2008 Braun Town & Country Other / unspecified Problems

2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY WALTER P EDITION NEEDED WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED AT 40,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10403740

Incident

Apr 25, 2011

Mileage

40,000 mi

I FOUND THE RIGHT-REAR VALVE STEM BROKEN, WHILE TRYING TO ADD AIR. IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN WEAKENED BY CORROSION. THE SURROUNDING AREA OF THE WHEEL SHOWED NO SIGNS OF CORROSION. THE VALVE STEMS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE ALSO THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SENSOR (TPMS) SENSORS. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THE OTHER VALVE STEMS/SENSORS IN POOR CONDITION. AFTER THE SPARE TIRE WAS INSTALLED, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED THAT THEY REPLACE THE OTHER THREE SENSORS, SINCE FAILURE APPEARS IMMINENT. THE SERVICE WRITER EXPLAINED THAT, WHILE THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE PART, UNTIL IT IS ACTUALLY LEAKING AIR; BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE EXPENSIVE. I FEEL THIS IS SIGNIFICANT, POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE WHEN THE STEM/SENSORS BREAK, THERE IS AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE, TOTAL LOSS OF PRESSURE IN THE AFFECTED TIRE. IF THE STEM/SENSOR BROKE WHILE DRIVING, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL COULD OCCUR. THERE APPEARS TO BE QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM ON CHRYSLER-RELATED INTERNET BLOGS AND FORUMS. ALSO, IT APPEARS CHRYSLER KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM, SINCE NEWER VEHICLES HAVE STEMS/SENSORS CONSTRUCTED OF A MORE ROBUST MATERIAL.

NHTSA ID

10401928

Incident

May 16, 2011

Mileage

30,100 mi

2008 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVAN. AROUND 17,000 MILES THE VAN STARTED MAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TOOK IT IN AND THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED, THEN LESS THAN 300 MILES LATER IT WAS SCREECHING AND THE BRAKE PADS & ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. I FILED A COMPLAINT THEN ODI ID NUMBER : 10326711. TO THEIR CREDIT, CHRYSLER DID REIMBURSE US. NOW IN JULY 2010, THE BRAKES ARE MAKING NOISES AND WE TAKE IT TO CHRYSLER AND THEY TOLD US IT NEEDS NEW BRAKE PADS AN ROTORS AGAIN, THIS IS LESS THAN 6,000 MILES LATER. HOWEVER THE ROTORS ARE ON BACKORDER AND WILL NOT BE IN UNTIL LATE AUGUST. IT IS NOW OCTOBER 26TH, 3 MONTHS LATER AND WE HAVE JUST BEEN TOLD FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT TIME THAT THE ROTORS ARE STILL ON BACKORDER AND THEY DO NOT EXPECT THEM UNTIL SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER. OUR CAR NOW SHAKES AND SHIMMIES AND SQUEALS & SCREECHES WHEN WE APPLY THE BRAKES. THIS CANNOT BE GOOD FOR THE VEHICLE AND HAS TO BE AFFECTING THE WHEELS, AXLES, BEARINGS, ETC NOT TO MENTION WHATEVER ELSE ON THE CAR IS GETTING SHAKEN OUT OF PLACE. I FEEL IT IS A ROLLING DEATHTRAP AND SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ALLOWED ON THE HIGHWAY. CHRYSLER HAS ADMITTED THEY HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS AND SENT OUT LETTERS TO ASSIST WITH PAYING FOR NEW BRAKES HOWEVER, MAKING SOMEONE WAIT FOR OVER 3 MONTHS FOR BRAKE PARTS IS CRIMINAL! THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE PARTS SAYS THEY ARE SO SORRY BUT THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE CHRYSLER MINIVANS. WE EVEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN A TOWN ABOUT 60 MILES AWAY AND THEY TOO CONFIRMED THE ROTORS ARE ON BACKORDER. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AND STEP IN AND DO SOMETHING BEFORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362393

Incident

Jul 25, 2010

Mileage

23,000 mi

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY TOURING EDITION MINIVAN, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT MY BRAKES AND THE GRINDING NOISES AND UNUSUAL STOPPING PATTERNS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY A CHRYSLER WARRANTY EXTENSION WAS ISSUED TO COVER REPLACEMENT OF FRONT ROTORS AND PADS. MY VEHICLES FRONT ROTORS AND PADS WERE CHANGED AND A 50.00 DEDUCTIBLE WAS PAID FOR THIS SERVICE. ONE MONTH LATER MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HEAVY VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND A GRINDING EFFECT ON THE BREAK PEDAL. UPON RETURNING TO THE DEALER THEY REPLACED THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS DUE TO WARPING. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL RESURFACE A MONTH LATER. IS THIS VEHICLE SAFE WITH THE CURRENT BREAKING DESIGN AND COMPONENTS. MY QUESTIONS ARE, WHY IS IT WARPING AND WEARING OUT SO QUICKLY AND ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF FAULTY BREAK DESIGN CAUSING INJURY OR ACCIDENTS? I TRULY FEEL MY FAMILY IS LIFE IS AT RISK IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10354502

Incident

Sep 7, 2010

Mileage

19,700 mi

THE BRAKES ARE CONSTANTLY NEEDING TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WEAR. THE PROBLEM BEGINS WITH SQUEAKING AND THEN GRINDING BEGINS. BRAKES ARE BEING REPLACED AS OFTEN AS EVERY 12,000 MILES. REPAIRS INVOLVED NEW BRAKE PADS AND EITHER NEW ROTORS OR REPAIRED ROTORS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE ABOUT 12,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10350288

Incident

Aug 11, 2010

2008 CHRSYLER TOWN AND COUNTRY FRONT BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE AND EAR OUT WITHIN 5,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM AND HAS DESIGNED NEW BRAKE PADS. THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE VEHICLES. THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH BRAKE PADS AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT AND ARE TELLING CUSTOMERS THAT THEY MUST WAIT 4 MONTHS TO GET BRAKE PADS. THEY SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE SIMPLY DRIVE WITH METAL ON METAL UNTIL BRAKES ARE AVAILABLE. THIS IS ABSURD AND OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10348685

Incident

Jul 21, 2010

Mileage

33,333 mi

WE PURCHASED A USED 2008 TOWN AND COUNTRY 13000 MILES IN DECEMBER 2008. IN APRIL 2009 AT 16000 MILES IT NEEDED ALL FOUR BRAKE PADS REPLACED. DEALER SAID BRAKES WERE NOT COVERED WITH WARRANTY AND THIS WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IN JUNE 2010 AT 32,000 MILES WHEN WE TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED ALL FOUR BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON MARCH 14 2009 WE REPORTED THE CD PLAYER WOULD NOT EJECT CD'S, BUT NO WORK WAS PERFORMED. ON APRIL 8 2009 WE AGAIN REPORTED RADIO/CD PLAYER WOULD NOT EJECT CDS. DEALER REPLACED THE RADIO. ON JULY 6 2009 WE REPORTED SOUND QUALITY PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO. IT WAS REPLACED AND ON JULY 30TH WE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS ONLY NOW THE RADIO WOULD JUST SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE RADIO WAS AGAIN REPLACED. ON DECEMBER 26 WE REPORTED THE AUX. POWER OUTLET WAS INOPERABLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE ALSO REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS EXHIBITING A LOUD HUMMING NOISE WHEN WE APPROACHED SPEEDS OF 40 MPH. TECHNICIAN TOLD US IT WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM AND THAT WAS RESET. WITHIN ONE DAY THE SOUND WAS BACK. IN JULY 2010 WE WERE TRAVELING TO DENVER COLORADO AND THE AC WOULD CUT OUT WHEN WE APPROACHED 65 MPH. IN ADDITION THE RPM'S WOULD GO AS HIGH AS 4000-5000 AT 60 MPH. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED INTO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THE SAID THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE VALVE BODY AND HUB BEARINGS WERE CAUSING THE NOISE AND PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10343201

Incident

Jul 12, 2010

Mileage

34,500 mi

I HAVE A CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 2008 MINIVAN. I HAVE HAD BRAKE AND ROTOR PROBLEMS BEGINNING AFTER ONE YEAR. I HAD FRONT BRAKES PADS REPLACED AND ROTORS RESURFACED AT 11,300 MILES. I DID NOT TRUST CHRYSLER TO DO IT. AT 20,740 MILES, I HAD TO DO REPLACE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS AGAIN. AT 22,000 MILES, THE CAR SHOOK LIKE A CARNIVAL RIDE WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES. REAR ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THEY WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE CALIPER SLIDES. ON THE REAR RIGHT, THE SLIDE PIN BOLT WAS DAMAGED. WITHIN FOUR MONTHS, AT 24,700 MILES, THE REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED AGAIN. AT 24,947, THE AC HOSE WAS RUPTURED. FIVE WEEKS LATER, AT 26, 869 MILES, I HAD ALL BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AGAIN. THIS TIME WE PUT IN CERAMIC BRAKE PADS AND BETTER QUALITY ROTORS. THE SERVICE MAN NOTIFIED ME THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR WAS VERY OVERHEATED WITH BLUE SCORCH MARKS. HE SAID A POSSIBLE FIRE COULD HAVE HAPPENED DUE TO BRAKE CALIPER OR COLLAPSED BRAKE HOSE ISSUE. WE HATE THIS VAN. IT IS TWO YEARS OLD AND HAS COST US A FORTUNE. CHRYSLER SHOULD REIMBURSE US FOR ALL THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336246

Incident

May 19, 2010

I DID NOT DRIVE MY 2008 TOWN & COUNTRY VAN FOR 2 MONTHS AS A RESULT OF MY FOOT SURGERY, 2/17/10 TO 4/19/10. ON THE MORNING OF 4/19/10, AS I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE MY VEHICLE OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. I FURTHER DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE APPEARED TO "BREAK FREE" AND MOVE. IT SEEMED AS IF THE WHEELS WERE FROZEN. AS I DROVE TO WORK, I NOTICED THAT WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE BRAKING WAS UNEVEN AND THE BRAKES WERE "CHATTERING." THE VAN ALSO TOOK LONGER TO STOP. WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I CALLED MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VAN HAS 22,500 MILES ON IT. I THEN TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE FREEZING OF MY WHEELS THAT MORNING WAS ACTUALLY THE REAR PADS RUSTING TO THE ROTORS. I SAW THE MARK ON THE ROTORS WHERE THEY HAD RUSTED. IT THEN MADE THE REAR ROTORS UNEVEN CAUSING THE CHATTER. THEY THEN SHOWED ME THAT THE FRONT PADS WERE VERY LOW. THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE REAR ROTORS AND PADS BE CHANGED ALONG WITH THE FRONT PADS. THE ENTIRE JOB CAME TO $650. TO ME THIS IS UNSAFE AND NO FAIR. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A CAR WITH LESS THAN 23,000 MILES ON IT. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD TO BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY. I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY THE DEALERSHIP TO DO IT BECAUSE I FEARED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE BRAKES WITH THE SAME MAKE THAT HAD FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326589

Incident

Apr 19, 2010

Mileage

22,502 mi