2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY Steering Problems

IN SEPTEMBER 2018 I NOTICE SMOKE COMING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND UPON OPENING THE HOOD MY FRIEND SAID THAT I HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT.AFTER CALLING MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEM TOWING IT TO A GARAGE I WAS INFORMED THAT A POWER STEERING HOSE HAD BUSTED THAT THEY SAID CAUSED THE FIRE.I THEN LATER ONLINE LOOKED UP MORE INFORMATION AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A NHTSA CAMPAIGN:04V386000 CONCERNING THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE THAT MAY SPLIT THAT CAN CAUSE A FLUID LEAK THAT IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE LIKE WANT HAPPEN TO ME.I SEE THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.MY VAN WAS IN MY FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED ON A SATURDAY.

Mileage: 242,800

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER LEFT OR RIGHT. THE ABS AND ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOYD CHRYSLER JEEP OF SOUTH HILL (200 W DANVILLE ST, SOUTH HILL, VA 23970), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE VAN HAS HAD PROBLEMS. SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE ENGINE AND IT HAS HOLES IN THE GAS TANK AND BY THAT IT DOESN'T PASS THE INSPECTION. UPDATED 7/26/18*JB

Mileage: 134,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT EXERTED FORCE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE POWER STEERING STARTED TO MAKE A WHINING NOISE. ONCE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING FLUID LEFT IN THE POWER STEERING CANISTER. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY REPLACE THE POWER STEERING FLUID EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED IDENTICAL FAILURES AS INDICATED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V386000 (POWER STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.

Mileage: 168,000

THIS VEHICLE TURNS OFF WHEN DRIVING AND THERE IS NO POWER TO THE CAR AT ALL, NO BRAKES, STEERING, HEADLIGHTS AND THE CAR CAN NOT BE RESTARTED, YOU CANT EVEN UNLOCK IT TOO GET OUT OR GET THE WINDOWS DOWN. THE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CANT BE RESET, FAN AND A/C CONTROLS NEVER TURN OFF IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND DINGS AND BEEPS WENT IT WANTS TO LIKE ITS CRYING FOR HELP. *TR

Mileage: 128,000

ABOUT 3 MIN AFTER FILLING UP VEHICLE STALLED AFTER PULLING OUT OF STATION. POWER STEERING FAILED AND COULD NOT MOVE OUT OF LANE. TOOK A COUPLE OF TRIES TO RESTART AND MOVE TO SAFETY. SECOND TIME THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT!!! *TR

Mileage: 69,889

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL FAILURES AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V386000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

Mileage: 74,000

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. SHE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. LUCKILY SHE WAS IN A PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO STOP. I DROVE THE VAN AROUND SOME AND THE PROBLEM WOULD COME AND GO. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. $1300 TO REPLACE STEERING RACK, PUMP, ETC. I'VE READ THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. MANAGER AT THE DEALER WAS IN AGREEMENT. TOLD ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT RACK SHOULD HOLD UP BECAUSE IT WAS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. CHRYSLER MUST REALIZE THIS IS A DEFECT. HOPE NO ONE GETS KILLED. *TR

Mileage: 74,718

WE HAD TO GET OUR STEERING RACK REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY) AT ABOUT 16,000 MILES BECAUSE IT WAS GROANING AND HARD TO STEER. ABOUT 16 MONTHS AFTER THAT AT ABOUT 42,000 MILES THE VAN WAS IN FOR SOMETHING ELSE AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $1100. THEY DID NOT EVEN WARRANTY THE REPLACEMENT PART ITSELF WHICH DID NOT LAST. *TR

Mileage: 16,000

POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED, THEN STARTED MAKING NOISE. TURNED OUT TO BE A LEAKING UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THIS HOSE BUT OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WE PAID TO GET THE HOSE REPLACED, AND WE ARE WONDERING IF THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THIS POWER STEERING HOSE THAT MAY AFFECT MORE VEHICLES THAN ORIGINALLY WERE RECALLED. I DO HAVE THE OLD POWER STEERING HOSE. *TR

Mileage: 101,695

I HAVE AN '04 T AND C WHICH I BOUGHT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO...GREAT VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR THE STEERING WHINE...BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT FILLED AND BLED (TO REMOVE SUPPOSED AIR BUBBLES) MORE THAN ONCE...WOULD SEEM TO BE IMPROVED THEN GO BACK TO SAME OLD THING...THE NOISE WOULD START WHEN I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND WOULD BE WORSE IN COLD WEATHER...WAS TOLD TO TURN THE WHEEL WHILE I WARMED UP THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY..THIS SEEMED TO GET THE GROANING UNDER CONTROL...ONE MORNING I WAS IN A PARTICULARLY BAD MOOD AND TURNED THE WHEEL PRETTY VIOLENTLY AND AS I BACKED OUT I SAW A PUDDLE OF RED STEERING FLUID ON THE GROUND...ALL THE FLUID JUST GUSHED OUT...HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY FOUND ONE OR MORE LOOSE CLAMPS IN THE STEERING SYSTEM HOSES...THE CLAMPS WERE REPLACED AND THE STEERING FLUID FILLED AND NO MORE PROBLEM!!! THAT WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO (WINTER TIME) AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT RESURFACED...BUT HAD TO GO THROUGH AN AWFUL LOT TO GET TO THIS POINT...LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

RACK AND PINION STEERING ON MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY LX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR A COST OF $1,000 PER THE DEALER. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 59,000 MILES. LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID, MAKES NOISES WHEN TURNING, AND FEELS LIKE STEERING WILL LOCK UP. NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

CONTINUED STEERING RACK FAILURE ON 2004 TOWN AND COUNTRY. REFUSAL BY CHRYSLER TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFICIENCY AND FAILURE OF THIS DESIGN. MAY PARENTS BOUGHT THE SAME VEHICLE AT THE SAME TIME AND THEY ARE ON THEIR 3RD STEERING RACK. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY IS HAVING STEERING PROBLEMS. THE DEALER PUT A NEW RACK AND PINION IN IT JULY 5, 2007. WE BOUGHT IT ON JULY 6, 2007. IT HAD 42,729 MILES ON IT. BY JULY 30, 2007 TWO BOLTS FELL OUT OF SAID UNIT, AND THE OTHER BOLT WAS HALFWAY OUT ALSO. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MISSING ONES WITH USED BOLTS FROM ANOTHER VAN, AND DID AN ALIGNMENT. I PICKED IT UP LATE EVENING ON JULY 31, 2007. BY MID-DAY AUGUST 3, 2007 THE BOLTS WERE SO LOOSE THAT MY MECHANIC COULD SPIN THEM WITH HIS FINGERS. HE TIGHTENED THEM, AND IT TOOK TWO FULL TURNS WITH A TORQUE WRENCH. NOW IT'S AUGUST 6, 2007 AND MY STEERING IS LOOSE AGAIN. NOBODY CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE BOLTS KEEP COMING LOOSE. *TR

Mileage: 44,209

THE FRONT BUSHINGS ON MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY KEEP FAILING. I HAD THEM REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THAT TIME, THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT AN IMPROVED BUSHING WOULD BE USED. SINCE, IT IS AGAIN HAVING PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER IS SAYING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AGAIN. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT SEEMS UNREASONABLE THAT THIS PART NEEDS CONTINUED REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT. IS THERE A DANGER INVOLVED? DO I HAVE TO REPLACE IT? WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T REPLACE IT? THERE IS NOTHING ABOUT THIS IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL, OR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. *TR

Mileage: 27,000

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS RELATED TO QUALITY AND SAFETY. IN JUNE OF 2004 THE SERPENTINE BELT SPLIT AND ALL POWER ASSIST WAS LOST, CHRYSLER REPLACED THE AC COMPRESSOR AND THE BELT BUT DID NOT REPLACE ANY PS HOSES. THE VAN IS NOW LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID THAT MUST BE REPLACED ALMOST AS OFTEN AS I GET GAS. THIS IS UNSAFE AND ANNOYING. THE VAN ALSO HAS A THUMPING SOUND WHEN WHENEVER YOU GO OVER THIS SLIGHTEST BUMP. IT SOUNDS LIKE A STRUT OR SPRING IS LOOSE IN THE FRONT END. I TOOK IT TO BCP IN SMYRNA WHEN IT FIRST STARTED HAPPENING AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. IN 2005 THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHUTTERING WHENEVER WE CAME TO A STOP AND IT DOWNSHIFTED. THE SERVICE FOREMAN TOOK A RIDE AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT TO WORLD TRANSMISSION IN DOVER AND HE PUT A TESTER ON IT AND DETERMINED THAT THE DEFAULTS WERE OFF AND HE RESET THEM. I HAVEN'T HAD A TRANSMISSION SHUTTER SINCE THEN. *JB

Mileage: 25,000

GROANING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN STEERING, CLUNKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. DEALER DIAGNOSED GROANING SOUND AS LEAKING/BAD STEERING RACK AND SAID IT MUST BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS VERY COSTLY. DEALER DIAGNOSED CLUNKING SOUND AS BAD SWAY BAR LINKS AND BUSHINGS, WHICH THEY REPLACED. FILING COMPLAINT BECAUSE THOSE ITEMS SHOULDN'T GO BAD AFTER ONLY 3 YEARS OF NORMAL USE. *NM

MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. IT WAS FOR A PROBLEM CHRYSLER HAS PUT A BULLETIN OUT ON REGARDING MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATION WITH DIAGNOSTIC CODES P0300-P0306 (SPARK PLUGS). THE LIGHT HAS COME ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS DURING A 7 MONTH PERIOD. DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS ALL 4 TIMES AND REPROGRAMMED THE TRAN MODULE. THEY ARE GIVING ME THE EXCUSE THAT I AM PROBABLY JUST GETTING DEFECTIVE SPARK PLUGS. I HAVE HAD A COMPUTER IN THE CAR THAT I DROVE WITH AND IT SHOWED NOTHING TO THEM AS THEY TELL ME. THEY SAY CAR ISN'T DOING ANYTHING WHEN THEY DRIVE IT. AFTER 4TH REPAIR I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK AFTER DRIVING ONLY A FEW DAYS TELLING THEM IT STILL IS NOT FIXED, THEY SAY IT DOESN'T DO IT FOR THEM AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. THE CAR BUCKS, SURGES, TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO MIS, CAR HAS BACK FIRED GOING UP HILL, NO POWER GOING UP HILLS OR INCLINES, CAR EVEN LOSES POWER GOING 55 MPH PLUS ON HIGHWAYS, WHEN LIGHT DOES FINALLY COME ON CAR WILL NOT LET YOU GO OVER 10 MILES PER HOUR, FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL BUCKS AND SURGES. THE LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON AGAIN YET FOR THE 5TH TIME BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY WITH THE SAME CODES FOR THE SPARK PLUGS, AND AGAIN I WILL BRING IT BACK TO HAVE IT NOT FIXED AGAIN , BY THEM CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS YET AGAIN. I ALSO SAW A BULLETIN ON THIS SITE ABOUT A CREAK, TICK, AND POP SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN WHICH I ASKED DEALER TO CHECK WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT IN LAST VISIT, THEY SAID IT WAS NOTHING, AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT, NOW I SEE OTHER PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY HAVE SAME PROBLEM,, NOT FIXED. I HAVE NO CLUE IF THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, COULD HAPPEN . SWAY BAR WAS REPLACED FOR NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, AND REAR WINDOW MOTOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED ALSO ON THIS CAR. *NM

Mileage: 21,000

CONSUMER 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY BALL SOCKETS WERE LOOSE, RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING RED AND PINK FLUID. *TS THE BUSHINGS HAD WORN OUT, WHICH WAS DUE TO THE RATTLE THE CONSUMER WAS HEARING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

Mileage: 13,880

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A STEERING PROBLEM . ALL THE DEALERSHIP THAT HE HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO HAVE REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. ONE OF THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE PUMP, RACK, PINION, AND THE HOSES. BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. THE STEERING VIBRATES THE ENTIRE CAR WHEN TURNING. CHRYSLER TRIED TO REPAIR THE CAR FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL,. SECOND TIME THEY SAID IT WAS NOT NORMAL, AND THEY REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION. CHRYSLER TOLD CONTACT TO PUT A 2005 RACK AND PINION IN THE VEHICLE, BUT IT DID NOT FIT. THEY HAD TO GO BACK AND PUT A 2004 BUT THAT STILL DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ONE WEEK LATER, THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND STILL IT DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE ZONE MANAGER TOLD CONTACT TO TAKE THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. CAR WAS KEPT FOR ONE WEEK AND ALL THEY DID WAS REPLACE RACK AND PINION. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED. . ONE OF THE DEALERSHIP PLANNED TO ADVISE CONTACT OF THE LEMON LAW. BUT THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED HIM YET. DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THAT IF SOMEONE WANTED TO FIX VEHICLE TO TELL HIM TO DO SO BECAUSE THEY HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM TO PUT A SMALLER POWER STEERING PULLEY WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE SPEED OF THE PUMP WHICH WOULD, IN TURN, INCREASE THE PRESSURE OF THE PUMP BECAUSE THE PRESSURE WAS SLOW. *AK *NM

POWER STEARING SHUTTERS & GROWLES WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NORMAL. TALKED TO SERVICE MANAGER HE CALLED ME 2 DAYS LATER WAS TOLD THAT CRYSLER HAD A PROBLEM WITH 2005 TOWN AND COUNTRY WAS TOLD THAY HAD A FIX . THREE DAY LATER WES TOLD THAY REPLACED THE RACK, HOSES, ADDED A COOLER LINE AND WAS TOLD IT DIDNT FIX PROBLEM.TO BRING IT BACK AND THAY WOULD PUT ON A POWER STEARING PUMP WHEN IT COMES IN .

Mileage: 27,000

A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL CONSUMER NOTICED THAT A LIQUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING FLUID, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

CLICKING IN STEERING WHEEL THAT COULD BE HEARD AND FELT. DATE OF SERVICE 9-09-2004 FOR FIRST INCIDENT. SECOND INCIDENT 9-23-2004 REPAIRED PER TECH BULLETIN. THIRD INCIDENT 9-29-04 TAKEN IN AGAIN AS STEERING NOT REPAIRED STILL CLICKING AND HARD TO STEER SERVICE CLAIMED NOTHING NOTICEABLE TO THEM. FOURTH INCIDENT 10-08-04 STEERING WHEEL FELL AWAY FROM STEERING COLUMN RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. 10-09-04 VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER BY WAY OF TOW TRUCK. NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS IN THIS COMPLAINT BUT HOPING TO STOP ONE FROM ACTUALLY HAPPENING. *NM

Mileage: 12,894