1996 Chrysler TOWN AND COUNTRY: complaints, problems and recalls

1996 CHRYSLER T&C MINIVAN WITH 78,000 MILES, BEING OPERATED BY WIFE, BROKE DOWN IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH KIDS ONBOARD. THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE DUE TO FAULTY BELT TENSIONER. THE BELT HAD BEEN REPLACED ONLY TWO MONTHS PREVIOUSLY AS PART OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (JUST TO AVOID EXACTLY WHAT HAPPED). MECHANIC INDICATED THAT CHRYSLER T&C TENSIONERS WERE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE CAUSING SHREDDING OF THE SERPENTINE BELT. BELT AFFECTS POWER STEERING, COOLING FAN, CHARGING SYSTEM, ETC. WIFE, WHO WEIGHS IN AT 95 LBS, LOST ALL …

Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000191 at NHTSA ↗

1996 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LXI MINI-VAN PARKED AT AN OFF-AIRPORT PARKING LOT WAS TOTALLED DUE TO A FIRE ORIGINATING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT APPROX 8:00 AM. AT APPROX. 1:00 AM THE FOLLOWING MORNING, PARKING ATTENDANTS NOTICED VEHICLE ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED, RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BY APPROX 3:00 AM. FIRE DEPARTMENT FOREMAN RESPONDING SAYS FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SUSPECTED THAT IT STARTED FROM A ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX NEAR THE BATTERY. VEHICLE DEEMED A COMPLETE LO…

Owner-reported narrative. 188,350 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002781 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP GETTING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHERE THEY BROUGHT THE RUSTED STRUT TOWERS TO HIS ATTENTION. THE DEALER WOULDN'T COVER THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 101,585 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003849 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER COMES ON SPORADICALLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFOMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004182 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOCK SPRING.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004186 at NHTSA ↗

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO SHIFT INTO O/D. IT MAY DRIVE FINE FOR DAYS AND THEN LOCK IN SECOND GEAR. MANUALLY CHANGING THE GEARSHIFT DOES NOT OVERRIDE THE FAILURE. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER DOES NOT LOG THE FAILURE. IT DOES CAPTURE THE MANUAL SHIFTING EVENT. THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBELM IS TO TURN OFF THE VAN AND START IT BACK UP. THIS COULD CORRECT IT FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR IT MAY RECUR WITHING MINUTES. TOTALLY RANDOM. OCCURS AT ANY TIME, NIGHT OR DAY. IT OFTEN OCCURS DURING ACCELLERATIONS FOLLOWING TU…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005135 at NHTSA ↗

WARPED GAS TANK CONDITION. WHEN FILLING TANK, GAS WILL LEAK FROM SEAM ON TANK TOP, AND RUN ON GROUND. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005459 at NHTSA ↗

I RECIEVED A RECALL ON MY CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE CLOCKSPRING AND THE DEALER WOULD NOT DO IT. THEY HAVE MY RECALL CARD AND WON'T GIVE IT BACK

Owner-reported narrative. 66,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005677 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-09-13 (September 13, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE PHASED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. HOWEVER, IF A VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE O-RINGS, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2002-11-07 (November 7, 2002)

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 18, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 1995-12-08 (December 8, 1995)

THE FUEL TANK ROLLOVER VALVE CAN ALLOW FUEL TO PASS INTO THE VAPOR CANISTER RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR FUEL LEAKAGE.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FILLER TUBE WITH A FILLER TUBE THAT HAS AN ADDITIONAL ROLLOVER VALVE. THE ASSOCIATED ROLLOVER VALVE VAPOR HOSES WILL BE REROUTED.

Reported: 1996-01-16 (January 16, 1996)

A STATIC ELECTRIC CHARGE CAN BUILD UP ON THE UNGROUNDED METAL SECTION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE A SPARK TO OCCUR WHEN FUELING THE VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY IGNITE THE FUEL VAPORS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND STRAP FOR THE FUEL FILLER TUBE.

Reported: 1996-07-18 (July 18, 1996)

THE BOLTS WHICH SECURE THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT MODULES TO THE SEAT FRAME CAN BREAK.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE CHILD SEAT MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT MODULE BOLTS.

Reported: 1998-08-06 (August 6, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT CARD WILL BE PROVIDED.

Reported: 1999-08-09 (August 9, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS. FUEL CAN LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK AT THE INTERFACE OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ATTACHMENT.

Consequence: IF A FUEL LEAK OCCURS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP MODULE ATTACHING NUT WITH A NUT THAT INCLUDES TIGHTER DESIGN TOLERANCES. THE SEALING O-RING WILL ALSO BE REPLACED.