2008 Chrysler Town And Country Steering Problems

ESP BAS light on dash

NHTSA ID

11495911

Incident

Mar 5, 2022

I was leaving my place of residence and was navigating a 90 degree left hand turn while in drive at approximately 10mph. As I began to attempt to straighten the wheel and accelerate out of the turn I realized I had no steering and the car wouldn't accelerate. The engine had stalled and the steering wheel was locked while turned to the left. No warning lights or messages were present even after I started the vehicle back up. I feel incredibly lucky this happened at a low rate of speed instead of at highway speed. It has never done anything like this before and we cannot figure out what caused the engine to stall or why there was no steering when it happened.

NHTSA ID

11477209

Incident

Jul 20, 2022

The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air Bags, Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer and Brent Brown Chrysler Jeep (1825 N University Pkwy Provo, UT 84604) were made aware of the recall but informed the contact that parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11444437

Incident

Feb 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that there was a hole where the emblem was located on the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air bag, Steering) however, the emblem was removed but not replaced. The manufacturer was contacted however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11443773

Incident

Jul 9, 2021

Mileage

190,000 mi

THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION. STABILITY LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES FAIL. HAS HAPPENED ON THREE OCCASIONS NOW, TWICE ON CITY STREETS, ONCE AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

NHTSA ID

11315451

Incident

Mar 1, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US THREE TIMES IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR WE TRAVELED LESS THAN A MILE AT ABOUT 25 MPH AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY TURNED OFF CAUSING THE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS TO FAIL. THE VAN RESTARTED ONE WE PUT IT IN PARK AND CONTINUED TO WORK FINE AFTER THAT. WE WERE DRIVING IN A CROWDED NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE CHILDREN PLAY AT THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

11301257

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

Mileage

86,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. THERE ARE NO LIGHTS THAT COME ON, ON THE DASHBOARD THAT INDICATE ANY ERROR, EXCEPT THE ANTILOCK BREAK LIGHT WILL OCCASIONALLY LIGHT UP. I COULD BE DRIVING SLOW OR FAST, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF, AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES LOSE POWER AND DON'T WORK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES TO CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS AND MECHANICS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, 2 STILL IN CARSEATS, AND MY YOUNGEST WHO IS 1 IS HANDICAP. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I STILL OWE $10,000 ON MY AUTO LOAN FOR THIS CAR, SO I AM STUCK WITH IT. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, SINCE SO MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME MYSTERY SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11291406

Incident

Dec 26, 2019

Mileage

119,000 mi

VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING AT RANDOM. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES DRIVING AT ANY AND ALL SPEEDS, CUTTING OUT POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHILE AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH MAKING IT EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS.

NHTSA ID

11221275

Incident

Jun 10, 2019

Mileage

135,000 mi

WHILE IN MOTION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY TURN OFF, WHICH WILL THEN DEPOWER VARIOUS KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO AIR BAGS, POWER STEERING, AND POWER BRAKING. LOSS OF FUNCTIONALITY OF THESE SYSTEMS INCREASE THE RISK OF CRASH AND/OR INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT THIS WAY.

NHTSA ID

11182569

Incident

Feb 19, 2019

Mileage

155,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING THIS VAN, THIS VEHICLE STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE DRIVING AND STEERING LOCKS. I CANNOT MOVE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT... IT LOCKS OFTEN. MAKE DRIVING OF THIS VEHICLE MAKES VERY DANGEROUS AND THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. WHY WOULD A MOVING VEHICLE STOPS SUDDENLY AND IT CAN BE RESTARTED AFTER TAKING OUT THE KEY ANF PLACING IT BACK IN. THIS ISSUE IS OCCURING WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURES TWICE A MONTH

NHTSA ID

11180616

Incident

Feb 17, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

STALLS WHILE DRIVING USUALLY AT LOW SPEED.LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES IS DANGEROUS. RESTARTS WHEN TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED LARGE NUMBER OF TIMES ON AUTO INTERNET SITES .CAR HAS 108000 MILES AND HAS BEEN STALLING THIS WAY FOR MANY MONTHS FROM TIME TO TIME USUALLY AFTER COLD START. MECHANICS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE STALLS AND UNABLE TO CORRECT.

NHTSA ID

11144809

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

CAR STALLS (STOPS RUNNING) RANDOMLY AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH. THIS CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WHICH CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I'VE ALMOST RUN INTO A TREE OR OFF THE ROAD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON FIRST AND THEN YOU REALIZE THE ENGINE ISN'T RUNNING ANYMORE. YOU HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND THEN START IT AGAIN. IT MAY BE FINE FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE OR IT MAY STALL AGAIN. TOTALLY RANDOM AS TO WHEN IT DOES THIS. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY AS OF YET. I'VE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WITH THIS COMPLAINT AND EACH TIME THEY CAN'T REPLICATE IT OR IT WAS DUE TO THE KEY FOB RECALL WHICH WAS PERFORMED ON MY CAR 3 TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11142512

Incident

Oct 24, 2018

Mileage

114,000 mi

WHILE IN MOTION THE CAR WILL JUST TURN OFF,STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I COULD NOT STEER. IT HAS TURNED OFF ON ME WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILDREN. IT WILL START BACK UP BUT CAN NOT GO LONGER THAN A MILE BEFORE IT DOES IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11131499

Incident

Sep 25, 2018

Mileage

115,247 mi

AS I LEFT MY APARTMENT TO GO TO WORK, AND AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE, I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT. AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, SUDDENLY MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT, THE "TRACTION" LIGHT TURNED ON ON MY DASHBOARD, AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, THEN RESTARTED THE VAN. IT DROVE FINE AFTER THAT. HAVING THE ENGINE, STEERING, AND BRAKES ALL SHUT DOWN RANDOMLY WHILE THE ELECTRICAL ITEMS STILL WORK WAS FRIGHTENING. IF IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WILL DO.

NHTSA ID

11082200

Incident

Mar 29, 2018

Mileage

160,000 mi

ALL FOUR BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHTS ARE LITE UP. STEERING HAS BECOME LOOSE AND STEERING WHEEL WOBBLES. I HAVE CHANGED THE PADS ON BRAKES 4 TIMES IN A YEAR AND MY ROTORS ARE STILL VERY GROOVED. DUST IS SUCKING UP INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE FOR NO REASON. THERE IS A KNOCKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE THAT SOMETIMES IS THERE BUT MOST OF THE TIME ITS PRESENT WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER I BOUGHT FROM THAT WAS NORMAL IN THESE VANS. HAS A HARD TIME COMING TO A STOP NOW. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED CODES ON MACHINE THAT ARE INDICATED ARE C2200 AND C2205 WHICH ARE RIDICULOUS TO BUY AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ EVERYONE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEM

NHTSA ID

11054633

Incident

Dec 13, 2017

Mileage

109,000 mi

2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY LIMITED EDITION. AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 10-72 MPH VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS PRESENT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, LIGHTS DO NOT FLASH, NO CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS, NO WARNING ETC. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF INTERMITTENTLY ONLY WHILE IN MOTION. VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF 9 TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF 11 MONTHS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO ANY EXTREME WEATHER CONDITION, WATER, SALTS, OR OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT IMPACT THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS NEVER RUN TO OF GAS. VEHICLE ALWAYS HAS OIL CHANGES DONE BEFORE REQUIRED TIMES. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN VERY LIGHTLY. CONDITION- VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AT 32 MPH ON A CITY ROAD IN KILLEEN TEXAS, TAKING A SLIGHT TURN IN A ROAD. ANGLE OF ROAD WAS LESS THAN A 120 DEGREE TURN. VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES BEHIND THE VAN. BRAKES LOCKED UP, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND GAUGES CONTINUE TO WORK UNTIL VEHICLE STOPS. VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART FOR 3 MINUTES AND 7 SECONDS. CONDITION- VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY 90 IN KILLEEN TEXAS NEAR THE TJ MILLS EXIT. SPEED WAS 72 MPH, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND SHUT OFF. STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES LOCK. VEHICLE NEARLY CAUSED A MULTI CAR COLLISION, BUT DUE TO OTHER DRIVERS BEING AWARE NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED. CONDITION- FORT HOOD TEXAS, VEHICLE IS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, NEAR A STOP LIGHT APPROACHING AT A SPEED OF 13 MPH. VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, STEERING LOCKS, BRAKES LOCK, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT GO OUT OF DRIVE. VEHICLE IS NEARLY HIT BY TRAFFIC FROM BEHIND. MILITARY POLICE ARRIVE ON SCENE AND ASSIST DRIVER WITH MOVING VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION. VEHICLE DID START AFTER 22 MINUTES AND 7 SECONDS. VEHICLE WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT, THERE WERE NO HILLS PRESENT. AFTER RESEARCHING MULTIPLE SITES, THREADS, FORUMS, AND BUSINESS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION FOR SAFETY OF LIFE.

NHTSA ID

11045487

Incident

Nov 12, 2017

Mileage

128,000 mi

WHILE I'M DRIVING MY VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK IT WILL STALL, TAKING THE ABILITY TO STEER AWAY. LIKE IT JUST SHUTS OFF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN I AM TURNING OR GOING AROUND A CURVE.

NHTSA ID

11031590

Incident

Oct 3, 2017

Mileage

96,250 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE DRIVER COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE ENGINE, AND WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHRYSLER (21027 I 45, SPRING, TX 77388, PHONE NUMBER: (281) 715-6927), BUT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SERVICED DUE TO A RESTRICTION FROM CHRYSLER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

NHTSA ID

11023327

Incident

Aug 12, 2017

Mileage

47,000 mi

MY TRACTION SENSOR IS NOT WORKING WHICH IS CAUSING MY A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I START DRIVING (IN MOTION), THE ABS TRACTION STARTS EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO WATER, ICE OR POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ABS MODULE AND ITS STILL DOING IT. THEY NOW SAY THEY WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SENSOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN (WHEEL). THIS IS VERY SCARY AS IT STOPS MY ACCELERATION AND IT AFFECTS THE ANTI-LOCK BREAKS. I WAS HOPING THIS WAS ALL DUE TO AN MINOR AUTO COLLISION BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOLD ME THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BECAUSE OF IT. THEY SAID ITS A COINCIDENCE AND THAT IT JUST HAPPENED ON ITS OWN AT THE SAME TIME. I WOULD SAY THE FAULT IS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

11016180

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

MY CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY HAD PERFORMED THE RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH HOWEVER MY VAN STILL SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST IT STARTED UPON MORNING WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT THE DAY, BUT NOW IT SHUTS OFF EVEN AFTER 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND HAVING TO BE CAUTIOUS SO THAT I WONT BE REAR ENDED OR WORSE. I HAVE TAKING IT IN TO BE DIAGNOSED BUT THE TECHNICIANS AFTER HAVING THE VAN HOOKED UP TO THEIR DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE ARE STILL UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING WRONG. NO ERROR CODES ARE SHOWING. ALSO NOW, WHILE PARKED AND THE ENGINE OFF WITH NO KEYS... MY DOORS WILL JUST OPEN BY THEMSELVES OR AUTOMATICALLY LOCK. IT DID IT YESTERDAY MORNING HOWEVER MY CAR WAS RUNNING, THE VAN LOCKED SOUNDING MY ALARM THAT SOUNDED AS IF I HAD PRESSED THE KEY TO LOCK. I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN CALL OR EMAIL ME TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM AS WELL AS HOW I CAN RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM,

NHTSA ID

10986267

Incident

May 16, 2017

WHEN DRIVING AT 30 MPH ESP/ BAS/ABS & BRAKE LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASH,THEN STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT .WE ARE SO GRATEFUL IT'S NOT ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

10955701

Incident

Feb 14, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT AND THE EPS AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY TIRE. THE TIRE WAS ROTATED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A STEERING ANGLE MODULE AND CLOCK SPRING MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ID

10954201

Incident

Nov 29, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM IN THE STEERING COLUMN OF THE 2008 T&C VANS. MINE WENT OUT AND WHEN THE MECHANIC TRIED TO GET ONE FROM THE LOCAL DEALER HE WAS TOLD THAT IT IS BACKORDERED ALONG WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED BACKORDERED. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IT AFFECTS MANY ITEMS.

NHTSA ID

10939255

Incident

Dec 14, 2016

Mileage

92,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET WHEN THE VAN SUDDENLY DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES AND WOULDN'T RELEASE THE KEY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE VAN STARTED AGAIN. I BEGAN TO DRIVE HOME THROUGH CITY STREETS WHEN ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE VAN ONCE AGAIN DIED AND LOST POWER TO THE BRAKES AND STEERING AND WOULDN'T RELEASE KEY EVENTUALLY THE CAR MAYBE A CLICKING SOUND AND ALLOWED ME TO START CAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND FOUND NO ERROR CODES.

NHTSA ID

10925003

Incident

Nov 7, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

ENGINE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. NO WARNINGS, JUST DIES. DIAGNOSTICS REVEAL A BAD TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE. RECALLS ISSUED FOR MULTIPLE MODELS BUT NOT MINE. I WAS TOLD, I HAVE ALL THE SYMPTOMS BUT I DON'T HAVE THE FLU ! NOW THEY WANT ALMOST $ 1000 TO FIX IT ! IT'S AN ESTABLISHED, DEFECTIVE PART BUT THEY'LL LET ME DRIVE AWAY IN IT UNLESS I CAN COME UP WITH THE MONEY. CHRYSLER SAID IT'S THE SAME PART AS THE RECALLED ONES BUT I DON'T HAVE A RECALL ON MY MODEL. ANT TIME ANY WHERE AT ANY SPEED, IT SHUTS DOWN.

NHTSA ID

10887840

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

91,000 mi