2016 Chrysler Town And Country Steering Problems

While driving today the vehicle stopped shifting and the check engine light turned on. When I pressed the gas pedal the RPM gauge would go to 4 or 5 but the vehicle wouldn’t move initially. It jolted forward after a few seconds of pressing the gas. Because I had my children in the vehicle, I slowly drove to the garage I see regularly. They checked the code and with that revealed it was something to do with the transmission fluid pressure and the power steering pump.

NHTSA ID

11539025

Incident

Aug 16, 2023

My steering went completely out. I took it in to the dealership and they replace the power steering pump, said that was not it and replaced the rack. I got it back, and the pump was loud, was clicking when turning, and steering was still moderately unresponsive. They said they would order another power steering pump and go from there. They replaced the pump after several months, and said they drove it with no issues. It is still unresponsive, and will occasionally jerk in one direction when trying to go straight. I am afraid me or someone else will get hurt in an accident with it one day. I just reached out to another dealer as well as Chrysler to see what my options are. It happens at any speed and is constant.

NHTSA ID

11523810

Incident

Apr 30, 2023

Engine completely shut off while in drive on the road, lost all power, brakes everything. managed to coast into to a parking lot, where the vehicle kept turning on and off. The key didn't seem to connect to the van. the van died as soon as i coasted it off the road. everything is electronic in the van. even taking inserting the key fob into the van did not work. Van has around 93000 miles on it. Had problems where the van would not start at all before then got it to start eventually. It was like the ignition was not reading the key. First time it happened driving on the road. newer vehicle battery and batteries in the key fob. Help. is there a recall on this van?

NHTSA ID

11509448

Incident

Feb 27, 2023

My wife had just gotten on the interstate and had accelerated to ~75 mph. Then without warning, the steering system locked up making it hard to navigate. Both the gas pedal and breaking system went off line as well. Luckily, there wasn't any vehicles in the immediate vicinity. She was able to allow the vehicle to coast to a stop as she wrestled with the steering wheel to try and get the vehicle to the side of the road. As the vehicle was slowing down (to around 25 mph), the speedometer indicated that she was at 100+ mph. This could have been devastating in most situation. Just prior to getting on the interstate, she was on a one lane road with 18-wheelers passing by her head-on. What if this was to occur if she was approach a cross walk with pedestrians crossing, or other vehicles (to include motorcycles), she would not have been able to stop. When she finally made it over to the side and the vehicle had stopped. She turned the vehicle off and everything was fine again, like nothing ever happened. This is our first and hopefully last occurrence. But looking online, this is nowhere near being close to the first occurrence of this type. Please see the following website which shows 413 reports for this make and model (but various years): https://www.carproblemzoo.com/chrysler/town_country/steering-problems.php There is also this website as well: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-the-steering-wheel-lock-up-while-driving The problem with that site is there are too many geniuses on there stating that this is not possible and follow on by showing their knowledge, etc. Others addressed solely the steering wheel issue stating it's a pump or fluid, etc. It also mentions of make/model this had occurred on (i.e. Mazda, Chevy Corvette - recall, etc.). Regardless, this is a major life threatening issue that is constantly occurring out there. Sadly, there are probably several instances where as the driver did not survive the incident, hence unable to report it.

NHTSA ID

11456733

Incident

Mar 14, 2022

On August 13, 2021, while driving at about 60 miles per hour, the vehicle lost power and power steering. Air conditioning continued to work. I was able to coast, move over to the right lane, place the transmission into neutral and restart the engine. I then placed the transmission back into drive, increased my speed and resumed my trip. This occurred previously on August 15, 2017, resulting in Complaint Number 11047478 being filed with your department.

NHTSA ID

11428999

Incident

Aug 13, 2021

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE WHEEL LOCKED AND WAS UNABLE TO BREAK. HAD TO SLOW TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN TO DEALER TO REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327113

Incident

Nov 5, 2019

Mileage

56,000 mi

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE FROM RUSSEL WESTBROOK DODGE, CHRYSLER, JEEP. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THEY MAKE REPAIRS AND ADJUSTMENTS TO VEHICLES WITHOUT NOTATING THE SYSTEM. THIS ALSO DOES NOT ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR PURCHASE. THE SLIDING DOORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VAN ARE NOT FUNCTIONING. YOU CAN NOT OPEN THE DOORS MANUALLY OR WITH THE REMOTE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. -SAFETY HAZARD THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS ON THE FREEWAY. VERY SCARY. A TECH STATED THAT IT WAS THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND I SHOULD REFRAIN FROM USING THE BRAKES SO MUCH. -VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING TOP SPEED ON THE FWY. WE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. - SAFETY ISSUE!! THE SALES MANAGERS ARE NOT RESPONSIVE AND NO ONE TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR NOT PUTTING NOTES IN THE SYSTEM .

NHTSA ID

11231968

Incident

Jun 25, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UNIVERSITY CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM FIAT OF ANNISTON (1229 S QUINTARD AVE, ANNISTON, AL 36201, (888) 711-7834) WHERE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS COMPLETED, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ID

11111145

Incident

Apr 29, 2018

Mileage

66,000 mi

ON AUGUST 15, 2017, WHILE DRIVING UP A HIGHWAY INCLINE, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT ABOUT AN EIGTH MILE AWAY SO I ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COAST, FORCEABLY STEERING IT THROUGH A SLIGHT CURVE AND THEN BRAKING. WHEN I STOPPED, I PUT THE GEAR SELECTOR INTO PARK AND THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. I CALLED MY LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER THE NEXT MORNING. THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND UNLESS IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING IT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO KNOW WHAT HAD OCCURRED OR WHAT WAS WRONG. THIS HAS NOT OCCURED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS ABOUT 14 MONTHS OLD AT THE TIME AND HAD ROUGHLY 15,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11047478

Incident

Aug 15, 2017

Mileage

15,000 mi

TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH STANDING RAINWATER AS HAPPENS DURING RAINFALL

NHTSA ID

11010066

Incident

Jul 21, 2017

Mileage

160,000 mi

WE HAD JUST TURNED INTO OUR SUBDIVISION AND ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH ILLUMINATED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNED ON AND THEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. WE WERE TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED SO WHEN THE VAN CAME TO A STOP WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART IT. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T SOUND TO CONCERNED AND ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE VAN ON THURSDAY. I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR RESPONSE AS THIS COULD HAVE EASILY HAPPENED WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR WHEN IT WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED.

NHTSA ID

10970079

Incident

Apr 1, 2017

Mileage

24,000 mi