2002 Chrysler Town And Country

THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON MY 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY MINI VAN AS WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE VAN HAD ONLY 51,700 MILES ON IT! I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP, AND THEY WANTED $4,000 TO FIX IT. I CALLED CHRYSLER TO ASK IF THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS SO LOW, BUT THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS UP. I HAD IT FIXED AT A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE THEY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION. I DON'T HAVE THE OLD PARTS AVAILABLE. THERE MUST BE A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION, OR SOME KIND OF "WEAK" PARTS FOR IT TO GO OUT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THE VAN, I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES, AND EVEN DID THE 30,000 MILES SERVICE THAT WAS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY THE DEALERSHIP! *JB

THE VAN WAS PROFESSIONALLY MODIFIED STRAIGHT FROM FACTORY BY INDEPENDENT MOBILITY SYSTEMS, INC (IMS) A COMPANY OUT OF BUSINESS THAT SPECIALIZED IN THESE MODIFICATIONS. I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BACK AROUND EARLY 2006 ABOUT A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED WITH THE VEHICLES REAR SHOCK-ABSORBER LOWER TIE-DOWN BRACKETS. IN MY COMPLAINT I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED A TERRIFYING INCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH THE LEFT BRACKET BROKE AT THE WELD THAT CONNECTED IT TO THE REAR AXLE, CAUSING THE HIGHLY PRESSURIZED SHOCK-ABSORBER TO EXTEND AND JAMMED AGAINST THE PAVEMENT AND THE AXLE. THIS CAUSED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO JUMP AND SHUTTER VIOLENTLY AND MAKING ME STOP RAPIDLY. REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $100.00. ON THIS OCCASION I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP WHEN THE WELD ON THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET BROKE OFF. AGAIN I TOWED IT TO A MIDAS AT DIFFERENT LOCATION AND SPENT $45.00 ON THE REPAIR. WELL THIS WAS REPORTED TO BRAUN ENTERPRISES , A COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZED IN THESE MODIFICATIONS THAT HAS TAKEN UP WARRANTY AND PARTS ISSUES FROM IMS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PAST ITS WARRANTY PERIOD THEY WOULD NOT BE WILLING TO COVER THE REPAIRS. THIS RESULTED IN MY FIRST REPORT TO DOT. THE REASON FOR MY REPEATING THIS REPORT WAS THAT IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN TO ONE OF THE SAME BRACKETS. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. IN MY INITIAL REPORT I STATED THAT THE REASON I SUSPECTED THIS HAPPENED WAS DUE TO FAULTY ENGINEERING. SINCE THE BRACKETS WHERE LOCATED LOWER THAN ANY OTHER PARTS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS PROBABLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ROAD OBSTACLES. I FURTHER SUGGESTED THAT ANOTHER CAUSE MIGHT BE DUE TO WHERE THE BRACKETS WERE PLACED AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE MOUNTED THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO WITHSTAND THE PRESSURES OF EVERYDAY DRIVING. REMEMBER THESE MODIFICATIONS WERE DONE ON VEHICLES THAT TRANSPORT PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY EFFECTED CHALLENGES. *AK

A KNOCKING SOUND HAS APPEARED AGAIN IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, A SIMILAR SYMPTOM APPEARED. AFTER REPEATED REPAIRS (TIE-ROD ENDS, FOR EXAMPLE), THE DEALER FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT LEFT CV 1/2 AXLE WAS DEFECTIVE. REPLACEMENT CURED THE PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THE SAME PROBLEM NOW HAPPENING AGAIN. A KNOCKING SOUND IS APPARENT DURING LOW SPEED TRAVEL ON A STREET WITH SLIGHT VARIATIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE SLOW ENOUGH TO HEAR IT. THERE IS ALSO A KNOCK WHEN DELIBERATELY SWINGING THE STEERING WHEEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE REMEDYING THIS REPEATED PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 TOWN AND COUNTRY MINIVAN. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2002 MINIVAN CARAVAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE OR TRIED TO SWITCH GEARS, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE ON 11/24/2006, AND IT PASSED THERE 16 POINT VEHICLE CHECK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 01/04/2007 THE CAR WOULDN'T SWITCH INTO GEARS AND SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE INVOLVED THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE FIXED, AND THEN TOLD THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE CONTACT PICKED UP HER VEHICLE IT HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. AFTER TELLING THE CONTACT THAT SHE WOULD RECEIVE A NEW TRANSMISSION, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE STILL DIDN'T WORK PROPERLY, THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NOT EQUIPPED TO REPAIR HER VEHICLE. SHE HAS STILL NOT FOUND SOMEONE WHO COULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE PROPERLY.*JB

VEHICLE HAD JUST ENTERED ATLANTA GEORGIA ON I85 SOUTHBOUND. THERE WAS VERY HEAVY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON LIGHT ACCELERATION, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE ENGINE NEVER STALLED. THE IDLE REMAINED SMOOTH. IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE NORMALLY. IN DRIVE (ALL GEARS) AND REVERSE, THE ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE TO ABOUT 900 RPM AND THEN LOSE POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE ALONG THE SHOULDER AT A SLOW WALKING PACE (A SLIGHT INCLINE) UNTIL WE ENCOUNTERED A DISABLED VEHICLE. THE VAN DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO PULL INTO THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND THE VAN TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED NORMALLY. THE ENGINE NEVER RAN ROUGH AND ALL THE FLUIDS LOOKED GOOD AND WERE AT CORRECT LEVELS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY MEASURED THE PRESSURE AT 40 PSI AND THE SPECIFICATION WAS 53 PSI. THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $686 PLUS TOWING. THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY APPARENTLY DOES NOT COVER THESE ITEMS. THE REPLACED PARTS WERE NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO US. AFTER PICKUP FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE VAN HAS INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCED A PRONOUNCED HESITATION ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE VAN DUPLICATED THE SAME FAILURE AGAIN ON 12/30/06. WE HAD JUST PULLED OUT FROM A PARKING SPACE AT A RESTAURANT. EVERY ASPECT OF THE INCIDENT WAS THE SAME EVEN TO OUR PROCEEDING TO DRIVE DOWN THE SHOULDER. EXCEPT IN THIS CASE THE SHOULDER WAS A SLIGHT DECLINE. WHEN THE VAN MADE IT TO ABOUT 5 MPH THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED AND THE VAN DROVE FINE FOR THE REMAINING 95 MILES OF OUR TRIP. THE NEXT TIME THAT THE VAN WAS STARTED IT WENT STRAIGHT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN BUT CHARGED A ESTIMATE FEE AND SAID TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES SET FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THE VAN BEHAVED FINE DURING THE TEST DRIVE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE POWER STEERING FAILED, REQUIRING ADDITIONAL EFFORT TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE RAACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD A LEAK. UPDATED 03/20/07. *JB

OUR 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY WITH 30,000 MILES ON IT BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING IN DECEMBER OF 2005. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FEBRUARY 2006 SO WE BROUGHT THE VAN INTO A CHRYSLER SERVICE SHOP. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE SEAL TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING SO WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING RACK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INDICATED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AFTER TEARING THE TRANSMISSION APART THEY FOUND THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT AS WELL AS THE SEALS ON THE INTERNAL CLUTCHES. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 30,008 MILES ON IT. WE WERE FORCED TO PAY THE ENTIRE $3183.89 TO FIX IT. IT WAS A POORLY BUILT VEHICLE WITH FAULTY PARTS. WE ARE UPSET THAT CHRYSLER CAN NOT TELL US WHY A VEHICLE WITH SO FEW MILES NEEDS ALL THESE MAJOR REPLACEMENT PARTS AND WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR STAND BEHIND THIS VEHICLE. *JB

(1)EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE WE HAVE A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY WITH APPROXIMATELY 56,000 MILES. ON 26 OCTOBER MY MALFUNCTION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ALL ROUTINE AND RECOMMEND MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE. DUE TO CONCERNS THAT IT WAS TRANSMISSION RELATED, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE UPSTREAM O2 SENSOR. THE UPSTREAM O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS UPDATED AND THE ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS UPDATED WITH THE LATEST SOFTWARE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME ON 28 OCTOBER AND THE NEXT DAY THE MALFUNCTION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER , WHICH WAS REPLACED WITH MY VEHICLE BEING RETURNED TO ME ON 01 NOVEMBER. ON THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER, THE MALFUNCTION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR A THIRD TIME. (2) FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES, AND THE THIRD TIME THE MALFUNCTION/CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER ON 11 NOVEMBER. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS A TORQUE CONVERTER/ TRANSMISSION ISSUE. THIS TIME, I WAS TOLD THE TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REMOVED AND A BROKEN LOW REVERSE ACCUMULATOR SNAP RING WAS DISCOVERED. THIS REQUIRED AN OVERHAUL OF THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACEMENT OF ALL SEALS AND CLUTCHES, AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SNAP RING. (3) WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE; I.E, PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED (AND IF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE) OVERALL IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, ON MY A 2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY, THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN DONE: 1-THE UPSTREAM O2 SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS UPDATED AND THE ENGINE CONTROLLER WAS UPDATED WITH THE LATEST SOFTWARE. 2- THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. 3- THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED AND ALL SEALS AND CLUTCHES WERE REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SNAP RING. *NM