1997 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Visibility Problems

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT OPERATE IN COOL DAMP WEATHER (25-45 DEGREES F WITH HIGH HUMIDITY). THEY CANNOT BE CONTROLLED- SOMETIMES OPERATING FOR 10 MINUTES WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO TURN THEM OFF, SOMETIMES THEY GO INTO DELAY MODE BY THEMSELVES, AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT EVEN TURN ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2002. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURED WITH OUR 1997 DODGE INTREPID ES WHICH WE SOLD IN 2002 DUE TO IT BEING AN ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARE, A LEMON FROM THE FACTORY. THOUGH PURCHASED NEW, THE DEALER WOULD NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO HAVING THE CAR REPLACED THOUGH WE SUFFERED THROUGH 3 YEARS OF WARRANTY "REPAIRS" FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ANYWAY, I DIGRESS...

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. *AK

Mileage: 50,187

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION, THE CONSUMER CAN STILL SHIFT THE GEARS TO REVERSE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE REARVIEW MIRROR HAD FALLEN. (ASSUMED DUE TO THE HEAT) THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT DOWN AND IN REVERSE AND THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS ADJACENT BUT SEVERAL FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS SEVERELY PUSHED FORWARD AND THE FRONT END OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. *SCC *JB

Mileage: 86,000

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CONTROLS. ALSO, THE DOOR LATCHES ACTIVATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, EVEN THOUGH NO ONE HAD TOUCHED THEM.*AK *PH *JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *NLM *SCC *JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TURNS OFF AND ON FOR NO REASON, WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PH *TT

THE WIPERS TURN ON AT RANDOM TIMES FOR RANDOM INTERVALS. DT

REARVIEW MIRROR KEEPS DISLODGING FROM WINDSHIELD SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN 1997. LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A LANE CHANGE IN TRAFFIC. SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY WITH CARS WITH HEAVY MIRRORS (ELECTONICS SUCH AS A MIRRORDIMMER). PROBLEM ALSO APPEARS TO INVOLVE OTHER BRANDS. RECALL TO CORRECT PROBLEM BEFORE A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS.*AK

THE FLIMSY PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE WINDOWS TO THE TRACK OF THE POWER DOOR WINDOWS ARE A HAZARD. THEY BRAKE EXTREMELY EASY AND COULD LEAVE A PERSON TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR IN A EVENT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. OUR VAN IS CURRENTLY DISABLED TO THE PLASTIC RETAINER CLIP BRAKING. AS AN ENGINEER MYSELF I AM APPALLED AT THE POOR DESIGN. I'M SURE THE DESIGN WAS CHEAP TO MANUFACTURE, BUT ITS TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF SURVIVING ANY STRESS. *TS ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761559

Mileage: 40,000

THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT HAS MALFUNTIONED. WHEN THE HEAT IS ON, COLD AIR COMES OUT OF THE VENTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ONLY. NLM

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. CONSUMER ALSO STATES SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THE HORN HAS BECOME INOPERABLE AND A CLICKING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE HORN AREA. NLM CONSUMER STATES COLD AIR CAME OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE VENTS WHEN THE HEAT IS TURNED ON DUE TO A FAULTY HEATER CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ACTIVATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH COULD BE FAULTY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

FROM 27,928 MILE UP TO THE PRESENT HAD FOUR SERPENTINE BELTS REPLACED & REPAIRED BY VARIOUS INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS, BUT, PROBLEM STILL APPEARS TO BE REOCCURRING, DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK DISCHARGE LINE LEAKING FROM COMPRESSOR TO CONDENSOR CAUSING AC NOT TO WORK. WATER PUMP FAILED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH SHORTED AND WAS REPLACED. EXTERIOR POWER MIRRORS SHOOK WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED SWITCH. TRANSMISSION HARD TO DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR ON SLIGHT DOWNGRADES, DEALER MADE NO REPAIRS. *SLC

FROM 27,928 MILE UP TO THE PRESENT HAD FOUR SERPENTINE BELTS REPLACED & REPAIRED BY VARIOUS INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS, BUT, PROBLEM STILL APPEARS TO BE REOCCURRING, DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK DISCHARGE LINE LEAKING FROM COMPRESSOR TO CONDENSOR CAUSING AC NOT TO WORK. WATER PUMP FAILED. WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH SHORTED AND WAS REPLACED. EXTERIOR POWER MIRRORS SHOOK WHILE DRIVING, DEALER REPLACED SWITCH. TRANSMISSION HARD TO DOWNSHIFT TO FIRST GEAR ON SLIGHT DOWNGRADES, DEALER MADE NO REPAIRS. *SLC

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE VAN WAS IN PARK. TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL, AND CONSUMER DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. *AK

THE COURTESY LIGHT IN THE DOOR BURNED OUT. NLM CONSUMER STATES WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME EXTREMLY DIFFICULT TO TURN, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW STRUTS AND A NEW RACK AN PINION, ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WOPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD STAYS ON.*JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY ON THEIR OWN. NLM

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITENTLY SHUT OFF.*AK

WHEN YOU START UP THE VEHICLE, THE INTERMEDIATE WIPERS AND WIPER BUTTON BOTH FLASH CONTINUOUSLY, OTHER BUTTONS (AC AND CIRCULATION) DO NOT LIGHT UP AT ALL. AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF. HORN DOESN'T WORK ON OCCASION. WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES SOMETIMES. OCCASIONALLY DOESN'T START WHEN RAINING OR WILL DIE WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SELF ACTIVATE. *AK

THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THIS CAUSED THE BRAKES TO BURN UP AND RUIN ALL THE REAR COMPONENTS. THE WIPERS WOULD ACTIVATE WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON. THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR SO I BELIEVE THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT THEY KNEW ABOUT.*AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY RESIDENCE AT APPROX. 8:30 PM I HEARD AN EXPLODING SOUND COME FROM THE VAN. I WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND SAW THE REAR WINDOW BLOWN OUT FROM THE INSIDE. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE WINDOW BROKE FROM THE INSIDE OUT BECAUSE THE GLASS WAS PUSHED OUT AND COMPLETELY SHATTERED, A FEW CHIPS OF GLASS WERE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VAN APPROX 3 TO 4 FEET AWAY FROM THE REAR OF THE VAN, INDICATING THE FORCE WITH WHICH THE WINDOW BLEW OUT. I TOOK SOME PICTURES TO TRY AND SHOW THE WINDOW AND THE OBVIOUS DIRECTION THE GLASS WAS BROKEN OUT IN BUT SINCE THE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED THE GLASS STARTED BREAKING APART AND FALLING ALL OVER. I FEEL THIS IS AND EXTREME SAFTEY HAZARD WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE HOT TEMPERATURES WE WERE HAVING OR A DEFECT IN THE REAR WINDOW. THE WINDOW BROKE IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE WEAK PART OF THE GLASS AS IT BUSTED OUT AT THE PEAK OF THE CURVE. THANK YOU I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT TURNING ON THE WIPER SWITCH. PROBELM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE FAILED ON INTERSTATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM.

OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNED OFF. HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED ZERO TO 70MPH.DEALER REPLACED MUTIFUNCTION SWITCH, CORRECTED. DEALERS RESPONSE INDICATES THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO CORRECT. POOR ENGINEERING.MIRROR D

DEAR NHTSA: THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLE. THE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE, I ASSUME, THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON. LUCKILY, IT DID NOT OCCUR WHILE I WAS DRIVING, BUT HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTDOORS. IT WAS A HOT AND HUMID DAY. (IN NEWARK, N.J.) I UNDERSTAND FROM FRIENDS THIS IS BECOMING SOMETHING OF A REGULAR PROBLEM AND AUTO PARTS STORES ARE NOW STOCKED WITH REPLACEMENT KITS. I WENT BACK TO MY DEALER, AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM GETTING IT FIXED. THERE IS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THAT IT HAPPENED TO A CAR THAT HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 2 YEARS 7 MONTHS. I'VE OWNED CARS FAR LONGER -- FROM THREE TO EIGHT YEARS -- AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. BEYOND THE OBVIOUS DANGER OF THIS HAPPENING WHEN OPERATING THE CAR, OR DRIVING AROUND WITHOUT A MIRROR FOR A DAY UNTIL IT GETS FIXED, I DO THINK THAT REJECTING THIS AS WARRANTY WORK BECAUSE THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN MORE THAN 36,000 MILES IS LUDICROUS. A REARVIEW MIRROR IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO OWN UP IF THEY FALL OFF WINDSHIELDS. I ALSO THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM FOR CHRYSLER MOTORS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *AK

DEAR NHTSA: THE PROBLEM IS SIMPLE. THE REARVIEW MIRROR FELL OFF THE WINDSHIELD BECAUSE, I ASSUME, THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON. LUCKILY, IT DID NOT OCCUR WHILE I WAS DRIVING, BUT HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTDOORS. IT WAS A HOT AND HUMID DAY. (IN NEWARK, N.J.) I UNDERSTAND FROM FRIENDS THIS IS BECOMING SOMETHING OF A REGULAR PROBLEM AND AUTO PARTS STORES ARE NOW STOCKED WITH REPLACEMENT KITS. I WENT BACK TO MY DEALER, AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM GETTING IT FIXED. THERE IS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER, THAT IT HAPPENED TO A CAR THAT HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 2 YEARS 7 MONTHS. I'VE OWNED CARS FAR LONGER -- FROM THREE TO EIGHT YEARS -- AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. BEYOND THE OBVIOUS DANGER OF THIS HAPPENING WHEN OPERATING THE CAR, OR DRIVING AROUND WITHOUT A MIRROR FOR A DAY UNTIL IT GETS FIXED, I DO THINK THAT REJECTING THIS AS WARRANTY WORK BECAUSE THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN MORE THAN 36,000 MILES IS LUDICROUS. A REARVIEW MIRROR IS OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO OWN UP IF THEY FALL OFF WINDSHIELDS. I ALSO THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM FOR CHRYSLER MOTORS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *AK

REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILED. *YC

REAR VIEW MIRROR CONTINUES TO FALL OFF EVEN AFTER CONSUMER GLUED IT BACK ON MANY TIMES. NLM

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.

CONSUMER HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHICH KEEP COMING ON FOR KNOW REASON. BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP, AND PROBLEM CANNOT BE RESOLVED. *AK

WIPER SWITCH FAILS INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

THE DEFROSTER DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO SEE. DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUNCTIONED SPORADICALLY.

THE REAR AND SIDE WINDOWS HAVE A MANUFACTURING TINT ON THE SIDE AND REAR WINDOWS, CAUSING POOR VISIBLTY, CONSUMER HAD NUMBER AMOUNT OF MISHAPS. *AK

VISUAL SYSYTEM, THE REAR WINDOW IS OVERTINTED, CAUSING VISION PROBLEMS, CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT. *AK