1999 Chrysler Town And Country Steering Problems

DRIVING VAN IN THE RAIN, NOTICED THE STEERING BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS AD POWER STARTED TO DIM. IN THAT CASE, I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. I NOTICED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD COME OFF THE PULLEYS. I HAVE HAD OTHER MINI-VANS ESPECIALLY DODGES AND HAVE NOTICED THEY ALL SEEM TO DO THE SAME THING WHEN IT COMES TO RAIN, SNOW, ICE. YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD RESOLVE THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE LEARNED FROM MY PREVIOUS DODGE CARAVANS HOW TO PUT THE SERPENTINE BELT BACK ON, BUT IT REALLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS COULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED AND VERY COSTLY (MONEY AND TIME WISE) IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT IT BACK ON. AS A CONSUMER, I WILL NOT BE PURCHASING ANOTHER DODGE OR CHRYSLER MINIVAN AGAIN DUE TO THIS ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10594450

Incident

May 26, 2014

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN SHE TRAVELED OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT AND THE KEY ICON ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE CONTACT MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

NHTSA ID

10531672

Incident

Jul 20, 2013

Mileage

99,000 mi

THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. FIRST COMPLAINT #10468365. I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. I CROSSED THE STREET AND MY TIRES SPLASHED WATER THAT WAS RUNNING DOWN THE STREET GUTTER. THE WATER WAS 2-4" DEEP. I ONCE AGAIN IMMEDIATELY LOST STEERING AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO PULL IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND THE BELT HAD SLIPPED OFF AGAIN. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE GARAGE. THE MECHANIC CHECKED OUT THE BELT AND THE TENSIONER AND SAID THEY WERE OK, AND THEY REINSTALLED THE BELT. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS TURNING A CORNER, AND THE VAN WENT INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE. I GUESS I CAN BE THANKFUL FOR THE DRAUGHT THESE PAST FEW MONTHS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. IT MAKES ME AFRAID OF DRIVING WHEN IT IS RAINING OR WITH ANY WATER ON THE ROAD. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70MPH, PASSING SOMEONE, OR TAKING A CURVE IN THE ROAD. I CONTACTED THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. A BULLETIN #07-0299 WAS ISSUED IN 7.14.99. THE DEALERSHIP SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE ANY FIXES AS IT WASN'T A RECALLED PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD MY MECHANIC THEY OFFERED A $400 KIT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, OR I COULD PURCHASE A "SNOW" SHIELD AND HAVE IT INSTALLED. WHY WOULD I NEED A "SNOW" SHIELD IN LOUISIANA? *TR

NHTSA ID

10468370

Incident

Jul 28, 2012

Mileage

113,737 mi

I OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN. MAJOR PROBLEM IS SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF AND CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. EVERY TIME IT RAINS MY SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHICH CAUSES EXTREMELY HARD STEERING. I HAVE REPLACED TENSIONERS TWICE IN THE AND BELT 4 TIMES. THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON THE FREE WAY OR A STREET WITH ALOT OF TRAFFIC OR THIS COULD KILL ME OR AN OTHER PERSON. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 100S OF PEOPLE. ON THE INTERNET IT STATE THAT THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED REPAIR ( THE REPLACEMENT OF THE IDLER PULLEY AND THE PULLEYS RETAINING BRACKET.) IN THE TSB I READ, CHRYSLER'S ENGINEERS HAVE DECIDED THAT ON SOME MODELS THE IDLER PULLEY IS MISALIGNED BY .08 INCHES. CHRYSLER SHOULD RECALL THIS AND FIX THERE PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. GET INVOLVED AND MAKE CHRYSLER FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10444714

Incident

Jan 20, 2012

STRUT TOWER CORRODED AND SPRING AND STRUT POPPED THRU AND CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435246

Incident

Oct 28, 2011

Mileage

158,000 mi

I DROVE THROUGH A PUDDLE TODAY TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN I LOST MY STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS BOUT .5 MILES FROM HOME. BY THE TIME I GOT WITHIN .25 MILES MY TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT HAD COME ON. WHEN I GOT TO MY DRIVEWAY I NOTICED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DRAGGING. THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER ABOUT 5 WEEKS AGO. MY VEHICLE IS A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A HABITUAL PROBLEM. MY SERVICE PERSON REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT HAPPENED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10357058

Incident

Sep 22, 2010

Mileage

109,350 mi

EVERY TIME IT RAINS MY SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF WHICH CAUSES EXTREMELY HARD STEERING. MECHANICS SAY IT IS A CHRYSLER TENSIONER PROBLEM AND COMMON. I HAVE REPLACED TENSIONERS TWICE IN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND MANY (10=) BELT CHANGES TO PUT BELT BACK ON. FORTUNATELY I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SLOW AT THE TIMES (5-6 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS) THIS HAS OCCURRED. JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A FATALITY OCCURS DUE TO THIS RECURRENT PROBLEM. TIME FOR SOMEONE WITH CLOUT TO GET INVOLVED AND MAKE CHRYSLER FIX THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10205447

Incident

Oct 2, 2007

LTR FM (CT) CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF HIS DAUGHTERS DEFECTIVE 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY, THE TIE ROD FELL OFF. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED MOST AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS HAVE ELIMINATED THE GREASE FITTINGS THAT MOST TIE ROD ENDS USE. APPARENTLY, THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE RUBBER GROMMET THAT ENCLOSED THE BALL AND ROAD SURFACE WATER LEAKED IN AND CORRODED THE BALL AND ENCLOSURE. AFTER THE BALL AND SOCKET HAD EXPERIENCED SUFFICIENT REDUCTION, IT FINALLY SLIPPED OUT OF THE ENCLOSURE AND DROPPED TO THE GROUND. *JB

NHTSA ID

10171194

Incident

Apr 20, 2005

CONSUMER 1999 TOWN & COUNTRY MINIVAN STEERING INTERLOCK DID WORK. VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY NEARLY CRUSHING PASSENGER. *TS *** NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE CONSUMER'S ONE YEAR OLD SON WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK ALTHOUGH THE CONSUMER HAD THE KEY IN HIS POCKET. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE CONSUMER'S DRIVEWAY BEFORE STRIKING A TREE. AN INVESTIGATOR CAME TO THE CONSUMER'S HOME TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE INVESTIGATOR TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING INTERLOCK WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAD NOT USED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE MANUFACTURER THEN CLOSED THE FILE BECAUSE THE VAN HAD 3 OUTSTANDING RECALLS. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT MOVED SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144262

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY EXPERIENCED MECHANICAL FAILURE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE SPRING WHICH HELD THE LATCH FOR THE TILT STEERING IN PLACE FAILED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PUSH THE LATCH FORWARD TO ENGAGE IT BECAUSE THE SPRING WOULD NOT INTO ENGAGEMENT. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TILT WHEEL LATCH MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR NOT RE-ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY WHEN HE HAD THE RECALL REPAIR DONE REGARDING THE CLOCKSPRING .*JB

NHTSA ID

10136685

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

1999 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY RIGHT SIDE STEERING TIE ROD FAILED.*MR IT APPEARED THAT THE RUBBER SEAL MAY HAVE CRACKED OPEN AND ALLOWED WATER INTO THE AREA OF THE BALL AND CAUSED CORROSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134542

Incident

Apr 20, 2005

MAJOR PROBLEM IS SERPENTINE BELT COMING OFF AND CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THIS LAST REPAIR THAT A BRACKET WAS INSTALLED FROM A SERVICE BULLETIN DATED 7-2-99. ONLY THE FIRST REPAIR WAS PRIOR TO THIS DATE. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM, FORTUNATELY FOR ME EVERY TIME THE BELT CAME OFF I WAS IN A PARKING LOT.

NHTSA ID

10070862

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

76,072 mi

DEALERSHIP TRIED BUT COULD NOT REPAIR WHAREVER IS CAUSING THE CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE FRONT SUSPENSION. OTHER REFERS TO SEAT HEATER BURNING A HOLE IN THE SEAT, DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURE REFUSE TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10069880

Incident

Aug 15, 2003

1999 CHRYSLER T&C WITH 80,000 MILES. TIE ROD LOOSE $200, ALTERNATOR TENSION RUSTED $200, STRUT COVERS RUSTING $900. THESE AND THE GENERAL POOR QUALITY RATING OF THIS VEHICLE HAS COST ME THOUSANDS IN TRADE-IN VALUE AND PLACED MY FAMILY IN JEOPARDY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10010907

Incident

Mar 22, 2003

Mileage

80,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING IN HEAVY RAIN VEHICLE LOSS ALL POWER STEERING AND SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

10001108

WHILE MAKING A SLOW RIGHT HAND TURN IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED POWER STEERING UNIT AND IDLER ARM HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8015317

Incident

Jun 20, 2002

WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF BUYING THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW A LOUD NOISE DEVELOPED WHILE STEERING AT LOW SPEEDS THAT WAS LATER ASCRIBED TO A LOOSE BELT. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE SPOUSE WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 45-50 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER WENT DEAD AND THE TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT GO MUCH FASTER THAN ABOUT 35 MPH. THIS WAS LATTER DETERMINED TO BE DUE TO SOME FAULTY SENSOR. JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER THAT, WITH THE VEHICLE BARELY 2 YEARS OLD, THE BATTERY WENT DEAD FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NEW BATTERY WAS NEEDED. NOW I HAVE THIS HUMMING NOISE IN THE REAR BRAKES WITH BARELY 31K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WHAT'S NEXT? THIS THING (SO-CALLED VEHICLE) HAS ALREADY COST US MUCH LOST TIME (TAKING IT TO THE DEALER) AND THE ASSOCIATED MONEY IN LOST WAGES!*AK

NHTSA ID

754181

WHILE IN PARKED POSITION WITH ENGINE RUNNING, BELT TENSIONER BROKE OFF CREATING A LOUD NOISE AND FELL TO THE GROUND. *YH

NHTSA ID

894182

Incident

Aug 3, 2001

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE RODE THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER, AND SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF, CAUSING HER TO LOSE POWER STEERING, ETC.*AK THE CONSUMER LEARNT FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT THES SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ID

885001

Incident

Mar 28, 2001

LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOW BECAUSE I HAD JUST GOT ON MY STREET,AND THEN MY STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT, I MANAGED TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET, WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, THE PARTS OF THE CAR WERE ON THE GROUND. I WAS GOING TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

739248

Incident

Dec 19, 2000

THIS VAN IS VERY UNSAFE I NEED HELP

NHTSA ID

730589

Incident

Mar 27, 1999

WHEN BACKING OUT CONSUMER NOTICED VIBRATION AND LOUD NOISES COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS LINKED THE PROBLEM TO POWER STEERING FAILURE. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

846600

Incident

Mar 1, 1999

POWER STEERING PUMP MADE A LOUD GROWLING NOISE; ACCOMPANIED BY DIFFICULTLY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. UPON CHECKING THE POWER STEERING PUMP RESEVOIR, A LARGE QUANTITY OF METAL FILINGS WAS FOUND. PUMP ASSEMBLY & RACK & PINION ACUTATOR WERE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

711604

Incident

Aug 30, 1999

POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING CAUSING POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION.

NHTSA ID

710748

Incident

Aug 31, 1999

I HAVE A CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY LIMITED 1999 WITH 21,000 MILES. LAST WEEK WHILE PULLING FROM A PARKING LOT. I HEARD A NOISE IN THE ENGINE AND THE CAR STOPPED AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO STEER THE WHEEL. I LOOKED IN THE ENGINE AND I FOUND THE BELT LOOSE AND THE THE BELT TENSION PULLY AND THE BOLT UNDER THE CAR. THE CAR TOWED TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER. NOW SEVERAL QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THIS CAR, WHICH I GOT NO ANSWER FROM THE TECHNICAL MANAGER.

NHTSA ID

709506

Incident

Jul 27, 1999