1993 Chrysler Town and Country from North America - Comments

When I got it: Infrequently, the transmission stuttered on highway in overdrive. (Didn't fail until 50,000 miles later.)

Engine computer at 90,000 miles. Then again at 98,000 miles. No computer problems since.

Heard soft steady "clicking" when ABS (anti-lock braking system) engaged. It turned out to be a missing tooth in a gear of the right front wheel's ABS. Two of three mechanics could not find problem, so it seemed to be a rare issue. $450.

Air conditioning is dead. But I don't tend to need it in Chicago.

Alternator died at 105,000 miles. Died again about 15,000 later.

Had a flat tire. Lug nuts seized; I broke the lug wrench trying to remove tire. Heavy duty wrench did not work. Mechanic broke nuts removing them, and said nuts were "too tight" but I had the same problem a year later. Now I rotate tires every 6 months, WD-40 the bolts, and HAND tighten nuts back on.

Water pump failed and replaced sometime after alternator.

ABS failed around 130,000 miles. $600 to fix.

Transmission burnt out at 135,000 miles.

I have replaced four joints in front steering since I owned it. $150 to $200 a pop.

CD player started having problems about 3 years ago. Now its dead.

Windshields wiper linkage at 145,000 miles for $150.

Infrequently, the trans is now slipping, but only for the first 30 seconds after I start the car. Also noticing some stutter in transmission during city driving.

Latest problem is the ABS light going on when I press brakes firmly. Mechanic says it is in ABS electrical system, and not a mechanical problem.

I'm selling this and getting a sedan.

Purchased from my father, who drove easy, and performed regular maintenance.

Interior is plush. I have leather captain chairs.

Mileage is OK with 20mpg highway and 17mpg city.

Good acceleration in city and highway, but slower when loaded. Handles very well for a van.

Has class 1 trailer hitch. Handles well with 1500 lbs tow.

VERY comfortable for 4 people, and can haul up to 7. Can also remove back seats and haul a lot of stuff. Even 4x8 plywood (with back hatch open.)

I had the same problem with my '93 with the lug nuts. I have steel wheels with the decorative caps on them and it cost me $30 to get a new set.. The stupid mechanic puts them on with an impact wrench and over torques them despite telling him not to. I went to a different shop. I do them all by hand now and haven't had a problem.

I had a '93 Grand Caravan for many, many years and finally sold it with 225,000 miles on it. It only NEEDED a new transmission one time (my fault for towing a heavy camper and having a canoe on the roof and driving too hard into headwinds for a full day), and the ABS pump system one time. Other than that, it was really a fabulous buy.

I have replaced it with a '92 Town & Country. It has the aluminum diamond-lace pattern wheels. I found that the lug nuts were steel with stainless steel caps. And when the lug nuts were overtightened or corroded, the first things that gave way were the stainless steel caps, which changed the size of the nut, and sometimes left a rounded-off piece of shredded metal in the lug nut hole -- while the lug nuts were still firmly attached! THAT'S no situation to find yourself in on the side of the highway!

I went to the parts store and bought a set of twenty of the longer (there are two sizes, usually), closed-end, chromed acorn nuts and then spent a couple hours wrestling with the old crappy lug nuts and replacing them with the new ones.

If you're going to do this, I would recommend you start with a full set of deep-well sockets with a 1/2-inch drive, a breaker bar or a two-foot length of pipe that fits over the end of the socket wrench, some WD-40, and some high-temp anti-seize compound. The anti-seize compound should be applied to the lug BOLTS when the wheel is completely off, before putting the wheel back on and installing your new nuts.

Now, how long is the tranny in this T&C gonna last...?