1998 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Suspension Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THERE WAS SURFACE RUST ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE STRUT. OVER TIME THE RUST BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE STRUT WAS RUSTING THROUGHOUT THE STRUTS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $ 300.00. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 220,000. UPDATED 12/30/10

Mileage: 74,000

1998 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TS THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BUT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE BELT AND TENSIONER WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOISY. THE HANDBRAKE DID NOT HOLD. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEVER AND CABLE ASSEMBLY. THE FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED. THE SWAY BAR LINK WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NOISY. THE REAR HATCH LOCK WAS INOPERATIVE. *NM

STRUT TOWER CORROSION ON DRIVER'S SIDE APPEARS TO BE SEVERE ENOUGH TO BREAK THROUGH AND CAUSE HANDLING PROBLEMS. MY FEAR IS THAT IT MAY BREAK THROUGH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT APPEARS THERE ARE MANY INCIDENTS LIKE THIS AND THAT MAY BE CHRYSLER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

I TOOK MY VAN TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VAN SWERVES (JUMPS) AND IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE STRUT TOWER ON THE DRIVER SIDE, IT IS SO CORRODED AND SEVERE THAT THE METAL IS PERFORATED AND STARTING TO TEAR ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE PASSENGER SIDE IS STARTING TO RUST. HE SAID IF THE TOWER GIVES WAY, I WOULD LOOSE TOTAL CONTROL OF THE VAN. IF IT WAS NOT HIDDEN, I WOULD HAVE NOTICED IT LONG BEFORE IT GOT THIS BAD. HE SAID IF THE DESIGN HAD BEEN DONE PROPER AND THE ELECTRO COATING DONE CORRECTLY, THIS DEFECT SHOULD NOT OCCUR BEFORE 10 YEARS. I CONTACTED MY UNCLE WHO FOUND THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. INFORMATION ON THE CHRYSLER WEBSITE ISSUING TSB NUMBER 23-044-02 ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM FOR VANS BUILT FROM 1996 TO 2000. HE ALSO FOUND 14 PAGES OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEMS THEY HAD IN FINDING THE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND THE EXPENSE THEY HAD TO ENDURE TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE. I CAN PROVIDE DIGITAL PHOTOS TO YOU IF THEY ARE NEEDED. FROM ALL THE REPLIES THAT I PRINTED, IT SEEMS CHRYSLER IS UNWILLING TO FACE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITY OF PUTTING PEOPLES LIVES IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEIR VEHICLES. I AM HOPING YOUR OFFICE LOOKS INTO THIS MATTER SO CHRYSLER CAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT AND NO ONE PUTS HIS OR HER FAMILY IN JEOPARDY AS I UNKNOWINGLY HAVE. THIS DEFECT IS GOING TO COST ME MONEY I REALLY DO NOT HAVE, BUT MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PAYING SOME BILLS RIGHT NOW.*JB

THANKFULLY THEY HAVEN'T FAILED YET, BUT THE STRUT TOWERS ARE RUSTED VERY BADLY. MUCH MORE RUST THROUGH WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO COMPLETE STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE STRUT TOWER (WHICH WOULD LIKELY LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY). DAIMLER CHRYSLER NEEDS TO RECALL THESE FAULTY STRUT TOWER MOUNTS DUE TO THEIR LACK OF PROPER RUST PROTECTION AS THEY CAN LEAD TO A MAJOR PROBLEM (AND LIABILITY SUIT).

Mileage: 125,200

THE STRUT TOWERS IN THE CONSUMER'S 1998 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY RUSTED. *NM THE LEFT STRUT SPECIFICALLY, HAD RUSTED. *SC *JB

Mileage: 122,747

MAR. 03 AT 79,000 MILES, RATTLE IN FRONT END. DEALERSHIP REPLACED FRONT SWAY BAR BUSHINGS AND LINKAGES. 7/04 AT 98,000 MILES SAME NOISE AND SAME DIAGNOSIS BY SAME DEALERSHIP: BUSHINGS AND LINKAGES ARE WORN. PARTS ARE STILL ON CAR. *LA

Mileage: 98,125

LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER IS RUSTING OUT ON 1998 CHRYSTLER TOWN AND COUNTRY VAN. MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP WILL NOT HONOR REPAIR. VAN HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY SEVERAL BODY TECHNICIANS WHO ALL AGREE COMPONENT IS DEFECTIVE AND POSES SERIOUS SAFETY RISK OF STRUT AND WHEEL COMING THROUGH HOOD. *AK

Mileage: 49,000

THE FRONT STRUTS AND CLOCKSPRING WAS REPLACED.*JB

AT 34886 MILES THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACD FOR A 'CLUNKING NOISE' IN THE FRONT END. THE PROBLEM WAS LATER TRACED TO THE SWAY BAR INSULATORS AND LINK ENDS. AT 59600 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR VIBRATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN, WITH A MOANING SOUND, WHENEVER TURNING AT SLOW SPEEDS. AT 60569 THE STEERING HOSES, FLUID AND STEERING ASSEMBLY WERE REPLACED. NONE OF THESE COMPONENTS REMEDIED THE SHUDDER IN THE STEERING.

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES UNCONTROLLABLY. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *AK

FAULTY SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS CAUSING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE TO WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING, REPAIRS DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEMS. NLM

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AT LOW SPEEDS, IT WOULD WOBBLE. BEEN TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE TIRES NEEDED CHANGING. THE TIRE CO. CLAIMED MANUFACTURER AT FAULT DUE TO AXLE PROBLEM ON VEHICLE. AT SPEEDS, NO WOBBLING. THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. EACH MANUFACTURER BLAMING THE OTHER. *AK

WE ARE EXPERIENCING A WHEEL WOBBLE. AFTER 3 SERVICE VISITS FOR THIS PROBLEM WE WERE SHOWN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM CHRYSLER STATING TO REFER WHEEL WOBBLE COMPLAINTS ON 1996-1999 TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN 215/65R16 TO MICHELIN CONSUMER RELATIONS. MICHELIN STATED THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TIRES ON A PRO-RATED BASIS. NEITHER MICHELIN NOR CHRYSLER WILL TAKE CREDIT FOR THE PROBLEM. WE ARE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR TIRES ON A PRO-RATED BASIS, UP TO 60% OF REPLACEMENT COST. I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL TIRE EXPLOSIONS ON THIS VEHICLE. I WANT TO KNOW WHY I WASN'T TOLD OF THIS PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME THIS VECHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A CONSUMER PROBLEM, BUT ONE CHRYSLER AND MICHELIN HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS AND ARE PASSING THE COST ON TO THE CONSUMER. I WANT TIRES REPLACED WITH A GUARANTEE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE WRITTEN TO CHRYSLER CORPORATION REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. *AK( DOT NUMBER: M30D TIRE SIZE: 215/65R.16 )

WHILE DRVING ABOUT 30MPH, VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE FOR NO REASONSTEERING WHEEL WOULD SHIMMY & SHAKE. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT TIRES NEEDED CHANGING. MANUFACTURER OF TIRES (MICHELIN) IT WAS DUE TO DESIGN OF VEHICLE. *AK

VAN ALWAYS PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING. DEALER STATED NO PROBLEM FOUND. CAN DRIVE ON HIGHWAY ON THE RIGHT-MOST LANE, LET GO OF WHEEL AND END UP IN PASSING LANE ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY WHICH RESULTED IN LOUD WIND NOISE AND SAFETY ISSUES. REAR HATCH DOOR DID NOT SHUT PROPERLY AND RATTLED WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WEATHER STRIPPING ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS OUT OF POSITION. LOCK BUTTON ON PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CROOKED AND LOOKED TO BE DEFECTIVE.

VAN HAS CONSTANT VIBRATIONS STARTING AT SPEEDS OF 45MPH TO 70 MPH.

VAN AWAYS PULLS TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND IN VAN. *AK