2002 Chrysler Town And Country

VAN STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND SMOKING HEAVY BLUE/WHITE SMOKE OUT THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE SMOKE WAS FROM RAW UNBURNED FUEL THAT WAS POURING INTO THE ENGINE AND UNABLE TO BE BURNED OFF AT ANY RPM BELOW 3000. THE VAN WAS FINE WHEN LAST PARKED AT OUR RESIDENCE. NEXT DAY WIFE WAS GOING TO THE STORE AND VAN IMMEDIATELY HAD THE PROBLEM. COOL ENGINE, HAD BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT. SHE DROVE ABOUT HALF A MILE THINKING THE VAN WOULD RUN SMOOTHER BEFORE SEEING AND SMELLING THE GAS AND SMOKE. SHE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE VAN TO THE HOUSE. I CHECKED THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE WHICH INDICATED P0201: #1 FUEL INJECTOR OPEN CIRCUIT. I AM FAIRLY HANDY WITH VEHICLE REPAIRS AND DECIDED TO TAKE THE TOP HALF OF THE INTAKE OFF TO CHECK THE #1 INJECTOR AND INSPECT THE OTHER 5 AS WELL WHILE THERE. ALL INJECTORS COIL RESISTANCE CHECKED FINE AT 12.5 OHMS, NO OPEN CIRCUIT AS INDICATED. DECIDED TO CHECK THE FUEL RAIL WIRING HARNESS FOR A SHORT CIRCUIT AND SURE ENOUGH THE #1 CYLINDER WIRING INDICATED A SHORT CIRCUIT. WITH THE METER ON THE INJECTED PLUG, WIGGLED THE HARNESS AND THE SHORT WENT AWAY. SO I REMOVED THE ENTIRE INJECTED WIRING HARNESS FOR INSPECTION, THIS INVOLVED REMOVING ALL THE FACTORY WIRE WRAP AND PROTECTIVE SLEEVE. DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE WIRES INSIDE THE HARNESS HAD ALL THE INSULATION MISSING AT ONE SECTION NEXT TO THE MAIN HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE HARNESS WAS PROTECTED AND NOT TOUCHING ANY PART OF THE ENGINE YET FAILED. I CONTACTED LOCAL CHRYSLER PARTS DEPT. AND INQUIRED ABOUT A REPLACEMENT HARNESS, RESPONSE WAS NEW HARNESS OVER $200 AND HAD TO BE ORDERED. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS PARTICULAR HARNESS WHICH FITS 2001 - 2003 CHRYSLER VANS, IS ORDERED BY CHRYSLER GARAGES AT 53 UNITS A WEEK. THIS IS WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES. THIS IS A FACTORY FLAW AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE A FIRE STARTS OR TOXIC FUMES FROM THE EXHAUST INJURES A PASSENGER. THERE IS NO HEAT SHIELD AT THIS CONNECTORS LOCATION WHICH I BELIEVE CAUSED THE HARNESS FAILURE. I REPAIRED THE HARNESS AND ENGINE RUNS. *TR

VEHICLE HAD JUST ENTERED ATLANTA GEORGIA ON I85 SOUTHBOUND. THERE WAS VERY HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON LIGHT ACCELERATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE ENGINE NEVER STALLED. THE IDLE REMAINED SMOOTH. IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE NORMALLY. IN DRIVE (ALL GEARS) AND REVERSE, THE ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 900 RPM AND THEN LOSE POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE ALONG THE SHOULDER AT A SLOW WALKING PACE (A SLIGHT INCLINE) UNTIL WE ENCOUNTERED A DISABLED VEHICLE. THE VAN DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO PULL INTO THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND THE VAN TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE ENGINE NEVER RAN ROUGH AND ALL THE FLUIDS LOOKED GOOD AND WERE AT CORRECT LEVELS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY MEASURED THE PRESSURE AT 40 PSI AND THE SPECIFICATION WAS 53 PSI. THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $686 PLUS TOWING. THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY APPARENTLY DOES NOT COVER THESE ITEMS. THE REPLACED PARTS WERE NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO US. AFTER PICKUP FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE VAN HAS INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCED A PRONOUNCED HESITATION ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE VAN DUPLICATED THE SAME FAILURE AGAIN ON 12/30/06. WE HAD JUST PULLED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AT A RESTAURANT. EVERY ASPECT OF THE INCIDENT WAS THE SAME EVEN TO OUR PROCEEDING TO DRIVE DOWN THE SHOULDER. EXCEPT IN THIS CASE THE SHOULDER WAS A SLIGHT DECLINE. WHEN THE VAN MADE IT TO ABOUT 5 MPH THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED AND THE VAN DROVE FINE FOR THE REMAINING 95 MILES OF OUR TRIP. THE NEXT TIME THAT THE VAN WAS STARTED IT WENT STRAIGHT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN BUT CHARGED A ESTIMATE FEE AND SAID TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES SET FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THE VAN BEHAVED FINE DURING THE TEST DRIVE. *JB

THE CAR IS 3 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS. THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER FAILED AT 56,000 MILES. THIS YEAR WE REPEATEDLY HAD TO TAKE THE VAN IN FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT. THE LIGHT WILL COME ON FOR A FEW DAYS AND GO OFF WITHOUT INTERVENTION. AT FIRST WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO ISSUE. WE BROUGHT IT IN AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THE #5 CYLINDER WAS MISFIRING. NOT A WEEK LATER AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME, WE WERE TOLD THAT ONE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS IS THE WORST SERVICE RECORD I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED. *JB

CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY 2002. AT 20000 MILES RECALLED FOR REPLACEMENT OF GAS TANK CONTROL VALVE SEAL (B25). NOW LEAKING @ GAS TANK ROLLOVER VALVE CAUSING VAN TO FILL WITH GAS FUMES. DEALERSHIP CONSIDERS OUR PROBLEM THOUGH CLEARLY IN A 2002 VEHICLE WITH 57,119 MILES WITH PREVIOUS GAS TANK ISSUES - ONE WOULD CONSIDER PERHAPS A MUCH GREATER PROBLEM WITH GAS TANK - CERTAINLY A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. *NM

WE PURCHASED A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY WITH 22000 MILES ON IT IN NOVEMBER 2003. SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD IT IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6 TIMES FOR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. WE FIRST REPORTED A VIBRATION IN THE FRONT END AND A CLICKING/KNOCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. REPLACED THE SWAY BAR LINKS AND BUSHINGS AND COULD NOT "DUPLICATE" THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. WE TOOK IT BACK AGAIN 3 MORE TIME FOR THE VIBRATION PROBLEM UNTIL THEY FINALLY REPLACCED ALL 4 TIRES. IT STIIL HAS A VIBRATION TO THIS DAY. IN BETWEEN ALL OF THESE VISITS WE HAD IT IN FOR A FUEL SMELL THET FILLED THE ENTIRE HOUSE WHEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE REPLACED THE FUEL RAIL AND O-RINGS. STILL HAVE A GAS SMELL WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. ALSO HAD IS BACK IN FOR A STEERING PROBLEM AFTER THEY DID RECALL WORK ON THE POWER STEERING LINES THAT DID NOT GET DONE WHILE ON THE LOT. WHEN WE TOOK IT BACK IN THE POWER STEERING RACK SIEZED UP IN THE PARKING LOT AT THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING BOX. NOW WE JUST HAD TO TAKE IT BACK AGAIN FOR A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT. THEY REPLACED THE SWAY BAR LINKS AND BUSHINGS AGAIN. THEY VAN CURRENTLY HAS 26000 MILES ON IT. AFTER WE PURCHASED THE VAN I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A RENTAL VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS ACTIONED TO THE DEALER THAT WE WENT TO. THE DEALER DID NOT DIVULGE THIS INFORMATION TO US BEFORE SIGNING THE DEAL. THEY HAD THE VAN FOR A TOTAL OF 3 WEEKS FOR THE FIRST 2 MONTHS THAT WE HAD IT. THINGS WERE GOING WELL UNTIL IT ALL STARTED OVER AGAIN WITH THE SWAY BAR.

DEALER TOLD ME NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, SOLD ME THE CAR AND LET US DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT WITHOUT PERFORMING A STOP SALE RECALL WORK. I DON'T WANT THE VEHICLE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT IF I HAD BEEN INFORMED THE RECALL WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE. THE RECALL WAS ISSUED IN OCTOBER 2002, ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THE RECALL WORK HAS NOT BEEN DONE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE AND DO NOT WANT TO ENDANGER ME, MY WIFE, OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD BY DRIVING IT ANYWHERE, INCLUDING THE DEALER WHOM I DO NOT TRUST DUE TO THIS AND INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE PURCHASE. I CANNOT FIT A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EVENTS DUE TO LIMITED CHARACTER SPACE IN THE ON-LINE SUBMITTAL. SUBJECT: ILLEGAL TRANSACTION AND MISREPRESENTATION BY ARCHER MOTORS; VEHICLE VIN [XXX] REF. DAIMLERCHRYSLER SAFETY RECALL NO. B25 - FUEL TANK CONTROL VALVE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE FILE #11696229, CHRYSLER FINANCIAL FILE # [XXX] THE TRANSACTION SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN PLACE BECAUSE WE WOULD NOT HAVE SIGNED THE CONTRACT NOR DRIVEN IT OFF THE LOT HAD WE KNOWN IT WAS A STOP SALE RECALL, AND THE WORK HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. WE DO NOT FEEL THE DEALERSHIP IS PERFORMING DILIGENTLY TO PROTECT ITS CUSTOMERS. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER 2002 TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS ON THAT SAME LOT. I WONDER IF ANY OF THEM HAVE NOT HAD THE SAME GAS TANK RECALL WORK PERFORMED? WE ASK THAT ARCHER MOTOR SALES CORPORATION RESCIND OR UNDO THIS CONTRACT AND MAKE US WHOLE AGAIN. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER REGARDING APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL REMEDY 02V274000. WHILE ON THE PHONE, DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND PERSONAL VEHICLE FILE, AND THEN ASKED IF VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM DEALERSHIP. WHEN CONSUMER ADVISED NO, THE DEALER REPLIED THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE UNTIL 07/24/03. *AK