIME SOUND ON TURNING THE WHEEL. I AM WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY OF VEHICLE AND RISK OF INJURIES IN VIEW OF POTENTIAL AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. I THINK THAT CHRYSLER' S APPROACH TO THIS PROBLEM IS PUTTING MINE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE AT RISK. *AK