1999 Chrysler Town And Country Transmission Problems

1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED: PROBLEM(S) WORSENING - BECOMING MORE FREQUENT OVER LAST 3 YRS: START VAN, RUNS 5-10 SECS, THEN SHUTS OFF, DISCONNECT BATTERY-WAIT 3 MINS, CRANKED IN BEGINNING, NOW ONLY 50/50: SECURITY SYSTEM ACTIVATES AND SHUT SYSTEM DOWN 24 HRS, DISCONNECT BATTERY BUT NO STARTL 24 HOURS, HAD NEW KEY MADE AT DEALERSHIP USE VIN, PROBLEMS PERSISTS: REAR VENT WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING, CHANGED MOTORS AND SWITCHES, PROBLEM CONTINUES: HEATER IN SEATS RECALLED, DEALER REPLACED; HEATERS ON RECALL BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE BOTTOM COVER(LEATHER)HAS HOLE FROM WHERE HEATER BURNING THROUGH, NOW HEATERS COME ON/OFF AT WILL: GAUGES GO OFF WITH ENGINE RUNNING, BACK ON WHEN THEY GET READY: RADIO AND POWER WINDOWS INTERMITTENT: TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM FIRST WHEN EXITING INTERSTATE AFTER TRAVELING IN OD FOR 100 MILES, HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES, NOT CONTINUOUS: ALARM SOUNDS IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT AND WHEN STANDING IN STREET 25FT+ BEHIND THE VAN; MANUFACTURED ON 4/17/98 SO 1999 HAS MOSTLY 1998 PARTS, REAL PROBLEMATIC WHEN PURCHASING PARTS: NOTE: HAVE TWO 1999 T&C LIMITEDS, ONE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS THE OTHER (RED) ONLY PAINT CLEAR COAT PEELING; HAD TO TOW VAN SEVERAL TIMES. NOW HAVING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND LOCK SWITCH IN DRIVER'S DOOR REPLACE. NEXT STEP CHANGE BCM: I AM THROWING $1S AT VAN, DEALERSHIPS (MORE THAN ONE) SAY NO IDEA CAUSATION. DEALER HAS REPLACED BATTERY, CABLES, BELT, MAINTENANCE ON TRANSMISSION +). YOUR URL FROM CHAT ROOMS AND FORUMS. MANY OTHERS HAVING SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS. NO LUCK WITH THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIPS EITHER. HAVE OWNED MANY CHRYSLER AND DODGE PRODUCTS, THESE MAY BE LAST! THANK YOU. PASTOR STEVE RANDALL *TR

NHTSA ID

10203097

Incident

Sep 14, 2007

THERE IS NOT A LOCKING MECHANISM TO PUTTING THE CAR IN GEAR WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. I NOTICED IT BY ACCIDENT ONE DAY WHILE I WAS CLEANING IT AND ACCIDENTALLY PULLED IT INTO GEAR. NOT ONLY IS THIS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN BUT IS ALSO A THEFT ISSUE. CHRYSLER REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE WITH SOME OF THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE! *NM

NHTSA ID

10175142

Incident

Nov 1, 2006

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON JULY 14, 2005. WHEN THE WEATHER TURNED COLDER, I WOULD BACK THE VEHICLE OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND IT WOULD FAIL TO ENGAGE INTO DRIVE FOR 25 TO 30 SECONDS. AT TIMES IT WOULD ALSO FAIL TO ENGAGE AFTER MAKING A FULL STOP. I BELIEVED THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE USING A "NEW AND IMPROVED FLUID". THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO REMEDY THE SITUATION. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT HAPPENS ON HIS NEW CAR ALSO. IF WHAT HE SAYS IS TRUE I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE AREN'T MANY THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION? I USED A NOVEMBER DATE AS THE INCIDENT DATE, BUT IT HAPPENS MANY TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10164497

Incident

Nov 15, 2005

Mileage

79,994 mi

I WAS VACUUMING MY 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN BEFORE CHURCH WHEN MY 1 YEAR OLD SON PULLED THE SHIFTER OUT OF PARK AND THE VAN ROLLED DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY. THE DRIVERS DOOR STRUCK A TREE CAUSING $1800 DAMAGE. THE KEYS TO THE VAN WERE IN MY POCKET. CHRYSLER WAS CONTACTED AND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR OUT TO DETERMINE WHAT HAD OCCURRED. I NEVER RECEIVED A COPY OF THE INVESTIGATION AND CONTACTED CHRYSLER TO OBTAIN A COPY AND WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT I WOULD NEED A COURT SUBPOENA TO HAVE A COPY SENT TO ME. MY VAN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER BY THE CHRYSLER INVESTIGATOR TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. I WAS NOT GIVEN A COPY OF WHAT THEY FOUND AND CHRYSLER WOULD NOT SEND ONE AS WELL WITHOUT A SUBPOENA. WHILE THE VAN WAS AT THE BODY SHOP, I NOTICED THAT NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FACT THAT THE VAN CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK WITHOUT KEYS IN THE IGNITION. CHRYSLER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THIS WHILE THEY WERE DOING THEIR INVESTIGATION AND DID NOTHING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137837

Incident

Aug 28, 2005

Mileage

99,700 mi

DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LX. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO TANNER MOTORS DODGE CHRYSLER PLYMOUTH AND JEEP 703 WASHINGTON ST. P.O. BOX 484 BRAINERD, MINNESOTA 56401 PH. NO. 218-829-3597 ON 6-23-05 BECAUSE TRANSMISSION BROKE. HE PICKED IT BACK UP FROM DEALER ON 6-24-05, AND ON 7-11-05 THE TRANSMISSION EXPLODED BECAUSE OF THE DRIVE TRAIN PIN BROKE. AT THE TIME THAT TRANSMISSION EXPLODED THERE WERE 5 PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. CONSUMER STATED THAT AT LEAST 80 PERCENT OF THE PIN BROKE. CONSUMER KEPT THE PIN. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED TANNER MOTORS HE TALKED TO A MECHANIC, WHO HE TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 1997-1999. MODELS. WHEN CONSUMER ASKED FOR SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION MECHANIC TOLD HIM HE WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT THE MANAGER. AS OF NOW NO ONE HAS GOTTEN BACK WITH THE CONSUMER, WHO CONTACTED THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER HAS HADRECALL REPAIRS DONE NHTSA RECALL. 00V268000 ON 5-6-04 FOR THE NITROLE RUBBER O-RING, INVOICE NO.CHCS168552, JOB 3 14CHZZ1. THIS WAS DONE AT CONSUMER' S EXPENSE, AND HE WAS NOT INFORMED THAT IT WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHCILE USED, IT HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10128783

Incident

Jul 11, 2005

Mileage

157,000 mi

I WAS CLEANING OUT MY VAN ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2005 AFTER WORK WHILE MY 3 KIDS PLAYED OUTSIDE. MY VAN STARTED ROLLING BACKWARD DOWN THE DRIVEWAY (IN PARK, CAR OFF, KEY OUT OF IGNITION ENOUGH SO IT WOULDN'T BEEP AT ME) MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY BEHIND MY VAN DRAWING WITH SIDEWALK CHALK. SHE HAD GOTTEN UP TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF HER DAD'S CAR JUST IN TIME TO AVOID BEING RUN OVER. MY PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPEN AND SO WAS HIS SO THEY COLLIDED AS MY VAN ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVE. I HOPPED IN THE VAN AND TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, BUT THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED MY VAN FROM ROLLING IN TO THE ROAD WAS HIS CAR. THEY "LOCKED" TOGETHER. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND THEY DID SEND AN INSPECTOR OUT, BUT A COUPLE WEEKS LATER DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT BEHIND MY VAN AND HURT OR KILLED BY THIS FREAK ACCIDENT, BUT NEEDED TO RECORD THIS INCIDENT IN CASE OTHERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114401

Incident

Feb 4, 2005

Mileage

59,900 mi

CONSUMER'S 3 YEARS OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, START THE VEHICLE, AND SHIFT IT OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10103640

Incident

Dec 5, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS SINCE 2001 WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VAN, AND I AM TIRED OF SPENDING MONEY ON THIS PROBLEM, AND NOW THEY TELL ME THAT I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND I HAD NO WARNING OF THAT.

NHTSA ID

10098591

Incident

Oct 16, 2004

TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AT 60,000 MILES BECAUSE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING, AND THE TRANSMISSION STAYED IN FIRST GEAR ONLY. *AK *TS

NHTSA ID

10083217

Incident

Jun 19, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

VEHICLE SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE MOVING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10080556

Incident

Mar 6, 2003

Mileage

27,000 mi

INPUT AND OUTPUT SENSORS FAILED IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, CAUSING LIMP HOME MODE TO BE ESTABLISHED. REPAIR COMPLETED WITH COST $423.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062556

Incident

Mar 10, 2004

Mileage

54,010 mi

AT 68,000 MILES JERKS HARSHLY DOWN SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS. UPON REMOVING PAN, METAL PIECES IN PAN. TOWING TO TRANSMISSION SHOP WITH EXPECTED REBUILD REQUIRED.

NHTSA ID

10038906

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

Mileage

68,000 mi

WHEN GOING UP HILL (DRIVEWAY) VEHICLE DOES NOT PULL LIKE NORMAL, IT HESITATES AND STUTTERS. I MUST PUT IT INTO LOW IN ORDER TO PULL THE HILL. ALSO, WHEN REVERSING VEHICLE VIBRATES AND MOVES VERY SLOWLY. VEHICLE DRIVES FINE IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS PULLING UP HILL AFTER A STOP AND REVERSING AT ANY TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10033152

Incident

May 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT 15/20 MPH TRANSMISSION HOSE BURST. TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED OUT WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE NOT TO ACCELERATE. CAUSE OF THE HOSE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10034140

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE OR PULL INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE HESITATED, AND AT TIMES THE VEHICLE DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE.*JB

NHTSA ID

10009972

VEHICLE ACCELERATES MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO REGAIN CONTROL TO DECELERATE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA ID

10004871

Incident

Jan 27, 2003

FOLLOWING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE SERVICE BY A SEARS AUTO CENTER MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND FOUND IT OVER-FILLED BY OVER A PINT. I PULLED THE EXCESS OUT TO GET IT TO THE PROPER LEVEL. WHEN IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND PARTICLES IN THE PAN AND SAID THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. TS IN TALKING TO THE SEARS AUTO CENTER ABOUT THE ISSUE, IT WAS REVEALED THEY DO NOT EVEN CARRY THE PROPER ATF (ATF+3 OR +4) FOR CHRYSLER TRANSMISSIONS. OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THEY "TOPPED IT OFF" THEY USED DEXRON/MERCON. CURIOUS IF SEARS AUTO CENTERS GENERALLY DID THE SAME, I CHECKED WITH ANOTHER CENTER AND FOUND THE SAME PROCEDURE (I.E. USING THE WRONG FLUID) TO BE IN PLACE, ALTHOUGH THEIR SERVICE MANUAL SPECS TELL THEM TO USE ONLY ATF +3 IN THAT CHRYSLER TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THIS MAY BE A LARGER PROBLEM THAN LOCAL AND COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE POOR RECORD OF CHRYSLER TRANSMISSIONS IN RECENT YEARS. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT SURFACED (OR MADE PUBLIC) BY EITHER SEARS OR CHRYSLER.

NHTSA ID

10002829

Incident

Apr 15, 2002

Mileage

66,809 mi

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID

8009025

Incident

Apr 20, 2002

ON THREE OCCASIONS, ONCE SITTING STILL, SECOND BACKING, THIRD AT 55 MPH, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

755732

Incident

Dec 17, 2001

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

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE WITHOUT FIRST APPLYING THE BRAKES. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH SMALL CHILDREN. MANUFACTURER SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT!*AK

NHTSA ID

754179

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

753527

Incident

Oct 18, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH IT WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF,WHEN IT SLOWS TO 5MPH IT SHIFTS BACK INTO DRIVE BY ITSELF.HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN LAST 2 YEARS COMPUTER SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND I AM TOLD NEVER COULD HAPPEN AS I DESCRIBE IT. NOT POSSIBLE ACCORDING TO CHRYSLER AND THE DEALER. SO FAR LUCKY NO ACCIDENTS. PLEASE HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID

748360

Incident

May 10, 2001

4 YEAR OLD CHILD WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN GEAR WITHOUT TOUCHING BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ID

889789

Incident

May 1, 2001

WHEN CHANGING GEARS CONSUMER DOESN'T HAVE TO PUT ON BRAKES. THERE IS NO AUTOMATIC INTERLOCK SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

888978

Incident

May 1, 2001