Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 0900801 | 11/02/2001 | 632197 | Subject regarding camshaft / bearing service. *tt | 07/11/2002 | |
| 180200 | 02/04/2000 | 609989 | Concerns with the pcv valve freezing under extremely cold conditions. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
| 180100 | 02/04/2000 | 609988 | Subject regarding misdiagnosed leak detection pump systems with diagnostic trouble codes p1494, p0442 p0455, or p0456. *tt | 04/12/2000 | |
| 090798 | 12/11/1998 | 603107 | Subject regarding oil seepage at cam position sensor / misinterpreted head gasket leak. *yc | 11/17/1999 | |
| 090598 | 11/06/1998 | 602898 | A new multi-layer steel ( mls ) head gasket has been developed and is being implemented into production vehicles. *yc | 01/20/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 090198 REV B | 11/13/1998 | 602588 | Vehicle experiencing a ticking noise while at idle from engine. *yc | 01/05/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||||
| 070299 | 06/04/1999 | 606159 | Concerns with serpentine belt slipping off idler pulley. *tt | 08/11/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||||
| 180300 | 06/02/2000 | 614163 | Subject regarding egr monitor diagnostic test difficult to complete or not ready at high altitudes (above 4000 feet). *tt | 09/29/2000 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | |||
| 07/28/2012 | 113737 | 1 | |
| This is the 2nd incident for the same problem. first complaint #10468365. i was stopped at an intersection. i crossed the street and my tires splashed water that was running down the street gutter. the water was 2-4 deep. i once again immediately lost steering and the engine began to overheat. i was able to muscle the steering wheel enough to pull it off to the side of the road. i looked under the hood and found the belt had slipped off again. i had to have it towed to the garage. the mechanic checked out the belt and the tensioner and said they were ok, and they reinstalled the belt. the first time this happened i was turning a corner, and the van went into the opposite lane. i guess i can be thankful for the draught these past few months. this is a serious problem. it makes me afraid of driving when it is raining or with any water on the road. i can't imagine what would happen on the interstate at 70mph, passing someone, or taking a curve in the road. i contacted the chrysler dealership. a bulletin #07-0299 was issued in 7.14.99. the dealership said i would have to purchase any fixes as it wasn't a recalled problem. the dealership told my mechanic they offered a $400 kit to fix the problem, or i could purchase a snow shield and have it installed. why would i need a snow shield in louisiana? *tr | |||
| 03/21/2012 | 111795 | 1 | |
| It had been raining but had stopped. i was making a right hand turn when my right tire went through approximately 2-4 of water in the gutter. i immediately lost control of the steering and veered into the opposite lane. fortunately there were no cars in that lane. i had difficulty steering and the engine began to overheat. i was fortunate the garage was around the corner. the belt had slipped off the pulleys. the belt had not broken, only slipped off. they said i was the 3rd town and country that day that had to have the belt put back on due to the wet weather, and that it was a problem with model for many years. this is the 3rd time to send this report. when i hit verify everything goes blank. *tr | |||
| 07/28/2012 | 113737 | 1 | |
| This is the 2nd incident for the same problem. first complaint #10468365. i was stopped at an intersection. i crossed the street and my tires splashed water that was running down the street gutter. the water was 2-4 deep. i once again immediately lost steering and the engine began to overheat. i was able to muscle the steering wheel enough to pull it off to the side of the road. i looked under the hood and found the belt had slipped off again. i had to have it towed to the garage. the mechanic checked out the belt and the tensioner and said they were ok, and they reinstalled the belt. the first time this happened i was turning a corner, and the van went into the opposite lane. i guess i can be thankful for the draught these past few months. this is a serious problem. it makes me afraid of driving when it is raining or with any water on the road. i can't imagine what would happen on the interstate at 70mph, passing someone, or taking a curve in the road. i contacted the chrysler dealership. a bulletin #07-0299 was issued in 7.14.99. the dealership said i would have to purchase any fixes as it wasn't a recalled problem. the dealership told my mechanic they offered a $400 kit to fix the problem, or i could purchase a snow shield and have it installed. why would i need a snow shield in louisiana? *tr | |||
| 03/21/2012 | 111795 | 1 | |
| It had been raining but had stopped. i was making a right hand turn when my right tire went through approximately 2-4 of water in the gutter. i immediately lost control of the steering and veered into the opposite lane. fortunately there were no cars in that lane. i had difficulty steering and the engine began to overheat. i was fortunate the garage was around the corner. the belt had slipped off the pulleys. the belt had not broken, only slipped off. they said i was the 3rd town and country that day that had to have the belt put back on due to the wet weather, and that it was a problem with model for many years. this is the 3rd time to send this report. when i hit verify everything goes blank. *tr | |||
| 07/28/2012 | 113737 | 1 | |
| This is the 2nd incident for the same problem. first complaint #10468365. i was stopped at an intersection. i crossed the street and my tires splashed water that was running down the street gutter. the water was 2-4 deep. i once again immediately lost steering and the engine began to overheat. i was able to muscle the steering wheel enough to pull it off to the side of the road. i looked under the hood and found the belt had slipped off again. i had to have it towed to the garage. the mechanic checked out the belt and the tensioner and said they were ok, and they reinstalled the belt. the first time this happened i was turning a corner, and the van went into the opposite lane. i guess i can be thankful for the draught these past few months. this is a serious problem. it makes me afraid of driving when it is raining or with any water on the road. i can't imagine what would happen on the interstate at 70mph, passing someone, or taking a curve in the road. i contacted the chrysler dealership. a bulletin #07-0299 was issued in 7.14.99. the dealership said i would have to purchase any fixes as it wasn't a recalled problem. the dealership told my mechanic they offered a $400 kit to fix the problem, or i could purchase a snow shield and have it installed. why would i need a snow shield in louisiana? *tr | |||
| 03/21/2012 | 111795 | 1 | |
| It had been raining but had stopped. i was making a right hand turn when my right tire went through approximately 2-4 of water in the gutter. i immediately lost control of the steering and veered into the opposite lane. fortunately there were no cars in that lane. i had difficulty steering and the engine began to overheat. i was fortunate the garage was around the corner. the belt had slipped off the pulleys. the belt had not broken, only slipped off. they said i was the 3rd town and country that day that had to have the belt put back on due to the wet weather, and that it was a problem with model for many years. this is the 3rd time to send this report. when i hit verify everything goes blank. *tr | |||
| 07/28/2012 | 113737 | ||
| This is the 2nd incident for the same problem. first complaint #10468365. i was stopped at an intersection. i crossed the street and my tires splashed water that was running down the street gutter. the water was 2-4 deep. i once again immediately lost steering and the engine began to overheat. i was able to muscle the steering wheel enough to pull it off to the side of the road. i looked under the hood and found the belt had slipped off again. i had to have it towed to the garage. the mechanic checked out the belt and the tensioner and said they were ok, and they reinstalled the belt. the first time this happend i was turning a corner, and the van went into the opposite lane. i guess i can be thankful for the draught these past few months. this is a serious problem. it makes me afraid of driving when it is raining or with any water on the road. i can't imagine what would happen on the interstate at 70mph, passing someone, or taking a curve in the road. i contacted the chrysler dealership. a bulletin #07-0299 was issued in 7.14.99. the dealership said i would have to purchase any fixes as it wasn't a recalled problem. the dealership told my mechanic they offered a $400 kit to fix the problem, or i could purchase a snow shield and have it installed. why would i need a snow shield in louisiana? | |||
| 03/21/2012 | 111795 | ||
| It had been raining but had stopped. i was making a right hand turn when my right tire went through approximately 2-4 of water in the gutter. i immediately lost control of the steering and veered into the opposite lane. fortunately there were no cars in that lane. i had difficulty steering and the engine began to overheat. i was fortunate the garage was around the corner. the belt had slipped off the pulleys. the belt had not broken, only slipped off. they said i was the 3rd town and country that day that had to have the belt put back on due to the wet weather, and that it was a problem with model for many years. this is the 3rd time to send this report. when i hit verify everything goes blank. | |||
| 11/21/2011 | 152950 | 1 | |
| On this day i was siting in my van with the ignition in the on position resetting my clocks in the vehicle i rested my hand on the shifter when it released from park into reverse gear without the engine running there are no brakes because of power braking you cant stop on a dime so i quickly engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle from rolling down my drive. i immediately contacted chrysler who claims they are not responsible for this issue since they did not install this saftey feature on any chrysler town and country van to date also i have an issue with when it rains the serpentine belt falls off the pulleys if water splashes up onto the belt itself causing loss of brakes and steering due to this defect chrysler is aware of this issue but again refuses to recall the vehicles for a safer fix something needs to be done beofe they kill someone. *tr | |||
| 11/21/2011 | 152950 | ||
| On this day i was siting in my van with the ignition in the on position resetting my clocks in the vehicle i rested my hand on the shifter when it released from park into reverse gear without the engine running there are no brakes because of power braking you cant stop on a dime so i quickly engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle from rolling down my drive. i immediately contacted chrysler who claims they are not responsible for this issue since they did not install this saftey feature on any chrysler town and country van to date also i have an issue with when it rains the serpentine belt falls off the pulleys if water splashes up onto the belt itself causing loss of brakes and steering due to this defect chrysler is aware of this issue but again refuses to recall the vehicles for a safer fix something needs to be done beofe they kill someone | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 11/02/2007 | 90000 | 1 | |
| My vehicle has been going haywire. sometimes the locks goes up and down by itself and you can hear something sort of like a tazer. the odometer blinks while all of this is going on. also, i took my van to the shop at sears because when i turn the switch for air, it only works on high and not all the time. they told me that seems to be the case with many of the town and country vans that come in there. also the pipe that runs coolant to the back vents rusted out. again, after researching with many shops, was told that it appears the same issues are taking place with this model van. also there is a lot of rust underneath. not sure as to how it is happening. i have had to replace my radiator twice with the last 6 years as if something is rusting parts underneath. i will be visiting many shops and having the owners sign a petition as to what are the ongoing issues with these vehicles. i have started a blog and i am not the only person with issues with this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2009 | 1 | ||
| The serpentine belt fell off last night and due to the loss of steering assist i ended up in an accident. luckily no one was hurt. it has been an on-going problem with the serpentine belt falling off. i replaced all the parts associated with the belt and it still happened. it is dangerous and why does chrysler not have a recall on this? *tr | |||
| 02/25/2009 | 129000 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt falls off in heavy rainfall. *tr | |||
| 01/04/2009 | 118000 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt slipped off tensioner pulley after driving through puddle on highway making all power accessories inoperable including power steering. this is the second time in 3 weeks that this has happened and upon further research online this is a well known problem on chrysler/dodge minivans built between 1996-2000. *tr | |||
| 04/28/2008 | 112000 | 1 | |
| I bought my town and country used about a year ago. i have not had any significant problems until around three months ago when the serpentine belt started coming off. it has come off approximately 9 times in the last three months and only in wet weather while driving through small puddles in the road. i thought the tensioner was bad and changed it, but the next day the belt came off in the rain. i called the service department and asked the service tech why the belt kept coming off and he asked me if it was raining at the time. imagine that! they know it is a problem but will not recall the vehicle for a fix. i will never buy another chrysler product again. again like almost all the other complaints, loss of power steering, engine cooling, alternator etc. lucky for me i am mechanical otherwise it would have cost me a ton of money on towing charges. *tr | |||
| 03/22/2008 | 153823 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 chrysler town and country. while driving 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated to 95 mph. the contact was able to pull over and stop the vehicle. the vehicle had to be towed. she found that there was a plastic sleeve that failed inside the air filter housing hose. a piece of the plastic went into the accelerator and held it open, making it impossible to decelerate. the plastic piece that went inside the accelerator was 4 inches long, and another piece of plastic went inside the housing. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. the piece was removed from the accelerator and the vehicle is currently working fine. the manufacturer wants the contact to buy a new resonator air cleaner. the part numbers are available. the contact filed complaint number 17422816 with daimler chrysler. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 153,873 and failure mileage was 153,823. | |||
| 10/23/2007 | 150000 | 3 | 03/16/2001 |
| Serpentine belt jumps off when car is driven in rainy conditions, leaving driver and family stranded anywhere! serpentine belt controls all sorts of functions in car including the ability to steer the car! *jb | |||
| 07/13/2005 | 48000 | 2 | |
| Dt: about 2 years ago the consumer noticed while driving, the power steering went out. the oil light came on at the time. the consumer drove to a garage. the mechanic replaced the serpentine belt and tensioner. everything worked for about 2 months and then it had to be replaced again. then today while driving the consumer lost steering again, due to the failure of the serpentine belt and tensioner. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 04/27/2004 | 130000 | 3 | 06/15/1999 |
| Multiple eletrical failures in convenience items through-out car & now loosing engine power while driving. vehicle currently at chyrsler service, but recalled part that was possibly installed incorrectly on 1996 to 98 models has had failure on 99 model, but no recall. dealership not addressing safety issue of vehicle dying while auto engaged, more interested in replacing all convenience items. there has been no auto failure at highway speeds yet | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 04/13/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle caught on fire, claim # 42-1356-292. nlm | |||
| 04/13/2001 | 1 | ||
| Insured states that the vehicle caught on fire. claim number 42-1356-292. *yh | |||
| 7 | 04/01/1999 | ||
| The engine has had a horrible loud squeaking sound when the air conditioning is on. almost every belt and the tensioner has been replaced more than once. the service center at center chrysler in van nuys california repeatedly has told me this is normal. i have never heard another car ever which sounds so bad. i am afraid that something in the engine will snap or break while i am driving with my small children. i am getting no adequate response from chrysler. everytime i call i am told there is no problem but the mechanic has now told me that he thinks it may be the water pump belt. why is chrysler not dealing with a defective car?*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 120000 | 12 | 09/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1999 chrysler town and country. while driving 35 mph through a puddle of water, the power steering failed. the contact pulled off the road. the vehicle was towed to the repair shop and it was discovered that the serpentine belt was loose. the belt was replaced; however, the failure continued only in wet conditions. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 120,000 and current mileage was 150,000. | |||
| 01/01/2006 | 11 | 6 | 09/23/2005 |
| On several occasions my 1999 town and country has had belt and pulley problems where while riding in busy traffic rainy days, the belt will slip completely of the pulley its attached to,causing my vehicle to completely lose all power steering abilities right in the middle of the heavy traffic,prior to the belt coming off the vehicles makes this loud chirping noise for several days prior to the belt coming off. i have had so many incidents with this same problem,but cannot afford to purchase a new vehicle as this one is still nice and paid off. every mechanic i've used is telling me that this is a know factory issue because of the number of vehicles they've seen with the same problems. and have suggested that i change my vehicle for something with less aging problems. this is such a problem. we cannot travel in this vehicle when it rains as we know the belt or pulley will definitely leave us walking again. if water puddles are in the street it is suggested that the vehicle not be driven through them in order to keep the belt attached and not lose power steering that will for sure cause a major accident on busy streets. is there anything my family and i can do to avoid being killed by this problem? or is there something that can be done mechanically to fix this problem? we still favor the town & country but not in favor of the known mechanical problem with the belt and pully situations. *tr | |||
| 05/27/2007 | 88000 | 6 | 01/01/2002 |
| Multiple times the belt has slipped off... luckily, both during low speed maneuvers. this happens every time the car gets wet underneath and this time i was going through a car wash. i almost ran into the side of the wash when i was pulling in due to the lack of power steering. i have replaced/put the belt back on at least 5 other times. this is crazy that it keeps happening, and you can tell the design is just plain flawed. *tr | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 4 | 02/14/2001 | |
| I just filed a complaint here regarding serpentine belt coming off when driving through a puddle of water. mechanics and chrysler service mechanics are well aware of this problem and you have sufficient number of complaints showing this same problem with other owners of vans. this is not a wear and tear situation. it is a defect in the company design of these pulleys and belts. why isn't there a recall yet?? | |||
| 02/26/2007 | 123242 | 6 | |
| Serpentine belt repeatedly slips off when driving in wet weather. *jb | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 179520 | 4 | 06/10/2000 |
| Serpentine belt derails when driven in rain. this is a huge safety issue because the power steering goes out. replace belts and tensioner pulley, still happens. lots of posts on the web from people having the same issue even after having the tsb for the idler pulley done. it's amazing that no one has been seriously hurt by this defect. *nm | |||
| 11/12/2005 | 70000 | 3 | 02/14/2003 |
| The pulleys that hold the belt are misaligned which shreds the belts in the motor. this occured while drivng down the exspressway @ 70 mph. the car loses power steering and power. this happens as we researched more often then not. you would have to replace the tentioner assembly in order to correct this defect. i have not heard of a recall for this defect. *nm | |||
| 05/20/2005 | 106000 | 3 | 04/27/2003 |
| The serpentine belt has fallen off the car 3 different times. the first time it broke, i was out of town. the other 2 times it fell off in town. all 3 times i had just driven through an unavoidable deep puddle during a heavy thunderstrom. the car immediately loast power steering and the engine overheated. i had to quickly pull off the road. luckily i was on neighborhood streets each time, but just as easily could have been on the highway - which could have been deadly. also, each time i had a car full of children and twice it was at night. after the third time (and third tow/repair), the repair shop found the service bulletin from chrysler. the van had a bracket already in place, but it replaced again anyway. i think this problem is very dangerous and should be a recall, not service bulletin. | |||
| 02/11/2005 | 42400 | 04/10/1999 | |
| While driving a 1999 town and country chrysler van the pulley for the water pump separated from the water pump. this caused the drive belt for all engine accessories to come loose. the lack of the belt caused the loss of all power assist, i.e., brakes,steering elect. etc. a subsequent review of the water pump pulley showed that it was bolted to a three bolt hub. the hub was a pressed fit on the water pump shaft. the hub appeared to be designed to be permanently attached to the water pump shaft. there was no obvious damage to the water pump shaft nor to the hub bearing that would indicate that an induce torque caused the separation of the hub and the water pump shaft. the vehicle only has 42,000 miles on it. it appears that this premature failure is either a poor design or a manufacturing defect. in either case the failure at highway speed would induce a high risk accident. the loss of steering power assist alone would make the driver feel that the steering had locked up. when i discussed this failure with the chrysler customer service that stated that they had no record of this type of failure. when i discussed the failure with the local repair garage ( pep boys ) they recalled several pulley failures on chrysler/dodge vehicles. the question is do we have a potential safety problem with the water pump shaft and the hub connection that can fail with any prior warning. i have the water pump and the hub. *nm | |||
| 02/22/2005 | 73000 | 1 | |
| The incident is the failure of the retaining bolt on the accessory driver's belt tensioner pulley assembly. the bolt failed by shearing off at the engine block. in failure, all accessories driven by the drive belt cease to operate, including the alternator, water ump and power steering pump. when the power steering pump stops, the driver is left in the hazardous situation of not being able to handle the vehicle. if the vehicle engine is left running, it will soon overheat because the water pump is no longer running. additionally, on failure, the tensioner pulley assembly falls down into the engine compartment where it can damage other components. in our case, it broke the power steering pump pulley. the failure was corrected by drilling out the broken bolt from the engine block, replacing the tensioner assembly, and removing thepower steering pump to replace the power steering pump pulley. the old part is available.*ak | |||
| 11/29/2004 | 2 | ||
| The serpentine belt sheared off while driving, causing vehicle to stall. consumer was unable to restart vehicle, and had it towed to the dealer for inspection. mechanic determined that the pulley belt and a shield needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 4 | |||
| The timing belt was replaced. *jb | |||
| 04/19/2002 | 47000 | 10/30/1998 | |
| Sudden failure of engine serpentine belt tensioner. soon after starting vehicle, and while backing out of garage there was a loud bang under the hood. instantly power steering was lost along with engine cooling and alternator output. tensioner assembly mounting bolt had sheared off from apparent metal fatique, throwing off the serpentine belt. the resultant violent departure of the tensioner assembly also shattered the power steering pump pulley. this could have been catastrophic on the highway. | |||
| 08/23/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| Acute failure of engine belt tensioner resulted in immediate loss of power accessories, including steering and brakes. engine coolant circulation lost as well as the serpentine belt had derailed. it was not possible to reinstall the belt as the tensioner was frozen in place.*ak | |||
| 09/26/2000 | 4 | 10/01/1998 | |
| Tensioning device that holds serpentine belt is defective, it does not hold belt in place, and the belt comes loose. when belt comes loose, vehicle will loose power steering and abs. contacted dealer, and this was the fourth time consumer has taken vehicle in. *ak *slc | |||
| 03/28/2001 | 1 | 07/01/1999 | |
| Consumer's wife was driving when she rode through a puddle of water, and serpentine belt came off, causing her to lose power steering, etc.*ak the consumer learnt from the dealership that thes serpentine belt failure was a common problem. *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - TURBO-CHARGER | |||
| 03/16/2007 | 4 | ||
| Everytime the van is driven through a small puddle or heavy rain, serpentine belt comes off. it does not break. it slides off the pulley. as a result, power steering is lost immediately and water temperature rapidly rises. extremely dangerous in heavy traffic where there is not a place to pull over quickly. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 1 | 09/01/1999 | ||
| Within a few months of buying this vehicle brand new a loud noise developed while steering at low speeds that was later ascribed to a loose belt. a few months later, while spouse was driving at approx 45-50 mph, the speedometer went dead and the transmission got stuck in 2nd or 3rd gear. the vehicle slowed down and would not go much faster than about 35 mph. this was latter determined to be due to some faulty sensor. just a few months after that, with the vehicle barely 2 years old, the battery went dead for no apparent reason. new battery was needed. now i have this humming noise in the rear brakes with barely 31k miles on the vehicle. what's next? this thing (so-called vehicle) has already cost us much lost time (taking it to the dealer) and the associated money in lost wages!*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 06/30/2003 | 40000 | 6 | 09/22/1999 |
| Submitting this complaint on behalf of my 80 yr. old mother. 1999 town & country purchased new sept. 1999 now 40000 miles. required repairs past 2 weeks. airbag and horn $250, speedometer $135, cracked exhaust manifold cost to be determined. airtconditioner $ to be determined est. to cost $1100. our phone call to chrysler customer service (800-426-6451) was a horrible experiece. *ak | |||