1997 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 384 complaints · 9 recalls

Verdict & Safety Summary

Most-reported system: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (59 complaints · 15.4%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 26
  • Fires 13
  • Injuries 30
  • Deaths 2
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ELECTRICAL SYSTEM appears in 59 of 384 owner complaints (15.4%) in this vehicle snapshot. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 59 complaints, 15.4% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 59 · 15.4% · 1 crash reports 7 fire reports AIR BAGS: 52 complaints, 13.5% of reports AIR BAGS 52 · 13.5% · 6 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 38 complaints, 9.9% of reports POWER TRAIN 38 · 9.9% · 5 crash reports ENGINE: 36 complaints, 9.4% of reports ENGINE 36 · 9.4% · 3 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 33 complaints, 8.6% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 33 · 8.6% · 5 crash reports 1 fire reports VISIBILITY: 31 complaints, 8.1% of reports VISIBILITY 31 · 8.1% · 1 crash reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 22 complaints, 5.7% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 22 · 5.7% · 2 crash reports STEERING: 21 complaints, 5.5% of reports STEERING 21 · 5.5% · 1 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 16 complaints, 4.2% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 16 · 4.2% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 255 complaints, 66.4% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 255 · 66.4% · 24 crash reports 9 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 59 15.4% 1 crashes · 7 fires
AIR BAGS 52 13.5% 6 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 38 9.9% 5 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 36 9.4% 0 crashes · 3 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 33 8.6% 5 crashes · 1 fires
VISIBILITY 31 8.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 22 5.7% 2 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 21 5.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 16 4.2% 1 crashes · 1 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 255 66.4% 24 crashes · 9 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1996; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1996. 1996-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 1997-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 1998-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 1998-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 1998-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1999-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 1999-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 1999-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 1999-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2000-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2000-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2000-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2000-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2001-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2001-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2001-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2002-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2002-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2002-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q4: 13 owner reports 13 2003-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2003-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2003-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2003-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2004-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2004-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2006-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Sep 1996 Jul 2017 Recall campaign 97I001000 ◆ Recall campaign 97I001000 Recall campaign 96V215000 ◆ Recall campaign 96V215000 Recall campaign 98V185000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V185000 Recall campaign 00V268000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V268000 Recall campaign 02V076000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V076000 Recall campaign 02V293000 ◆ Recall campaign 02V293000 Recall campaign 03E045000 ◆ Recall campaign 03E045000 Recall campaign 03E053000 ◆ Recall campaign 03E053000 Recall campaign 10E034000 ◆ Recall campaign 10E034000 Investigation SQ96016 ● Investigation SQ96016 Investigation EA97003 ● Investigation EA97003 Investigation PE99010 ● Investigation PE99010 Investigation EA99013 ● Investigation EA99013 Investigation RQ00008 ● Investigation RQ00008 Investigation EA01007 ● Investigation EA01007
  • Campaign 00V268000 was reported 1,261 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 02V293000 was reported 1,953 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1996-Q4 Owner reports 2
1997-Q1 Owner reports 4
1997-Q2 Owner reports 4
1997-Q3 Owner reports 6
1997-Q4 Owner reports 6
1998-Q1 Owner reports 8
1998-Q2 Owner reports 3
1998-Q3 Owner reports 8
1998-Q4 Owner reports 2
1999-Q1 Owner reports 20
1999-Q2 Owner reports 5
1999-Q3 Owner reports 13
1999-Q4 Owner reports 5
2000-Q1 Owner reports 8
2000-Q2 Owner reports 7
2000-Q3 Owner reports 12
2000-Q4 Owner reports 12
2001-Q1 Owner reports 21
2001-Q2 Owner reports 17
2001-Q3 Owner reports 18
2001-Q4 Owner reports 8
2002-Q1 Owner reports 23
2002-Q2 Owner reports 14
2002-Q3 Owner reports 15
2002-Q4 Owner reports 13
2003-Q1 Owner reports 15
2003-Q2 Owner reports 8
2003-Q3 Owner reports 12
2003-Q4 Owner reports 7
2004-Q1 Owner reports 7
2004-Q2 Owner reports 6
2004-Q3 Owner reports 8
2004-Q4 Owner reports 4
2005-Q1 Owner reports 7
2005-Q2 Owner reports 4
2005-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 5
2006-Q1 Owner reports 1
2006-Q2 Owner reports 3
2006-Q3 Owner reports 5
2006-Q4 Owner reports 2
2007-Q1 Owner reports 2
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 1
2009-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q4 Owner reports 3
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 2
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 2
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97I001000
Recall campaign 1 96V215000
Recall campaign 1 98V185000
Recall campaign 1 00V268000
Recall campaign 1 02V076000
Recall campaign 1 02V293000
Recall campaign 1 03E045000
Recall campaign 1 03E053000
Recall campaign 1 10E034000
Defect investigation 1 SQ96016
Defect investigation 1 EA97003
Defect investigation 1 PE99010
Defect investigation 1 EA99013
Defect investigation 1 RQ00008
Defect investigation 1 EA01007
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (9)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 00V268000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE PHASED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. HOWEVER, IF A VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE O-RINGS, THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO A DEALER TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 02V076000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRIM WITH FOAM BLOCKERS AND INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL 3RD ROW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 02V293000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 18, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 03E045000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF THIS CONDITION OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE ENGINE COULD STALL. ALSO, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, THE FUEL LEAK COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
    Remedy:
    AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS FOR 1995-2000 SHORT WHEELBASE CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER AND DODGE CARAVAN MINIVANS PART NO. 18232 AND DATE CODE 0237, 0249, OR 0252. REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS FOR 1995-2000 LONG WHEELBASE CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER AND DODGE CARAVAN MINIVANS PART NO. 18230 AND DATE CODE 0237, 0249, 0251, OR 0304. REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS FOR 2001-2004 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER AND DODGE CARAVAN MINIVANS PART NO. 28871 AND DATE CODE 0249. THESE PART NUMBERS AND DATE CODES APPEAR ON THE GOLD-TONE FILTER. DISTRIBUTORS AND RETAILERS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO ISOLATE AND RETURN AFFECTED INVENTORY. OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE FUEL FILTER SERVICED ON ONE OF THE APPLICABLE VEHICLES AFTER SEPTEMBER 17, 2002 SHOULD RETURN THEIR VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE FACILITY TO BE INSPECTED TO SEE IF THE FUEL FILTER THAT WAS INSTALLED IS ONE THAT IS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. IF SO, THE OWNERS SHOULD HAVE THE FILTER REPLACED. TO RECEIVE A FULL REFUND PLUS THE COST OF POSTAGE, OWNERS SHOULD CUT THE CONNECTORS FROM THE HOSES, RINSE THE CONNECTORS AND RETURN THEM TOGETHER WITH PROOF OF THE AMOUNT PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART AND LABOR, TO INTERCONTINENTAL AT INTERCONTINENTAL AUTO PARTS, INC., P.O. BOX 861, MAHWAH, NJ 07430, ATTN: FUEL FILTER RECALL. INTERCONTINENTAL WILL MAIL A FULL REFUND TO THE OWNER.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 03E053000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A POSSIBLE FIRE CAN OCCUR IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE.
    Remedy:
    WIX WILL NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. NOTE: THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE ANY PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED BY THE DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORP. NOR ANY DAILMERCHRYSLER DEALERS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2003. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT WIX AT 704-864-6711.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 10E034000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF THE AREA IN QUESTION FRACTURES OR BREAKS, THIS COULD CAUSE AN UNSTABLE DRIVING CONDITION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    CURT MFG WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF RECORD AND WILL REPLACE THE HITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CURT MFG AT 1-715-831-8713.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 96V215000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES, THE LEVEL SENSOR WILL DETECT THE LOSS OF FLUID AND ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED CAN RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ADDENDUM (4-14-97): VEHICLES INSPECTED PER CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 707 AND FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE LISTED SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER DATE CODE RANGE, MUST NOW HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER PRIMARY PISTON REPLACED (CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 714).
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97I001000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    THE LATCH PLATE LOCATED IN THE SEAT CUSHION AREA MUST BE FREE TO MOVE BACK AGAINST ITS STOP AFTER THE BUCKLE IS REMOVED TO ALLOW THE SHOULDER BELTS TO BE PULLED OUT. ALWAYS BE SURE THE AREA AROUND THE LATCH PLATE IS FREE OF FOOD OR OTHER ITEMS THAT MIGHT PREVENT THE LATCH PLATE FROM MOVING BACK.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH A VIDEO TAPE AND 2 HARNESS CLIPS. THE VIDEO TAPE INSTRUCTS OWNERS ON THE PROPER USE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHILD SEATS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V185000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT CARD WILL BE PROVIDED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-22
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 384 complaints · page 1 of 16

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EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

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Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-22.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources