1992 Chrysler Town And Country Problems

The contact owns a 1992 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in the driveway the brakes failed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake actuator and actuator assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 96V099000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the OEM parts were no longer being manufactured. The failure mileage was unknown.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKES LOST POWER. THE CONTACT APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V099000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SJ DENHAM CHRYSLER JEEP FIAT (530-241-1756, LOCATED AT 772 N MARKET ST, REDDING, CA 96003) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

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

RECALL CAMPAIGN 97V079000 CONCERNING LIFTGATE SUPPORT BRACKET. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS, AND HAD THE WORK DONE. HOWEVER, THE DEFECT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED PROPERLY. VEHICLE WAS BACK TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS . THEY INSTALLED THE SCREWS TO HOLD IT ON, AND THE SCREWS KEPT FALLING OUT.*AK

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

AFTER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PIVOT SHAFT FAILED I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND WAS TOLD A RECALL WAS COMING IN SEPT. 99. I HAD THE WIPERS FIXED AND WAITED FOR A RECALL SLIP THAT NEVER CAME. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AGAIN ON NOV. 16, 1999 AND WAS TOLD MY VAN WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL WAS FOR THE EXACT PARTS THAT FAILED ON MY VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE WE WERE APPROX. 75 MI. FROM HOME DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE VAN. THIS RESULTED IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS VISION WAS REDUCED TO NOTHING. *AK

WHEN TURNING A CORNER A LOUD POPPING OCCURRED, AND LATER NOTICED COULD NOT MAKE RIGHT TURN COMPLETELY. STEERING COMPLETELY WENT, COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT GREAT EFFORT. MECHANIC STATES GEAR BOX COMPLETELY BROKEN AND SEAL IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE STEERING RACK FAILED.

THE MIDDLE BENCH RETRACTING SEATBELT IS COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE,WILL LOCK IN POSITION CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. THE DRIVER SIDE RETRACTING MECHANISM IS WEAK,WILL NOT RETRACT INTO SIDEWALL. *AK

SEAT BELT IN THE MIDDLE REAR BECOMES UNATTACHED BECAUSE OF A FAULTY SPRING CLIP. DEALERS JUST REHOOK SPRING CLIP WHICH DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CLIP THAT HOLDS THE SECOND SEAT BELT DOWN HAS BROKEN, ALSO THE LAST SEAT BELT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE, CAUSING NEITHER SEAT BELT TO WORK WHILE IN USE. *AK

VEHICLE REARENDED WHILE AT STANDSTILL BY VEHICLE TRAVELING 40 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO REAREND OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY; ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS; WARNED BY ATTORNEY NOT TO GIVE INJURY INFORMATION. *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

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

THE SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF OF MY 1992 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY WHENEVER I GO THROUGH A PUDDLE... NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW I GO. WHEN THE BELT COMES OFF EVERYTHING GOES, INCLUDING THE POWERSTEERING-NOT A GOOD THING WHEN ITS RAINING AND THE ROADS ARE ALREADY SLICK. I CALLED MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THOUGH THERE IS A FIX FOR NEWER VEHICLES THEY DON'T MAKE ONE FOR MINE. I'VE TRIED REPLACING THE BELT, THE PULLEYS, THE TENSIONER, AND NOTHING HELPS. *TR

THE MAIN SERPENTINE BELT OF OUR 1992 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY FLIES OFF WHEN YOUR DRIVING WHEN THERE IS A LITTLE WATER OR SNOW ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN THIS HAPPENS--DRIVING BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT (NO POWER STEERING AVAILABLE THEN). IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET IT FIXED. I'VE BEEN STRANDED QUITE A FEW TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH THE SAME KIND OF VAN AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

WHEN FILLLING THE GAS TANK TO THE HALF GAS GAUGE GOES TO EMPTY. THEN IF I GETTING A FULL TANK, IT WILL GO TO HALF, THEN TO A QUARTER, AND THEN TO EMPTY. *AK

ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE. *AW

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

HEADLAMP LENSES ARE TURNING YELLOW, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *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

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

THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *JB

RIGHT REAR WHEEL/AXEL TORE OFF VEHICLE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, LOUD NOISE. *DSH

CONTINUING ABS FAILURE, I HAVE HAD THE ABS REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE ABS SYSTEM KEEPS FAILING. NOW MUSIC CITY DODGE IS TELLING ME THERE IS CONTAMINATION IN THE SYSTEM AND EVERY THING IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $3000.00. I CAN'T SEE HOW THIS IS CORRECT CONSIDERING THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE WORKED ON THE BRAKES.*JB

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

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE SIDEWALL EXPLODED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE TIRE. MICHELIN, MX, 215/65R16985, DOT #BE376FG. *AK

VEHICLE REARENDED WHILE AT STANDSTILL BY VEHICLE TRAVELING 40 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO REAREND OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY; ALSO, DRIVER'S SEAT BACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL BACKWARDS; WARNED BY ATTORNEY NOT TO GIVE INJURY INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60MPH CLUTCH PLATE ON THE A/C COMPRESSOR FROZE UP, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT CONTINUED TO RUB ON THE COMPRESSOR UNTIL IT BURSTED INTO FLAMES *AK.