Total Complaints
1411 filings
CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY · model year
1411 NHTSA complaints, 42 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996CHRYSLERTOWN AND COUNTRY carries 1411 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 42 crashes, 89 fires, 40 injuries, and 14 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 TOWN AND COUNTRY is power train:automatic transmission with 121 filings, followed by air bags (104) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (92). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 1996 TOWN AND COUNTRY. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
1411 filings
Crashes Reported
42 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 121 |
| AIR BAGS | 104 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 92 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 70 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 58 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 52 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 44 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 34 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 32 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 30 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 27 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 26 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 26 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 23 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 21 |
THE VECHILE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HIGHWAY/CITY STREET DRIVING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT SOMETIMES IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AND OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T..WHEN IT DOES THIS JUMPING THE VEHICLE DOES NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY SITE BELOW WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T27257_DS554284 SOMETIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT THERE WILL BE A CLICK CLICK SOUND WHEN ITS NOT STARTING...
Mileage: 150,000
THE VECHILE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HIGHWAY/CITY STREET DRIVING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT SOMETIMES IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AND OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T..WHEN IT DOES THIS JUMPING THE VEHICLE DOES NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY SITE BELOW WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T27257_DS554284 SOMETIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT THERE WILL BE A CLICK CLICK SOUND WHEN ITS NOT STARTING...
Mileage: 150,000
THE VECHILE STALLS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HIGHWAY/CITY STREET DRIVING, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT SOMETIMES IT STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AND OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T..WHEN IT DOES THIS JUMPING THE VEHICLE DOES NOTHING. I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY SITE BELOW WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM: HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T27257_DS554284 SOMETIMES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART IT THERE WILL BE A CLICK CLICK SOUND WHEN ITS NOT STARTING...
Mileage: 150,000
TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKED, ELECTRICAL CLUSTER WAVING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE AND AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR, NEWLY INSTALLED TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN 5 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION, REPAIR SHOP CLAIMS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IS CAUSE OF TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKED, ELECTRICAL CLUSTER WAVING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE AND AFTER TRANSMISSION REPAIR, NEWLY INSTALLED TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN 5 DAYS AFTER INSTALLATION, REPAIR SHOP CLAIMS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IS CAUSE OF TRANSMISSION BREAKDOWN. *TR
Mileage: 60,000
MY MINIVAN HAS BEEN NOT WANTING TO START, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE . I HAD MY FUEL PUMP AND FILTER REPLACED IN DECEMBER 2014 DUE TO IT NOT STARTING. NOW WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS OR SO IT STARTED TO ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AS I WOULD BE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR. ALL THIS LAST WEEK IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS WITH STARTING AND EVERY TIME I WOULD GET OUT OF THE VAN IT WOULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHINGS BURNING. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO START IT ALL YOU COULD HEAR IS A CLICK, TRY TO START IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND FINALLY GET IT TO START. TODAY IT WOULDN'T START NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED TO START IT. I OPEN THE HOOD AND LOOKED AT THE BATTERY AND ONE TERMINAL LOOKS LIKE IT IS BURNT. *TR
Mileage: 247,424
MY MINIVAN HAS BEEN NOT WANTING TO START, THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN JUMPING ALL OVER THE PLACE . I HAD MY FUEL PUMP AND FILTER REPLACED IN DECEMBER 2014 DUE TO IT NOT STARTING. NOW WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS OR SO IT STARTED TO ACT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE AS I WOULD BE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR. ALL THIS LAST WEEK IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS WITH STARTING AND EVERY TIME I WOULD GET OUT OF THE VAN IT WOULD SMELL LIKE SOMETHINGS BURNING. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO START IT ALL YOU COULD HEAR IS A CLICK, TRY TO START IT A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND FINALLY GET IT TO START. TODAY IT WOULDN'T START NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED TO START IT. I OPEN THE HOOD AND LOOKED AT THE BATTERY AND ONE TERMINAL LOOKS LIKE IT IS BURNT. *TR
Mileage: 247,424
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE POURING DOWN RAIN WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, I COULD HEAR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR STILL GOING BUT THE WIPER ARMS WOULD NOT MOVE. WE HAD PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY BUT THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND FOR MILES. WE GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY SON WOULD PUSH THE WIPER ARM DOWN WHEN IT HAD WENT TO HIS SIDE SO WE COULD DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY IN AN OCCUPIED AREA. IT HAD STOPPED RAINING AND AS WE WERE DRIVING THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED ON US, IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. MY MINIVAN HAD TO BE TOWED FROM A TOWN OVER 50 MILES FROM WHERE WE LIVE. I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE MINIVAN WITH ME AND IT WAS A REALLY TERRIFYING ORDEAL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE POURING DOWN RAIN WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, I COULD HEAR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR STILL GOING BUT THE WIPER ARMS WOULD NOT MOVE. WE HAD PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY BUT THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND FOR MILES. WE GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY SON WOULD PUSH THE WIPER ARM DOWN WHEN IT HAD WENT TO HIS SIDE SO WE COULD DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY IN AN OCCUPIED AREA. IT HAD STOPPED RAINING AND AS WE WERE DRIVING THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED ON US, IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. MY MINIVAN HAD TO BE TOWED FROM A TOWN OVER 50 MILES FROM WHERE WE LIVE. I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE MINIVAN WITH ME AND IT WAS A REALLY TERRIFYING ORDEAL. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE POURING DOWN RAIN WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, I COULD HEAR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR STILL GOING BUT THE WIPER ARMS WOULD NOT MOVE. WE HAD PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY BUT THERE WAS NOTHING AROUND FOR MILES. WE GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY SON WOULD PUSH THE WIPER ARM DOWN WHEN IT HAD WENT TO HIS SIDE SO WE COULD DRIVE A LITTLE FURTHER TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY IN AN OCCUPIED AREA. IT HAD STOPPED RAINING AND AS WE WERE DRIVING THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED ON US, IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. MY MINIVAN HAD TO BE TOWED FROM A TOWN OVER 50 MILES FROM WHERE WE LIVE. I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE MINIVAN WITH ME AND IT WAS A REALLY TERRIFYING ORDEAL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES DUE TO THE RECURRING DETACHMENT OF THE SERPENTINE BELT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WOULD DETACH WHENEVER THE WEATHER WAS RAINY OR IF IT BECAME WET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 153,000.
Mileage: 150,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-50 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL TIRE FACILITY WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED, BUT FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT CONNECTOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 137,308.
Mileage: 137,308
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT FUEL RAIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V268000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 230,000.
Mileage: 230,000
REAR AXLE SPIT IN TWO WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH ON BACK ROAD, LUCKY NOT ON HIGHWAY. TIRES SLAMMED INTO WHEEL WELLS, CAUGHT ON FIRE ALMOST, LOTS OF SMOKE. COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE WELL, AND WENT OFF THE ROAD AT APPROX 25 MPH AND HIT A BUNCH OF SMALL TREES, INJURED BOTH KNEES, REFUSED AMBULANCE TRANSPORT. CAR WAS TOWED TO MY GARAGE AND AXLE REPLACED WITH JUNKYARD PART AND VEHICLE IS BACK ON THE ROAD. SCARY INCIDENT ,COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE OR FATAL IF THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY INSTEAD OF A LOCAL ROAD. AXLE TUBE IS JUST THICK SHEET METAL, NOT REALLY AN IRON PIPE LIKE YOU WOULD THINK, VERY FLIMSY. HAVE NICE PICTURES IFYOU ARE INTERESTED. SHOULD RECALL THIS FLIMSY AXLE. *TR
Mileage: 228,500
WHEN COASTING THROUGH LEFT HAND TURNS ONLY ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SHUT OFF FOR 1 TO 4 SECONDS CAUSING POWER STEERING NOT TO WORK AND BRAKING REDUCED. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN ACCELERATING THROUGH LEFT TURNS OR COASTING THROUGH RIGHT HAND TURNS. *TR
Mileage: 188,888
1996 CHRYLER TOWN AND COUNTRY SEAT BACK COLLAPSE IN REAR END COLLISION CAUSING CHILDREN IN SECOND ROW SEATS TO BE INJURED OR KILLED!
Mileage: 114,000
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WOULD NOT REMAIN IN PLACE ON THE PULLEY IN HER VEHICLE. THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE TENSION PULLEY AND THE WATER PUMP PULLEY TO KEEP THE SERPENTINE BELT SECURE. THERE ARE ONLY TWO BELTS LEFT TO BE REPLACED AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY WORKING PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS COMPONENT; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,619.
Mileage: 115,619
THE 1996 TOWN & COUNTRY VAN LOST ITS HEAT..UNKNOWN TO ME, IT WAS LOSING ANTI FREEZE ALSO. I TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY SAID I BETTER FIX IT THEN. OR MY MOTOR WOULD BURN UP A HOSE CONNECTS TO RADIATOR TO HEATER CORE...METAL. IT COST ME 60/00 TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE SERPENTINE BELT ON MY 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LXI, MAKES A LOUD SQUEAL AND THEN FALLS OFF A WEEK LATER. WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN AND GOING OVER A PUDDLE THE SERPENTINE BELT FALLS OFF THIS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIMES THAT I HAVE INSTALLED BRACKETS ONE BY THE TENSIONER AND ONE BY THE PULLEY. THE IMMEDIATE & DANGEROUS RESULT IS LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES NEXT IS WATER PUMP FAILS CAUSING ENGINE TO OVER HEAT SO UNLESS YOU HAVE A SPARE BELT IN YOUR VAN AT THE TIME AND THE TOOLS TO CHANGE IT YOU ARE LET STRANDED. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
THE SERPENTINE BELT ON OUR 1996 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY LXI, MAKES A HORRIBLE SCREECHING SOUND, THAT WE'VE ALMOST COME TO APPRECIATE, WHEN FACED WITH IT'S ALTERNATIVE SILENCE, WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT GETS WET & SLIPS OFF. THE IMMEDIATE & DANGEROUS RESULT IS LOSS OF POWER STEERING, LEAVING THE DRIVER SURPRISED WITH THEIR INABILITY TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VAN. WITHIN LESS THAN A MINUTE, A FAST HAZARD BELL SOUNDS & THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE SENSOR IS PINNED AT HOT. IF THE DRIVER IS QUICK, STRONG, & LUCKY ENOUGH, TO GET THE FAMILY "SAFELY" OFF THE ROAD, BEFORE THE WATER PUMP FRIES, STALLING THE VAN IN TRAFFIC, THEY ARE NOW LEFT STRANDED. WE'VE HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT & TENSIONER PULLEY REPLACED TWICE, THE LAST TIME AT CHRYSLER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. WE'VE CHECKED FOR RECALLS BUT CHRYSLER STATES THAT THIS IS NOT A LIFE THREATENING FAILURE, SO NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE. THIS HAS HAPPENS TO US OFTEN ENOUGH THAT WE KEEP A WRENCH IN OUR VAN, SO MY HUSBAND CAN ATTEMPT
Mileage: 80,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.