2014 Chrysler Town And Country

On August 6th, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation (PE20-012) to investigate alleged thermal events, and/or vehicle fires originating at the charge hub in 2014 Chrysler Town and Country minivans manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). While the investigation was focused on the 2014 Chrysler Town and Country vehicles, the scope of the investigation was expanded to include the 2013-2020 Chrysler Town and Country, and Dodge Grand Caravan vehicles (the RT Platform).During the investigation ODI sent two separate Information Request letters to the manufacturer. One on August 17th, 2020 and one on March 31st, 2021.ODI identified a subject 2014 Chrysler Town and Country van on a vehicle salvage website that appeared to have experienced a thermal event where the charge hub is located. With the help of the NHTSA's Vehicle Research and Test Center (VRTC), ODI purchased the vehicle from the salvage company to inspect the damage and determine if more information about the failure could be obtained. A joint inspection with the manufacturer was conducted. Following this comprehensive inspection, a cause of the fire could not be determined.FCA initiated a parts collection initiative to obtain parts from the field for testing. The test results from the FCA field parts collection were inconclusive as they could not identify a common cause for the alleged thermal events. FCA looked at multiple liquid solutions that could have entered the charge hub circuit and caused it to short out, potentially leading to a fire. FCA also performed testing where the charge hub circuit was shorted out using a wire to observe if a flame or fire was produced. FCA provided their assessment to ODI concluding that none of the testing methods performed lead to a flame or fire being propagated.Given the low rate of thermal incidents at the subject vehicle charge hub, no reports of serious injury, zero reports of crash or death, and a lack of common failure mode, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists. The agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2016 Chrysler Town and Country, MY 2010-2017 Jeep Compass, MY 2011-2020 Dodge Durango, MY 2011-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Journey, MY 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty, MY 2010-2011 Jeep Nitro, and MY 2010-2011 Jeep Patriot vehicles.On December 2, 2019, ODI received a response from FCA that included vehicle production data, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, production changes, and other data related to the alleged defect from the start of production (2010) through September 24, 2019.On January 27, 2020, ODI received an update to the December 2, 2019, IR response from FCA.On September 22, 2020, ODI requested additional subject vehicle AHR information from FCA.ODI received FCA's response on October 21, 2020.ODI subsequently received an update to FCA's October 21, 2020, response on February 16, 2021.During the investigation, ODI requested updates to certain IR questions on two occasions.FCA provided updates to question #2 on March 5, 2021, and questions #2 and #5 on May 26, 2023. FCA’s IR response data identified approximately 7.5 million subject vehicles (with approximately 15 million AHR assemblies).Due to the large number of vehicles and failure reports, ODI focused its analysis on the FCA vehicle model with the highest failure rate to represent the worst-case scenario.For this purpose, ODI focused on MY 2012-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for its analysis.This population includes 710,890 vehicles that FCA manufactured between August 19, 2011, and August 8, 2015.ODI identified 2,839 alleged AHR failures within this limited population.ODI identified 263 alleged injuries that were caused by AHR failures in MY 2012-2015 Grand Cherokees vehicles.Of these alleged injuries, ODI categorized them as eighty-two (82) soft tissue (neck/whiplash, bruise) injuries, four (4) concussions, fifty-nine (59) headaches, and one hundred eighteen (118) without a specific injury description.Although complainants have alleged injuries, ODI has been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injuries where medical treatment was required.Consumer outreach was conducted by ODI, where sixty-three (63) FCA complainants with alleged injuries were contacted.Twelve of the sixty-three FCA consumers responded and were interviewed by ODI.ODI requested medical records, however, only one response was provided. Attorneys representing the responding complainant provided a synopsis that indicated they had experienced prior neck-related injuries dating to the mid-1990s.ODI also contacted one hundred (100) consumers who submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) in an attempt to validate alleged injuries. Despite the efforts of ODI, the office has been unsuccessful at obtaining substantive documentation/evidence supporting complaints that allege serious injuries (where pre-existing medical conditions did not already exist). In addition to the low severity of alleged injuries caused by AHR deployments, there have been eleven alleged crashes and two alleged lane departures within the entire subject vehicle population that has been in the field up to sixteen years (with over 8,500 AHR inadvertent deployments).ODI was not able to validate that the alleged crashes were the result of inadvertent head rest deployments, and the crashes were minor in nature. ODI has conducted a thorough investigation of the alleged safety defect and with up to sixteen years of exposure for some vehicles and over 8,500 inadvertent AHR deployments, no serious crashes or injuries could be validated in the sub-population of focus.The lack of serious injuries validated by ODI with such large period of field exposure is consistent with thework done by NHTSA’s Human Injury Research Division and the Biodynamic Research Corporation, which support that an inadvertent AHR deployment is not likely to cause serious injury.In addition to the low risk of injury, FCA released an extended warranty program that covers inadvertent AHR deployment for ten years / unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. PE19014 is closed with the FCA extended warranty program.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. To review a complete closing summary, please the attached closing report. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year. The petitioner alleges that TIPM defects may result in engine stall, airbag non-deployment, failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration, fire, and other symptoms. On September 25, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened DP14-004 to evaluate the petition for a grant or deny decision. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by CAS as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 296 complaints submitted by the petitioner in the original petition and five supplements, including 271 complaints related to the subject vehicles equipped with TIPM-7. Approximately 3 percent of CAS complaints are related to vehicles equipped with TIPM-6 and ODI?s review of these complaints did not identify any safety defect trends. ODI conducted a detailed review of complaints narratives submitted by CAS and consumers including careful analysis of vehicle repair histories, warranty claims obtained from the manufacturer and any available Customer Assistance Inquiry reports (CAIR). Analysis of the field data indicated that MY2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles exhibited significantly higher complaint rates related to fuel pump relay (FPR) failures than other subject vehicles. In a September 3, 2014 letter to NHTSA, Chrysler submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) identifying a defect in the FPR within the TIPM-7 which can result in a no start or stall condition in approximately 188,723 model year (MY) 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) and Dodge Durango (WD) vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010 through July 20, 2011 (14V-530).In a February 24, 2015 letter, Chrysler submitted a second DIR expanding the scope of the FPR defect condition to include an additional 338,216 MY 2012 through 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured from September 17, 2010 through August 19, 2013 and MY 2012 through 2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 18, 2011 through August 19, 2013 (15V-115).ODI analysis of the CAS allegations of TIPM defects resulting in stall while driving, airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration, fire and other faults identified a single defect condition related to 1 of over 60 different circuits in the TIPM assembly. The most common effect of this defect condition, related to the fuel pump relay, was a no-start concern, but it could also result in stall while driving (76 complaints). No valid evidence was presented in support of claims related to airbag non-deployment, unintended acceleration or fire resulting from TIPM faults and these claims were found to be wholly without merit based on review of the field data and design of the relevant systems and components.Except insofar as the petitioner's contentions relate to the defect condition addressed by the Chrysler recalls, the factual bases of the petitioner's contentions that any further investigation is necessary are unsupported. In our view, additional investigation is unlikely to result in a finding that a defect related to motor vehicle safety exists or a NHTSA order for the notification and remedy of a safety-related defect as alleged by the petitioner at the conclusion of the requested investigation. Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, the petition is den

The passenger headrest opened without a traffic incident.

NHTSA ID

11754511

Incident

Jul 3, 2026

Driving home from work, went over train tracks and heard a pop from the passenger air bag. It did not deploy all the way, just came open. I looked online for a recall and although its very common, there wasn't one. It's a plastic peice that let go and it needs complete replacement.

NHTSA ID

11745788

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

In August 2025, the front passenger Active Head Restraint (AHR) experienced a sudden mechanical failure and deployed unexpectedly. I immediately contacted my local Chrysler dealership, where a replacement headrest was ordered. The part was placed on an indefinite backorder with no estimated time of arrival (ETA). After several months of receiving no communication, I followed up with the dealer and was given an ETA of May 2, 2026. When that date passed with no word or resolution, I returned to the dealership on June 18, 2026, only to be informed that the parts delivery date had been pushed back yet again to July 3, 2026. In an attempt to make the seat usable, I initially attempted to secure the broken mechanism with heavy-duty zip ties, but the internal spring tension was too strong for them to hold. I was forced to use a ratchet strap to compress it; however, over time, the strap slips under the constant pressure and must be repeatedly retightened. Because Chrysler has failed to provide a critical replacement safety component for nearly a year, I am trapped in a double-sided safety hazard. If I leave the headrest exploded, the seat is physically unusable. Because I am forced to temporarily bind the headrest flat just to utilize the seat, the front passenger now has zero whiplash protection in a rear-end collision. Furthermore, this unstable, makeshift binding poses a continuous, unvetted impact and projectile risk to the middle-row passenger sitting directly behind it. By failing to maintain a reasonable parts supply for a known defect, Chrysler is forcing me to drive a vehicle with a structurally compromised safety system.

NHTSA ID

11745130

Incident

Aug 23, 2025

While parked, the headrest on the driver side exploded causing my head to be forced forward abruptly and painfully. There was no warning before this happened. Had I been driving, I may have crashed and caused injury to myself and others.

NHTSA ID

11741132

Incident

May 31, 2026

2014 Chrysler Town & Country experienced active diagnostic trouble code P2764 — Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Circuit Low. Vehicle was non-driveable. Authorized Chrysler dealership technician documented that voltage from TIPM to Valve Body was shorted to ground — confirming a wiring harness electrical defect. The dealership replaced the Valve Body three separate times without resolving the defect. The wiring harness was never permanently repaired despite being identified as the root cause. Manufacturer issued written admission that no repair could ensure resolution after 210 days out of service. The electrical short in the wiring harness affecting the transmission control circuit represents a safety defect that rendered the vehicle inoperable and uncontrollable during acceleration.

NHTSA ID

11730074

Incident

Jun 4, 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the driver reached the back seat area, and the front driver's seat headrest erroneously exploded. During the incident, the driver sustained a mild concussion. No medical treatment was required. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 188,000.

NHTSA ID

11718414

Incident

Feb 13, 2026

Mileage

188,000 mi

2014 Chrysler Town & Country – VIN [XXX] Both front active head restraints (driver and passenger) have self-deployed without any crash or impact, on two separate occasions about 3–4 years apart. The first occurred around 2019. Each time we were driving normally with occupants seated. We heard a sudden “pop” and the head restraint opened, exposing the internal mechanism. No one was struck or injured, but the unexpected deployment was distracting and occurred close to an occupant. After each event, the head restraint could not be reset or closed and remains deployed. The vehicle now has an airbag/SRS warning light that stays on, suggesting the restraint system may not function properly in a crash. There were no warning lights or symptoms before deployment. The deployed head restraints are still installed and available for inspection. A Chrysler dealer previously acknowledged the issue and ordered a replacement head restraint, but the repair was not completed due to relocation during the COVID period. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11711822

Incident

Jun 15, 2019

The contact owns a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the charging port located between the 2nd and 3rd row seating on the driver’s side caught on fire. No warning light was illuminated before the failure. The contact pulled off a busy roadway and pulled into a parking lot, all while her 3-year-old son was seated in the 2nd row rear driver's side seat and was being surrounded by smoke. The contact stated that it took approximately 10 minutes to pull over and safely exit the vehicle to remove her son from the vehicle. The contact's son received medical attention for smoke inhalation. The Police and local Fire Department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A Fire report was filed however, the Fire report number was not provided. The origin of the fire was the 110-Volt charging port due to an electrical failure. The contact stated that the child seat was also damaged and needed to be replaced due to the plastic being burned. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where it remained for several weeks. However, the vehicle was later towed back to the local independent dealer where the vehicle was purchased and remained at the dealer for further investigation. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

NHTSA ID

11701442

Incident

Nov 2, 2025

Mileage

136,000 mi

PAD KIT - REAR DISC BRAKE, FRONT DISC BRAKE

PAD KIT - REAR DISC BRAKE, FRONT DISC BRAKE

Incoming Vehicles with Deployed Active Head Rest (AHR) should have a through enquiry. If there is no Broken Pieces or Electrical failure, Direction to RESET the AHR following the Procedure.

Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On

LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.

LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.