3.0

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,962 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.

2013 Chrysler Town & Country steering problems

steering problem

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2013 Chrysler Town & Country Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #24

May 042023

Town & Country

  • miles

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

In two separate incidents on 5/4/23 and 5/5/23, while DRIVING, the vehicle has stalled without warning. The engine completely shut off. Power steering and breaks stopped functioning properly making it VERY difficult to pullover and stop. Once pulled over, had to place the vehicle in park, completely turn off the electrical and restart the vehicle. No warning lamps or messages appeared before or after the incident. The vehicle has been displaying some issues starting recently, especially when using the push button. However, we have always been able to get it to start by inserting the key. This is an incredibly dangerous situation for the driver and any occupants as it has happened without warning while driving on highways which could very easily result in an accident if unable to pullover safely or stop if the breaks are not working. The vehicle has not yet been inspected, but we plan to get it inspected as soon as possible.

- Union Grove, WI, USA

problem #23

Nov 282022

Town & Country

  • miles
Vehicle has stalled numerous times while operating at high rates of speed 60+ mph in most cases. No prior warning or indication of stalling until vehicle no longer accelerates and then seconds later loses power steering. Usually I can get to the side of the road and pull out of traffic. However last night was not the case. I stalled in a construction zone, with concrete barriers on both sides. I pulled over as far as I could and was nearly hit multiple times by semis and other vehicles. I had my 4 children in the car with me and they are traumatized now. They were bawling because they thought they were going to get hit. We had a sheriff call for a tow truck which was not free. We were left stranded in the dark, in the cold, for an hour just this incident. It once was an issue that only happened occasionally. It happened 6 times this past week while I was out of state for holidays. This is my only means of transportation and having a newborn I have to be able to get around safely. I will state again NO warning prior, and no engine light after to diagnose the issue. Myself and my 4 children could have lost our lives last night. The officers who stopped could have lost their lives the passerby could have lost their lives. This vehicle is a death trap. They need to recall all of them to locate the real problem before tragedy strikes. I wouldn-€™t even give this vehicle away that-€™s how unsafe it is.

- Richmond, IN, USA

problem #22

Dec 042021

Town & Country

  • miles
Our van just stops running when driving. This causes the power steering and brakes to stop working, no warning at all anything is happening. This has happened several times in the last three days. I coasted to side of road once. I almost rear-ended and was almost rear-ended in same incident today due to sudden shut off. I fear for my life and family safety. I have a son who travels in a wheelchair in the vehicle and our only transportation. My son cannot go to school now as he has no transportation to get there since this is his wheelchair van. He cannot ride in a regular vehicle, he must ride in his powerchair due to mobility and specialized seating. Two weeks ago, vehicle acted like we didn't have traction and wheels locked up. That has happened several times. Then two days before the stop running started the traction control light came on but it was perfectly normal driving situations. Light turned off after car was turned off and hasn't come back on. No warning lights or other alerts have come on in van. Very costly, TIPM system was replaced November 2020 due to issues with vehicle power issues on not starting fully and loosing power.

- Pflugerville, TX, USA

problem #21

Jun 252021

Town & Country

  • miles

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

On occasion at least four different times in the past two months, my vehicle has completely shut off while I am driving it. In an instant, a warning comes on my dash that has a lightening bolt, the engine and all electrical/power shuts off, the wheel locks, and I am only able to brake. I have taken it to the dealership where they charged me $100 to find what the issue was, even though unsuccessful. They said because the vehicle showed no codes, they didn-€™t know the reason for the malfunction, and sent me home. I called Chrysler Recall and they said because there are no open recalls, they are unable to help me. When searching online, I see a lot of people have had this exact same issue but no one helps them fix it. Lawsuits have emerged. Accidents have happened. I have three small children who rely on me and my vehicle. It is completely unsafe for us to drive and for others around us on the road. No one will help diagnose or fix the problem. I need help fast! Please help me.

- Bargersville , IN, USA

problem #20

Feb 032021

Town & Country

  • 71,000 miles
When coming to a stop the engine will stall. Radio and instrument panel stays powered up. Brakes and steering do not work. If the van is put into park and then restarted it will work again. This only occurs when coming to a stop and not while driving at any speed.

- Bangor, ME, USA

problem #19

Feb 012021

Town & Country

  • miles
The electrical and engine shut off more than a dozen times over several months, summer, fall and winter, while I was driving in city traffic, with no other known correlations. All electrical systems and power steering and power brakes also ceased to function. This necessitated my placing the transmission into neutral to reengage the ignition, which immediately restarted the engine.. perhaps also related: After overnight, immediately after engaging the ignition, starter and briefly the engine, the engine shut off when I released the ignition switch. This happened several times in a row. Only recently has this problem first occurred duurinh the several years we have had the car. Only after I engaging the gas pedal while engaging the ignition and increasing the rpms did the engine begin to function normally. This has happened several days when the temperature was about 30F.

- Goshen, IN, USA

problem #18

Dec 122019

Town & Country

  • 97,000 miles

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

While driving my van, especially at speeds of 20-30 miles per hour, shuts off, leaving me with no electric brakes or steering, no acceleration, nothing. This has been happening intermittently for a couple years. The mechanics at aaa have trouble recreating the problem. About 14 months ago they replaced the tipm. The electronic aspects of the van were haywire, dash lights flashing, born blaring etc. This is also occurring again but the tipm isn't the issue according to aaa. It is terrifying to drive and unexpectedly have the engine shut off. I have diminished ability to safely steer and brake in these instances. This happens when going straight as well as when turning. The horn going crazy has happened when the vehicle shuts off.

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #17

Jul 022020

Town & Country 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
Van has shut off randomly 4 times now. The first three times was while sitting still. It started right back up the first time but took awhile to start up the second time. The third time it also started right back up. The last time it shut off while driving through town at about 35 mph. Lost all braking and steering. Van will not start back up.

- Jersey Shore, PA, USA

problem #16

Mar 092020

Town & Country

  • 135,000 miles
Car dies/stalls at random when moving. Have been going 70 mph down the rd and it has happened. When this happens it causes us to lose powered steering. This is extremely dangerous! it has stalled/died at various speeds. Sometimes soon starting the vehicle will die right away. Alternator has been replaced and that is not the issue.

- Dhanis, TX, USA

problem #15

Jan 152020

Town & Country

  • 136,000 miles
The engine seizes without warning. It simply shuts off. This effectively limits both the breaking and the power steering. This is dangerous as there are no warning light indicators, no audible notifications, no error codes. Going 70 mph we were nearly killed when the motor died and we lost our breaking and steering ability. This has happened on multiple occasions with no rhyme nor reason. Long trips or short, fast or slow, interstate or in town. It needs to be addressed as this is a major issue. A cursory glance at internet forums will reveal that mine is not simply an isolated event.

- Salt Lick, KY, USA

problem #14

Oct 102019

Town & Country 6-cyl

  • miles

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

The van randomly shuts down while driving this makes it hard to steer and could cause an accident because of the power loss and steering. The van must be shifted into neutral or park to restart. This can be very difficult especially on the highway. Sometimes it smells like an electrical fire. It has been looked at by several mechanics with nothing found.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #13

Jan 022020

Town & Country

  • 129,000 miles
While driving van shut down. All electoral worked but no brakes or power steering. Like the key. Was in acc not

- Roanoke, VA, USA

problem #12

Sep 072019

Town & Country

  • 88,000 miles
2013 Chrysler Town and country stalls with now warning or error cause car to lose power steering and coast to a stop. It has happened with no patter at various speeds and types of driving. It is a very dangerous as it has happened many times often at hight speeds and in traffic. I have seen that many others have had this same safety issue and no resolution has come of it.

- Churubusco, IN, USA

problem #11

Aug 292019

Town & Country

  • 90,000 miles
My vehicle shuts down randomly. I can be going 55mph, 45 mph, 35mph, 25mph, 10mph, at a stop light, as well as turning, it has happened during any and all of those. No turn signals, power steering, brakes. Been happening months. 1 dealer and 2 mechanics cannot find any issue. Occured 7 times today in a 3 mile round trip.

- Cedarburg, WI, USA

problem #10

Mar 272019

Town & Country

  • 81,400 miles
My wife was driving 40 mph and the engine turned off. It was 5 pm and rush hour with cars all around her. She noticed a walgreens coming on her right. She had no turn signal to alert the driver behind her. My wife tried to slow down to turn but realized that she had no brakes. She turned into the parking lot and had no power steering. She had to use the emergency brake to stop. My wife had both my sons in the car with her. She then put the car in park and was able to turn the car back on. This has happened two times before this. Each time I have brought it to the dealer and they say there is nothing showing up and it doesn't do it when they drive the vehicle. Chrysler was contacted on 4/1/19 and they issued a case number 58294804. They asked if I wanted to get it fixed or a buyback. I said buyback. I called on 4/3/19 to check the status and they said they are still investigating.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #9

Feb 012019

Town & Country

  • 74,000 miles
Vehicle shuts down with no advance warning! there are no error or fault codes stored in the PCM. Very dangerous while operating on the highway. The vehicle is totally disabled when this occurs. The condition seems to be a common problem with Chrysler products as described on the internet. Someone (fed. Govt.) should immediately launch an investigation into this serious and/or deadly situation. The vehicle has approximately 74000 miles on the odometer. Someone please help! today it happened three times.

- Brooklawn, NJ, USA

problem #8

Sep 202018

Town & Country

  • 38,000 miles
I drove my eldorado equipped handicap van (mileage was only 38K) for approximately 2 miles without incident. I was in a parking lot and was pulling away from an atm and suddenly the steering felt sloppy or like a flat tire. I checked the tires and all was fine. I pulled onto a city street and the steering stopped working. The steering wheel was not aligning with the direction of the tires. I immediately got off the road.

- Clinton Township, MI, USA

problem #7

May 092018

Town & Country

  • 83,000 miles
On May 9th 2018 while driving the car down a two way street not far from a school zone it basically locked but the engine was still running. The vehicle was still in motion but I could not steer because the wheel was locked, I could not stop because the brake did not work, I almost crashed and died. I had to jump a curb to slow the vehicle down and avoid accidents. I was then able to turn off the vehicle. This is extremely dangerous and sounds like defective parts in the vehicle that need to be reported as a recall to the manufacturer. The public needs to know as many lives on the road are at risk and we want answers and the problem resolved by the manufacturer.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #6

Nov 242014

Town & Country 6-cyl

  • 27,880 miles
I was traveling at 20 mph and turned right onto another street. In mid-turn, the engine cut off without warning and all power steering and power brakes failed. I nearly missed a car on the corner as the car turned. Because I was unable to brake, I am not sure how the van stopped without any response from the brakes. Once I came to a stop, I put the car back into park and restarted the car. We bought this car new on 2/13/2013 and have not had this problem before. We do see reports of many Chrysler Town and country vans and Dodge Caravan reporting this problem going back to 1996, with some recalls along the way. It appears that this is an old issue that has not been properly addressed by Chrysler.

- Hendersonville, NC, USA

problem #5

Mar 142014

Town & Country

  • 15,000 miles
"last March I was driving on highway in rush hour, 60 ? 65 mph. Van shuts off, breaks do not work, and steering wheel is locked. All I could do is wait until the van coasted to a stop; I put it in park and then started it back up again in order to exit the expressway. ?took the van in. They kept it for over a week and then told me that they replaced something with the brakes and now it is working fine. "(11/04/14), I was on vacation in Ohio. Going 40 mph and the same thing happened. Again, I was lucky and no accident. "took the van to nearest dealership. They charged me $79 to check out the car ? and they did not find anything. I would have thought that would have been a covered charge. ?Chrysler ?escalated my ticket to corporate? and they also asked me if I felt safe driving my van home. I did not feel safe ? but really did not see a choice because all the dealership and the surrounding car rental places had to offer me was a small car and I had 3 people, luggage and a wheelchair to get home. ?I drove side roads home " the total trip took me an additional 9 hours instead of 4.5. (11/06/14) the car shut down again on me " no one was on the road at the time. "(11/07/14) ray laetham dealership in grosse pointe, Michigan. "11/12/14 dealership asked several questions about the car and said the engineers at Chrysler have given them additional things to try "11/14/14 dealership tells me I can pick up my van. Engineers have decided that it must have been the E85 gas that I had been using "which has been known to cause problems" even though that is the gas that I was told to use. Hopefully I will survive the last 6 months of my lease. I have a van that I cannot drive my family in.

- Harrison Township, MI, USA

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