2001 Chrysler Town And Country Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Chrysler Town and Country most often describe electrical gremlins (windows, dash instruments, radios), an airbag warning light tied to the steering-wheel clockspring, and transmission failures that typically begin with the check engine light. Steering complaints cluster around stiff or momentarily locked power steering, often after a cold start, and several owners note their vehicles were not covered by recalls that applied to nearby model years.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering stiff or briefly locking

   • 48 complaints (10%)
   • median 50,000 mi at 6.1 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • filed 2002–2017

   Owners describe the steering wheel going stiff or locking for a few seconds, most often right after a cold start, then freeing up with a whine or groan. Some report it happening at low speed or at a stoplight and needing engine rpm to release, while others describe a noisy pump, leaking reservoir or a power steering hose that split. Dealers and shops replaced fluids, hoses, the rack and pinion or the entire power steering unit in various cases. Spread from about 12,000 to 141,000 miles, frequently noted on cold morning starts.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Start the van cold and turn the wheel lock to lock while listening for whine or groan, then check the power steering fluid level and look for seeping hoses; ask whether the pump, hoses or rack have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Steering wheel locks when engine is first turned on in morning. Slowly, with a bump or whirring noise, it finally (about 15 seconds) loosens up. However, and this has happened 4 times, as we drove about a mile and stopped at a light, it froze again and wheel would not turn until car moved about 20 ft with gas pedal engaged. If we sat there it would continue. Seems it needs the engine to do more than idle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10267869, filed 2009-05, 65,049 miles

   “After reading all the complaints on the 2001 Town And Country I decided to report my own as well. About 3 years ago I replaced my whole power steering unit. It began becoming stiff and impossible to turn mostly in the morning when is was a little cold...then it began at any start up and sometimes only when I was trying to make a right turn. I took it to my mechanic who replaced the fluid and it was fine for a short amount of time and then began doing the same thing. I took it back to my mechanic who then replaced the whole power steering unit. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10324175, filed 2010-04, 48,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light / clockspring failure

   • 71 complaints (15%)
   • median 72,400 mi at 5.8 yrs old (51 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2020

   Owners describe the airbag warning light coming on intermittently at first and then staying lit. In several cases the horn and cruise control stopped working at the same time, and owners who took the van in were told the clockspring in the steering column had failed. Complaints often note that a clockspring-related recall covered earlier or later model years but not this vehicle, and some owners were quoted repair costs themselves. Reported from roughly 26,000 to 145,000 miles, with many between 50,000 and 115,000 miles and no clear weather pattern.

   What to check: Turn the key and confirm the airbag light goes out after the bulb check; with the van running, test the horn and cruise control. Ask whether the clockspring has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The airbag light came on and stays on in my 2001 Chrysler town & country. At the same time, the cruise control became inoperable and the dashboard lights stopped working. When we took it to the dealer, we were told that the problems were all related to the onboard computer and that it could take thousands of dollars just to diagnose the problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10142721, filed 2005-11, 64,000 miles

   “The warning light for the air bags comes on when I start the vehicle and stays on while driving. About a week a go it would come on and then turn off in a minute or so but now the warning light stays on. I am wondering if there have been any recalls for these air bags, if the vehicle is safe, and what I should do. The vehicle has 49,067 miles.”

   NHTSA complaint #11004118, filed 2017-07, 49,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission failure or won't shift

   • 65 complaints (14%)
   • median 60,210 mi at 4.0 yrs old (42 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,600 (median of 15 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2016

   Owners report the check engine light appearing shortly before the transmission stopped driving the van, or the van holding high rpm without shifting. Several were told the transmission needed replacement or a rebuild, with quoted costs in the low thousands of dollars, and a few describe repeat failures after a rebuild. Others point to a transmission control module or solenoid pack as the failed part. Mostly reported between about 45,000 and 115,000 miles, several with regular servicing, including at highway speeds.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from cold through all gears, watching for delayed or harsh shifts and a lit check engine light; ask for transmission service records and whether the control module or solenoid pack has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2001 Chrysler t&c ex only has 52,000 miles on it. I do not tow or haul any heavy material with it, but yet I need a new tranmission costing $3,200.00. The check engine light came on and the next day it failed. I took it back to the dealer and was informed that 5 seperate things were wrong with the transmission. Since I was over the 36,000 miles it was not covered under warranty. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10049678, filed 2003-12, 52,600 miles

   “Transmission control module, driving down the road and the check engine light came on then, I noticed that the rpms were at 4000 and the transmission wasn't shifting. My husband put it on the computer and it said it was the TCM failure this is a dealer only part at 336.00 with a 125.00 core charge and then it has to be programmed by the dealer. At a cost of 45.00 if you get the part and install yourself . If the dealer does it, it runs between 700 and 800 dollars. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10247638, filed 2008-11, 114,920 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: windows, dash, radio

   • 79 complaints (17%)
   • median 66,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2018

   Owners report a broad mix of electrical trouble: power windows that go down but not back up, flickering or dead headlights, wipers and radio that quit and come back on their own, and dash clusters where speedometer and gauges stopped working. Some were told the dealer could not reproduce the fault, and others paid for a new instrument cluster. One complaint describes a radio that overheated and burned in hot weather. Reported from very low mileage (around 4,000) up past 110,000 miles, with several owners mentioning cooler or very hot weather.

   Recall 04V5310003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Cycle every window, the wipers, both headlight beams and the radio with the engine running, and check that all gauges read normally. Ask whether the radio has ever been replaced and whether the dash cluster has been rebuilt.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Many electrical problems, windows don't go up and down, radio and cd player does not work, fan on the heater does not come on at times, heated seats do not work, sliding door has come open while driving (very dangerous if you have kids). Popping noise in the front suspension. Still does it after being worked on.”

   NHTSA complaint #10172396, filed 2006-11, 95,000 miles

   “While driving headlights flickered intermittently. At times the headlights went out completely for a minute or two. This caused a distraction to the consumer's view during night hours. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10071987, filed 2004-05, 67,000 miles
5. 5
   Suspension

   Front end clunk or rattle over bumps

   • 19 complaints (4%)
   • median 60,221 mi at 5.7 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • filed 2001–2011

   Owners describe a constant knocking or clunking from the front end over bumps that persists after replacing sway bar links, tie rods, CV joints and struts. Some also report a popping noise and related steering or alignment work, and one owner noted the same complaint on other Chrysler minivans in the family. A separate complaint describes a cracking noise from the front end and asks about a lower control arm recall that did not include this vehicle. Mostly reported from about 57,000 to 115,000 miles, often after previous front-end repairs.

   Recall 01V152000

   What to check: Drive over speed bumps and uneven pavement at low speed and listen for clunks or pops; ask for front-end repair receipts and whether the lower control arm recall was ever performed for this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2001 Chrysler Town And Country. I have had it for 7 months. From the time I brought it home we heard a knocking/rattling noise in the front and the steering wheel was whining. We took it back where they supposedly replaced the alternator, water pump,both bushings and the rack and pinion. The noise was still there after, and the mechanic told us that it was a 500 mile break-in period. Then approximately 5 to 6 months later my heat goes out and still the previous problems from before are there. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10253691, filed 2009-01, 99,000 miles

   “Constant klunking from front end when ever going over bumps, have replace sway bars ,on both sides tie rods, cv joints ,everything has been replaced on this front end and still makes a klunking noise my sister had the same problem with her dodge grand caravan. Have talked to numerous people that own or have owned Chrysler minivans numerous years and makes and models, with the same problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10247637, filed 2008-11, 57,000 miles

Buying note. These vans are now old enough that condition and maintenance history matter more than model-year reputation, so ask for transmission and power steering service records and confirm the airbag warning light behaves normally on a cold start. Electrical faults and front-end noises are common and often need diagnosis rather than a single obvious part, so budget for inspection time before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.