2003 Chrysler Town And Country

FRONT BRAKES ON 2003 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY, WITH ONLY 67K MILES, LOCK UP FOR NO REASON DISABLING THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 2.5 YEARS. BOTH TIMES, IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER FOUND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE HAD OVER HEATED AND LOCKED UP. THE LAST TIME, THE BRAKES BECAME SO HOT THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE AS THE PAD WAS ON FIRE. EACH TIME DEALER HAS REPLACED FRONT ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, CALIPERS, AND A PARTIAL BRAKE LINE WITH SYSTEM FLUSHED. EACH TIME, WE WERE TOLD THEY REALLY HAD NO IDEA WHY THEY LOCKED UP. THEY SAID BEST GUESS WAS RUST IN THE SYSTEM. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD AS THEY CAN LOCK UP AT ANYTIME AND AS WE HAVE SEEN, CATCH FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGAN TO FUNCTION IN THE OFF POSITION. WHEN SHE BEGAN TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED 10 TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT A MOUSE CHEWED ON THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 180,000.

WE HAVE OWNED OUR 2003 TOWN AND COUNTRY SINCE 2008. THE CAR HAD SEEMED TO HAVE PRETTY GOOD GAS MILEAGE UNTIL THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE GAS EVERY 3 DAYS OR SO. I PUT A FULL TANK OF GAS IN THE VAN ON FRIDAY MAY 21ST. I PICKED UP BOTH MY SON AND DAUGHTER TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND TO AND FROM CHURCH. WE MADE A PIT STOP AT A STORE AND DROPPED OFF A FRIEND AT HOME (THIS PERSON LIVES AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY SON'S SCHOOL). ON MONDAY, I FOUND MYSELF BACK AT THE GAS STATION BECAUSE MY GAS LIGHT HAD COME ON AND HAD SAID I WAS OUT OF GAS. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING OVER AND OVER AGAIN OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO ALSO HAS NOTED THAT I HAVE BEEN PURCHASING GAS MORE AND MORE OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS AND RECOMMENDS THAT WE TAKE THIS IN AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ISN'T SOMETHING HAPPENING WITH THIS VAN. FILLING A VAN ISN'T CHEAP AND THIS VAN HAS EMPTIED OUR GAS BUDGET IN LESS THAN A WEEK. I DON'T SEE MYSELF PURCHASING ANOTHER TOWN AND COUNTRY FOR OUR NEXT VAN PURCHASE. WE WILL NEED TO DO MUCH BETTER ON OUR HOMEWORK WITH OUR NEXT PURCHASE. *TR

THE AIR CONDITIONING ON OUR 2003 TOWN AND COUNTRY DOES NOT SHUT OFF. I TURN OFF THE RADIO AND MY HEAT OR AIR CONDITIONING BEFORE EXITING MY VEHICLE. AS OF TODAY, MY AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT SHUT OFF ON OUR VAN UNLESS I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. I TRIED TO SHUT IT OFF WHILE PARKED AND ALL IT DID WAS SWITCH TO COOLING OFF OUR FEET IN THE OFF POSITION. THE AIR IS BLOWING SO HARD AND COOL THAT WE ALL HAD GOOSEBUMPS ON BEFORE WE EVEN REACHED OUR DESTINATION. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE REAR CONTROLS FOR A WHILE SO WE JUST OPTED NOT TO USE IT, WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS ONE COMING. SO NOT ONLY DO I HAVE MY REAR AIR CONDITIONING RUNNING, NOW WE HAVE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM RUNNING ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHILE IT IS TURNED OFF. ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW, DID WE BUY A LEMON OR IS THIS JUST A POORLY MADE CAR. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, DOORS DON'T CLOSE,RADIO DOESN'T WORK IN THE RAIN, AND THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T EVEN WORK. *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR 2003 TOWN AND COUNTRY IN 2008 WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF OUR PURCHASE WE NOTICED THAT THE HATCHBACK NO LONGER OPENED USING THE KEY OR SOMETIMES THE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN OR CLOSE AND WE HAVE TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK MANUALLY OR TRY TO CLOSE THE DOOR MANUALLY AND AT TIMES THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT IS READY TO SHUT WHICH IF YOU ARE IN A RUSH IN THE MORNING 5-10 MINUTES IS A WHILE TO WAIT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO GET KIDS OFF TO SCHOOL AND YOURSELF OFF TO WORK. *TR

A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2003 TOWN AND COUNTRY WE NOTICED THAT THE SPEAKERS WOULD NOT WORK WHENEVER IT RAINED. WE TOOK THE CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES AND REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND TO BRING THE VAN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AS SOON AS WE HEAR THE SPEAKERS GO OUT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A REASONABLE REQUEST BUT WE CAN'T TAKE THE VAN BACK TO THEM AS SOON AS IT RAINS WE NEED TO BE AVAILABLE TO A BACK UP VEHICLE AND WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BRING IT BACK FOR AN APPOINTMENT. IT IS A YEAR LATER AND WE ARE STILL DRIVING WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAS SPEAKERS THAT GO OUT EVERY SINGLE TIME IT RAINS. WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COVERED UNDER THE ELECTRICAL WARRANTY WHICH IS WONDERFUL BUT WE NEED THIS ITEM TO BE REPAIRED THE SOUND IS VERY DISTRACTING AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT DURING A DOWNPOUR AND CAN STARTLE YOU AS YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON THE ROAD. *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR 2003 TOWN AND COUNTRY IN JANUARY 2008 WE WERE SECOND OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE. ABOUT A YEAR AFTER PURCHASED NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS BEGINNING TO STICK AND BECOME UNDRIVABLE. WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER OR STOP DRIVING ALL TOGETHER UNTIL THE POWER STEERING LOOSENED UP. IT WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND NOT TURN AT ALL AND AS IT BEGAN TO LOOSEN THE NOISE WOULD BEGIN TO BECOME LESS AND LESS, REPORTED THIS INFORMATION TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE ARE STILL HAVING THIS ISSUE AND HAVE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND AGAIN SAME ANSWER THEY CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS OCCURS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW A CERTAIN DEGREE BUT WEATHER SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTING POWER STEERING OF A CAR. WE HAVE TRIED TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RESOLVED AND ARE STILL AWAITING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED. *TR

ON MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY MINI-VAN AND MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE AS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ABRUPTLY EXPLODED OUT OF MY DASHBOARD. NO IMPACT PROMPTED THE MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG. WHATEVER CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE BAG TO EXPLODE DID NOT ACTIVATE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE INCIDENT WAS INVESTIGATED BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR CHRYSLER TO CONFIRM THAT NO IMPACT HAD OCCURRED. THE SEATBELTS WERE NOT AFFECTED IN ANYWAY. ACCORDING TO SERVICE CENTER AT THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT CAUSED THE MALFUNCTION: DETAILED REPAIR QUOTE DATED 5/13/2010. AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE, R&R 01/03 SIDE PERFORMED DIAG TEST -- FOUND DTCS IN THE SYSTEM FOR ACTIVE PASSENGER SQUIB 2 CIRCUIT OPEN-CHECKED WIRING -- NO VISIBLE WIRING PROBLEM SEEN -- ALSO FOUND PASSENGER SQUIB 1 CIRCUIT SHORTED TOGETHER - - NEEDS WIRING HARNESS-MODULE-INSTRUMENT PAD AND AIRBAG PN THE PASSENGER SIDE. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT INVESTIGATE THE ABOVE FINDING TO CONFIRM ITS ACCURACY. WE HAVE BEEN DILIGENT IN OUR REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE CHRYSLER CASE REPRESENTATIVE. THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHRYSLER INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT INFORMED US ON MAY 13 THAT CHRYSLER DID NOT FEEL THE MALFUNCTION WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THEREFORE WE WOULD NOT RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION. WE HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED COMPENSATION FROM THE AUTHORIZED DEALER EITHER. THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT HAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE VEHICLE OWNER TO HAVE THE AIR BAG, AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE, SQUIB WIRING, CLOCK SPRING WIRING, OR ANY OTHER RELATED ITEMS CHECKED AND MAINTAINED ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE FEEL THE AUTHORIZED DEALER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONDITION OF THESE ITEMS FROM OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE VISITS, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DILIGENT IN ASSESSING THEM GIVEN PREVIOUS MANUFACTURER RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUES ON OTHER MODEL YEARS. *TR