2008 Chrysler Town AND Country engine problems

ENGINE

Engine shut down while driving. Will restart if put back into park and restart. Has happened two times in the past.

NHTSA complaint #11538110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PRESSURE/TEMPERATURE SENSOR

The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, steam was coming from the radiator. The temperature gauge failed to indicate that the engine had overheated. The contact pulled over and discovered that the coolant had leaked out. The contact added water to the coolant reservoir and then drove the vehicle to the residence where the coolant hose was replaced. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that he needed pay for a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the temperature gauge failure to indicate that the engine had overheated. The temperature gauge was not replaced. The failure mileage was 59,000.

NHTSA complaint #11513214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Multiple times the van will intermittently stall while driving down the road or stopped in traffic. First the dash lights flicker, speedometer and rpm gages go to 0, and warning lights such as esp, traction, abs, airbag, battery etc flicker on and off and occasionally hear almost a spark through radio speakers, then everything shuts off, both electrical and mechanically. When that happens I lose power steering and cannot get my hazards or brake lights to work. One time I could barely press the brake pedal, or steer and it was at night which means the vehicle was completely dark with no kinds of lights at an intersection with my 2 children and myself inside. So very scary! It gives me the worst anxiety to drive it and I'm too scared to sell it as I feel I would be knowingly selling a very unsafe vehicle. Occasionally the sliding side doors do not operate properly. First time the other night while the van was parked I hit the automatic shut button for the sliding door and lost all power to the vehicle and then it popped back in and operated fine. I have had multiple mechanics look at it and nobody can figure it out. Bought the van used in March or April of 2020 and had issues starting just 2 weeks after purchase. The van is now at around 108000 miles. I am out of money, a vehicle and options. Please help from a very scared and desperate mother who otherwise loves her minivan!

NHTSA complaint #11500048 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Unknown. Vehicle abruptly shuts off. Usually before full operating temperature is reached. It has happened dozens of times. It most recently happened today. Always when you remove your foot from the throttle at lower speeds. You can watch the tach go to 0 when your foot comes off. No warning, no consistency. It has never occurred while accelerating. Most events happened going around a curve, occasionally while slowing to turn into a lot or at an intersection. No problem at highway speeds. The most challenging time though is taking your foot off the gas going around a curve and it quits. Response is to rapidly slip the transmission into neutral and turn the key to start. It usually fires right back up. If you have no situational awareness however this could lead to a really bad outcome. This has been going on for over 100,000 miles. Have 192 now but the problem is getting worse. Dealers always have codes but nothing worked. Once a crankshaft sensor was replaced (On a suspicion) but no code for it. It helped a while but the problem has returned. Still no code for that sensor but I’m having it replaced again.

NHTSA complaint #11490526 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I was leaving my place of residence and was navigating a 90 degree left hand turn while in drive at approximately 10mph. As I began to attempt to straighten the wheel and accelerate out of the turn I realized I had no steering and the car wouldn't accelerate. The engine had stalled and the steering wheel was locked while turned to the left. No warning lights or messages were present even after I started the vehicle back up. I feel incredibly lucky this happened at a low rate of speed instead of at highway speed. It has never done anything like this before and we cannot figure out what caused the engine to stall or why there was no steering when it happened.

NHTSA complaint #11477209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The vehicle died while driving six times. One additional time the vehicle died after being stopped at home. Each time the vehicle lost all power functions, steering and breaking. It just came to a stop, dead. On two of the occurrences a tow was required to move the vehicle to the dealership for repair. On five of the occurrences the driver was able to restart the vehicle. On three occasions the vehicle was evaluated by repair facilities and they could not reproduce the stoppage. One time at QualTech Automotive Service in Austin and two times at Nyle Maxwell in Austin. The vehicle did pass the Texas Safety inspection in November 2021. The stoppage problem occurred over the last nine months with the latest stoppage being on 12/23/21.

NHTSA complaint #11444902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I was driving in Chattanooga Tn when it happened the first time. But the van just shut off so I made it to a parking lot turned the switch off then it started right back up and it happened again on my way home. It has happened multiple times. The the Ecm light came on so I had it replaced now the engine won't do anything at all

NHTSA complaint #11440111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed to make a left turn, and the vehicle shut-off without warning. She exited the vehicle and flagged down two fellow motorists for assistance. While they attempted to push the vehicle, the contact was able to restart the vehicle and resumed normal driving. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 152,669.

NHTSA complaint #11430774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My van stop when I put break while stop any signal, sensor shows that passenger seat is unbelted, ignition key and that system giving me hard time to turn on/off, and also doesn’t work properly. d

NHTSA complaint #11428873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

CAR ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHEN IN DRIVE. DRIVES FINE, WHEN I STOP AT LIGHT OR GO VERY SLOW IT JUST SHUTS DOWN.

NHTSA complaint #11403901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

CAR DASHBOARD LIGHTS WON'T COME ON BUT THE MILAGE DOSE CAR WON'T START AND IT HAS TWO RECALL THAT WAS FIXED I RENT THE CAR FROM CARMART AND THEY SAID I WILL NEED A NEW KEY FOBIK AND IT'S GONNA COAST ME 250 I ONLY RECEIVED ONE SUPER GLUED KEY FOBIK I THOUGHT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD ARE SOMETHING TRIED TO TAKE IT APART AND ADD NEW ONE ONLY TO SEE IT WAS SUPER GLUED SHUT AND BROKE ON THE INSIDE I HAD JUST DONE A OIL WAS AT AUTOZONE WHEN IT HAPPENED HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME

NHTSA complaint #11348527 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED WATER AND COOLANT, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CONTINUALLY TOP OFF THE FLUIDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V611000 (EQUIPMENT) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GARBER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOCATED AT 5330 BAY RD, SAGINAW, MI 48604, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF HER CHILD WHO WAS REGULARLY TRANSPORTED USING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 174,923.

NHTSA complaint #11339495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION. STABILITY LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE, POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES FAIL. HAS HAPPENED ON THREE OCCASIONS NOW, TWICE ON CITY STREETS, ONCE AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

NHTSA complaint #11315451 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US THREE TIMES IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR WE TRAVELED LESS THAN A MILE AT ABOUT 25 MPH AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY TURNED OFF CAUSING THE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS TO FAIL. THE VAN RESTARTED ONE WE PUT IT IN PARK AND CONTINUED TO WORK FINE AFTER THAT. WE WERE DRIVING IN A CROWDED NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE CHILDREN PLAY AT THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint #11301257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD THE MOTOR DIES AS IF I TURNED IT OFF, SO OF COURSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO STEER. I MANAGED TO GET OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I DECIDED TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND TRY TO START IT. IT STARTED AND OFF I WENT. SEVERAL DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED SO AS I WAS COASTING ALONG, I JUST PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. ALSO, AWHILE AGO, I PULLED INTO MY PARKING PLACE AT WORK AND JUST AS I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF, EVERYTHING WENT WILD, HORN HONKING, ALARM GOING OFF, BOTH FRONT AND BACK WINDSHIELD WIPERS GOING FULL BORE WITH THE WASHER FLUID SPRAYING OUT! THIS CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES EVEN THOUGH THE KEY WAS OUT OF THE IGNITION! IT FINALLY STOPPED, ALL THE WASHER FLUID RAN OUT! THIS HAS HAPPENED PERIODICALLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS. IT HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL WE UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. I'M TOLD IT IS A FAULTY POWER MODULE! THAT'S CRAZY, NEVER IN MY LIFE HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS HYPO ME WITH A VEHICLE! I THINK CHRYSLER SHOULD STAND BEHIND THIS FAULTY PART. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT LUCKILY HAS NOT! CAN'T REALLY AFFORD A NEW PART OR VEHICLE!

NHTSA complaint #11300837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MY VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE. THERE ARE NO LIGHTS THAT COME ON, ON THE DASHBOARD THAT INDICATE ANY ERROR, EXCEPT THE ANTILOCK BREAK LIGHT WILL OCCASIONALLY LIGHT UP. I COULD BE DRIVING SLOW OR FAST, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE, IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF, AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES LOSE POWER AND DON'T WORK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF OTHER CONSUMERS WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES TO CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS AND MECHANICS AND NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, 2 STILL IN CARSEATS, AND MY YOUNGEST WHO IS 1 IS HANDICAP. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I STILL OWE $10,000 ON MY AUTO LOAN FOR THIS CAR, SO I AM STUCK WITH IT. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE, SINCE SO MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME MYSTERY SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11291406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 40 MPH, AND TYPICALLY WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF STARTING, THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN ALL POWER (ENGINE, ELECTRICAL, AND BRAKES) WHILE DRIVING, MAKING IT VERY HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE, AND VERY DANGEROUS . I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WAS OVERHEATING AND RESULT OF THE COOLANT SYSTEM LEAKING, WHICH WE HAD THEM FIX, AND PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. THERE WAS NO WAY IT WAS OVERHEATING THAT QUICKLY AFTER STARTING. DEALER HAS REFUSED TO LOOK AT OTHER POSTINGS ONLINE THAT SUGGEST THIS IS A PREVALENT PROBLEM, AND UNRELATED TO THE COOLANT SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #11282011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

VARIOUS ODB CODES INVOLVING TIPM ISSUES, WHICH HAS NOW PROGRESSED TO VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS.

NHTSA complaint #11246456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD START TO FLASH ON AND OFF, THE CAR GOES INTO A LIMP MODE, THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR GOES DEAD WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES RECENTLY WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC.

NHTSA complaint #11241199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY SUTTING OFF INSTANTLY, NUMERIOUS TIMES AT 20 TO 30 MPR WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, 40 TO 50 MPH ON SERVICE STREETS, AT SPEED, STARTING TO SLOW, AND OR ATTEMPTING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER HAS HAD VAN 3 WEEKS, SAID THEY DROVE TWICE TO SIMULATE AND COULD NOT REPEATE. EXTREAMLY DANGERIOU S, ALMOST REAR-ENDED MORE THAN ONCE.

NHTSA complaint #11210297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE ENGINE STALLS/SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 12 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, AND IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHEN DRIVING THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AND POWER STEERING IS LOST AND BRAKING BECOMES DIFFICULT. IT IS SOMEWHAT RANDOM BUT MORE PROMINENT ON COOLER AND HUMID DAYS. THE RECALL FOR THE BAD IGNITION KEY FOB SWITCH WAS COMPLETED 5 YEARS AGO AND SHOULD NOT BE THE ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11208189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V373000(ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. *BF CONSUMER STATED CAR SHUTS OFF AT ANY SPEED, ANY TIME; IT'S CONSTANT NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES; IT CAN BE ON A TURN OR COMING TO STOP LIGHT, WON 4 LET ANYONE IN HOUSEHOLD DRIVE IT: THOUSANDS OF THIS MODEL ESPECIALLY CHRYSLER.

NHTSA complaint #11205202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

2008 CHRYSLER TOWN COUNTRY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SMOKING ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DEFECTIVE A/C AND RAMP DOOR. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE'S FAILURES BEGAN WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF OWNING IT. WHILE DRIVING , ALL ELECTRICAL POWER SHUT OFF. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND BEGAN TO SMOKE EXCESSIVELY WITH WATER GUSHING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HORN RANDOMLY WENT OFF AND WAS DISABLED BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP SIMULTANEOUSLY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD INSTEAD AND STALLED OUT.

NHTSA complaint #11195130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TALLAHASSEE DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM FIAT (3987 W TENNESSEE ST, TALLAHASSEE, FL 32304, (844) 280-9221) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA complaint #11203243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THE VAN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH, DOORS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF AND COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHEN DRIVING AND ALL THE POWER IS LOST TO THE POWER STEERING, ENGINE AND LIGHTS. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS IT CAN HAPPEN ON THE FREEWAY AS WELL AS ON A CITY STREET. WE HAVE BEEN STRANDED SO MANY TIMES AND HAVE FEARS TO DRIVE THIS VAN ANYWHERE! WE WERE STRANDED IN SEATTLE ON A CITY STREET AND HAD TO WAIT TWO HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TOW IT TO THE NEAREST DEALER THERE. WHEN IT ARRIVED AT THE DEALER IT WAS LATE AFTERNOON AND THE MECHANIC AGREED THAT THE SYSTEMS WERE NOT 'COMMUNICATING' WITH EACH OTHER BUT HE WOULD CHECK IT OUT IN THE MORNING...BY THE MORNING, THE VAN WAS NOT DOING IT'S CRAZINESS AND THE MECHANIC SAID HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT! WE HAVE HAD THE LOCAL DEALER CHECK IT OUT AND THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM. WHY CAN'T CHRYSLER FIGURE THIS OUT? IT IS DANGEROUS AND SCARY AND OUR BELOVED VAN IS NO LONGER RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR FAMILY. NHTSA....THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM...IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND, YES, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, BIG TIME! WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET CHRYSLER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE VANS. IT IS AS IF THEY ARE 'POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL' HELP US PLEASE! WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO?

NHTSA complaint #11193345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THIS VAN, THIS VEHICLE STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE DRIVING AND STEERING LOCKS. I CANNOT MOVE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT... IT LOCKS OFTEN. MAKE DRIVING OF THIS VEHICLE MAKES VERY DANGEROUS AND THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. WHY WOULD A MOVING VEHICLE STOPS SUDDENLY AND IT CAN BE RESTARTED AFTER TAKING OUT THE KEY ANF PLACING IT BACK IN. THIS ISSUE IS OCCURING WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE SAME ISSUE OCCURES TWICE A MONTH

NHTSA complaint #11180616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE, POWER STEERING, AND BRAKES SHUT DOWN. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT, BUT HAD TO COME TO A STOP ON CITY STREET WHILE TRAVELLING WITH TRAFFIC TO RESTART VEHICLE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE OPERATING BUT HAD TO USE MANUAL POWER TO STEER AND STOP THE VEHICLE - NO POWER FROM ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 OR 7 TIMES, BUT THREE TIMES IN PAST WEEK.

NHTSA complaint #11173273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

CAR ACTS POSSESSED, DASH LIGHTS FLICKER, INSIDE SOUND CHIMES, WIPERS GO ON THERE OWN, CAR LOSES POWER, TURN SIGNALS WON'T WORK, SHOP SAID ITS A FAULTY TIPM HAPPENS WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING

NHTSA complaint #11171667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.