10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,921 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Chrysler Town & Country engine problems

engine problem

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1997 Chrysler Town & Country Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #38

Feb 222004

Town & Country

  • 73,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While driving at 65 mph vehicle jumped out of gear, and the engine revved very high. Consumer stopped the vehicle, and killed the engine. After a minute consumer restarted the vehicle and pulled out. Currently, vehicle would not go out of second gear. Vehicle was taken to a dealer, who determined that a new transmission was needed.

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

problem #37

Sep 092002

(reported on)

Town & Country

  • miles
Air bag light stays on, horn and cruise control doesn't work since light has been on. Dealer wants $500+ to fix. Several other Chrysler owbners have this problem.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #36

Jul 072002

Town & Country 4WD

  • miles
My 'air bag' light flickered for a month and then finally stayed on. I discovered my horn did not work, or the cruise control. I replaced the fuses, and the problem continued. I contacted my repair shop and was told other minivans had the same proble. He referred me to the dealer. The dealer was well aware of the problem and told me it was the "clockswitch". it would cost approximately $250 to repair. He informed me that my air bag does not work, in addition to the cruise control and horn. I researched the web and found many others have the same problem. I contacted Chrysler, they claim it is not a defect and not a reall. This should be a recall since over 124,511 of these parts have been replaced, at the owner's expense, and who knows how many vehicles are out there where the operators are unaware their air bag will not deploy. This is a sfety issue!!!!!! please investigate!!!

- Marcellus, NY, USA

problem #35

Oct 152001

Town & Country

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag light remains on while driving, also horn & the cruise control are inoperative. Dealer notified. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Ashville, NC, USA

problem #34

Aug 012002

Town & Country

  • miles
Without prior warning while traveling on highway noticed that there was no horn or cruise control, and airbag light appeared on dashboard.

- Marcellus, NY, USA

problem #33

Oct 152001

Town & Country

  • miles
Air bag light remains on while driving. Horn and cruise control were inoperative. Dealer notified, and they replaced the clock spring. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Asheville, NC, USA

problem #32

Jun 012002

Town & Country

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The airbag warning light came on in June. I contacted the dealer and was told that it was the clockspring without them even looking at it. They also told me that my cruise control and horn would fail next. Sure enough, about a week later the cruise control and horn ceased to function. I have a friend with a 1997 Caravan with the same problem. If the dealer knew what was wrong with it sight unseen, that indicates that this is a common problem. I see that there is an open investigation (NHTSA action#EA01007) into this very problem, and I hope that it results in a recall soon. The dealer wants almost $300 to fix it.

- Lakeland, FL, USA

problem #31

Jun 182002

Town & Country

  • miles
Air bag light remains on while driving and cruise control is inoperative. Dealer contacted. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Brandon, MS, USA

problem #30

Jun 012002

Town & Country

  • miles
Air bag light is on continuous, horn does not work, and cruise control does not work.

- Chula Vista, CA, USA

problem #29

Apr 142002

Town & Country

  • miles
Parts for recall have not been available due to back orders.

- Abilene, TX, USA

problem #28

Feb 282002

Town & Country

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Airbag light on and cruise control turned on and off. Replaced clock spring. When looking for information on clock spring saw how many others had failed and decided to add my voice. A non-woring airbag is a safety issue, especially in vehicles marketed to young families.

- Portage, MI, USA

problem #27

Jan 202002

Town & Country

  • miles
The clock spring controls the air bag system, horn and cruise control system. I was told by the repair technician at the dealership that the part(clock spring) has failed on other vehicals and that Chrysler has recalls on some of these vehicals for the same part.

- Delaware, OH, USA

problem #26

Jan 182002

(reported on)

Town & Country

  • miles
Clock spring broke and disengaged horn, and airbag. Air bag light illiminated on dashboard.

- Minneapolis, IN, USA

problem #25

Aug 012001

Town & Country

  • miles
Cruise control failed first due to clock spring. I did not have this fixed but now teh air bag is failing as well.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

problem #24

Sep 252001

Town & Country

  • miles
The failure of the air bag clock spring has resulted in the air bag warning light staying continualy on and the loss of the cruise control. I have talked with several other people who indicate this is a problem on similar Chrysler products. There is some concern that the air bag(s) could deploy without having an event that would signal deployment. There is also concern that the air bag(s) would fail deploy in the event of a front force collision.

- Rock Hill, SC, USA

problem #23

Jul 012001

Town & Country

  • miles
While driving with cruise control activated could not disengage that system by the steering column, and had to apply brakes to stop vehicle. Also, horn has failed to function. Dealership has examined vehicle, and determined that clock spring was the component that needed to be replaced. Please provide any additional information/attachments.

- Huntington, WV, USA

problem #22

May 012001

Town & Country

  • miles
Loss of control of cruse control. Horn did not work ( on indication prior).

- Huntington, WV, USA

problem #21

Apr 152001

Town & Country

  • miles
Horn won't blow, cruise control only works intemittently, air bag light stays on continuously.

- Shepherdsville, KY, USA

problem #20

May 312001

Town & Country

  • miles
While driving about 60 mph with cruise control on when suddenly vehicle accelerated, and air bag light came on. Consumer took vehicle to dealer to be repaired, but vehicle was not under warranty to be fixed.

- Mckeesport, PA, USA

problem #19

Feb 012001

Town & Country

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Clock springs are not working properly and horn/cruise control have gone out due to this default. Contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything. The consumer's insurance would not pay for the clock spring replacement because they claim it was the manufacturing defect.

- Elmont, NY, USA

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