Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 22 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN THE CAR WASH, THE LEFT REAR AXLE BROKE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE REAR LEFT AXLE BROKE DUE TO RUST. *AK *JB
WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS? WE CANNOT GET IT TO GO AT A STOP SIGN OR TURNING A CORNER, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STILL GO ON INTERMITANTLY SURPRISING THE DRIVER.
I PURCHASED A 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LXI FROM A USED CAR LOT "AS IS".THE VEHICLE HAD SUPPOSEDLY HAD A 29 POINT SERVICE INSPECTION.THE NEXT DAY I HAD THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED DUE TO LEAKING FLUID FROM THE FRONT SEAL.THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN WAS BROKEN WITH ALUMINUM SHAVINGS IN THE PAN AND THE FILTER WAS LAYING THERE LOOSE.IT APPEARS THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TRANSMISSION SERVICE PERFORMED,SAW THE SHAVINGS AND PARKED THE VAN UNTIL IT COULD BE TRADED IN.THERE WAS A LIGHT RUST COVER ON THE BRAKE ROTORS TO INDICATE IT HAD BEEN PARKED.I CAUGHT IT JUST IN TIME BEFORE THE PIN BROKE THRU THE ALUMINUM CASE WHICH WOULD HAVE COST AN ADDITIONAL $500.00.THE AAMCO DEALER HAS SO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE A BROKEN ONE ON DISPLAY IN THEIR SHOWROOM.THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM BY GETTING THE PROPER LUBRICATION TO THE PIN.THE MODIFICATIONS HE MAKES TO DO JUST THAT ARE THE REASON THEY CAN OFFER A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON THE REPAIRS.CHRYSLER COULD DO THE SAME IF THEY WERE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING THIS PROBLEM BUT THE LURE OF THE PARTS SALES MUST BE A BETTER PAYOFF.
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.
DIFERENTIAL SHEER PIN BROKE OFF TRAVELING INTO RIGHT AXLE DAMAGING SAME, THEN TRAVELING THRU TRANSMISSION, DAMAGING SAME, FINALLY EXITING THROUGH TRANS CASE. (THIS ALL HAPPENED WHILE MY WIFE WAS IN A DRIVE THRU LANE) THIS VEH. IS BABIED AND DRIVEN SOLELY BY MY WIFE. WE ARE BEING TOLD BY SEVERAL SOURCES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CAN YOU VERIFY THIS?? THANK YOU........PETE DIANGI
TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *JB *NLM *****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****768224
TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES DUE TO A PIN WITHIN DIFFERENTIAL UNIT THAT PUNCTURED ALUMINUM CASING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
BRAKES SQUEAKED, TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND THE TRANSMISSION PUMP IS LEAKING, SOMETIME DO NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH GEAR, INSPECT ENGINE AND DISCOVERED EXCESSIVE DRIPPING FROM THE VICINITY OF THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING/REPAIRED.
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THERE WAS A LARGE "BOOMING" NOISE THAT CAME FROM UNDER VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL UNIT EXPLODED, AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK
DIFFERENTIAL UNIT BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING PUTTING A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE THE COMPANY WANTS ME TO PAY 2/3 OF THE TOTAL TO FIX IT, AND I THINK THE PROBLEM CAME FROM THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN LAST YEAR, MY PROBLEM IS THE VEHICLE IS 5 YEARS OLD AND TO GO THRU TWO TRANSMISSIONS JUST DONT MAKE SENSE EXPECIALLY AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. APPARENTLY THERE IS A PLOBLEM SOMEWHERE IN THE DIFFERENTIAL AND THE TRANSMISSION FOR THIS TO HAPPEN NOT ONLY TO BE BUT OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE FOR THE SAME YEAR THEY ARE TELLING ME THEY WONT KNOW IF IT IS THERE FAULT UNLESS THE OPEN THE AREA UP TO SEE WHAT HAPPEN BUT I HAVE TO AGREE TO PAY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN I DONT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THERE MISTAKES THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPEN I OWNED A TOWN@COUNTRY BEFORE AND HAD TO PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS IN THAT THINKING BECAUSE THEY CAME OPUT WITH A NEW STYLE AND PRESUMABLE A BETTER VECHICLE I DECIDED TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER TRY. PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS OR PROVIDE ME WITH WHO CAN HELP ME IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU DEBRA C JACOB. *AK
DIFFERENTIAL BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AND PUTTING A WHOLE THROUGH TRANSMISSION CASE, DESTROYING FLYWHEEL/ BLEW OUT TRANSMISSION, AND KILLED ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE AND THE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY FAILED ONCE. NLM
THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN, BEARING PIN FOR THE CENTER SPIDER GEARS CRACKED MORE TOWARD ONE END OR CLOSER TO AN END VS. AT THE CENTER, THE NOW TWO PIECE PIN PROTRUDES FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL CAGE AND WEARS THROUGH THE CASE ON THE BELL HOUSING SIDE ,AND A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK APPEARS THAT IS EXTREMELY SIMILAR TO A FRONT SEAL OR FRONT PUMP LEAK. ONCE THE HOLE IS PRESENT THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN SEGMENTS STRIKE THE EDGE OF THE OPENING AND WEAR THE HOLE LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE LONGER OF THE TWO SEGMENTS TO PROTRUDE AND STOP THE ENTIRE DRIVE LINE, ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND FRONT WHEELS AND AXLES INSTANTAINIOUSLY. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT 25 MPH, AND WAS LIKE HITTING A BRICK WALL. THE TRANSMISSION IS A 41TE. THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE STATED COMPLETELY OFF THE RECORD THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A LARGE INFLUX OF THIS FAILURE IN THESE VEHICLES WITH THE 41TE WITH MILEAGE AVERAGING 65000, AS LITTLE AS 15000, AND AS MANY AS 100000. IF WE WERE AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE PIN LET LOOSE AND LOCKED THE DRIVE LINE, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN UNCONTROLABLE DUE TO THE LOCKED FRONT WHEELS. CHRYSLER HAS CHANGED THE DESIGNATION OF THE A604 TO THE 41TE IN A CHEAP ATTEMPT TO SEPARATE LITIGIOUS ACTION IN PROGRESS BY OLDER VAN OWNERS, FROM THE OWNERS, OF THE NEWER OR LATEST BODY STYLE. THE 41TE IS THE SAME DESIGN DEFICIENT TRANSMISSION AS THE A604 WITH AT DIFFERENT DESIGNATION (ULTRADRIVE AUTOMATIC). HAVING PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSIONS FOR TWO OF THE THREE CHRYSLER MINIVANS WE HAVE OWNED, AND HAVING LISTENED TO INNUMERABLE PERSONS I'VE MET THAT OWN OR HAVE OWNED A CHRYLSER/PLYMOUTH/DODGE MINIVAN TELL OF REPLACING THEIR TRANSMISSION, IT'S MORE THAN TIME FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM THIS LECHEROUS AND UNSAFE COMPANY. THE FAILURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL PIN IS MORE THAN A NUISANCE REPAIR, IT IS A HAZARD THAT WILL KILL. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO TASK TO RECALL, REDESIGN, RETROFIT AND REPAIR THE FLEET NOW, BEFORE SOMEONE IS NEEDLESSLY KILLED.*AK
TRANSMISSION GEAR SELECTOR WAS ABLE TO BE ENGAGED BY CHILD AND VEHICLE ROLLED, KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION AND CHILD TURN SELECTOR WITHOUT ENGAGING BRAKE. MJS
TRANSMISSION MADE GRINDING NOISE UNDER 30 MILES PER HOUR. TOLD IT WAS THE DIFFERENTIAL. WE HAD THE "TOWING PACKAGE" AND HAVE NEVER TOWED ANYTHING. REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP FOR $2100. AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR HAS A HOLE IN IT. HAVE NOT REPAIRED YET. OTHER MINOR PROBLEMS: OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED, WATER PUMP REPLACED, WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL REPLACED, AIR BAG COMPONENT REPLACED. *AK
DRIVER HEARD A LOUD BANG AND A GRINDING NOISE WHILE AT A STOP AND VEHICLE SHOT FORWARD. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVER VEHICLE HOME. WHEN VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, HE DISCOVERED THAT A HOLE WAS BLOWN IN THE DIFFERENTIAL WHICH, IN TURN, CAUSED A HOLE TO BE BLOWN IN TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. PARTS ARE ON NATONAL BACK ORDER. *AK
LEFT LATCH ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD SNAPPED LOOSE.
TRANSMISSION SEALS FAILED.
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED FOR A CRACK.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT INTO A LOW SPEED, CAUSING TO VEHICLE SWIRL AND LOSS OF POWER IN FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES . *AK
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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