2006 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY LWB Complaints

THE STEERING BEGAN TO WHINE AND GROAN, PARTICULARLY WHEN COLD AND NOT HAVING BEEN DRIVEN FOR A DAY OR MORE. IT OFTEN CONTINUES TO WHINE, ESPECIALLY WHEN BEING TURNED MORE THAN ONE FULL CIRCLE, BUT SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN SITTING STILL AND STRAIGHT. THE REPAIR SHOP IDENTIFIED LEAKING STEERING RACK BOOTS AND THE FLUID IS A BIT LOW. AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING, BECAUSE REPLACEMENT OF THE BOOTS IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK IS MORE EXPENSIVE. AT THE TIME, WE HAD THE MINIVAN LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND IT HAD JUST OVER 40,000 MILES ON IT, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING IN SPRING 2009. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS RECHARGED, BUT FAILED AGAIN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER, IN EARLY JULY 2009. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE TOLD THE REAR AIR CONDITIONING EVAPORATOR WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE CANNOT GET IT REPLACED BECAUSE THE AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. HOWEVER, IF WE BUY THE SAME PARTS FROM THE DEALER, AT A TOTAL EXTRA COST OF OVER $200, WE CAN GET THE PARTS NOW. I HAVE ALSO TRIED TO CHARGE THE AIR CONDITIONING WITH A KIT FROM A PARTS STORE, BUT AFTER 3 CANS, THE AIR IS NOT AS COLD AS IT SHOULD BE AND THE PRESSURE IS NOT AS HIGH AS IT SHOULD BE. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE MARCH 2006 AND IT HAS ABOUT 43,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

THE REAR EVAPORATOR HAS LEAKED SINCE SEPTEMBER 2008 MAKING THE CAR ONLY 2 YEARS OLD TO HAVE TO HAVE SUCH AN EXPENSIVE FIX. *TR

I OWN A 2006 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY WITH 54,000 MILES. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. SINCE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CODES, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONTAL SENSOR IS CORRODED. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY WHICH HAS A RECALL WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V192000. I HOPE YOU CAN AMEND THE 2005 RECALL TO INCLUDE 2006 MODELS, THAT WAY; THIS CAN BE PAID FOR BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE COST FOR A MECHANIC TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $160 OR PARTS AND LABOR. *TR

WHEN CAR IS IN CRUISE THE BRAKE SOMETIMES REQUIRES EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO BRAKE OR DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL. IT IS AS IF THE BRAKE IS STUCK. *TR

I HAVE A 2006 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY THAT HAS A BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS TOO SMALL FOR THE SIZE OF THE VAN. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF FRONT BRAKES AND MY SECOND SET OF REAR BRAKES. THIS WAS ALL DONE BEFORE 36,000 MILES. I SPOKE WITH SOMEONE WHO USED TO BE A CHRYSLER SERVICE MANAGER AND HE STATED THAT CHRYSLER INSTALLED A BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS TOO SMALL FOR THE VAN WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKES TO WEAR OUT FASTER. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS BECOMING QUITE EXPENSIVE. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS LIKE THIS? I THINK CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE TO ANSWER WHY THEY DID THIS. I ALSO BELIEVE THE REAR CAPTAIN'S SEATS IN THE VAN HAVE TOO STEEP OF A DECLINE ANGLING TOWARDS THE POINT WHERE THE BACK AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT MEET TO PROPERLY INSTALL CHILD RESTRAINT SEATS. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LEVEL OUT THE CAR SEATS FOR MY KIDS. NO OTHER VAN HAS SEATS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THIS. *TR

IT WAS A CLEAR DAY AND THE PAVEMENT WAS DRY. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY HEADING WEST ON DAYTON-YELLOW SPRINGS RD NEAR FAIRBORN OHIO. THE CAR APPEARED TO SPEEDUP ON IT'S OWN, I HIT THE BRAKES AND LET UP TO TRY AND GAIN CONTROL. THE MINI VAN WENT LEFT OF CENTER, SPUN BACK TO THE RIGHT AND FLIP ON IT'S SIDE INTO A DITCH. I HAD BEEN COMPLAINING TO MY HUSBAND THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VAN. HE DROVE IT A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MILEAGE HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON. A COUPLE OF DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, A CO-WORK DROVE THE VAN AND SHE SAID SOMETHING DID NOT FEEL RIGHT WITH IT. SHE HAS DRIVE MY VAN NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST. *TR

CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 2006 AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT THEY UNABLE TO FIX BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE FAILURES AND UNABLE TO GET PARTS. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SEVENTY AS US IT BECOMES A HEALTH PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2006 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY HAD A TERRIBLE WHINING NOISE UPON STARTING IT. WHEN YOU WOULD TURN CORNERS, IT WHINED EVEN LOUDER. IT CONSTANTLY LEAKED POWER STEERING FLUID SO BAD THAT IT WAS ALL OVER THE EXHAUST. I TOOK MY VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED TO FIND OUT THAT THE WHOLE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY THEN ADVISED ME TO TAKE MY VAN HOME AND DRIVE IT TO FLORIDA WHILE WAITING UP TO 6 MONTHS FOR A REPLACEMENT STEERING RACK FROM CHRYSLER. I REFUSED TO DO THIS. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD. POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE EXHAUST OF THE VAN, AND THEY WANTED ME TO TAKE IT ON A 12 HOUR DRIVE TO FLORIDA! I TOLD MY DEALER I WOULD NOT LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS VEHICLE, NOR WOULD I PUT MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN (ALL UNDER AGE 3) IN THIS FIRE TRAP. THEY GAVE ME A LOANER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP CONSUMERS OUT. THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SAID THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. THERE WERE OVER 13000 OF THESE "STEERING RACKS" ON BACK ORDER WITH CHRYSLER. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN POWERING STEERING FLUID GETS ALL OVER THE EXHAUST, CATCHES THE VEHICLE ON FIRE, AND AN ENTIRE FAMILY DIES IN A BURNING VEHICLE. IS THIS WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO GET CHRYSLER TO DO SOMETHING. I WOULD HOPE NOT, BUT IT LOOKS THAT WAY, LUCKILY MY DEALER GAVE ME A LOANER VEHICLE, AND WITHIN ABOUT 5 DAYS, I HAD THE POWER STEERING RACK REPLACED. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY HAZARD. POWER STERRING FLUID IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. IT IS TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. CHRYSLER OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT CARE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE AND HOPEFULLY, QUICK ACTION THAT IS NEEDED. CRYSTAL

POWER STEERING RACK FAILURE AT 38,000 MILES. WHINE ON START-UP. LEAK DISCOVERED WHEN CAR WAS INSPECTED. MECHANIC SAYS IT IS OCCURRING ON LOTS OF THESE VANS AND THE PARTS ARE BACK-ORDERED THE PROBLEM IS SO BAD. *TR