Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
STEERING
190080511/02/20051900805A10017651Revised power steering system bleeding procedures. *sc11/14/2005
190030308/29/2003190080110003545Pop/tick sound in steering wheel area. *tt10/23/2003
190040308/04/2005190060510003546Steering shudder. *tt10/23/2003
190060205/20/20021901001634092Subject regarding steering shudder. *slc09/27/2002
190100112/14/2001628332Experiencing a shudder (vibration) felt inside the vehicle while turning the steering wheel. *tt03/07/2002
190050108/03/2001620930Information on vehicles exhibiting a steering hiss or swoosh sound. *tt09/04/2001
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - POWER STEERING FLUID
190070108/03/2001623172Information on new power steering fluid.*slc10/26/2001
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
1900102A04/29/20021900102634068Subject regarding power steering moan/groan sound. *slc09/27/2002
190010201/11/2002629155Information on power steering moaning/groaning sound. *tt03/27/2002
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
190080111/23/2001628194Experiencing a pop/tick sound heard coming from the steering wheel area while the vehicle is in motion. *tt03/06/2002

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
STEERING
03/13/2013134750
 The owner was driving the vehicle when a sudden noise and jerk rendered the power steering useless and the vehicle became impossible to steer. a accident was prevented by steering the vehicle off the road. the vechicle was towed for repair that is still pending...
09/25/201291000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. the contact stated that while driving in reverse at approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel seized while the contact attempted to make a turn. the contact also stated that the power train position light flashed. the contact restarted the vehicle and it operated as designed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that there was a rock under the hood that was interfering with the driving. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. mah
09/25/201291000
 Tl- the contact owns a 20 chrysler town and country. the contact stated while driving in reverse approximately 5 mph and attempting a turn the steering wheel did not move. at that moment the power train position lights began to flash. the contact restarted the vehicle and it operated as designed. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that there was a rock under the hood that was interfering with the driving. the failure recurred intermittently. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 91,000. dt
06/03/2012135000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. while parked, the contact activated the low beam headlights and noticed that the driver's side headlight had not illuminated. when the contact activated the high beam headlights the passenger side headlight did not illuminate. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the contact replaced the headlight bulbs but the failure continued. also, while driving approximately 10 mph in rainy weather, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle regained power steering independently. the failure continued intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for further diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 135,000. kmj
06/03/2012135000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. while parked, the contact activated the low beam headlights and noticed that the driver side headlight had not illuminated. when the contact activated the high beam headlights the passenger side headlight did not illuminate. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the contact replaced the headlight bulbs but the failure continued. also, while driving approximately 10 mph in rainy weather, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the battery warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle regained power steering independently. the failure continued intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for further diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 135,000. kmj
06/03/2012135000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. while parked the contact activated the low beam headlights and noticed the drivers side headlight did not illuminate. when the contact activated the high beam headlights the passengers side headlight did not illuminate. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic. the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the contact replaced the headlight bulbs but the failure continued. also while driving approximately 10 mph in the rain the steering became difficult to maneuver. the battery warning light illuminated in the instrument panel. the vehicle regained power steering on its own. the failure continued intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 135,000. da
10/06/201074556
 When it is raining we losing power steering. we are not able to turn left or right. also suspension is banging. had clips on sway bar replaced several times and still same banging.
07/12/2011100000
 2001 chrysler town & country limited 3.8l v6. i have had suspension problems from the start. knocking noises, etc. replaced tie rods, sway bars, lower control arms and bushings, but done it piecemeal. many of these items have been repeatedly replaced. now it has gotten worse--from strictly annoying to downright dangerous. the van jerks approx 6-8 feet left and right into another lane or shoulder in a second. replaced the lower control arms and reduced the jerks to only 6-8 inches but still drifts. i am again replacing rack & pinion, inner and outter tie rods along with the new control arms. hopefully this will alleviate the problem--but this repeated repairs has cost more than the van is worth. not to mention the rapid wear of tires (seem to replace every 10k miles)
12/01/2010141633
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. while driving, the contact stated that the steering wheel remained stuck and became difficult for her to move in any direction. in december 2010, the contact had the power steering line replaced; however, shortly after the vehicle was released, the contact noticed that the steering wheel was still difficult to move. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was unknown. the failure mileage was 141,633. bw
02/09/201065000
 Tl-the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. after shifting the vehicle into drive from reverse he was unable to turn the steering wheel. after approximately 30 seconds of attempting to turn the wheel he was able to get it turned. the failure has since recurred intermittently during cold weather, sometimes while the vehicle was in motion. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed and was not repaired. the failure mileage was 65,000 and the current mileage was 72,000. sm.
11/14/200550000
 Tl- the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. the contact stated the power steering has gone out on several occasions. the failure normally occurs when the vehicle is first started. the dealer has stated the problem comes from a split in the power steering hose. the dealer stated this has been a problem. the vin did not go through at the time of the complaint. the failure mileage was 50000 and the current mileage was 170000.rl
10/20/200748000
 After reading all the complaints on the 2001 town and country i decided to report my own as well. about 3 years ago i resplaced my whole power steering unit. it began becoming stiff and impossible to turn mostly in the morning when is was a little cold...then it began at any start up and sometimes only when i was tring to make a right turn. i took it to my machanic who replaced the fluid and it was fine for a short amount of time and then began doing the same thing. i took it back to my machanic who then replaced the whole power steering unit. it worked much better. then about 6 months ago it started whining i thought it may have been a belt but now i am sure it is the power stering again. this could have caused more recks then what i would like to admit and i am shocked that chystler is not recalling this problem. i also had to replace my air conditioning unit at 48,000. i too have had to replaced rusty brakes lines and my car repair guy tells me he has replaced numberous lines from chystler and we even had to wait because they were on back order.( that should tell you something) my tail gate will not always open either. sometimes it does and sometimes i have to force it to. not to mention my passager window hasn't opened for years...due to a motor needing replaced. my biggest complaint is definetly the steering...that is espensive and dangerous.
01/27/2010111
 I feel good now that companies are repairing their defective automobiles, a process that saves consumer lives and money. one would assume that regulators are controlling the automobile companies and protecting the public, but this assumption is not true. the public spends billions on defective products that department of transportation does little about defective american cars. my power steering fluid leaked out of my chrysler town and country. i entered chrysler power steering problems and received 6,480,000 responses. then i realized that chrysler is unable to produce a workable power steering system, or they plan for it to fail. i believe their power steering system has been a component of their planned obsolescence for the last quarter of a century. i owned a 1987 chrysler fifth avenue and the power steering system failed in that car. why must consumers pay for auto makers
05/06/2009650491
 Steering wheel locks when engine is first turned on in morning. slowly, with a bump or whirring noise, it finally (about 15 seconds) loosens up. however, and this has happened 4 times, as we drove about a mile and stopped at a light, it froze again and wheel would not turn until car moved about 20 ft with gas pedal engaged. if we sat there it would continue. seems it needs the engine to do more than idle. *tr
01/28/20091253351
 Power steering problems, and power window and door problems. *tr
03/02/2009920001
 Power steering boost has failed on three occasions. all were low speed, less than 10 mph. there were no accidents or other consequences other than extreme difficulty in steering. i have taken the car to my chrysler dealership, and they report that they cannot replicate the events i've reported. they further state that they can find nothing wrong with the power steering system. nevertheless, these events are exactly as i have reported to the dealers service department. i am an experienced driver and vehicle owner. my concern now is when and where will it happen again, and will there be an accident! i frequently drive on snow and ice (vehicle is all-wheel-drive), and any steering failure could lead to an accident. needless to say, i am very unhappy with the chrysler dealership in question, and no longer feel safe driving this car. the three loss of power steering events occurred over the last 10 or 12 days. prior to this time there have been no issues at all with the power steering. what can i do now with a vehicle and situation that i no longer regard as safe? *tr
05/01/2007980001
 Driving down the road made a right turn and airbag light came on then went off. tried to have it diagnosis but is not listed in computer. air bag light comes on and off all the time did a search on computer and alot of people have this problem says it is a spring or something in steering column this should be a recall because of all the people with the same problem. also corroded coolant lines to rear ac/heater lost all antifreeze and van overheated because of this. *tr
01/01/200760000303/01/2002
 Tl*the contact owns a 2001 chrysler town and country. the contact often hears a lot of rattling noises underneath the vehicle. the failure was heard while driving 5 mph, but occurs at any speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer twice for the same failure. the dealer stated that the failure was caused by the front suspension and they replaced the bolts. within six months, the failure recurred. the failure mileage was 60,000 and current mileage was 70,000. updated 03/13/08. *lj the sway bar links and bushings were replaced. the consumer stated when she made a turn the steering wheel would become stiff. the dealer replaced the power steering pump and rack as well as the power steering reservoir. the fuel pump was replaced.
05/24/2007105/05/2001
 I made a right turn onto the freeway and my steering wheel locked causing the me to lose control of the vehicle. it continued to the emergency lane. after i stopped the car, the steering was back to normal. car is going to be taken to dealer for inspection/repair? *tr
04/12/2005810/01/2001
 2001 chrysler town and country experiencing failures with steering, instrument panel, airbags, seat belt wiring harness and transmission.*mr consumer stated i've had nothing but serious problems with this vehicle since new. eight front-end and steering failures, 6 instrument panel electronic failures, 4 air bag and seat wiring harness failures and now it seems, a serious transmission problem. *bf *nm
11/27/20041
 2001 chrysler town and country has defective right steering knuckle.*mr after making a right turn the steering knuckle broke which caused the driver to loose control of the vehicle and run into a ditch. the consumer contacted the manufacturer and requested reimbursement. the vehicle was inspected and the manufacturer denied the claim. *nm
11/09/2004500005
 Air bag sensor light blinks on and off. a recall was issued on the clock spring, however this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak the vehicle had numerous problems such as steering problems, sliding problems, brake and acceleration problems, a strong odor of gas and thefront sway bars and rear shocks were replaced *jb
400001
 The consumer heard a noise in the steering, when turning at a slow speed. the dealership was not willing to assist in the repairs. provide further details. *jb
11/01/200163801908/01/2001
 The vehicle made a knocking noise in the front end. the dealer replaced the front suspension strut, strut mount, front sway bar and sway bar link. the rear end of the vehicle also made noise. the dealer replaced the transfer gear set. the vehicle also experienced a whining noise in the steering wheel. the dealer replaced the spring clock along with the shroud stabilizer. power steering fluid due it being clog and caused the steering to whine when turned. the rear lift gate would not open with the remote. faulty front rotors squeaked when applied. the drivers side window would not go up due to a faulty regulator. the cruise control would not disable when the brakes were applied and the brakes would not work when the cruise control was engaged. the rear windshield wipers were inoperative. the engine made noise when started. the timing chain failed and caused the check engine light to illuminate. the o-rings failed and caused fuel odor inside the vehicle. *scc *nlm
04/02/2002
 While traveling on the highway without prior warning. when the consumer is turning the vehicle steering column will lock up. please fill in additional information dealer is aware of the problem. ts
STEERING - COLUMN LOCKING - ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
10/18/2004397001
 When turning from a stop the steering wheel locked up. consumer was able to unlock the steering wheel with force. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.*ak
390001
 When turning steering wheel to the left the steering gets stuck. driver has to tug on steering wheel to release it. *ak
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
02/07/200762595107/15/2002
 Upper power steering cooler hose failure on a 2001 town and country - which is exactly the same issue as recall affecting 2002-2004 (nhtsa campaign number: 04v386000) models. another 2001 model was in the same shop with the same split hose issue. recall should be extended to all model years with same part or design. *jb
01/10/200787390112/25/2000
 Power-steering return hose may burst and cause loss of power-assist steering and/or fire. there is a recall on 2002 and later models of town & country minivans. the problem also exists on 2001 models, which are not included in the recall. *nm
03/02/200554000112/27/2000
 1. loss power steering during driving conditions. 2. upon investigation, the power steering hose from the cooler is ruptured. 3. powersteering lines need replaced.*ak
05/04/20041
 Dealership replaced the clock spring at the consumer's expense of $100.00. *ak the cruise and horn was inoperative, the steering was hard to turn when the vehicle was first started and the passenger side middle seat handle had broken. *sc the dealer replaced the steering hose. *jb
07/20/20011511/20/2000
 For the last 3 years, we have had nothing but problems with our 2001 town & country awd van. i am in the shop almost once a month! the list of repairs are as follows: (2001) failure of rear-windshield wiper, failure of driver's side heated seat, replaced switch, replaced front drive shaft, replaced power steering reservoir bottle (2002) replaced power steering pump, transmission failure (2003) of rear fan motor, replaced rear-tailgate latch, failure of front passenger heated seat, driver's side window sticks and stays down mostly during wet weather and requires you to turn the defroster on high for 5 minutes to have it go back up, check engine light came on due to leak in compressor, belt still squeals after a hard rain, knob for fog light won't stay on. *la
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST - PUMP
04/14/200124339111/20/2000
 Power steering unit is very noisy. failure of this unit could cause steering difficulty, which could cause loss of life.*ak
04/09/200110000111/17/2000
 Noisy power steering pump and poor braking. *la
07/20/20011511/20/2000
 For the last 3 years, we have had nothing but problems with our 2001 town & country awd van. i am in the shop almost once a month! the list of repairs are as follows: (2001) failure of rear-windshield wiper, failure of driver's side heated seat, replaced switch, replaced front drive shaft, replaced power steering reservoir bottle (2002) replaced power steering pump, transmission failure (2003) of rear fan motor, replaced rear-tailgate latch, failure of front passenger heated seat, driver's side window sticks and stays down mostly during wet weather and requires you to turn the defroster on high for 5 minutes to have it go back up, check engine light came on due to leak in compressor, belt still squeals after a hard rain, knob for fog light won't stay on. *la
STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
02/28/20064000104/25/2001
 Vehicle has electrical problems including but not limited to power windows, wipers, stereo, headlights, and ac controls. problems include headlights flickering on and off, wipers/stereo does not function when you first turn on the car and then comes on by itself anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 days later. no pattern can be determined which makes me to believe that the whole electrical system of this vehicle is defective. according to the dealership they cannot duplicate the problem, or if they cannot determine the cause of the problem, therefore it isn't their problem. i have spent countless trips to the dealerships and paid for them to look at it only to be told that they can't duplicate it. then they offer me a solution for no less than $400 that is supposed to fix the problem when anyone with common sense knows that i would just spend that money and still have the problem because the replacement that they are proposing isn't the root of the problem.*jb
01/01/1901400001
 2001 chrysler town and country developed power steering failure.***no answer required***. *mr power steering reservoir is leaking power steering fluid and making a sucking/gurgling sound. dealership was not willing to do anything. *tt *nm
08/09/2002109/01/2001
 I brought car in for analysis for the power steering problem several times while still under warranty and was re-assured that i was experiencing normal noises. about a few months later when the car was now not under warranty the rack and pinion failed. and upon picking up the vehicle on 08/09/2002 i noticed that the airconditioning was not working . then was told that now the condenser for the ac has now failed.*ak
08/01/2002104/01/2001
 Total loss of steering... major components exposed to road elements ... possibility of major accident. *ak
 Power steering malfunctioned. when they turned steering wheel it would tighten up. dealership had to rebuld steering.*ak
STEERING - LINKAGES - TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
09/01/2004510/01/2001
 We have 2 - 2001 chrysler town & country vans. they both have less than 55000 and have had several mechanical malfunctions, some of which are very serious. they share many of the same problems which include, steering components, electrical failure of internal gauges, and radio replacements. one van also had a brake line separate while traveling on the highway about a month ago.*ak
STEERING - RACK AND PINION
08/16/200640000109/13/2001
 Back in early 2005 we had a problem with the sway bar, sway eliminators & sway bushings having to be replaced on our 2001 chrysler town & country lx with only 31,000 mile on it (purchased new in 2001). we contacted chrysler with the problem & this was resolved promptly by chrysler. same car 1 1/2 years later and now with only 40,000 miles on it a thunking noise in the front end again. upon taking it to a local chrysler dealership for a routine oil change the mechanic told us that the rack & pinion steering needed to be replaced at a cost of approximately $900. a representative of the chrysler dealership informed me to contact chrysler about this problem since it seemed to possibly be a premature failure. we immediately had the rack & pinion steering replaced by our mechanic because we didn't know what would happen if it failed while driving. the continuing problem with the failure of major parts on this van starting with only 29,000 miles on it suggests something wrong with the manufacture of this vehicle. chrysler was contacted in regards to the rack & pinion steering and replied with a sorry past warranty reply. *nm
10/17/2005109/11/2005
 During the cooler months of the year the steering on my 2001 chrysler town+country becomes exremely stiff to the point that i am unable to turn it and im 6'4 280 lbs, my mechanic told me it could be a valve inside the rack+pinion isn't working properly he said the only thing to do is replace that steering component, i told a friend who has the same car what was happening and he told me he experiences the same thing. i was wondering if this is happening to other owners of this car and maybe could be a safety hazard. *nm
11/09/20043780010010/03/2004
 The steering wheel shudders and vibrates the whole care and makes a groaning noise while the wheel is turned at low speeds or even if the wheel is turned while the car is idle. possible rack and pinion defect. please recall.*ak
08/02/20035000020
 While reversing steering wheel locked up, but will unlock when driving straight. the problem became worse. currently, the steering wheel locked up, even when driving straight. mechanic indicated by phone it may be a failure in the rack and pinion. vehicle shouldn't be driven because the problem will only get worse.*ak
1
 While driving consumer began to make a left hand turn and without any indication steering wheel became stuck. vehicle was serviced. dealership stated rack and pinion needed to be replaced.*ak
12/23/200229282110/01/2000
 When the vehicle was driven, the consumer was unable to turn the steering wheel. the steering wheel felt as if it were locking. the dealership indicated that the cause was due to the rack and pinion. ts scc
08/09/2002109/01/2001
 I brought car in for analysis for the power steering problem several times while still under warranty and was re-assured that i was experiencing normal noises. about a few months later when the car was now not under warranty the rack and pinion failed. and upon picking up the vehicle on 08/09/2002 i noticed that the airconditioning was not working . then was told that now the condenser for the ac has now failed.*ak
01/01/2002109/01/2001
 I brought car into the dealership on 2 prior occasions for suspect noises in the front end and they assured me this was normal . i called back to report noise was getting louder and again i was reassured that this was normal and that it was not getting louder.after the warranty was up the rack and pinnion failed this was probably the noise i have been hearing.*ak
STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK
11/04/2002464061
 I purchased my certified pre-owned vehicle in jan. 2002 & as early as nov. 2002 i began reporting a steering noise to my dealer when bringing the car in for the routine checks and oil changes. i was assured the problem was either normal or they could not get the vehicle to do what i was describing. i described on more than one occasion to the service department that when the vehicle was cold & i reversed i had difficulty steering it. the steering would lock up. i of course continued to bring it in and they could not get it to do this. the steering problem changed from difficulty steering when in reverse to difficulty steering in reverse & drive. the problem generally occurs when turning left & has left me in a panic at times when i am turning with all of my might and the van will not respond and come with me. i recently took it to another shop for brakes and oil change and the owner noticed this problem when he went to pull the car into the bay. he called me and alerted me. he thought it might be the struts and said if it was not i would probably be looking at a new steering rack. i even questioned the dealer last year about this and they said i needed to be sure that i kept my steering fluid filled up. my response was if i am losing steering fluid there is another problem that would need to be addressed. i have checked the reservoir and i am not losing power steering fluid. i am now getting scared to drive my vehicle every day, with myself and my two daughter, due to the unpredictability of the steering. i am taking the vehicle to yet another mechanic to see if they can get to the bottom of this. one would think chrysler would be able to determine the problem of their own vehicles before someone else could. 11/02 noise in front end noted and a whine and a transmission tune-up performed. 12/02 front sway bar replaced. 12/02 hose to power steering replaced, power steering reservoir replaced. continued to mention on subsequent visits & they could not get it to act up. *nm
01/12/200445000107/17/2003
 I purchased my vehicle used, with 40,000 miles and it pulled to the right. then the front end began making noise when going over bumps. the right and left sway arms were replace, and the noise subsided. however, it started soon thereafter, worse than before. the tire/front end store i use produced a tech bulletin from chrysler stating that the problem was the rack and pinion steering gear box. the problem is so severe that finding a part was very difficult due to dealers either being out of them or holding a few due to the frequency of the problem. it is clear that chrysler designed a poor component that if it fails, could lead to a loss of steering, and severe accident/death. total bill was $700.*ak
STEERING - WHEEL AND HANDLE BAR
03/14/200443150101/22/2004
 In january we bought a 2001 chrysler town and country mini van. we had only had this van a short period of time when we were driving down the road and all of a sudden the steering wheel was in our hands. we were only a few short miles to getting onto the interstate where the results could have been devastating. chrysler sent an investigator to check out this van and we got a letter saying from the information you provided, it appears your inquiry may be more appropriately reviewed for possible action by the agency listed below. ( the national highway traffic safety administration.) chrysler has obviously done nothing about this situation. i want to know if anything can be done. we bought this van at des moines chrysler and plymouth and feel they neglected the job in putting out a vehicle for sale that was completely safe. we had our grandchild with us and feel something should be done about this. nothing was said in the letter we received about the fact that this steering wheel was off the column, in our hands and no control of the vehicle. we did go into the ditch on the left side of the road but thank god, no one was hurt. no vehicle was oncoming and the ditch was wide and shallow. does someone have to be killed to have results in this case? i am not happy with this discussion. someone did very wrong in handling this and i think that we are getting a bad deal. the daimler chrysler corp is also sending you a report. it is just not a common everyday occurrence to be driving down the road on a busy highway and suddenly you have the steering wheel in your hands. thank god my husband was driving because i know that i could not have handled it. i feel something should be done to avoid this ever happening again. we were absolutely scarred to death. believe me, our lives flashed before our eyes. *jb
08/26/2002
 Consumer indicated that their vehicles' steering column is experiencing the defect as states in recall number 00 v 305 000,but vehicle year is not part of this recall. please provide more details. ts
04/03/2002104/03/2002
 Vehicle lost complete control when backing out from a parking spot. vehicle towed to dealer who informed consumer that problem was due to steering: column coupling improperly installed by manufacturer. *ak *slc