Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| 0801001 | 05/25/2001 | 620059 | Subject regarding airbag / clock spring service for various models including 2002 model year jeep liberty. *tt | 07/10/2001 | |
| 0800600REV | 12/29/2000 | 080600 | 618049 | Subject regarding wire splice repairs. *sb | 04/03/2001 |
| 083997 | 11/28/1997 | 6088845 | Vehicle may experience remote keyless entry transmitter batteries discharge prematurely. *nlm | 01/10/2000 | |
| 084097 | 12/12/1997 | 6088847 | Information on body control module auto headlamp sensor/signal circuit diagnostic trouble code (dtc). *nlm | 01/10/2000 | |
| 084498 | 12/11/1998 | 603102 | Subject on memory power seat travel range. *yc | 02/02/1999 | |
| 084098 | 09/25/1998 | 602440 | Subject regarding body control module auto headlamp sensor/ signal circuit diagnostic trouble code (dtc). *yc | 11/04/1998 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||||
| 083997 | 11/28/1997 | 54162 | Condition with keyless entry (rke) transmitter batteries discharge prematurely. *yc | 03/30/1998 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||||
| 9814 | 03/18/1998 | 601253 | Condition with the software within the powertrain (pcm) may not operate the solid state relay for the radiator fan correctly. *yc | 07/14/1998 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||||
| 190699 | 09/17/1999 | 607958 | Information regarding the ignition switch housing service. *tt | 10/19/1999 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||||
| 080600 | 02/25/2000 | 609995 | This bulletin provides a revised wire splice procedure and related parts. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | ||||||
| EA01007 | CHRYSLER GROUP LLC | 02/21/2001 | 11/22/2002 | AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING | 02V293000 | |
| There is no summary currently available | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 09/01/2010 | 162000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 chrysler town and country. the contact stated that the instrumental cluster failed and none of the gauges worked properly. due to this short in the instrumental cluster, the vehicle would also stall and take a long period of time to start. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they informed the contact that the entire instrumental cluster or the circuit board behind it needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 162,000. sm. | |||
| 09/01/2010 | 162000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1998 chrysler town and country. the contact stated that the instrumental cluster had failed by none of the gauges working properly. due to this short in the instrumental cluster the vehicle would also stall and take a while to start. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and they advised her that the entire instrumental cluster panel or the circuit board behind it needed to be replaced. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer has not been contacted. the failure mileage was approximately 162,000. tb | |||
| 11/15/2008 | 165000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1998 chrysler town and country. when the contact turns on the ignition it will start and run for two seconds and then turns off. after turning the ignition three times the vehicle will not turn on. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic. the mechanic could not diagnose the vehicles failure. this has occurred on six different occasions. the approxiamete failure mileage 165,000.ds | |||
| 10/17/2010 | 199000 | ||
| Repeated dismount of serpentine belt from crankshaft pulley due to water splashing from right front tire. has occurred four or five times since owning the 1998 vehicle in 2001. this caused the abrupt loss of power steering, braking and electrical power from the alternator. no action has been taken by chrysler to provide s shield to protect this area. | |||
| 04/25/2010 | 138000 | ||
| I bought a 1998 chrysler town and country and after 2 weeks the van started having problems. the car wouldn't start in the gas station on the first try but did start on the second. from that incident on the car would need several starts to get it running and the instrument panel would go dead while i was driving and then suddenly jump back on and die again. this went on for about a week and a half before it stopped starting at all. i have not been able to drive for over three weeks and not only wasted money buying the van but also, took it to a repair shop where the guy replaced the fuse panel for $200 and wanted to put in a new computer but i told him not to. this van is a disgrace and an inconvenience. | |||
| 09/01/2008 | 90000 | 1 | |
| The van starts but will not take any gas and die immediately. it will start about 4-5 times then not start at all. like others who have filed a complaint, the gauges act funny then flatline. it usually takes several days before it will start again. i have had a computer hooked up to it but it doesn't read anything wrong with the vehicle. it is not dependable at all. i have replaced relays and gave it a full tune up. *tr | |||
| 06/15/2007 | 125000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1998 chrysler town and country. the contact stated that the interior lighting flashes on and off and the doors lock and unlock while driving various speeds. she further stated that the vehicle has 155,000 miles, but the odometer currently displays 855 miles. in addition, all of the lights in the gear box (prndl) are dim. the dodge dealer stated that the body control module failed and could cause the vehicle to shut off. the repair would cost $4,500. the failure mileage was 125,000. | |||
| 04/12/2008 | 135000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle starts & dies, starts & dies and after a four or five attempts...it won't start at all. after a few hours or days it will start right up. when it does this the gauges are all flatlined. sometimes while driving, the gauges flatline and alarm set light comes on as well as check engine light and abs light. no codes come up for this problem even though the dealership wants to charge $119 just to diagnose the problem. this has happened repeatedly....new battery, new starter...among many other new items. have not replaced the ignition switch, brain, or instrument panel. have been told it could be either one of these things......i am tired of just putting in random parts. *tr | |||
| 10/29/2007 | 60000 | 1 | |
| Has happened over 100 times. dashboard gauges all remain at zero, car will not start. turns over, then dies immediately. i believe it is the security system killing the car. after 5 starts, won't even turn over. have paid for new alternator, new starter, mechanic looked at numerous times. **finally fixed** mechanic had another customer with same problem. found it was the entire instrument panel which needed replacing. at a cost of $700 for other customer. i went with a used model which is risky, but it has not done this again at all for 7 months. there are numerous reports on this site about this, and i thought i would help people out who have also spent a ton of money on this problem, with no resolution. *tr | |||
| 04/21/2008 | 155000 | 30 | 03/19/2004 |
| -gauges on dash loose power while driving -warning lights and messages light up on information cluster -often car will not crank engine when attempting to start, banging on dash will cause gauges to work, and then car will start. several times car will start and die after a few seconds, after multiple attempts, car will not start for several hours, leaving family stranded with no transportation. *tr | |||
| 10/06/2007 | 60000 | 100 | 10/01/2002 |
| On a regular basis, van will not remain running. start vehicle and it stalls immediately. it will do this for 5-6 starts, then will not even turn over. all gauges go to zero, no digital odometer, etc. if left for a few hours, will start again. sometimes gauges zero out while driving. usually, tapping on the dash hard will return them to operating position. but not always. have been told this is anything from alarm system, main computer, aftermarket automatic starter shutting down alarm. one dealer replaced starter for +$300. did not fix problem. this is a huge problem with a lot of these vans, as i can see by reading on the internet, and this site. this is an ongoing problem for 3+ years. no solution. *tr | |||
| 09/05/2007 | 126060 | 3 | 05/06/2003 |
| On intermittent occasions the minivan will not start. it will run for a couple of seconds then stall. after 3-5 attempts at starting, it will do nothing at all, not even turn over, but all the gauges work. this event does not generate an error code. after returning to the vehicle an hour or two later the car starts normally and will be fine for days. service tech's are unable to diagnose the problem - battery, fuses, starter, are all fine. *jb | |||
| 10/11/2006 | 8 | 02/15/2002 | |
| My complaint is virtually identical to a previous one, numbered 10167790. my car will start, run for a few seconds, then shut off. after a few tries, it won't turn over at all. this happens at random times. it's a gamble as to whether the car will start or not, when i go out. it seems to have something to do with the theft deterrent system, because i believe the last two time this happened, prior to this happening, ny car alarm would set itself off, when opening the door. *nm | |||
| 09/28/2006 | 15 | ||
| When trying to start it will run for a few seconds then cut off, after a few tries it won't even turn over. after about an hour it might start and it might not. i took it to the chrysler dealership nearby and they wouldn't even look at my car, because it had over 100k miles. but with additional questions, they confessed that they could put a lot of hours and parts into the van, and still not fix the problem. *jb | |||
| 09/09/2006 | 132000 | 5 | 03/14/2005 |
| When trying to start it will run for a few seconds then cut off, after a few tries it won't even turn over. after about an hour it might start and it might not. i have taken it to the chrysler dealership nearby and spent around $1,400 dollars just to get it home and the next day it does the same thing all over again. *jb | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 55000 | 540 | 05/26/1998 |
| The vehicle is a 1998, chrysler town & country van (lxi). the problems are due to the malfunction of the body control module, as defined by snethkamp jeep & chrysler service department. due to the malfunction, the windshield wipers do not start properly when engaged and continue when in the off position. the engine has to be turned off to disengage or stop wipers. also, all door locks continue to lock and unlock when a door or doors are open, when the engine is started, and while driving. occasionally, before turning on the ignition, the alarm will automatically engage: must use the remote key (unlock) before engine will start. often, when inside, the only way to unlock a door or doors is to use the remote control key (unlock). *la | |||
| 10/27/2002 | |||
| Consumer states that while driving, without warning the power driver side seat started moving backwards and forward,the both power rear view mirror started going up and down. driver was thrown against steering wheel. which could off resulted in a accident. ts | |||
| While driving 20 mph vehicle lost power steering/ power brakes and electrical system without warning. vehicle was inspected by dealer, and it was determined that fan belt separated from vehicle. *ak | |||
| 06/17/1998 | 1 | 10/04/1997 | |
| Fan/electrical relay and battery failed. yh | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 11/15/2002 | 0 | ||
| Airbag deploy while driving 55mph middle lane, could not see, van filled with smoke, almost crash with my 3 children in van, injury burns on arms ignition failed 4 times replaced 2x under warranty | |||
| 10/07/1999 | 1 | 02/01/2098 | |
| Battery totally dead at 19000 miles (20 months-orig. battery), 31k miles (39 months-1st replacement) and now 40k miles (52 months-2nd replacement). there are no warning signs that battery is getting weak. first two times diagnosis was just that battery wouldn't hold a charge-->replace battery. i previously have asked for a more in depth diagnosis to find root cause of why battery wouldn't hold a charge. now that vehicle is out of warranty, dealer is happy to do the $70 diagnosis. if that had been done the first time (under warranty), i probably wouldn't have had to come back the second and now third time for the same problem! *ak | |||
| 06/17/1998 | 1 | 10/04/1997 | |
| Fan/electrical relay and battery failed. yh | |||
| 05/01/1998 | 1 | 12/01/1997 | |
| Battery failed. nlm | |||
| 07/01/1998 | 1 | 09/05/1997 | |
| Battery failure. mgm | |||
| 01/19/1999 | 1 | 05/15/1998 | |
| Battery failed. (attorney for consumer). | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | |||
| 1 | 12/31/1997 | ||
| Ea01007. air bag warning light intermittently illuminates, indicating a malfunction within air bag system. when light does illuminate cruise control and horn become inoperable. *ak | |||
| While driving on the highway headlights/dash lights, and mirrors went out for about a couple of seconds, then came back on. this has happened twice. the dealer has seen the vehicle but can't duplicate the problem. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 07/24/2006 | 166000 | 50 | 09/15/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated, when trying to start the vehicle, the engine turns over, runs for a few seconds, then shuts off. after a few minutes to an hour, the vehicle will restart and continue to run. the gauges on the instrument panel do not operate at times. the dealer can not determine the cause of the problem nor diagnostic testing has not registered any codes. | |||
| 11/11/1998 | 3 | 09/01/1998 | |
| 3 catastrophic ignition system failures in ~6300 miles. engine shuts off with no warning & no system & has twice stranded driver on an interstate hghway after dark. engine stops. engine will not turn over after stopping. lights, horn, etc. are operable after failure. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH | |||
| 11/20/2006 | 66984 | 2 | 04/18/2005 |
| Vehicle ignition cylinder failed 10/28/06. replaced 5/23/06. all service done by seller midwest mobility, inc. 437 wise road schaumburg, il 60193. consumer recharged for multiple replacement of same item, even though vehicle under extended warranty and purchased 4/18/05. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| Air bag light started flashing on and off while cruise control failed to engage or operate properly. also, cigarette lighter recepticle failed to operate. the dealership has not examined vehicle to determine a cause for these problems. *ak consumer states horn is inoperable for the second time now. ignition switch failed and was replaced. *slc | |||
| 11/04/2000 | |||
| Unable to start vehicle due to ignition switch failure. still unable to correct problem because dealer was unable to get ignition switch part for eight weeks, asking nhtsa help in this matter. please feel free to provide any further details on this matter.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/06/2001 | 1 | ||
| The insured states that vehicle caught on fire while it was parked. the fire started with the starter. claim number 43-r798-089. *yh | |||
| While driving consumer noticed smoke coming from engine compartment. vehicle was towed to dealer an electrical shortage occurred within the starter, burning wiring harness. please give any further details.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||
| 04/01/2003 | 90100 | 2 | 08/26/1997 |
| Instrument panel ceased to function while the vehicle was being driven. problem apparently caused by design defect in cable routing - wiring too close to alternator, damaged wiring and instrument cluster circuitry. cables were replaced at cost of $235, but problem returned 3 months later. replacement of instrument panel circuit board now necessary at cost of over $500. were told that chrysler recently increased cost of part tenfold. dealer reported several similar complaints over past year. safety issue as speedometer and shift indicator ceased to function. *jb | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD | |||
| 07/21/2003 | 75000 | 10/30/1997 | |
| I just started driving my car this morning, when i noticed white smoke coming out from under the hood. none of my engine warning lights were on, and the temperature gauge was in the normal range. i pulled over and called for help, but had to get out of the car when the flames started coming out from under the hood. entire front end of minivan was on fire, engine/battery melted, front windshield cracked/melted, hood melted. fire department called and put out fire.*ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 12/24/1999 | 9 | 06/01/1999 | |
| This problem only occurs in colder weather of approximately 35 degrees, or colder. upon starting the vehicle the entire dash (speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, etc) will be inoperative. while in virginia over the holidays this problem was occurring every day. originally, this happened only when starting the vehicle. while in virginia over the holidays it also occurred while driving on the interstate. at that time, the engine check light also came on, and the anti-lock brake light came on. this vehicle has been at the dealership, until yesterday, since december 30, 1999, when i returned home to beaufort. they have been able to duplicate the problem and attribute it to an unknown voltage rise (from 2.5 amps to 3.0), but have not been able to correct the problem and still do not know what is causing it. we have contacted chyrsler customer service, who has opened a corporate file (#660213), but have no other information from them. this problem has occurred from the very beginning of this particular vehicle, though butler chrysler believed that they had corrected the problem when we purchased it. we first found that it still existed in november, and has reoccurred problems since, until it was given to them 12/30/99 to be fixed. they returned the vehicle to us yesterday, not repaired, until they decide what they are going to do. we feel this is an unsafe vehicle to be driving.*ak | |||