6.4
fairly significant- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 11,276 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
From day one of owning this vehicle the brakes squeal in turns and when first starting and backing up. I did not complain to chrsyler until I had 13000 miles on this Town and country and then they charged me for a brake job and turning down the rotors. Evidently they have a serious brake design problem and they are just sticking their customers with it, most likely a caliper problem. When I called to complain the woman I had to talked to was ignorant to these problems.
- Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2005 Chrysler Town & Country, touring model. Vehicle has numerous problems with front end suspension system. Front brakes were replaced at 35K. Tires were replaced at 33K because of wear on front tires. Rotors were redone at 26K. Sway bar links and bushings were replaced at 35K. Also, a critical bolt on rear suspension was missing when vehicle was purchased.
- Portage, IN, USA
Brakes periodically squealed. At 18,000 miles I had them checked. The rear pads were worn and had to be replaced. I was also told that after turning the rotors, there would not be enough metal left on the next future brake job to turn them again. Also, the brakes started pulsing after rear replacement. They had to turn the front rotors to correct this problem. There is something radically wrong with the brake design on the 2005 Town and country as it is very premature for pads to wear out at 18,000. To compound this problem, it is ridiculous that I will have to purchase rotors on the rear for the next brake job.
- Rio Rancho, NM, USA
At 24K miles my wifes 2005 Town and country van was making a loud grinding noise from the front right wheel. The pad was digging into the rotor. When I took the van to the dealer I heard what I expected. The service manager told me this was not under warranty, pads and rotor are wear items. He said my wife must be hard on the brakes. I told him she is the same driver who drove a 1996 Ford Windstar van, and the first set of pads were replaced at 52K miles. My second complaint was the amount of brake dust on the wheels. The solution was easy. I purchased a two new domestic front rotors and replaced the pads both front and rear with akebono ceramic pads. The van has 40K miles with no more brake problems and the brake dust is gone. I question the quality of the brake pads Chrysler is putting on this vehicle. Updated 01-14-08. Updated 12/12/07
- Saint Charles, MO, USA
I own a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country which was purchased April of 2005 directly from a dealership in East hanover with only 150 miles. The car is only 2 years and one month old only has 23,600 miles. By 6,000 miles I needed brakes, pads and rotors replaced. Again at approximately 5,000 more additional miles I had to have brakes, pads and rotors replaced. That was 3,200 miles ago and now again the brakes, pads and rotors need to be replaced. I have owned 3 cars prior to this one and never had to replace brakes, pads nor rotors. I complained about this to the dealership, and they told me that there was nothing that could be done that others have complained about this, and Chrysler was notified yet they have not done any recalls on the brakes, pads or rotors. I have never been so disappointed with an automobile as I am with this one.
- Randolph, NJ, USA
: the contact stated while driving 30 mph the brake pedal was depressed and the sound of metal on metal was heard resulting in an extended stopping distance. The vehicle was driven to an independent repair shop who replaced the front rotors and pads.
- Glen Allen, VA, USA
My wife purchased a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country in February of last year. It has 17,500 miles on it and two days ago my wife told me it was making a horrible noise when she applied the breaks. I drove the car and noticed that the noise and vibration was coming from the front left driver side. I looked at the rotor and noticed large abrasions that the caliper had made where it was apparently failing to release from the rotor. The other side had no such markings. I took it into a local place around the corner to get an estimate. The mechanic looked at the odometer and said, "you need to take this to the dealer. This is not normal wear. You have one side that is maybe 65-70% warn and the other side which is completely gone and the caliper is locking onto the rotor causing these scaring." He went on to tell me that he knew of three other people who had similar problems with the brakes on new T&cs. I then made the trip (slowly) to the closest dealership whom had informed me on the phone that they "had never heard of a front brake problem on the T&C that wasn't from just normal wear". they told me that their master brake technician looked at it and said that it was normal because my left side is closer to the master cylinder. I asked them to explain how one side could be completely burning into the rotor while the other side was only 65-70% worn. I was told it was normal wear & tear over and over again, along with the fact that they had a front brake kit special for only $299. I have one mechanic who was honest enough to tell me that he felt there was something wrong with the brakes that had caused one side to disintegrate instead of just fixing it and charging me for it, and another "master technician" telling me it is normal wear, here is a $299 brake kit quick fix. If Chrysler can honestly tell me that their brake pads are supposed to wear out in 17-20K miles and that the fact that the caliper locked up is normal then I am opening a brake repair shop.
- Oldsmar, FL, USA
Right front brake pad worn to metal at 26,000 miles while the left front had 50% life. Chrysler refused to cover as a warranty item. Service manager claims this wear pattern is normal.
- Parker, CO, USA
2005 T & C limited - 16K miles....no signs of trouble until last week, when an obvious grinding noise became apparent in the right front. Checked the right front rotor, and abnormal grooving and gouging was evident - however, left front rotor looked fine, and hadn't noticed any noise emanating from there. Led me to believe there probably was some sort of design defect with the right front brake system. Long story short - dealer says "metal on metal" both front brakes - need to resurface rotors and replace brake pads, plus bleed the brake fluid, to the tune of $360 - warranty won't cover, as brakes only covered to 12K miles. My 2002 T & C didn't need any kind of brake service up to 40K when we traded it in. Friend who had same make/model minivan (2005 T & C) had to replace brakes at 20K. One service manager in small town Wisconsin said "I haven't had to replace brakes prior to 35K in my fifteen years as a mechanic." My service manager said 2005/2006 model year T & C's coming back prematurely with brake issues. Obviously, something was changed in the hydraulic system/brake system (downgrade in parts to cut costs?) that has resulted in premature wear and tear on the brakes. Also, we had no warning whatsoever that the brakes were wearing down - no squealing...nothing. This is unacceptable!
- Woodbridge, VA, USA
I took my car to the dealer in may because I heard a weird noise coming front the back of my car when I pressed on the brakes...the dealer stated the breaks needed cleaning. While I was driving home, I heard he noise again. I took it back to the dealer the second time that same day and the supervisor denied hearing noises when driving the vehicle with me. Suggested it needed more cleaning. The dealer "cleaned" it a little bit more and I went home. Three weeks later the noise appeared again. Took it to the dealer in August, now told me the noise is coming from bad brakes in the front. They charged me $200 to change pads and rotors. Well, took it home next day while driving heard the noise again. Called the dealer told me that I would hear a noise for the next couple of days. They said it was common since their were new materials on the car. Since then, the noise is still present. Took it to another dealer. The other dealer said nothing wrong with the car, just has a noise, they don't know where the noise is coming from. If the brakes needed to be changed to solve the problem why is the noise still there.
- Cheswick, PA, USA
Bought new 2005 Chrysler Town & Country - not even a year old - approx. 14K on it - heard a metal to metal sound when braking. Took it to the dealership, was told I need new brakes and is going to cost me approx. $400 dollars. Warranty is only good up to 12K.
- Clifton, NJ, USA
Brakes had small sqeaking noise from time of purchase in June of 2004. Only when the brakes were applied. The dealer said sometimes knew brakes do that. Just under 8,000 miles, I had road side assistance tow the van to dealer. Brakes were grinding. The dealer didn't warranty the work or parts. Even though I have a 12,000 mile brake warranty. The dealer wanted me to pay $300+ for repairs, after a Chrysler district manager looked at the vehicle, they offered as a one time goodwill adjustment to slit cost of repairs 3 ways. I paid $81. The same night I got the van back, the brakes are still sqeaking. I called the service department again and I was told that brakes are made of small parts of metal and that the noise is normal.
- Glen Burnie, MD, USA
While driving consumer heard a metal to metal sound. Vehicle was taken to the dealership to have the metal sound inspected. Dealership indicated that brake pads wore out prematurely and caused the rotors to crystallize. The brake pad and rotors were replaced.
- Marion, NC, USA
- Red Lion, PA, USA