2001 Chrysler Town and Country EX from North America - Comments

Our first problem with this this Town and Country was its battery failed at two years, about two years before one would have expected such a failure.

Then last month (10/03) the evaporator for the air conditioner leaked away its coolant and had to be replaced. There was no damage found on the evaporator, except that it had begun to leak from a seam. that was a $750 repair.

Yesterday (11/30/03) neither of our keys would turn in the ignition switch. An AAA locksmith fiddled with it enough to get it running, and we didn't turn it off until we had it parked at a Chrysler dealer's service area. We were told the tumbler had to be replaced and the new one ground to fit our existing keys -- that's $280 worth of repairs (repair site is in central North Carolina USA).

Our old 1995 Nissan Quest was still going strong at 160,000 miles when we traded it in, because we feared it might become unreliable. The odd thing is, we're now using our second car, a 1991 Lexus 250LS with 123,000 miles on it, as the reliable car in the family -- it gets us to and from the shop so we can get the Town and Country serviced.

Our real concern is that the T&C may become more of a repair hog than we're prepared to own. I'd hate to trade in a car that should just be in its prime!

On the positive side, the T&C is a joy to drive, it has enough power to cruise well, and it can carry a load without really losing its handling.

FYI- Judging on the way you wrote 250LS, I think that you're driving a Lexus ES250. Because Lexus never made a model called the 250LS and the LS at the time was called the LS400. Now called the LS430. The ES250 was upgraded to ES300 and now to ES330.

We have the same model... and had the same starter problem five times before it was repaired. We had to be towed each time. It has been problem-free for one year... we paid for none of the repairs as it was under warranty. Yesterday, the entire transmission went out... tow number 6...and $3,000. We are trading for a Toyota van as soon as we can!

I am in the same boat as the above commenter. Toyota here we come. Post warranty - A/C compressor out which fortunately Chrysler finally acknowledged was their fault and we didn't have to pay, 58K transmission out and a $2700 replacement just because we got a deal from a mechanic friend. New problem today which we suspect is the power steering pump. Have been trying to sell this van at a loss for several months with no choice, but to trade it in since apparently everyone else has heard what a lemon this car is. I didn't bother to list all of the things we had repaired under warranty.

Same idea here - air conditioner compressor went out at 30K miles. I had received the "extended coverage" notice from Chrysler stating that the compressor would be covered if it failed up to 70K miles. The "free" repair started out at about $400, then after calling corporate offices, the free repair turned into about $250. Next on the list is a loud whining noise coming from the power steering pump when initially starting the van. This only lasts about 3 - 4 minutes until it quiets down. I'm not talking about a "do you hear that" kind of noise, but when I start the van in a parking lot, people are looking around to see where the noise is coming from. The front end has a clunking sound anytime you are driving over anything other than smooth pavement. The dealer wants to install new struts. ($1200 repair) I have had a couple of independant mechanics look at this problem and one of them advised me to "get rid of the van as fast as you can"!! The fan control switch for the front only works on high speed. The rotors were warped causing shaking while braking. Rattles are growing more and more. The transmission is starting to act like it is slipping. Please do yourself a favor and STEER CLEAR OF CHRYSLER/DODGE/PLYMOUTH PRODUCTS!!!!!!!! I can honestly say that this van is the most UNreliable car I have owned!

I received my 2001 T&C from my mother after my father died. To be honest, I wish I'd never taken it from her. First off, even before I'd taken possession of it, at roughly 15,000 miles, the front driver's side window stopped working. Had to get that repaired. Somewhere around 20,000 miles, I had to have the ignition switch replaced. Couldn't turn the key at all. The A/C quit cooling at around 27,000, a leaking condenser - using a recharging fluid with a stop leak additive seemed to have taken care of that problem, for now. (Took almost an entire year for the stop leak to do its thing.) Then, the rear hatch motor quit working. Have yet to get that repaired because it will cost around $800. Now, the transmission has died. Something to do with the solenoid, but dealer required the transmission being rebuilt at the cost of $3100. Unfortunately, although the dealership seems to think so, I'm not made out of money. Meanwhile, my former mechanic said it would be okay to drive while waiting for a replacement part. (Hah. Notice I said FORMER!) The former mechanics did get the service engine light turned off. When the vehicle died on me in a parking lot, my husband called the former mechanics only to have them say the dealership couldn't provide the part and we needed to take it to the mechanic where we have it now. (This is the mechanic where they normally send transmission problems. Why they couldn't tell us this to begin with... argh!)

I had to have it towed 45 miles, at the cost of $122.00. (Insurance paid the hook-up and first 12 miles.) Now, I'm waiting on a new transmission to be installed by a private mechanic. NEW transmission, at the cost of $2100, not a rebuilt one, at $3100. Still, it's not money I have to spare. It seems a part sheered off inside the transmission. If I'd known to take it to this mechanic to begin with, I might have saved a lot of cash. Moral of this story, don't always trust the mechanic you've been using for 14 years.

After looking around the web I see there are others who have experienced the same problems. I also noticed there are other years where the same problems surfaced.

Local Chrysler service department person told me the transmission problem was common, then, when I questioned that, she backpedaled saying it can be normal for any car to have this kind of problem.

Wow, Chrysler Co, do you suppose you just MIGHT have some kind of faulty parts in your vehicles?

I'd like to see States Attorneys General come down on Chrysler for these problems, or any other government entity who can force them to fix their mess. Not much we, as consumers, can do.

Meanwhile, we're refinancing our house in order to purchase a replacement for our Chevrolet Astro - which has almost 300,000 miles on it, and had to have very few repairs over the years, but the cost of gas is insane. I'll miss that van! We're also going to replace the Town and Country which has around 83,500. What a piece of junk. First Chrysler I've owned. Last Chrysler I'll ever own. I'm looking at Honda, Toyota, or Subaru. Because of gas costs, hybrids are very tempting.

My parents had 10 Subarus - 9 wagons - beginning with a 1972 hatchback. Great cars. Very few repairs. The only reason they got the T&C was because my father had a stroke and my mother needed a van with lift mechanisms. Although he couldn't speak, my father used to stare longingly at Subarus whenever they'd pass one.

Read the reviews on the Honda Odessy before jumping at that.

Apparently that is another wallet bleeder. I looked at the reviews as we are thinking of a minivan. They all start out good for the first year, then go down quickly. Leasing is probably the best thing to do with any of these garbage trucks, if you can keep the wear and tear down. The cost of that at the end of the lease will make turning it in prohibitive.

The 2001 Chrysler T & C... never again. Up until 75k, my favorite car. Since then, I haven't seen it in over 5 months!!! First $2k for the engine and 3 weeks to fix. Had it back less than 1 week and the transmission went out. Got it back 2 weeks later, and in 3 days the transmission went out again. 5 weeks later I get the van back, and within one week it start sputtering and stalling... the ECM goes out. Get it towed to a Chrysler dealership who takes one week to tell me they can't get the part. They tow it to another Chrysler dealership and leave me a phone message saying the ECM is hard to find and the time frame to fix it was "going to be a long time". Two more weeks for someone to not answer my phone calls. So, I called Chrysler's 800#. First phone representative was polite and empathetic, but couldn't help. The next phone rep was down right condescending and rude saying it was my fault and they wouldn't fix it. Funny thing, I wasn't asking them to fix it. I just wanted them to be aware of the problems occurring to the product they sell. Thought they might want to know. He was so rude, I had him put his supervisor on the phone (someone who could actually make a decision) only to have her parrot off the previous reps information re-stating they wouldn't pay for it. Again, not what I was asking. If there are this many problems occuring and we as consumers don't call in, then recalls don't happen and nothing changes. Sure, I've had the ignition like everyone else has fail and be replaced...twice. The electronic back door works part-time just the same as I read in the other reviews. The transmission, same thing. What mystifies me is the ECM. Why is the part untraceable and can only be given a date to be fixed of "a long time". I wanted an answer from Chrysler as to why the part is unavailable (are all the cars having this problem and that's why it is unobtainable). Chrysler says no. However, they did stop making it after 2001. Then, why? Because it's a problem, obviously, so they quit putting that particular model in the vans after that year. So, would any kind of re-course be taken. NO. My problem, apparently. I told Chrysler their customer service is so terrible and their lack of accountabilty non-existent, I will spend the rest of my life encouraging the entire world never to buy Chrysler. The Chrysler rep not their problem and to go ahead because what I choose do when I get off the phone is my perrogatrive and like the car, not their problem. 5 months, $7,000 dollars in repairs, not including 5 months for renting a car...phooey...could of used that money for a new anything but a Chrysler . I still don't have my car to this day. If and when I do get it back, I still owe $8,000 left on it. Had I known this avalanche was coming, I would have gave the car away, taken the $8k and put it down on a real car. Shouldn't I say these things after I get rid of this money pit...probably. Then again, I'm not a dishonest, pass the problem on to somebody else and sucker them into something so it's no longer my problem kind of person. Rating - not even worth a rating. Not enough room on this planet for the negative amount of stars I'd use. Recommendation - Don't EVER buy a Chrysler. PERIOD. Unless you enjoy 5 month headaches that can maybe be fixed, the told by a snot nosed rep it's going to take a long time consisting of exactly no clue when. They should change the name from Chrysler to Clueless.

Sorry to say that I, too, own a Chrysler Town & Country, LTD.

I bought it new in 2001, and today, 7 years later, I have only 32,600 miles on it and have had to replace the battery, in seat heaters went bad twice, driver side power window motor went bad, the rear passenger power doors work only once in a while, the rear A/C was repaired under warranty, the rear door rubber gaskets fell off and the lower rubber gasket on the outside front windshield is loose.

Tonight, while driving to a church function, the transmission started to slip very badly. I paid $32,000.00 to buy this pile of junk!!! I would like to say to the engineers and assembler's at Chrysler, get a job at a bakery, because that will be the only place you will get any "dough" in the future. NO LONGER A FAN!!!

Wow - I read all these negative comments about the T&C - I have one - the LXi edition and it is a 2001, has 63,000 miles on it and (knock on wood) we LOVE IT! Only when it gets cold out do I notice the key sticking in the ignition. But other than that it's wonderful and luxurious. We want the Aspen next. Sorry to hear all the bad luck on here.

We have a 2007 Town and Country LX, which we bought used with 25,000 miles. Within two weeks of driving it we took it into a dealership because the gas mileage was terrible - 13 in town and 18 on the highway. They could find nothing wrong.

Have taken back to the dealership twice more, providing a spread sheet where every fill up has been recorded. Told it was our driving habits. However we have been driving Chrysler Mini-vans for 18 years. Also told it was the gas we are using, but "Consumer Report" says there is no difference in gas, and we purchased it from the same place all the time. There has also been no change in our driving patterns. Paid to have the fuel injection cleaned because of supposed carbon build up on 2007 T&C. Also told that we should be putting a gas additive in the tank as recommended by Chrysler, but when we asked for that to be put in writing, service refused.

We have called customer service twice as advised by the service department of the dealership. First customer service representative stated she would get back with us the following week. It never happened. Second customer service person was very pleasant, but could offer us only to speak to a supervisor. How disappointing! Robin did indeed inform me that she had gone through a great deal of training and that was why she is a supervisor- she definitely knows how to give "pat answers". She offered these suggestions for improving gas mileage. NO idling, no aid conditioning, no cruise control, - all things we are already doing as well as having taken the car top carrier off and increase the tire pressure. We have followed the maintenance requirements - getting the oil changed every 3,000 miles.

I stated that we chose this mini van, not an SUV. That we had read numerous reviews and researched the gas mileage of various vans before purchasing this T&C. The mileage rates were posted on the van at the time of purchase and in the ads of the dealership and Chrysler. Robin reminded me that these rates are not set up Chrysler and that there is a range. I informed her that I was well aware of this, but that a customer should be able to expect the gas mileage to be within a reasonable range, - not a 6-7 mile difference.

Her finally claim was that because we bought the car used (had reviewed the Carfax and knew there had been only one owner - a rental company) the car obviously had been abused. Well this car looks great - sparkling clean engine, as well as interior and exterior. All fluids had been inspected by us before agreeing to buy it.

In the end, when I continued to politely counter each of Robin's statements, "supervisor Robin" claiming to be the cooperate office, stated she would not listen to anymore discussion, that I was not listening to her, and declare that Chrysler could do nothing to resolve our issue. She then hung up on me. I'm sure her documentation about our exchange will make me out to be "the rude and argumentative customer". Sadly my husband and I really like the van, but can't live with this issue or this kind of treatment. We are very disappointed - we have been loyal to this American car company forever, but obvious they don't care about loyal customers.

I came across these comments and I have to agree with the person with 2001 Town & Country. I will never get another one I have the same year and my driver's side motor went out at 62,000 miles and front end problems went bad at 35,000 miles my power side doors only work when it is warm. I bought this brand new also. Now today my car didn't start and I am waiting to find out what this issue is. I have 75,000 miles on it now and ready to get rid of it before too many other things go wrong. I am going foreign van next!