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

Van was sitting in driveaway in front of my house. We noticed smoke coming from rear of the vehicle and then saw flames. Contacted 911. Fire department arrived to put out the fire. They said something appeared to have shorted or exploded inside the driver side rear wall panel. Just below the rear window vent in the area of the 3 row speakers and cup holders. It burned down the exterior of the van near the gas cap.

NHTSA ODI 11582650

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TRUNK LID OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REMOTE MADE CONTACT WITH THE DOOR AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 1/21/16 LN THE CONSUMER STATED THE LID GOES UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS IN THE HEAD AND CAUSED A BUMP TO FOR ON THE CONSUMERS HEAD, WHEN THE LID CAME DOWN ON ITS OWN. UPDATED 03/30/16.*JB *TR

NHTSA ODI 10789285

VEHICLE PARKED IN HOMEOWNER'S DRIVEWAY ERUPTED IN FLAMES AT APPROXIMATELY 12.45 AM ON SEPTEMBER 3RD. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF FOR OVER FOUR(4) HOURS. ENGINE WAS RELATIVELY COOL AS IT WAS ONLY DRIVEN FOR FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO 8 PM ON THE 2ND OF SEPTEMBER. NEIGHBOR WHO CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED SEEING SPARKS EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD BEFORE IT BURST INTO FLAMES WHICH DESTROYED THE CAR. THIS ALSO DAMAGED THE OTHER VEHICLE PARKED AHEAD OF THE TOWN AND COUNTRY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10637811

MY 6 YEAR OLD SON HIT THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR THE SAME TIME I HIT THE IT CAUSING THE DOOR TO CLOSE ON HIS HEAD. IT CLOSED ON HIS HEAD WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE AND PRESSURE BEFORE RELEASING LEAVING HIM WITH A LARGE BUMP ON THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD AND SORE. IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS TO RELEASE. IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER CLOSED WITH THAT MUCH PRESSURE AS IT COULD HAVE BROKEN A BONE AND POTENTIALLY WORSE. THE DOOR SHOULD HAVE STOPPED AND RELEASED AS SOON AS IT TOUCHED MY SON. THE SAFETY MECHANISM OF THIS DOOR IS NOT SAFE AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HARM. THE DOOR NEEDS TO CLOSE SLOWER AND LIGHTER. AS SOON AS ANYTHING IS FELT IN THE WAY IT SHOULD RELEASE IMMEDIATELY AND NOT CONTINUE TO TRY TO CLOSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10596535

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO REMAIN OPEN AND WOULD INDEPENDENTLY CLOSE. ON ONE OCCASION, THE SLIDING DOOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED ON A CHILD'S HEAD. THE CHILD SUSTAINED MINOR EAR INJURIES AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000. UPDATED 5/13/14*CN *TR *TR

NHTSA ODI 10568829

ON SATURDAY NOV 3, 2012 CHILDREN WERE ENTERING VEHICLE THROUGH POWER SLIDING DOOR. OLDER CHILD BUMPED INTO DOOR AS IT WAS OPENING, PUSHING IT FURTHER OPEN. DOOR THEN SHUT AND LATCHED RAPIDLY (FOUR SECONDS) ON TODDLERS HAND, REQUIRING VISIT TO EMERGENCY ROOM AND TREATMENT. ON MONDAY NOV 5, 2012 WE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VAN, AND THEY SAID IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE DOOR IS DESIGNED TO SHUT AND LATCH RAPIDLY IF YOU BUMP IT OR TRY TO PUSH IT OPEN WHILE IT IS OPENING. THEY SHOWED ME ANOTHER VAN THAT IS DESIGNED SAME WAY. I TESTED MY FRIENDS TOYOTA AND HONDA VANS AND THOSE DOORS RIGHTLY OPEN IF YOU BUMP OR PUSH THEM WHILE DOOR IS MECHANICALLY OPENING OR CLOSING. ALL MOTORIZED VAN DOORS REQUIRE SPECIAL AWARENESS, BUT CHRYSLER DOORS ARE UNSAFE. HOPING FOR RECALL SO THEY CAN FIX SAFETY ISSUE FOR EVERYONE AND NO ONE ELSE IS INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10486699

POWER SLIDING DOOR DOES NOT STOP CLOSING WHEN AN OBJECT IS ENCOUNTERED. MY WIFE WAS HURT BUT NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN SHE WAS CAUGHT IN THE DOOR WHILE IT WAS CLOSING. WE'RE CONCERNED THAT IF A CHILD WAS CAUGHT THEY WOULD BE MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY INJURED. CHRYSLER SAYS THERE IS NO AWAY TO ADJUST THE SENSITIVITY SO THAT THE DOOR STOPS EXERTING FORCE SOONER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10460405

MY ALMOST 2 YEAR OLD GOT HIS HAND FULLY CAUGHT IN THE SLIDING DOOR, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SAFETY FEATURE WHICH WOULD PREVENT IT. THE DOOR WAS CLOSING, CLOSED AND FULLY ENGAGED THE LOCKS ON HIS HAND. HIS HAND WAS LODGE FAR ENOUGH INTO THE DOOR THAT YOU COULDN'T SLIDE THE HAND OUT, YOU HAD TO PHYSICALLY OPEN THE DOOR TO GET HIS HAND OUT, HE COULDN'T JUST SLIDE IT OUT. AT THE TIME HE HAD INDENTS ON HIS FINGERS WHERE THE DOOR PUSHED IN THEM. NOW, A FEW HOURS LATER, HE HAS BRUISING AND SLIGHT SWELLING TO HIS FINGERS AND ONE OF THE FINGERS HAS A SLIGHT CUT ON IT. THESE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SENSOR IN IT TO PREVENT THE DOORS FROM CLOSING ON SOMEONE, IT OBVIOUSLY FAILED IN THIS CASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10457529