Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||||
| 1900303 | 08/29/2003 | 1900801 | 10003545 | Pop/tick sound in steering wheel area. *tt | 10/23/2003 |
| 190999 | 02/11/2000 | 610018 | A condition where a click / rattle sound may be heard coming from the area of the steering wheel while the vhicle is in motion. *tt | 04/14/2000 | |
| 190598 | 08/28/1998 | 602189 | A honk or squeal noise during parking lot maneuvers. *yc | 11/12/1999 | |
| 190197 | 10/03/1997 | 54222 | Some vehicles experience a momentary loss of power assist for the steering when turning corners with the a/c or defroster | 03/30/1998 | |
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||||
| 27073 | 10/01/1995 | 46043 | Vehicle theft security system vehicle theft alarm (vtss/vta) alarm activation or dead battery with no charging system malfunction. applies to vehicles built at st. louis assembly prior to july 24, 1995 or at windsor assembly prior to augus | 04/25/1996 | |
| 084695 | 10/01/1995 | 46365 | Vehicles equipped with optional vehicle theft security system/vehicle theft alarm (vtss/vta) must have had the engine started and allowed to run for 6 seconds or longer, 20 times before the vtss/vta system is fully functional. | 04/25/1996 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| 190797 | 05/09/1997 | 6088944 | Concerns with honk noise during parking lot maneuvers. *nlm | 01/11/2000 | |
| 191197 | 12/05/1997 | 6088966 | Concerns with honk noise during parking lot maneuvers. *nlm | 01/11/2000 | |
| 190197A | 01/24/1997 | 51282 | During high humidity climate conditions, some vehicles may experience a momentary loss of power assist for the steering when turning corners with the a/c or defrost | 06/27/1997 | |
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||||
| 191497 | 12/19/1997 | 6088974 | This bulletin involves intermittent popping on front end. *nlm | 01/11/2000 | |
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||||
| 1900801 | 11/23/2001 | 628194 | Experiencing a pop/tick sound heard coming from the steering wheel area while the vehicle is in motion. *tt | 03/06/2002 | |
| 190497 | 03/21/1997 | 52078 | 35 mph cyclic vibration. *tw | 07/17/1997 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEERING | |||
| 06/28/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| The serpentine belt on our 1996 chrysler town & country lxi, makes a horrible screeching sound, that we've almost come to appreciate, when faced with it's alternative silence, when the serpentine belt gets wet & slips off. the immediate & dangerous result is loss of power steering, leaving the driver surprised with their inability to safely maneuver the van. within less than a minute, a fast hazard bell sounds & the engine temperature sensor is pinned at hot. if the driver is quick, strong, & lucky enough, to get the family safely off the road, before the water pump fries, stalling the van in traffic, they are now left stranded. we've had the serpentine belt & tensioner pulley replaced twice, the last time at chrysler, and still the problem has not been corrected. we've checked for recalls but chrysler states that this is not a life threatening failure, so no recall has been made. this has happens to us often enough that we keep a wrench in our van, so my husband can attempt to retrieve & re-seat the belt onto the tensioner, in the pouring rain. we've read many complaints about this same problem & can't understand why chrysler doesn't think loss of steering & sudden heat pump failure is not life threatening. if one of their ceos were to find themselves struggling their family van quickly off the road, standing over, or even lying under their engine, in the pouring rain, while the rest of the family hopes that he isn't injured making the repair, hit by lightening, or by a distracted driver, perhaps they would recall this system. we've spent a lot of time & money on repairs, & have come across an off-market product designed to fix this specific, widely recognized chrysler product issue, and just purchased it. we find it disgusting to see that the possibility of this problem being addressed may depend on the number of deaths, or persons injured, before chrysler takes any responsibility. they could at least acquire or cover the cost of the off-market repair kit. *tr | |||
| 09/16/2006 | 185698 | 3 | 10/09/1996 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph on normal road conditions, the serpentine belt fractured. no warning lights alerted the contact but loss of power steering was noticed. the vehicle had been taken three times to the dealership and the belts, pulleys and tensioner were replaced on every occurrence. the manufacturer was contacted but the resolution was a dealership referral. the contact expressed concern because the loss of power steering could create conditions for a serious accident. | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 70000 | 2 | 09/17/1996 |
| He owns a 1996 chrysler, town& country, only owner with 70,000 miles on the vehicle. steering wheel popped off, mostly when turning the wheel to left. this happened often since 2005. also, front and back windshield wipers came on at separate times when it was in off position for about one and half year.*ak | |||
| 04/09/1999 | 90000 | 12/10/1995 | |
| The spring in my steering wheel has broken, airbags are inoperative, horn is inoperative, not to mention the other things that won't work because of it. i understand there was a recall on it...up to 70,000 miles, i never received anything about this, i was only told that it would cost 250 dollars to get it fixed by chrysler. *nlm | |||
| 07/13/2002 | 1 | 04/20/1996 | |
| While driving at any speed consumer can hear clunking noises in steering column. it could cause consumer to have steering problems. dealer notified.*ak consumer states that steering wheel makes growling noise when turning due to rack and pinon failure. steering makes schruching noise when turning right and dealer lubercate steering shaft. the rear brakes made a noise. the driver side door was hard to close. the left sliding door was rubbing on the body when shut*yh | |||
| 11/11/1999 | 1 | 07/01/1998 | |
| Automatic transmission occasionally would not shift into overdrive. often occurred after deceleration from highway speeds. only way to know was to observe engine rpm. sometimes could reset by pulling off to side of road and turning engine off for a few minutes, then re-start. first remanufactured transmission also had problems. second has been okay. wipers on intermittent settings would wipe several times in a row, then not wipe for an extended period. created visibility problems. first repair replaced multifunction switch. this didn't solve problem. second repair replaced wiper motor. noticed that the heater was not working. shop determined the evaporator was not working correctly due to leaks. only way to replace evaporator is to remove instrument panel; very expensive and time consuming.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicles steering shudders an nearly locks up. | |||
| Driving at low speeds and making sharp turns steering will lock up, causing loss of vehicle control which could result in an accident. intermittent problem. *ak | |||
| 08/20/1996 | 5 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Consumer lost all steering control, occurs when air conditioner is running. | |||
| The steering provided on this vehicle makes it difficult to control vehicle at highway speeds. | |||
| The steering provided on this vehicle makes it difficult to control vehicle at highway speeds. *ak | |||
| 05/07/1996 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Total loss of power steering for short periods of time, particularly during very heavy rain fall, frequently during cold periods, and usually after going through the car wash. on -2-13/97 while driving on q 3-lane highway, lost control, resulting in an accident. also tire blew out. *ak | |||
| STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | |||
| 06/01/2001 | |||
| We bought this used car with a karr security system installed. we since have learned that this is a preferred dealer (sales department) add on, useful for the dealers security and access of vehicles on open lots etc. salemen use a master entry unit on all cars. the original fobs controlling this vehicle seemed to be missing without explaination. the system was not stable and malfunctioned frequently in all modes. we did notice that the hood security button had been defeated with a plastic tie strap, but assumed that due to the fact that the karr system had to be employed by the chevy dealer, lacking chrysler parts, a compromise. the fuel sensor began to malfunction and would continually go off with a full tank. there was horn blaring, lockouts and engine killings got worse. we took the vehicle to carl burger dodge here in san diego and insisted that we wanted all the offending equipment removed, leaving only the lighted entry system and the remote locking. i asked for the parts and what i got back would fit in an area about one foot sq. the vehicle has operated perfectly ever since and the gas indicator has ceased to malfunction. it is my opinion that the misapplication of the overlaid karr system ontop of oem equipment should be boldly declared to customers and not allowed to compromise used or new vehicles factory systems. those blaring horns are useless and only make people more calloused. the override system used by karr is exceedingly difficult and activated far too often. a neighbor who has nearly the same system told me that to have it installed cost $800. it cost me $140 to have it removed and to have the oem key fobs replaced and reprogramed. it was money well spent. the vehicle now seems to belong to us and works beautifully. i hear horns going off all around my community. it isn't necessary. this high cost is being pawned off onto customers for the so called security of vehicles in dealers lots. it is maddening. thank you for listening.*ak | |||
| 08/01/1996 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Remote alarm receiver and alarm failed. | |||
| 1 | 08/01/1996 | ||
| Computer malfunction of the factory installed theft alarm system, randomly activating and therby locking the ignition. | |||
| STEERING - GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | |||
| 08/19/1999 | 1 | 07/24/1999 | |
| Transmission gear selector was able to be engaged by child and vehicle rolled, keys were in the ignition and child turn selector without engaging brake. mjs | |||
| 12/01/1996 | 1 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Steering box failed. | |||
| 11/06/1996 | 1 | 12/15/1996 | |
| Steering gear box failed. | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | |||
| 09/08/2004 | 112530 | 1 | 08/01/1997 |
| While driving lost power steering fluid, which lead to the power steering failure. vehicle becomes very difficult to steer safety. failure of the power steering was later identify as a corroded high pressure power steering line.*ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP | |||
| 06/10/2004 | 131000 | 2 | |
| While driving the transmission failed and the vehicle was unable to shift gears. transmission was replaced twice, however the problem recurred. *ak the horn airbag and cruise control have been replaced. the vehicle had brake problems. the dealer determined that the front brakes were at 45% but the rear brakes were at 70%. the dealer cleaned and adjusted the brakes. the a/c failed, the dealer replaced the fan module. the power door locks failed. the cd player doesn't work. the low beam head lights do not provide enough light therefore the consumer has to leave the high beams on to see. this problem has been checked three times but the dealer said they seem correct. the passenger seat broke. the starter failed and as a result the vehicle would not start. the steering pump failed and as a result the steering wheel became tight when making turns. the rear heater lines were leaking. the water pump leaked. *nm | |||
| 07/03/2002 | |||
| While driving belt tensioner broke off, unable to steer vehicle. contacted dealer. *ak | |||
| 07/23/2000 | 2 | ||
| While traveling over a puddle of water consumer lost power steering, dealer has been notified. *ak the loss of steering occured twice and the dealer indicated the steering problem was due to the a/c belt failure and failure to install special bracket by the manufacturer. *yh | |||
| 08/06/2001 | |||
| There are some problems with steering. when taken vehicle to dealer, dealer noted that serpentine belt and steering belt tensioner are defective. *ak | |||
| 10/26/2000 | |||
| Idler pully broke,lost power steering, cooling, also broke pulley on power steering pump. $500.00. *ak | |||
| 2 | 04/01/1996 | ||
| At 20k and 40k miles i experienced a loss of steering when cornering on wet pavement. the steering would seize while in the turn so i was not allowed to straighten the wheels. fortunately i was not in a high traffic area when this occured and i was able to avoid a collision. on both instances i immediately went to my chrysler dealer. they initially replaced the tensioner which did not correct the problem. when they replaced the power steering belt it corrected the problem for 20k miles. at 40k miles they once again replaced the tensioner thinking it would cure the problem but they needed to replace the belt again as well. now i expect to have this problem every 20k miles as it seems to be a design problem. the power steering unit is located beside the right front wheel and appears to be prone to water problems. when i asked chrysler who was going to pay for these repairs every 20k miles for the life of the vehicle they told me to take it to my dealer and he would take into consideration mileage and warranty to make that decision. they implied that i am the only person that has had this problem. i feel it is a design problem. if this is the case then i certainly shouldn't be the only person experiencing difficulties.*ak | |||
| 07/26/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving spring idle arm broke which caused the power steering pulley to break, resulting in loss of steering control. *ak | |||
| 04/04/2000 | 1 | 10/01/1995 | |
| Loss of power steering. almost impossible for a woman to turn. loud noise. chrysler replaced belt tensioner and bracket drive belt. | |||
| 05/24/1999 | |||
| Defective power steering tensioner broke, causing loss of unexpected power steering while driving , which may have caused a crash. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| Parts began to fly from the engine compartment while being driven and there was a loss of power steering in the vehicle, along with loud noises from the parts coming loose. mechanic said the power steering tensioner belt needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 04/15/1999 | 1 | ||
| Serpentine belt and power steering pulley broke resulting in loss of power steering while driving. | |||
| 07/21/1997 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Power steering pump pulley snapped off. | |||
| 03/23/1999 | 11/01/1995 | ||
| Power steering belt tensioner failed catastrophically, resulting in loss of power steering and control of vehicle. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1998 | 11/20/1997 | ||
| Power steering fails due to slipping belts during low speed turns with a/c running. | |||
| 06/25/1998 | 3 | ||
| Belt tensioner on steering went out. second (2nd) time it happened. driving 35mph at time. had no control. stopped vehicle. had it towed to dealer 1st time & 2nd time went out. it recovered itself & then went out again. *ak | |||
| 11/08/1997 | |||
| The design of the power steering system malfunctioned when water got into the power steering belts, causing loss of steering control; and may result in accident. once the belt dries, the power steering is functional. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak | |||
| 07/16/1997 | 1 | ||
| When driving through a puddle of water, the vehicle will lose power steering for about a minute or two, then the power is restored. service manager is aware of this problem with the power steering belts. *ak | |||
| 05/08/1997 | |||
| While driving at 10-15 mph steering belt tensioner came apart suddenly, resulting in loss of steering control. also water pump broke. *ak | |||
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||
| 09/16/2006 | 185698 | 3 | 10/09/1996 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 mph on normal road conditions, the serpentine belt fractured. no warning lights alerted the contact but loss of power steering was noticed. the vehicle had been taken three times to the dealership and the belts, pulleys and tensioner were replaced on every occurrence. the manufacturer was contacted but the resolution was a dealership referral. the contact expressed concern because the loss of power steering could create conditions for a serious accident. | |||
| While traveling noticed air bag indicator light on, no power steering or horn. technician stated that clock spring needed to be replaced. please provide further information. *ak | |||
| 11/15/2000 | 2 | 10/01/1995 | |
| I was stopping at a red light when i heard a loud thunk from the right front of the car. i thought perhaps i had run over a rock ro piece of metal in the street that bounced up and into the wheel well. when the light changed i proceeded for several blocks and then attempted a right turn, only to find that i could not get the car steered into my lane as the power steering had disappeared, unbeknownst to me. fortunately there was no car waiting at the stop sign on the street onto which i was attempting to turn, or i would have run squarely into it. as it was the car overheated and completely expired while i was attempting to get it to a repair shop less than two miles away. this is not an unusual event for this model, as reported by the dealer and also according to consumer complaint databases. the problem was a broken serpentine belt and pretensioner. i feel that this is a safety threat, since one can abruptly lose control of the car when that belt breaks. please look into it. thank you. *ak | |||
| 09/02/2000 | 1 | 11/01/1995 | |
| As i was about to turn a corner i heard a snapping noise and i was unable to turn. the steering wheel felt like it had locked. the car was towed to the dealership. the tensioneer, drive belt and power steering pulley had all come apart. i looked at the parts and saw a sheared bolt about 5/16 in the assembly. should the whole system be dependent on such a small bolt? is a cars steering supposed to fail at 74156 miles? it was a very frightening experience. i think the steering should be somehow mechanically assisted so that when it fails it should be easier to steer the car to a safe place out of traffic. | |||
| 06/28/2000 | 5 | 06/01/1999 | |
| 5 times in last 2 days, the power assist has shut down while i was making a turn. there is a technical service bulletin (19-01-97) relating to this issue. as this causes you to loose control of automobile, this is very dangerous not to mention terrifying. *ak | |||
| 3 | 10/01/1998 | ||
| Steering completely locks up, low speeds in a turn... lost use of breaks at same time | |||
| 08/13/1997 | |||
| Experiencing problem with vehicle losing power steering whenever it goes through a water puddle. vehicle been in / out of dealer shop, and various parts have been replaced, but problem still occurring. *ak | |||
| 10/13/1998 | 05/01/1996 | ||
| Most unrealiable car i have owned. these are not the only problems, just the most major. this car has been on a tow truck six times in three years. please note first repair was to the original tensioner and serpentine belt; i tried to correct before submitting but was unable to change form. | |||
| 06/20/1999 | 1 | 04/01/1996 | |
| Within 5 minutes after start-up, turning thru a curve in the road steering went out. engine started to get hot within about 2 minutes (light on dash came on). pulled over to check out problem. noticed serpentine belt off and tensioner laying below. *ak | |||
| 4 | 07/01/1995 | ||
| When hitting a puddle of water, the power steering fails. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1998 | |||
| When driving at a low speed power steering locks up, feels like power steering fluid is low. dealer contacted, and cannot duplicate the problem. problem still exists. *ak | |||
| Power steering malfunctions. when driving through a small puddle or about four minutes of rain at a slow speed, the vehicle loses all power steering control. dealer contacted and cannot duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| 11/05/1997 | |||
| When it rains the power steering goes. the vehicle is at dealer for repair. *ak | |||
| 1 | 08/01/1995 | ||
| When driving through a puddle of water, the vehicle loses steering power. *ak consumer states the power steering returns in several seconds causing oversteering out of turns. *slc | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - ARM - IDLER AND ATTACHMENT | |||
| 03/01/2001 | 04/01/1996 | ||
| It seems there is a problem with the chrysler mini-vans, the clock spring in the steering wheel that connects the speed control, horn and air bags to the electrical system in the van. the air bag warning light keeps coming at all times when turning the steering wheel. the speed control, and horn also do not work when the air bag light is on. this concerns me that the air bags will not work because of this defective connection in the steering wheel. according to a recent article in the press, chrysler has sold over 124,000 of these parts. i recently was involved in a collision in which the air bags should have deployed and didn't.*ak | |||
| 07/26/2000 | 1 | ||
| While driving spring idle arm broke which caused the power steering pulley to break, resulting in loss of steering control. *ak | |||
| STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | |||
| 1 | |||
| The tie rod broke, which caused the vehicle to sway.*jb | |||
| 02/11/2002 | |||
| Vehicle has a clunking noise in front end. when hitting a bump it goes to steering system and make steering difficult. dealer contacted. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION | |||
| 07/28/2001 | 42 | 02/29/1996 | |
| Inside sidewall on left front wheel suddenly split away. on four different occasions while driving the transmission suddenly downshipt without any warning to a lower gear causing the speed of the car to immediately drop from 65-70 mph to 50mph or less and on other occassion the transmission lockup, problem diagnosed as relay control for tcm, replaced, to no avail. transmission leaks oil and other fluid, replace shat seal,gasket and resealed pan. replace fuel gas tank to achieve reliable fuel gauge measurement. steering locks up especially on hard left turn, replace rack and pinion. | |||
| 06/15/2001 | 1 | 02/01/2001 | |
| Local dealers mechanics stated that they have seen alot of these failures. the rack and pinion breaks down sending debris into the power steering fluid that flows into the power steering pump and destroys the valves completely taking out the power steering system. the entire power steering and rack and pinion must be replaced. *ak | |||
| 09/17/1999 | |||
| The rack & pinion steering had locked up on left turns. would loosen up a bit & could make left/right turns. had lost steering control after arriving home. the steering wheel became free wheeling. been to dealer & had drivetrain checked. *ak | |||
| 07/08/1996 | 3 | ||
| Vehicle has experienced continued steering problems, rack and pump replaced however did not rectify steering lock up, which has caused damage to front end of vehicle. | |||
| 1 | 08/01/1995 | ||
| Rack and pinion steering failed. | |||
| 04/01/1996 | 1 | 08/01/1996 | |
| Rack and pinion failed. | |||
| 11/01/1996 | 1 | 06/01/1996 | |
| Rack and pinion steering failed. | |||
| 02/01/1996 | 1 | 12/01/1995 | |
| Rack and pinion steering box failed. | |||
| 01/01/1996 | |||
| When making turns the steering is stiff, only in cold or wet wheather. please describe details. *ak | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 07/14/1996 | 1 | ||
| While driving or braking the vehicle will pull left and this could cause loss of control or an accident.*ak steering gear was replaced, but problem still exists.*jb | |||
| STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR | |||
| 07/16/2001 | 1 | 07/01/2097 | |
| The clock-spring in my chrysler failed causing the air bag light to come on at times and also causing my cruise control to not work at times. my bill for repair of this failure was $191.74. i was told that this was not covered under my service contract. however i now see that their has been a recall issued for this very problem. my question is, how do i get reimbursed the $191.74? dt | |||
| 05/05/2000 | 6 | 10/01/1996 | |
| Clicking sound and rattle in steering column reported to dealer repeatedly to no avail. problem was noticed when vehicle was within 6 months of purchase in 1988. although i reported problem everytime i took vehicle into service, dealer was never able to correct [problem. it still exist till this date of aug. 2001. *ak | |||
| 10/31/2000 | 06/01/1996 | ||
| Contacted dealer and chrysler - both indicated know problem however not covered by any warranty. no safety defect listed. | |||
| 06/20/2000 | 1 | 09/01/1999 | |
| In my opinion the clock spring failed due to improper stress relief. a picture of the failed clock spring can be seen at http://home1.gte.net/jmogens1/clockspring/mvc00113.jpg i have other pictures at that site of the disassembled clcok spring. note the bend where the conductors broke near the point where the ribbon cable should have been better stress relieved.*ak | |||
| 06/27/2000 | 2 | 11/01/1995 | |
| While driving through a drive through consumer heard a loud snap, and then clicking noise coming from the engine and lost power steering. consumer looked under car, and saw tensioner belt was hanging. second time after a car wash, consumer put car in reverse, and the same thing happened. there was a snap, and clicking looked under vehicle, and it was hanging again. took vehicle to dealer. dealer said they had seen the problem a lot with these vehicles. both incidents, the tensioner broke causing the belt to break also. *ak | |||
| 04/01/1997 | 16 | ||
| Consumer loses ability to steer and sometimes the steering wheel locks up. | |||
| 11/11/1996 | 6 | ||
| Steering wheel shimmies severely, any speed, makes loud whooping like noise when making turns. dealer replaced rack and pinion, problem still exists. *ak | |||
| 08/08/1996 | |||
| Upon making a turn, the mechanism freezes up, the steering does not respond when trying to make any type of turn. *ak | |||
| 08/08/1996 | |||
| Steering wheel intermittently locks up when making left turns, no warning, almost caused an accident, normal speed. *ak | |||