RoadVitals

1997 Chrysler Town And Country Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
35
Latest Apr 19, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 388 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Chrysler Town And Country submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 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.

Owner reports naming visibility

The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Apr 19, 2014

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING, THEN START WORKING, THEN STOP AGAIN WITHOUT WARNING. I NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY WILL WORK OR NOT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR PLACES AND THEY CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE WIPERS HAVE NOT COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. IT IS VERY HAZARDOUS NOT KNOWING IF THE WIPERS WILL WORK OR NOT, AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIX THEM PERMANENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10583609
Incident
Dec 13, 2013
Mileage
125,000 mi
EngineVisibility
Filed Jun 12, 2005

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE IN COOL DAMP WEATHER (25-45 DEGREES F WITH HIGH HUMIDITY). THEY CANNOT BE CONTROLLED- SOMETIMES OPERATING FOR 10 MINUTES WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TURN THEM OFF, SOMETIMES THEY GO INTO DELAY MODE BY THEMSELVES, AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT EVEN TURN ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2002. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED WITH OUR 1997 DODGE INTREPID ES WHICH WE SOLD IN 2002 DUE TO IT BEING AN ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARE, A LEMON FROM THE FACTORY. THOUGH PURCHASED NEW, THE DEALER WOULD NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO HAVING THE CAR REPLACED THOUGH WE SUFFERED THROUGH 3 YEARS OF WARRANTY "REPAIRS" FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ANYWAY, I DIGRESS...

NHTSA ID
10125050
Incident
Mar 1, 2005
Visibility
Filed Feb 15, 2005

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10111535
Incident
Oct 1, 2004
Mileage
50,187 mi
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Sep 23, 2003
Crash reported

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION, THE CONSUMER CAN STILL SHIFT THE GEARS TO REVERSE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE REARVIEW MIRROR HAD FALLEN. (ASSUMED DUE TO THE HEAT) THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT DOWN AND IN REVERSE AND THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS ADJACENT BUT SEVERAL FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS SEVERELY PUSHED FORWARD AND THE FRONT END OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10037640
Incident
Aug 24, 2003
Mileage
86,000 mi
Interior & seatsVisibility
Filed Aug 15, 2003

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CONTROLS. ALSO, THE DOOR LATCHES ACTIVATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE HAD TOUCHED THEM.*AK *PH *JB

NHTSA ID
10031473
Incident
Jul 23, 2003
Visibility
Filed Jul 10, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *NLM *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10020022
Visibility
Filed Jan 21, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TURNS OFF AND ON FOR NO REASON, WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PH *TT

NHTSA ID
10004293
Visibility
Filed Oct 23, 2002

THE WIPERS TURN ON AT RANDOM TIMES FOR RANDOM INTERVALS. DT

NHTSA ID
768794
Visibility
Filed Aug 12, 2002

REARVIEW MIRROR KEEPS DISLODGING FROM WINDSHIELD SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 1997. LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A LANE CHANGE IN TRAFFIC. SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY WITH CARS WITH HEAVY MIRRORS (ELECTONICS SUCH AS A MIRRORDIMMER). PROBLEM ALSO APPEARS TO INVOLVE OTHER BRANDS. RECALL TO CORRECT PROBLEM BEFORE A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS.*AK

NHTSA ID
765541
Incident
Aug 2, 2002
Visibility
Filed May 5, 2002

THE FLIMSY PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE WINDOWS TO THE TRACK OF THE POWER DOOR WINDOWS ARE A HAZARD. THEY BRAKE EXTREMELY EASY AND COULD LEAVE A PERSON TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR IN A EVENT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. OUR VAN IS CURRENTLY DISABLED TO THE PLASTIC RETAINER CLIP BRAKING. AS AN ENGINEER MYSELF I AM APPALLED AT THE POOR DESIGN. I'M SURE THE DESIGN WAS CHEAP TO MANUFACTURE, BUT ITS TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF SURVIVING ANY STRESS. *TS ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761559

NHTSA ID
10008790
Incident
Apr 10, 2002
Mileage
40,000 mi
AirbagsVisibility
Filed Feb 13, 2002

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. CONSUMER ALSO STATES SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THE HORN HAS BECOME INOPERABLE AND A CLICKING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE HORN AREA. NLM CONSUMER STATES COLD AIR CAME OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE VENTS WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON DUE TO A FAULTY HEATER CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. *JB

NHTSA ID
8004003
Incident
Jan 26, 2002
Visibility
Filed Feb 13, 2002

THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT HAS MALFUNTIONED. WHEN THE HEAT IS ON, COLD AIR COMES OUT OF THE VENTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ONLY. NLM

NHTSA ID
8004002
Incident
Jan 26, 2002
Visibility
Filed Jan 30, 2002

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ACTIVATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH COULD BE FAULTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8003164
Incident
Jan 25, 2001
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed May 22, 2001

FROM 27,928 MILE UP TO THE PRESENT HAD FOUR SERPENTINE BELTS REPLACED & REPAIRED BY VARIOUS INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS, BUT, PROBLEM STILL APPEARS TO BE REOCCURRING, DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK DISCHARGE LINE LEAKING FROM COMPRESSOR TO CONDENSOR CAUSING AC NOT TO WORK. WATER PUMP FAILED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH SHORTED AND WAS REPLACED. EXTERIOR POWER MIRRORS SHOOK WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED SWITCH. TRANSMISSION HARD TO DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR ON SLIGHT DOWNGRADES, DEALER MADE NO REPAIRS. *SLC

NHTSA ID
888911
Incident
Oct 5, 1998
Visibility
Filed Apr 26, 2001

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE VAN WAS IN PARK. TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL, AND CONSUMER DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID
886861
Incident
Jan 24, 2001
AirbagsDriver assistanceElectrical+4 more
Filed Mar 5, 2001

THE COURTESY LIGHT IN THE DOOR BURNED OUT. NLM CONSUMER STATES WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMLY DIFFICULT TO TURN, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW STRUTS AND A NEW RACK AN PINION, ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WOPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD STAYS ON.*JB

NHTSA ID
560074
Visibility
Filed Jan 10, 2001

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITENTLY SHUT OFF.*AK

NHTSA ID
877967
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Aug 8, 2000

WHEN YOU START UP THE VEHICLE, THE INTERMEDIATE WIPERS AND WIPER BUTTON BOTH FLASH CONTINUOUSLY, OTHER BUTTONS (AC AND CIRCULATION) DO NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL. AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. HORN DOESN'T WORK ON OCCASION. WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES SOMETIMES. OCCASIONALLY DOESN'T START WHEN RAINING OR WILL DIE WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
727123
Incident
Feb 1, 2000
Visibility
Filed Jun 7, 2000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SELF ACTIVATE. *AK

NHTSA ID
723690
Incident
Jun 1, 1997
BrakesVisibility
Filed May 27, 2000

THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKES TO BURN UP AND RUIN ALL THE REAR COMPONENTS. THE WIPERS WOULD ACTIVATE WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR SO I BELIEVE THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THEY KNEW ABOUT.*AK

NHTSA ID
723255
Incident
May 24, 2000
Visibility
Filed May 24, 2000

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY RESIDENCE AT APPROX. 8:30 PM I HEARD AN EXPLODING SOUND COME FROM THE VAN. I WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND SAW THE REAR WINDOW BLOWN OUT FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE WINDOW BROKE FROM THE INSIDE OUT BECAUSE THE GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT AND COMPLETELY SHATTERED, A FEW CHIPS OF GLASS WERE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VAN APPROX 3 TO 4 FEET AWAY FROM THE REAR OF THE VAN, INDICATING THE FORCE WITH WHICH THE WINDOW BLEW OUT. I TOOK SOME PICTURES TO TRY AND SHOW THE WINDOW AND THE OBVIOUS DIRECTION THE GLASS WAS BROKEN OUT IN BUT SINCE THE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED THE GLASS STARTED BREAKING APART AND FALLING ALL OVER. I FEEL THIS IS AND EXTREME SAFTEY HAZARD WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE HOT TEMPERATURES WE WERE HAVING OR A DEFECT IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE WINDOW BROKE IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE WEAK PART OF THE GLASS AS IT BUSTED OUT AT THE PEAK OF THE CURVE. THANK YOU I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
723159
Incident
May 22, 2000
Visibility
Filed May 8, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT TURNING ON THE WIPER SWITCH. PROBELM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
861555
EngineVisibility
Filed Nov 8, 1999

ENGINE FAILED ON INTERSTATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
714454
Incident
Jul 7, 1999
Visibility
Filed Sep 8, 1999

OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

NHTSA ID
609766
Visibility
Filed Aug 22, 1999

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNED OFF. HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED ZERO TO 70MPH.DEALER REPLACED MUTIFUNCTION SWITCH, CORRECTED. DEALERS RESPONSE INDICATES THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO CORRECT. POOR ENGINEERING.MIRROR D

NHTSA ID
710327
Incident
Jul 5, 1999

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .