What 632 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chrysler Town And Country

IN OCTOBER 2014 (APPROX. MILEAGE OF 40K) THE BLIND SPOT MONITORING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. DID SOME RESEARCH AND DETERMINED I HAD A BAD RADAR SENSOR BUT THEY COST $900 EACH SO WE TURNED OFF THE BLIND SPOT MONITORING SYSTEM. FEBRUARY 2016 (MILEAGE OF 53K) THE BACKUP CAMERA AND BUMPER SENSORS QUITE WORKING AND WE NOTICED A HOT WIRE SMELL. PULLED OUT THE DRIVER'S SIDE BLIND SPOT MONITORING SENSOR AND FOUND IT BADLY CORRODED AND THE SENSOR SEPARATING AT THE SEAMS ALSO FOUND FUSE BLOWN. REPLACED THE FUSE WITH THE BAD SENSOR DISCONNECTED AND PUT A NEW FUSE IN. CAMERA CAME BACK ON FOR ABOUT TEN SECONDS BEFORE GOING BLACK AGAIN WHEN FUSE BLEW AGAIN. HAD SMOKE COMING OUT OF PASSENGER SIDE REAR BLIND SPOT SENSOR AREA. FOUND THE WIRES MELTED ON THE CONNECTOR AND I HAD TO SNUFF THE WIRES OUT WITH WATER AND CUT THE SENSOR CABLE TO GET THE HOT COMPONENTS OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT A FIRE. I THEN REMOVED THE PASSENGER SIDE SENSOR, TERMINATED THE LOOSE WIRES WITH WIRE NUTS AND PUT A NEW FUSE IT. CAMERA AND BUMPER SENSORS ARE WORKING FINE NOW BUT BLIND SPOT MONITORING IS NOT FUNCTIONAL DUE TO THE TWO BAD SENSORS. I SEE TWO ISSUES, FIRST THE BLIND SPOT SENSORS WHICH ARE SOLD AS SAFETY FEATURES FAILED AT 3 YEARS OF USE NOT JUST ONE SENSOR BUT BOTH INDICATING IT IS A POORLY ENGINEERED PART NOT A DEFECTIVE PART. SECONDLY IS THE FUSING SIZE OR WIRING CORRECT FOR THIS CIRCUIT. AS THE FUSE SHOULD BLOW BEFORE WIRES START TO MELT. TO BUY A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND THE TWO SENSORS WILL COST $1700 AND THE SENSOR WILL FAIL AGAIN IN 3 YEARS IF NO MODIFICATIONS ARE MADE TO THE SENSOR. INTERNET SEARCHES SHOW MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SENSOR FAILURE AND COMPLAINTS ENTERED IN NHSTA DATABASE.

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THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS AND LIFT GATE ARE A SAFETY RISK FOR MY THREE YOUNG CHILDREN. I AM ASSUMING THIS MINIVAN IS MARKETED TOWARD FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN LIKE MINE. MY SEVEN YEAR OLD SON HAS BEEN PUSHED OFF OF HIS FEET BY THE SLIDING DOOR AS IT CLOSED. I AM A GROWN WOMAN AND WAS INJURED BY THE LIFT GATE CLOSING ON ME. THE SENSORS ARE NOT ADJUSTABLE FOR SENSITIVITY ACCORDING TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 10733705

MY 2 YEAR OLD SON EXITED THE VAN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THROUGH POWER SLIDING DOOR. THE DOOR CLOSED ON HIS HAND AND DID NOT RETRACT AUTOMATICALLY. WE REACHED OUT TO CHRYSLER WHO SENT AN INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTOR TESTED THE DOOR WITH A FOLDED TERRY CLOTH. I PROVIDED HIM WITH A DOLL, WHICH HAS A HAND THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE OF A CHILD'S. THE PASSENGER DOOR CLOSED COMPLETELY ON THE DOLL HAND. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR OPENED AUTOMATICALLY. SO THERE EXISTED A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO DOORS. CHRYSLER STATED THEY BELIEVE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VAN. WE TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ALSO STATED THE DOOR CLOSES NORMALLY. WE REACHED OUT TO THE LOCAL NEWS STATION WFTV WHO AGREED TO ASSIST BECAUSE THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR STILL CLOSED ON THE DOLL HAND, WHILE THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR DID NOT. THE VAN WAS TAKEN TO ZEMBOWER'S AUTO CENTER WHERE IMMEDIATE TESTING REVEALED THE CAR NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. THE COMMENT WAS MADE, HOW IS CHRYSLER ABLE TO DIAGNOSE A POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO BE SURE ITS OPERATING NORMALLY. I TOOK THE VAN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO THEN AGREED, THE VAN DOES NEED A NEW BATTERY. WE TOOK THE VAN BACK TO ZEMBOWERS FOR A BATTERY REPLACEMENT. UPON REPLACEMENT THE PASSENGER DOOR NOW SEEMS TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY. SO THE ISSUE STILL REMAINS, WHY IS IT THAT WHEN THE BATTERY IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT IN THE VAN, THAT THE PASSENGER POWER DOOR IS LESS SENSITIVE THAN THE DRIVERS SIDE, ALLOWING IT TO CLOSE ON HANDS OF CHILDREN? AND IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED, SO NO INDICATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE VAN NEEDING A NEW BATTERY. SO, BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE, ARE WE TO ASSUME THAT ANYTIME THE VAN BATTERY IS DEPLETED, EVEN BEFORE GIVING ANY INDICATION THROUGH THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS, THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER DOOR WILL BECOME INSENSITIVE? THIS ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10691409

STEERING WHEEL DID NOT PROPERLY FUNCTION WITH THE FRONT WHEEL AXEL CAUSING A ACCIDENT ON 8/23/2014, IT WAS DIFFICULT STEERING ON RIGHT TURNS AND LEFT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE WIDE TURNS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE SOMETHING FROM THE BACK SEAT, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SLIDING DOOR CLOSED ON THE CONTACT'S ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE POWER OUTLET BURNED CAUSING SMOKE TO SEEP FROM THE AIR VENTS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LED LIGHT STRIPS ADDED TO THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 10/10/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE AFTER MARKET LED STRIP IN THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL WIRES TO BURN INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 03/31/15 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10628834

2012 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY (RENTAL). CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RENTAL VEHICLE SLIDING DOOR & PASSENGER SEATS MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SLIDING DOORS JUST BEHIND THE FRONT DOORS WERE ELECTRONICALLY OPERATED. THERE WERE 2 OCCASIONS WHERE THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND AND A TEEN-AGED DRIVER INADVERTENTLY HAD THEIR HAND ON THE CAR FRAME, AND WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED TO CLOSE THE DOOR, IT DID NOT STOP, WHEN IT HIT THEIR HANDS. IT KEPT MOVING AND MASHED THEIR HANDS BETWEEN THE MOVING DOOR AND DOOR FRAME. THE INJURIES WERE NOT SEVERE. HOWEVER, A SAFETY SWITCH IS NEEDED TO STOP THE DOOR. A MUCH BIGGER PROBLEM, HOWEVER, WAS FOUND IN THE SECOND ROW OF THE SEAT, JUST BEHIND THE FRONT SEAT. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE SITTING IN THE SEATS, AND DECIDED TO TAKE A NAP. WHEN SHE WENT TO RE-POSITION THE SEAT, TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION, SHE TURNED SIDEWAYS TO PULL THE LEVER ON THE SIDE, BUT WHEN SHE PULLED IT, THE ENTIRE BACK REST ASSEMBLY SLAMMED HER FORWARD WITH CONSIDERABLE IMPACT. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HEAD REST ATOP THE BACK REST SLAMMED FORWARD WITH MUCH MORE IMPACT AND IT HIT HER IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. *JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER ACCESSING THE POWER LIFTGATE WITH THE KEY FOB, THE DOOR WOULD CLOSE ABRUPTLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BRUISE TO THE RIGHT LEG BECAUSE OF THE DOOR FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V191000 (EQUIPMENT) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ODI 10549391

OUR VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH POWER OPENING AND CLOSING SIDE DOORS. MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD SON WAS OUTSIDE THE CAR, LEANING AGAINST THE CAR WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPEN AND HIS HAND AGAINST THE B PILLAR. MY WIFE, NOT KNOWING WHERE HIS HAND WAS, STARTED THE DOOR CLOSING USING THE POWER FEATURE. THE DOOR CLOSED AND LATCHED COMPLETELY, CRUSHING TWO FINGERS OF MY SON'S HAND IN THE PROCESS. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO BROKEN BONES AND ONLY MINOR INJURY, BUT THE DOOR DID NOT HESITATE TO CLOSE WHATSOEVER DESPITE THE OBSTRUCTION. UPON RETURNING HOME FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM, I TESTED THE ANTI-PINCH SENSOR ON THE DOOR AS IT CLOSED USING A BLOCK OF WOOD. THE FORCE EXERTED ON THE BLOCK WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT I HAD TROUBLE HOLDING ON TO THE BLOCK AND WAS SURPRISED AT THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE EXERTED. THE DOOR DID EVENTUALLY REVERSE, BUT ONLY AFTER CRUSHING THE BLOCK OF WOOD TO A DEPTH OF APPROXIMATELY 1/8 INCH. THE OBSTRUCTION SENSORS ARE COMPLETELY INSUFFICIENT TO AVOID INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10512295

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2012 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY TOURING VAN ON 8/4/2012 AT YOUR DEALERSHIP. VIN [XXX]. THIS IS OUR 6TH OR 7TH CHRYSLER/DODGE VAN. ON FEBRUARY 7, 2013 AS I WAS APPROACHING THE CVS DRUG STORE SIDE PARKING LOT IN PLYMOUTH WITH MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE VAN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WENT OVER THE SIDEWALK AND CONTACTED THE BUILDING. THE RESULT WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR, $5734.90 AND SOME CRACKED RIBS, BRUISED BREAST BONE AND WHIP LASH LIKE INJURY TO MY NECK. I WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL BY THE PLYMOUTH FIRE & RESCUE. THEY TOOK X-RAYS AND A CT SCAN. THE PLYMOUTH POLICE INVESTIGATED THE ACCIDENT. THE CVS MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE BUILDING. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THIS ALL HAPPENED SO FAST. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM A GOOD SAFE DRIVER WITH NO MOVING VEHICLE VIOLATIONS. WE HAVE A 2007 CHRYSLER ASPEN PURCHASED NEW AT CARLSON MOTORS IN CONCORD AND A SIMILAR THING HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND WHEN EXITING A STEEP DRIVEWAY ON WEST SHORE ROAD IN HEBRON. THE ASPEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD BUT SINCE HE WAS BRAKING TO GO DOWN THE STEEP DRIVEWAY, HE WAS ABLE TO STOP IT AND PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL. I FOLLOWED THE ASPEN MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN I-93 TO CONCORD HOWEVER THE ASPEN ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT JUST BEFORE THE SOUTHBOUND REST AREA. HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT INTO THE REST AREA AND CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO FINISH THE TRIP TO CONCORD. CARLSON?S HAD THE CAR FOR 2 OR 3 DAYS AND SAID THEY REPLACED A COMPUTER COMPONENT UNDER THE ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY. I AM VERY WORRIED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT GOES WRONG WITH THE "FLY-BY-WIRE" ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR ON THESE CARS. THINGS DO GO WRONG WITH COMPUTERS! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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