2006 Chrysler Town And Country LWB Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe power steering leaks, whining, and rack problems, usually reported between about 38,000 and 48,000 miles, with whining often noted on cold starts and some loss of assist after driving through standing water. Airbag warning lights, which some owners link to corroded front sensors, form the next largest group and appear at both very low and higher mileage. Brake, tire, and air-conditioning complaints are less common in the sample, and tire reports span a very wide range of mileage.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering leaks, whining, and loss of assist

   • 15 complaints (27%)
   • median 39,900 mi at 3.3 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2015

   Owners describe whining or groaning from the steering system, often on a cold start, along with fluid leaking from the rack boots, rack, or pump. Some report a sudden loss of steering assist after driving through puddles or standing water, and some describe a steering rack that failed or was replaced, including at relatively low mileage. According to complaints, the dealer found leaking fluid and damage to the rack and pinion, and some owners were told a replacement rack could take months to arrive. Most reports involve roughly 38,000 to 48,000 miles, with a few at about 10,000 to 19,000 miles, and whining is often noted on cold starts.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check the rack boots and power steering fluid level for wetness or leaks, and ask for any rack, pump, or steering repair records. Ask whether the power steering bleeding procedure bulletin was applied during any earlier service.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Because I am disabled I bought a used 2006 Chrysler Town And Country Lwb on august 2, 2010. On the way home the steering failed. Because this failure could have caused an accident, I took it to two dealers for estimates and wound up having the rack and pinion and loose tie rods replaced on august 9, 2010.”

   NHTSA complaint #10348511, filed 2010-08, 39,800 miles

   “My car was making a whining noise when the engine was cold. I brought it in to the Chrysler dealer, and they informed me that the power steering pump was leaking, which had resulted in damage to the rack & pinion mechanism. The entire mechanism had to be replaced. Not performing this repair could have resulted in the entire steering system locking up. My professional opinion (I am a mechanical engineer) is that this pump should not have failed at such low mileage (~45k).”

   NHTSA complaint #10312609, filed 2010-02, 45,602 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on or intermittent

   • 9 complaints (16%)
   • median 38,767 mi at 3.6 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2006–2010

   Owners describe the airbag warning light staying on continuously or coming on and off, sometimes first appearing during heavy rain or when turning the steering wheel. Some complaints mention rusted or corroded front sensors, and the dealer replaced sensors and wiring harnesses in one reported case while other owners were quoted repair costs or had work done as a goodwill gesture. Some owners write that the airbags may not deploy while the light is on, and they point to a 2005 model-year recall for a similar light problem and ask whether the 2006 model should have been included. Reported from very low mileage (under 5,000 miles) up to about 60,000 miles, with most reports between about 34,000 and 60,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask for the diagnostic codes and repair history for the airbag system, and confirm the warning light is off at startup and during a test drive. Ask a mechanic to inspect the front airbag sensors and wiring for corrosion.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Passenger airbag disabled light is constantly on. I purchased the vehicle on 1/28/06. I took the car to carmax on 1/31/06 to have it repaired. Carmax is still unable to cure the problem as of 2/8/06. The ordered a new seat belt retractor and that did not work. They tried to replace the seat with a seat from another vehicle and that did not work.”

   NHTSA complaint #10149804, filed 2006-02, 5 miles

   “Air bag light went on in my 2006 Chrysler t&c van, took to dealership to check out. Found out on line previous year 2005 had a recall for exact same problem (over 250,000) vehicles, since my year did not have a recall required to pay 320.00 for repair. Don't understand, since obviously problem still exists why I had to pay for repairs that were done for cars one year older than mine. Chrysler basically told me since there was no recall it was my problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10302298, filed 2010-01, 38,767 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal effort, rotor vibration, and fast wear

   • 5 complaints (9%)
   • median 35,000 mi at 3.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2010

   Owners describe brake pedal pressure that needs extra force to brake or cancel cruise control, which an owner compares to a stuck brake. A rotor complaint describes delamination, severe vibration while braking, and partial loss of braking. Brake wear is reported as faster than expected, and an owner believes the brake system is too small for the vehicle. A separate complaint describes the van beginning to roll backward while in park, with the brake pedal not stopping it. Reported between about 17,000 and 50,000 miles.

   What to check: Test the pedal feel and cruise control release on a test drive, and ask for brake and rotor service records. Confirm the vehicle holds firmly in park and check for vibration when braking from highway speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I've been experiencing issues with my A/C unit however, whether this issue has anything to do with what happened tonight or not, I don't know. I had gone to turn my 2006 Chrysler town and country off while it was in park & it just started to roll backwards! I quickly reached for the gear shift to make sure it was in park but it already was! I then went to step on the brake & it still wouldn't stop! I have to believe this was nothing less than a major malfunction of some sort! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10347388, filed 2010-08, 50,085 miles

   “I have a 2006 Chrysler town & country that has a braking system that is too small for the size of the van. I am on my third set of front brakes and my second set of rear brakes. This was all done before 36,000 miles. I spoke with someone who used to be a Chrysler service manager and he stated that Chrysler installed a braking system that is too small for the van which causes the brakes to wear out faster. I see this as a safety issue and it is becoming quite expensive. Have there been any other reports like this? …”

   NHTSA complaint #10257220, filed 2009-02, 17,878 miles
4. 4
   Tires

   Tire failures: tread, sidewall, and valve stem

   • 5 complaints (9%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 6.1 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2006–2016

   Owners describe tread separation on rear tires, small pinholes in sidewalls, and valve stems that broke off or blew out during driving or inflation. Some valve stem failures involve the tire pressure sensor assembly, and an owner says replacement valve stems are not offered. According to complaints, a dealer said there was no tire recall and that sidewall leaks cannot be repaired. Reported across a very wide range of mileage, from about 3,000 to over 140,000 miles, so no clear mileage pattern appears in these complaints.

   What to check: Inspect the tire sidewalls for pinholes or bulges and check the valve stems and pressure sensors for leaks. Ask whether the tires are original and whether the seller has records of tire and valve stem replacements.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Stopped to inflate tires. As I started to remove the left rear tire cap it the stem blew out in my hand. I changed the tire but the additional weight blew out the second stem this time on the left front tire. I shot into the curb. By the time I got it up on the jack the right front tire stem blew and the right rear started to lose air. I had to replace 2 sensors. The right rear had been replaced already.”

   NHTSA complaint #10640897, filed 2014-10, 115,750 miles

   “Futura 2000 lte p215/65tr16 rm6v xac 3712 I have a receipt dated 6-18-2016 for 2 tires installed on the rear of my 2006 town and country van. Both tires have recently failed, tread separation. The tire in may was a blow out at 70mph on interstate 10, the next tire was not a blowout. In all my life I have never had a tire blow out and never had two of the same tires fail so close to each other. Mileage on my van at installation was 102130 and mileage at failure was 144258 and the next tire at 145258. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10892347, filed 2016-08, 144,258 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Air conditioning and cooling fan failures

   • 5 complaints (9%)
   • median 49,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2011

   Owners describe air conditioning that stopped working or leaked, with rear evaporator leaks that were hard to repair because replacement parts were on backorder. Some describe repeated A/C failures, higher costs when parts were bought through the dealer, and long waits to get parts. A separate complaint describes a cooling fan that froze in winter weather, which led to the cooling fan relay failing and a check engine light with a cooling fan code. Reported between about 43,000 and 80,000 miles, with the cooling fan complaint tied to winter weather.

   What to check: Run the air conditioning on a test drive and check that it cools well, and ask about rear evaporator or A/C repair history. Ask whether any check engine codes were diagnosed and whether the cooling fan relay has been checked or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The air conditioning stopped working in spring 2009. The air conditioning was recharged, but failed again less than 2 weeks later, in early july 2009. At that time, we were told the rear air conditioning evaporator was leaking and needed to be replaced. We cannot get it replaced because the aftermarket replacement parts are on national backorder. However, if we buy the same parts from the dealer, at a total extra cost of over $200, we can get the parts now. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10277233, filed 2009-07, 43,000 miles

   “At 49,000 miles the check engine light comes on. Knowing I probably couldn't afford the repairs at our dealership, I decided to diagnose and repair the vehicle myself. The check engine code read p0480, a code noting a problem with the cooling fan system. After researching the code online, I realized that I was not the only one with this problem. It turns out the town and country, in winter weather, tends to have cooling fans freeze up. As a result, the cooling fan relay will blow out. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10374868, filed 2011-01, 49,000 miles

Buying note. Someone considering this model year may want to ask for power steering and airbag repair records, and check the steering for leaks or noise and the airbag warning light at startup. Confirm whether any bulletin or sensor work has been done, since power steering and airbag topics are the most reported in these complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 51 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.