2011 Chrysler Town & Country Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WERE DEFECTIVE AND THE METAL CHROME ON THE MIRRORS EXHIBIT A SUN-GLARE THAT OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 400.

TODAY I NOTED THAT BOTH MICHELIN AS ENERGY SAVER 225 65 R17 FRONT TIRES ARE CUPPING ON OUTSIDE EDGE, STEERING HAS BEEN VERY SENSITIVE AT HIGH SPEED, VEHICLE WANDERS EASILY ON THE FREEWAY REQUIRING FREQUENT STEERING CORRECTION. IT IS THE ALIGNMENT OF THE "CASTER" ADJUSTMENT/DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING OF THE NEW T&C DESIGN HAS A PROBLEM. WITH ONLY 3500 MILES ON IT, I RAN MY HAND OVER THE TREAD OF ALL TIRES, AND THE FRONT TIRES ARE CUPPING, WHILE THE REAR ARE SMOOTH. PLEASE ADVISE. DEALER INFORMED OF OVERSENSITVE STEERING, HAS NOT PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT YET. WAITING FOR A CALL FROM CHRYSLER COMPLAINT DEPT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER PERFORMED VARIOUS REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE WHICH CONSISTED OF THE FRONT BRAKES BEING REPLACED FOUR TIMES AND FRONT ROTORS TWICE. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO PREMATURE WEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,743.

VEHICLE BOTTOMS OUT AND SCRAPES THE BOTTOM OF THE GAS TANK AND ITS HOLDING STRAPS ON ANY DEEP DRIVEWAY APPROACH. OCCURRENCES HAVE PREVENTED VEHICLE USE AT CHURCH, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, US POST OFFICE, ETC. "BOTTOM HIT" HAS OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED YET BUT A HIGHWAY POTHOLE COULD PUNCTURE THE GAS TANK AND LEAD TO FIRE. THE VEHICLE IS A BRAUN CONVERSION VAN WITH AN ARTICULATED RAMP. THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR BRAUN, THE ABILITY CENTER, CONTACTED BRAUN GOT THE SUGGESTION TO CHANGE TIRE SIZE ALONG WITH AN EXPLANATION THAT UNDER CLEARANCE DECREASED IN 2008 WHEN CHRYSLER CHANGED ITS BODY STYLE. I CONTACTED BRAUN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOT NO RELIEF, NO OTHER SUGGESTION. I WORKED WITH THE ABILITY CENTER AND WE MADE A MODIFICATION ADDING A SHIM TO THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ELEVATING THE UNDERCARRIAGE SLIGHTLY. BRAUN MAD IT CLEAR THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THIS WORK. UNFORTUNATELY THE "FIX" DIDN'T COMPLETELY SOLVE THE PROBLEM, CLEARLY, THERE IS A RISK FOR ANYONE IN THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR SCRAPING SOUNDS LIKE A CAR CRASH, IS VERY DISCONCERTING AND VERY DISTRACTING. PULLING OUT OF CHURCH OR THE POST OFFICE, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ON WELL TRAVELED ARTERIALS, REQUIRES SOME ACCELERATION TO PROPERLY CLEAR TRAFFIC. RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUCH A MOVE IS WHEN THE BOTTOM HITS WHEN YOU NEED YOUR MOST CONCENTRATION. SUCH AN OCCURRENCE ON TODAY'S HIGHWAYS IN THEIR NATIONAL STATE OF DISREPAIR STRONGLY SUGGESTS A CAR FIRE FROM A RUPTURED TANK AT SPEED. THIS NEEDS A FIX! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 900.

STEERING IS OVERSENSITIVE, VEHICLE OVERSTEERS VERY EASILY. DEALER PERFORMED 3 SOFTWARE UPGRADES, ONE TO EACH OF THESE MODULES: PCM, WIN AND STEERING SENSOR. STEERING IS NOT BETTER. THIS OVERSTEER SEEMS TO BE MORE OF A MECHANICAL DESIGN FLAW, AND FEELS UNSTABLE, LIKE IT IS EASY TO DRIFT INTO OTHER LANES, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HARSH RIDE. OUR 2004 T&C WAS MUCH BETTER. THE MORE I DRIVE THE NEW 2011, THE MORE I HATE IT, WANT MY OLD VAN BACK. *TR

CHRYSLER"S BEST KEPT SECRET, FLAWS IN THE CYLINDER HEADS OF THEIR NEW 283 HP V6 ENGINE. THE ENGINE OVER HEATS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, MINE RAN AS HIGH AS 244 DEGREES F. AND THE AC WOULD NOT WORK ON A HOT DAY AND A LONG TRIP. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND FOR $56.00 I KNEW ALL ABOUT IT IN 5 MINUTES. IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AHEAD OF TIME I WOULD NOT HAVE SPENT $32,000.00 FOR THE HEAD ACHE. I SHOWED MY INFORMATION TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME I WAS RIGHT! NOW HE HAS TO FIND NEW IMPROVED HEADS. AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY AUTOMOBILE FOR A WEEK ! I EMAILED CHRYSLER AN ALL I GOT BACK WAS A FORM LETTER TELLING ME THEY WERE SORRY AND TO SEE MY DEALER. THIS IS MY LAST CHRYSLER AFTER A LONG RELATIONSHIP. FROM PAST EXPERIENCES THE ENGINE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AS A FACTORY BUILT ENGINE!

IN MY 2011 T&C, THE BACKUP CAMERA IS TOO DIM TO SEE IN DAYLIGHT. IT CAN BE USED AT NIGHT AND IT'S MODERATELY USEFUL ON A DARK DAY. BUT IN FULL SUNLIGHT THE CAMERA SCREEN JUST CANNOT BE SEEN WELL ENOUGH TO BE USEFUL. I HAVE THE RBZ RADIO IN IT. I HAD THE SAME RADIO IN A 2010 T&C AND AT FIRST THAT CAMERA WAS JUST AS BAD. I FOUND S TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SHOWING A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THAT PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, AND ONCE THE DEALER UPDATED THE SOFTWARE, THE BACKUP CAMERA WAS DRAMATICALLY BETTER. NOW, I BUY A 2011..., AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE GONE BACKWARD. IT'S JUST AS BAD OR EVEN WORSE THAN THE 2010. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY FIDDLED WITH IT AND CHECKED OTHER VEHICLES, BUT THEY SAID THEY ARE ALL THE SAME, EVEN THOUGH THEY ADMIT IT'S TOO DIM TO USE IN SUNLIGHT AND THAT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE THEY DID ON MY 2010 MADE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNTIL CHRYSLER SENDS OUT EITHER A SOLUTION OR A SOFTWARE UPDATE DOING TO MY 2011 RADIO, THE SAME FIX THEY DID TO MY 2010. FOR A VEHICLE THAT HAS A STICKER PRICE GETTING CLOSE TO $40,000, I FIND THIS DISAPPOINTING. I LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE VAN, BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S SO GOOD OTHERWISE JUST MAKES THIS PROBLEM EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING! *TR

WHEN BACKING UP AN SLIGHTLY INCLINED DRIVEWAY MY NEW 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY (1500 MILES) STARTED SHUDDERING LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. IN ORDER TO BACK UP I HAD TO ACCELERATE BEYOND WHAT WAS SAFE FOR THE TIGHT AREA I WAS IN. I ROAD TESTED IT ON A STEEP INCLINE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BACK UP WITH OUT A LOT OF LOUD NOISE AND SHUDDERING. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND THEY AGREED THAT IT SHUDDERED WHEN BACKING UP. THE DEALER TRIED A NEW ONE ON THE LOT AND IT DID THE SAME THING. THE DEALER CONTACTED CHRYSLER, WHO SAID THAT THEIR IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, BECAUSE IT WAS "CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS VEHICLE" I HAVE THIS IN WRITING FROM MY DEALER. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A $40,000 VEHICLE THAT CAN NOT BE USED SAFELY AT SLOWER SPEEDS IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING INCLINES. *TR

ELECTRONIC VEHICLE INFORMATION CENTER (EVIC) DISPLAYS INCORRECT MPG, ABOUT 10-11% HIGHER THAN ACTUAL MPG WHEN FILLING TANK AND COMPUTING BY CALCULATOR. SAYS 27 MPG, WHEN ONLY 24 MPG IS MEASURED WHEN PUMPING GAS. EVIC ALSO RANDOMLY RESETS IT SELF TO 18 MPG WHEN ENGINE IS TURNED OFF. TSB 08-012-12 IS REPORTED TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION. *TR

MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT THE VAN AT A REAL GOOD PRICE OR SO WE THOUGHT ... SHE WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO GOTO WORK AFTER TAKING OUR SON TO DAYCARE... SHE STOPPED AT A CONVENIENT STORE AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF AND TURNED THE VAN OFF. WHEN SHE CAME BACK OUT AND TRIED TO CRANK IT , THE VAN DID NOTHING... THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ON AND SO WAS THE RADIO.. THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY BUT COME TO FIND OUT THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE BOUGHT IT FROM SAID IT WAS THE POWER MODULE AND THAT IT WAS AROUND FIVE TO EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX.. WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE VAN FOR LESS THAN THREE MONTHS AND IT JUST SEEMS UNFAIR THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN THAT SOON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT FROM PARK TO DRIVE BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED A FAILURE WITH A PROGRAM ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,200. UPDATED 12/19/11*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAD A SOFTWARE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE OPERATED IN THE ECONOMY MODE AND THERE WAS NO FIX AVAILABLE....UPDATED 01/31/12 *BF UPDATED 03/05/12

POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STOP CLOSING WHEN AN OBJECT IS ENCOUNTERED. MY WIFE WAS HURT BUT NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN SHE WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR WHILE IT WAS CLOSING. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT IF A CHILD WAS CAUGHT THEY WOULD BE MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY INJURED. CHRYSLER SAYS THERE IS NO AWAY TO ADJUST THE SENSITIVITY SO THAT THE DOOR STOPS EXERTING FORCE SOONER. *TR

TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISE AT 16MPH CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE NOISE. CHRYSLER STATES THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE "FIX" FOR IT AT THIS TIME. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME AS A CUSTOMER OF CHRYSLER. THANK YOU. *KB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED DURING SUNNY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE REAR VIEW CAMERA MONITOR MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DISPLAY IMAGES OR SEE OBJECTS ON THE SCREEN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO REPAIR THE CAMERA. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR VIEW CAMERA COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF UPDATED 09/19/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE ABNORMALLY BEFORE RESPONDING. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALERT SYSTEM DOES NOT FUNCTION ON MY NEW 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY LIMITED. I HADN'T NOTICED THIS FACT UNTIL A PASSENGER COMMENTED IN SURPRISE THAT HER SEAT BELT WAS NOT FASTENED. THIS WAS AT THE END OF A DRIVE ACROSS TOWN. I CONTACTED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY, AND THE SERVICE MANGER INFORMED ME THAT CHRYSLER FOUND IN MANUFACTURING THAT THIS PASSENGER SEAT BELT ALERT DID NOT WORK CORRECTLY, SO THEY DISABLED IT IN SOFTWARE. HE FURTHER SAID THAT IF OR WHEN A SOFTWARE UPDATE BECOMES AVAILABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I WOULD BE INFORMED OF THE FIX. *TR

AFTER 8000 MILES, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH. DEALER REPLACED BRAKES. NOW SIX MONTHS LATER AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES VEHICLE IS SHAKING AGAIN WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH. *TR

THE 2011 TOWN AND COUNTRY (AND DODGE CARAVAN) BE DRIVEN WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED WITHOUT THE DRIVER BEING AWARE. A RED WARNING LIGHT "BRAKE" LIGHTS UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN MOTION AND THE BRAKE IS ENGAGED, HOWEVER THERE IS NO AUDIBLE WARNING. THIS LIGHT IS INTENDED TO WARN THE DRIVER OF THE SITUATION, BUT IT IS NOT VISIBLE TO MANY DRIVERS (INCLUDING MY SPOUSE) BASED ON POSSIBLE STEERING WHEEL / SEATING POSITION COMBINATIONS. IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT DRIVERS CAN AND ARE DRIVING WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED (WHICH BASICALLY APPLIES THE REAR BRAKES) WHICH LEADS TO RAPID WEAR AND CRACKING DUE TO THE FRICTIONAL HEAT. THE BIGGER RISK, HOWEVER, IS THE FACT THAT IN AN EMERGENCY STOPPING SITUATION, OVERHEATED BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE, LEADING TO LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES, WHICH CAN LEAD TO INCREASED CHANCE OF INJURIES AND EVEN DEATHS. AS AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER MYSELF, THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD EASILY BE CORRECTED BY ADDING AN AUDIBLE CHIME (WHICH IS USED ALREADY USED FOR SEATBELT WARNINGS AND TURN-SIGNAL WARNINGS), OR LIMITING THE VEHICLES SPEED, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DANGEROUS SITUATION OBVIOUS TO A DRIVER UNABLE TO SEE THE WARNING LIGHT. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES ON MY WIFE'S MINIVAN RECENTLY DUE TO THIS SITUATION. FORTUNATELY IT ONLY COST ME MONEY AND NOT MY WIFE'S OR MY KIDS' LIFE! *TR

ENGINE NOISE. COMPARED TO OUR OLD VAN, THE SOUNDS FROM THE NEW VAN ENGINE ARE LOUDER. I NOTICED WHEN WE BOUGHT THE 2011 VAN IN JANUARY, THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE A SOUND INSULATED HOOD. TODAY WHEN DRIVING A 2010 LOANER T&C - FROM THE LOCAL DEALER WHEN OUR TRANSMISSION WAS BEING SERVICED - THE 2010 HAS A PIECE OF INSULATION ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD. THE 2011 MODEL DOES NOT HAVE THIS INSULATION AND IS NOISIER. IS THIS A COST CUTTING EFFORT? NOTHING LIKE TRYING TO PLEASE CUSTOMERS TO HELP FUTURE SALES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED THERE WAS CHROME RING AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE HEATER DECK, CAUSING A REFLECTION IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REFLECTION WAS VERY DISTRACTING TO HIM WHILE DRIVING AND WAS CONCERNED WITH THE POTENTIAL OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. . UPDATED 03/03/11 *BF UPDATED 12/20/11 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT TEMPORARILY RENTED A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD RESTS OF THE SECOND ROW CAPTAINS CHAIRS FAILED. WHILE A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILD WAS SECURED IN A CHILD RESTRAINT IN THE SECOND ROW CAPTAIN CHAIR. THE CHILD WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE HEAD REST LEVER AND THE HEAD REST DETACHED FROM ITS HOUSING AS THE SEAT RESTRAINED FORWARD WITH THE CHILD STILL IN THE SEAT. THE CHILD WAS TURNED OVER, FACE DOWN WHILE STILL IN THE CHILD RESTRAINT. A PASSENGER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE SEAT BACK IN THE UPWARD POSITION AND INJURED HIS HAND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 174. UPDATED 03/22/11*LJ UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN

IT WAS RUNNING FINE NO WARRING LIGHTS NOTHING WAS COMING UP BUT OUT OF NO WHERE IT STARTED STALLING AND WOULD CRANK AND IT STILL WILL NOT CRANK BUT WHEN IT WANTS AND I GOT IT CRACKED UP ONE DAY AND TOOK MY KID TO THE DOCTOR AND IT SHUT OFF ON ME WILE DRIVING BUT YA IT HAS TROUBLE CRANKING AND IT IS STALLING AND SHUTS OFF WILE DRIVING VERY UNSAFE I AM NOW SCARED TO PUT MY KIDS IN IT TO RIDE. PLEASE HLEP