Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Chrysler Town And Country submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 124 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 124, in the owner's own words
TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKED, ELECTRICAL CLUSTER WAVING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE AND AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR, NEWLY INSTALLED TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN 5 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION, REPAIR SHOP CLAIMS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IS CAUSE OF TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN. *TR
MY MINIVAN HAS BEEN NOT WANTING TO START, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE . I HAD MY FUEL PUMP AND FILTER REPLACED IN DECEMBER 2014 DUE TO IT NOT STARTING. NOW WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS OR SO IT STARTED TO ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AS I WOULD BE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR. ALL THIS LAST WEEK IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS WITH STARTING AND EVERY TIME I WOULD GET OUT OF THE VAN IT WOULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHINGS BURNING. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO START IT ALL YOU COULD HEAR IS A CLICK, TRY TO START IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND FINALLY GET IT TO START. TODAY IT WOULDN'T START NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED TO START IT. I OPEN THE HOOD AND LOOKED AT THE BATTERY AND ONE TERMINAL LOOKS LIKE IT IS BURNT. *TR
WHEN COASTING THROUGH LEFT HAND TURNS ONLY ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SHUT OFF FOR 1 TO 4 SECONDS CAUSING POWER STEERING NOT TO WORK AND BRAKING REDUCED. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH LEFT TURNS OR COASTING THROUGH RIGHT HAND TURNS. *TR
WHEN OPERATING VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO ON, THEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL TURN ON (WITHOUT ME TURNING THEM ON), THE FAN ON THE HEATER WILL TURN ON(IF IT IS OFF) OR OFF (IF IT IS ON). THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR. MORE RECENTLY IN THE LAST 8 MONTHS OR SO THE HEATER IS ONLY BLOWING WARM/HOT AIR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND COLD AIR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. IT IS THE SAME FOR THE DEFROST. *JB
ON A FEW SEPERATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING MY 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MY DAUGHTERS SEATBELT HAS JUST RELEASED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DURING 3 SUDDEN STOPS THE SEATBELTS HAVE UNLATCHED BY THEMSELVES AND ONE TIME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY SEATBELT CAME UNDONE AFTER I ADJUSTED MYSELF IN MY SEAT. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS VAN 2 MONTHS AGO. ALSO, WITHOUT WARNING THE BODY CONTROL MODULE TOOK OUT MY ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING MY RADIO. THERE SHOULD BE A SENSOR THAT IT IS GOING BAD BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOES. EVEN AFTER GOING TO JACK POWELL DODGE TO HAVE IT ALL FIXED, THE HORN DOESN'T WORK , THE STEREO IS MESSING UP, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS MESSING UP, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T SEEM TO WORK PROPERLY.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. CURRENTLY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE AIR BAGS, AND THE DEALER WANTS $200.00 TO MAKE THE REPAIRS.*AK DEALER REPAIR AIRBAGS AT NO COST TO CONSUMER. CONSUMER ADDED DASH LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *TT
WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE HORN AIRBAG AND CRUISE CONTROL HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES WERE AT 45% BUT THE REAR BRAKES WERE AT 70%. THE DEALER CLEANED AND ADJUSTED THE BRAKES. THE A/C FAILED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAN MODULE. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. THE CD PLAYER DOESN'T WORK. THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHT THEREFORE THE CONSUMER HAS TO LEAVE THE HIGH BEAMS ON TO SEE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN CHECKED THREE TIMES BUT THE DEALER SAID THEY SEEM CORRECT. THE PASSENGER SEAT BROKE. THE STARTER FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE STEERING PUMP FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME TIGHT WHEN MAKING TURNS. THE REAR HEATER LINES WERE LEAKING. THE WATER PUMP LEAKED. *NM
1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINIVAN AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. HORN DOES NOT WORK. CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. ARTICLE IN NEWSPAPER INDICATED THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IS INVESTIGATING MODEL YEARS 1998 AND 1998, BUT I AM EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH 1996 MODEL. *AK
INTERMITTENT LOSS OF SPEED. TRANSMISSION STUCKS AT LOWER GEAR. VEHICLE RUNS FINE FOR A WHILE AND SUDDENLY JUMPS TO LOWER GEAR, BRINGING THE VAN TO A SUDDEN LOW SPEED. LUCKLY ESCAPED FROM A MAJOR ACCIDENT WHILE OVERTAKING A TRUCK ON HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED OF 70MILES/HR. SHOWED THE VEHICLE TO CHRYSLER DEALER. THEY JUST KEPT THE VAN FOR LONG TIME AND REPLACE A PIECE OF WIRE AND SAID ITS GOOD TO GO. BUT PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN AFTER A WEEK. NOW THEY SAY ALL WIRING HAS TO BE REPLACED WHICH COULD COST ME LIKE $1700 TO $1800. I'M THE SECOND OWNER AND I TAKE GOOD CARE OF THIS VAN, CHANGING FLUIDS, FILTERS & STUFF. IF THIS IS ENGINEERING MISTAKE BY CHRYSLER WITH THEIR TRANSMISSON, THEN SHOULDN\\'T THEY TAKE CARE OF THIS ISSUE. I SPOKE TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID SINCE THIS VAN IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THANKS.
THIS VAN HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A FAILURE SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I HAVE KEPT UP THE OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE AS NEEDED. THE PAINT IS COMING OF OFF THE GRILL AND THE PAINT ON THE REST OF THE VAN IS NOT HOLDING UP. I HAVE REPLACED: TIMING BELT 3 TIMES POWER STEERING PUMP ONCE THE THERMOSTAT TWICE THE RELAY SWITCH THREE TIMES AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK THE RELAY ON THE MOTOR ONCE THE AIR CONDITIONING IS FAILING IN THE FRONT THE REAR DOOR LOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOESN'T WORK MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT VERY SOON I AM A SINGLE PARENT IN A LARGE METROPLEX. I NEED MY CAR TO GET TO WORK. I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR NOW.
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND 30 SECONDS LATER ALL POWER WAS LOST. ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO START VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS OF NO AVAIL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT NIGHT, AND THE MECHANIC TURNED THE KEY AND VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT UP.*AK
CLOCKSPRING REPLACEMENT. *MR AFTER THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE CLOCK SPRING AND IS NOW REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. THE RADIO WAS INOPERATIVE. *JB
THE VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING CREATING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. CHRYSLER DEALERS HAVE REPAIRED THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES FOR THIS COMPLAINT, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. TWO OTHER CHRYSLER OWNERS I KNOW HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM. *NLM
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED FOUR TIMES AND THE STARTER FAILED ONCE. *AK *NLM
ENTIRE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, POWER STEERING, AND POWER BRAKES. THIS IS EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS DURING ANY BUT THE SLOWEST, STRAIGHT AHEAD DRIVING, AS IT RESULTS IN A NEARLY COMPLETE LOSS OF MANEUVERABILITY. IN THE EVENT OF SUCH A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE EFFECTIVELY ACCELERATED, BRAKED, OR TURNED, AND LIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS ALSO FAIL. FURTHERMORE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER DELAY MALFUNCTIONS CONTINUOUSLY IN COLD WEATHER, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION AT TIMES. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR, INCLUDING SOME PARTS REPLACEMENT BY THE DEALER, HAVE FAILED TO ELIMINATE ANY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED PROBLEMS.
SOON AFTER STARTING THE CAR, THE PASSENGER POWER SEAT MOTOR BEGAN TO SPONTANEOUSLY SMOKE, EMITTING A PUTRID ODOR. AFTER TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES (10 MIN IN TRAFFIC) THE SMOKE INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT THE WHOLE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED. AT THAT POINT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. ALL PASSENGERS (TWO MOTHERS AND FOUR CHILDREN 3 OR YOUNGER) EVACUATED THE VEHICLE. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO WORSEN AND ULTIMATELY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED AND AFTER ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES ALL SMOKE STOPPED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND RECENTLY CLAIMED THEY HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY IN THE MATTER. *JB
THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR FAILED.*JB
VEHICLE IS HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING RPMS TO INCREASE DRAMATICALLY. THE POWER WINDOWS AND AIR CONDITIONING WILL STOP FUNCTIONING. PH
1996 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LXI MINI-VAN PARKED AT AN OFF-AIRPORT PARKING LOT WAS TOTALLED DUE TO A FIRE ORIGINATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT APPROX 8:00 AM. AT APPROX. 1:00 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING, PARKING ATTENDANTS NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED, RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BY APPROX 3:00 AM. FIRE DEPARTMENT FOREMAN RESPONDING SAYS FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SUSPECTED THAT IT STARTED FROM A ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX NEAR THE BATTERY. VEHICLE DEEMED A COMPLETE LOSS DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE FIRE.
CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, AIR BAG LIGHT FLICKERS, HORN DOES NOT SOUND WHEN ALARM IS SET. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL GO ON EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WITH NO SWITCH ACTIVATION. DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS-------------770775. *AK *NLM
BESIDES THE FAILURES JUST SHOWN, THERE WERE ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL GAUGE FAILURES ON 02/28/00, 04/14/00, 05/08/99 AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL GAUGE FAILURES AND OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES, INCLUDING FM RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS. CHRYSLER IS NOT RESPONSIVE AND THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN COOPERATIVE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A "LEMON" SINCE IT WAS NEW BUT CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR ANYTHING NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR A NATIONAL RECALL. DT
HORN STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. *MR
BELT TENSION" AND "POWER STRING" FAILED, CAUSING HORN/ AIRBAG, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL.
AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON OR BLINKS INTERMITTENTLY, HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK - ***DANGEROUS*** - WILL HAVE DEALER REPLACE DEFECTIVE CLOCKSPRING HARNESS - RECALL???
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ACTIVATED BY USING THE TURN SIGNALS OR CHANGING THE LIGHT BEAMS FROM LOW TO HIGH OR VICE VERSA AT LEAST ONCE EACH TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. DROVE 64 MILES TODAY AND IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES. VERY FRUSTRATING. THE SCRATCHES IN THE WINDSHIELD ARE BEGINNING TO MAKE NIGHT DRIVING MORE DIFFICULT AND UNSAFE. *TS *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS****
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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