What 773 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chrysler Town And Country

Driving 70mph on the interstate when the engine just shuts down ( sudden engine failure ) it is only by the grace of God that it didn't result in a pile-up and injury/loss of life. One of the most fearful experiences that I have ever had happened to me. This is the 2nd instance of sudden engine failure in the past month. On each occasion, I have had the vehicle towed and the mechanics are unable to find the root cause of the problem. I now fear injury/loss of life to myself and or others. I tried calling Chrysler to no avail and i have sent a certified letter to the Chrysler CEO , hristine Feuell with no response so far. The contact stated that they paid to have their vehicle looked at by the dealer. There were unsuccessful in duplicating the issue or finding the cause or a cure. The contact was told to trade in the vehicle. The contact stated after 10 breakdowns and 7 vehicle tows this week someone finally figured out the problem being a DEFECTIVE TIPM module.

NHTSA ODI 11509811

After most of the major electrical components were replaced a new battery, alternator and computer. Ran for a week then just died for no reason had to be jump started just to get it moving. Also the lane blind spot detectors are in a very bad place and are subject to weather and broke.

NHTSA ODI 11507772

My vehicle keeps locking and unlocking itself

NHTSA ODI 11504841

Upon leaving work my battery (only installed for 3 months) was completely dead. After a co-worker jumped my van off I went straight to Advanced and had them check the battery. It showed something was still on/running however the keys were in my hand and absolutely nothing was on or plugged in. He went ahead and replaced my battery. The next day I went out on errands and it started fine. That evening I was taking my family out to dinner and it would not start. It would crank but not start. I put it in neutral and back into park and it did manage to start. The following morning I went out and it would only crank. It would not start and the lightening bolt symbol and check engine light came on. First we changed the throttle body sensor (as indicated by the light). It still wouldn't start. After I had it towed to a garage they said the TIPM was faulty and had caused the fuel pump to burn out. I have seen/read numerous other people saying this has happened to their vehicle as well. The exact same issues. This issue has cost me over $1,500 and I still haven't had the TIPM fixed yet. With as many complaints on the same issue there should be a recall on this since it is obviously a manufacturing issue.

NHTSA ODI 11491737

The TIPM is failing, not allowing the van to start when it gets so cold out. We were quoted $2000 to get it repaired. We found an article stating this is a common issue and was being repaired by Chrysler.

NHTSA ODI 11486507

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle had to be jump started to resume normal driving operation. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on multiple occasions where the computer, two alternators, and two batteries were replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where the repairs were performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

NHTSA ODI 11483268

The vehicle will crank but not start. This happened intermittently at first but is now a consistent issue. Through research I discovered that this is a common TIPM issue on this year Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge vehicles. A recall was placed for Jeep and Dodge however there has been no recall on Chrysler models with the same issue. This issue can cause the vehicle to not start as well as stall while driving which could potentially cause an accident. This recall needs to be in effect for Chrysler model vehicles with the sand issue as the Jeep and Dodge models

NHTSA ODI 11482744

Passenger side front seat active headrest deployed spontaneously (no accident).

NHTSA ODI 11482694

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed. As a result, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver then the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle, but the failure recurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump relay needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 275,000.

NHTSA ODI 11482393

Going down the road 55 mh van quit rear hatch and sliding side doors unlocked and opened van will not start. These vans were recalled for something like this in the previous years. This one should have been recalled to

NHTSA ODI 11479842

"P0740" OBD2 code, causing vehicle to Fail state Safety Inspection. issue is due to a defect within the transmission, very common with the 2011 Chrysler Town & Country. "Dealer Only Repair" , very costly. Serious Safety Issue. Vehicle cannot be diagnosed by most Certified Mechanics. this faulty reading could mask very serious issues with the Transmission. This issue needs to be expedited to review ASAP. Thank You.

NHTSA ODI 11465141

When we bought the vehicle the battery kept dying. The dealership installed a new battery and it kept happening. They eventually said that the fuel pump was not shutting down when the vehicle was turned off and they said they fixed the problem. Fast forward a couple years and the vehicle would not start. Took it to a trusted mechanic who diagnosed it needed a new computer. He said it is a well known problem with this vehicle and asked if we ever had the doors open on their on (we have). That is part of the computer problem and so is the fuel pump issue stated above. When I told the mechanic about the initial issue he checked the fuel pump and found that the dealership didn't address the actual problem They used shoddy wiring to bypass the fuel pump. He said the wiring was so loose that it fell apart when he touched it and said that a sharp turn would've been enough to disconnect the wiring and shut the vehicle down while driving. This would've been very dangerous. He stated that we were very lucky. Apparently this happens all the time with these Chrysler. He recommended we file this complaint.

NHTSA ODI 11463758

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact parked on the side of the road to check the engine oil, but no failure was found. The contact continued driving to his residence. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with needing the converter clutch solenoid circuit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 149,990.

NHTSA ODI 11461609

1) Dash board lite up like a christmas tree, would not turn over. 2) Next time no lights would come on, completely dead. Turning the key over did nothing, no lights. Key would also get stuck in the ignition 3) They determined it was the powertrain control PCM 4) Originally the part was like $800, they messed on troubleshooting (fried my battery). They knocked the price of the part down to $517

NHTSA ODI 11451253

Rear sliding door lock actuator has failed and is stuck in locked position. It is impossible to open the door from inside or out using either manual or electric opener. This is dangerous as this door can no longer be used in case of emergency or accident. It is also not apparent anything is wrong. It just does not unlock or open.

NHTSA ODI 11446143

2011 Chrysler town and country, starts then shuts off after two seconds. Check engine light came on last night. Remote start disabled. Vehicle will not start via push button, must use key fob in place of pushbutton. Again remote start will not work. Vehicle starts and shuts off right away. From research done, cause being TIPM OR FUEL RELAY.

NHTSA ODI 11443196

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start-up. In addition, there was an abnormal exploding noise coming from the vehicle while driving approximately 40 to 50 MPH. The contact mentioned that the windshield wipers failed to operate occasionally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that wireless ignition and WIN module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.

NHTSA ODI 11442122

There is a problem with the engine oil cooler leaking oil on the engine creating a smell of oil burning which is not good to breathe, plus the danger of the engine catching on fire. I am filing this report on 11/28/2021. I replaced this part the first time in July of 2021 and it is once again leaking in November 2021 already. Prior to replacing it the first time, I did some research on the internet only to find that this is common problem with this oil cooler used in Chrysler Engines. (3.6 L) I would think that Chrysler is a ware of this problem. I don't have the first part that failed, but the replacement is leaking also. I have not had this inspected, but as I have already mentioned, there a lot of complaints on the internet of people having this problem. The part Chrysler is using has a plastic base, and the plastic is apparently breaking down. There is an aftermarket replacement available and they describe the problem with the one that Chrysler uses and what they did to correct it. The replaced plastic part with metal.

NHTSA ODI 11441892

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the vehicle would intermittently fail to start up after multiple attempts. The contact would then take the key out of the ignition and press the auto start button on the key fob for the vehicle to start without incident. Upon investigation, the contact's son related that failure to a defective TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) which needed to be replaced. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

NHTSA ODI 11441446

Vehicle would lose power. First problem was while at the gas station with my children (age 4 and 1) and with the key in the cup holder, the doors locked on their own. I had to call my husband to bring spare key. The next issue was the vehicle battery drained and had to get jumped. The last issue was the vehicle would not turn on. All of the lights turned on but would not crank over.Took it to my local dealership and was advised that the TIPM failed.

NHTSA ODI 11439261

Fuel Pump Relay- the TPIM

NHTSA ODI 11438227

TIPM is defective causing the car hard starting and stall.The fuel pump relay stays on draining the new battery . The car starts then shuts down after 2 seconds. The sliding doors open and close, horn stops, car alarm stops intermittently. I had to temporarily bypass the fuel pump relay.The cost of the TIPM replacement is $1500

NHTSA ODI 11435644

The contact’s daughter owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH up an incline, the vehicle stalled without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to his home where he inspected the vehicle. The contact discovered that the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) was defective and needed to be replaced. The contact spoke to an independent mechanic who informed him that there was no recall on the vehicle and that he was unaware of any issues with the TIPM. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

NHTSA ODI 11432148

The contact owns a 2011 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would suddenly shut off without warning. On several occasions, the vehicle would not immediately restart. Additionally, on occasions, the vehicle could not be started after being parked for several hours. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure however, the manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11432022

I don't know much about vehicles. So when I get the obd scanned to make sure things are good to sell my van and it throws back many error codes, I was surprised. I thought the vibration/shaking was minor or just because I only had 4 out 6 engine mounts replaced. I was told the tipm was bad, the transmission, the tire pressure sensors don't work. The eco drive doesn't work. I was told that there was a problem with mine that was recalled but only on half of the vehicles and my vin wasn't one of them recalled even though it's the same problem. I was told the main fuse panel under the hood needs replaced. From what I was told, all the needed repairs will cost about as much as I paid for the vehicle itself. There have been lights on the dash since a few days after I bought it but the obd didn't want to put out any reading. I named her Christine because she seems to have a mind of her own. The rpm's go sky high whenever they feel like it so I often have to pull over, turn it off and wait about 5 minutes. I didn't know where to turn to get help with this before it nickel and dimes me into the even more poor house.

NHTSA ODI 11429130