2007 Chrysler Town And Country Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2007 Chrysler Town & Country most often describe the engine cutting out shortly after refueling, usually within a mile or two of leaving the station, with steering and braking assist lost while the van coasts. Electrical problems are the second recurring theme: melted map and dome light sockets, erratic turn signals, and intermittent gauge or stalling behavior. Brake wear, loose tie rods, and a balky power sliding door also come up, typically from a few tens of thousands of miles upward.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Engine stalls shortly after refueling

   • 61 complaints (28%)
   • median 86,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • filed 2010–2020

   Owners describe the van sputtering or cutting out within a mile or two of filling the tank, often while pulling out of the station, turning at an intersection, or merging onto a highway. Power steering and power brakes go away with the engine, and many say it restarted normally after a few moments or after shifting to park. Some complaints attribute it to a valve in the fuel tank that lets liquid fuel into the vapor line, and several note the dealer could not diagnose the problem; others were told the fuel pump needed replacing, which did not resolve it. Reported across a wide mileage range, roughly 30,000 to 150,000 miles, and tied to filling the tank to the automatic shut-off rather than to a particular season.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: After filling the tank to the automatic shut-off, drive a short distance with stops and slow turns to see whether the engine falters. Ask whether the fuel tank, its internal valves, or the fuel pump have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After refueling the van, the engine stalls and we loose power steering and brakes. It usually happens with in a mile of the gas station. It sputters at other times and looses power. We have changed the fuel pump but that has not resolved the issue. After doing some on line investigation it seems to have been going on with many other customers for an extended period of time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10637804, filed 2014-09, 97,000 miles

   “After filling my gandmothers gas tank on her 2007 Town And Country we pulled onto the street and the whole car stalled out and I lost control of my steering wheel and breaks. If it hadn't been for quick reaction time on my part. We would have been in a collision. It's never had a problem before. In order to gain control back I had to throw the van in park and then it restarted and drove with no problem home.”

   NHTSA complaint #10836300, filed 2016-02, 85,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Map and dome light sockets melt or burn

   Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report that the overhead map, dome, and courtesy lights stop working, and on removing the bulb they find the socket scorched, warped, or melted, with a burning smell in some cases. Several describe the bulb contacts blackened and the housing damaged. According to complaints, dealers described the melting as a common occurrence and in one case replaced the assembly at the owner's expense. Mostly reported between roughly 45,000 and 135,000 miles, often noticed when a bulb needed replacing rather than at a specific season.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look inside the overhead console and map light housings for discolored or deformed plastic, and check that all interior lamps work. Ask whether any light assemblies have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Inside of the dome drivers and passengers dome lights melted (apparently from heat of bulbs) and shorted bulbs. Loss of light is inconvenience/hazard....but it appears to be hot enough to cause fire or other electrical problem(s). This problem seems to have been reported multiple times by other owners.”

   NHTSA complaint #10783358, filed 2015-10, 47,000 miles

   “The driver's side map light is out. Went to replace the bulb and found that the bulb, socket and area the socket goes into was melted. Dealer says it is a common occurrence. $300 to replace. Read on line several other owners with the same experience but I do not see a recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10557108, filed 2013-12, 76,000 miles
3. 3
   Steering

   Loose or noisy front tie rods and steering rack

   • 14 complaints (6%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2016

   Owners describe the front end shaking or the wheel vibrating at highway speed, and mechanics identifying a loose tie rod or a worn rack and pinion. Some complaints say a tie rod was replaced and the problem returned, in one case repeatedly. Others describe whining or rattling noises from the front end that persisted after a steering repair, with struts and ball joints also identified. Reported from about 23,000 to 140,000 miles, with several cases in the 45,000 to 60,000 mile range.

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and listen for whine or rattle over bumps, and ask for the front tie rods, ball joints, and rack to be inspected on a lift before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2007 Chrysler Town And Country with 48k miles on it notice whinning noise from front end sounded like power steering as well as a rattling noise coming from under the front end when driving also a noise that sounded like a one driving over rumble strips on the road when you turned left took to independent mechanic and was informed that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10380162, filed 2011-02, 48,097 miles

   “The contact owns a 2007 Chrysler Town And Country. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the steering wheel seized. The failure occurred on seven occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Updated 11/14/14”

   NHTSA complaint #10628222, filed 2014-08, 140,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Power sliding door and latch faults

   • 26 complaints (12%)
   • median 68,440 mi at 5.7 yrs old (24 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2021

   Owners report the power sliding door failing to open from the inside or outside, sticking partway through its cycle, or opening on its own while the van is moving in reverse. Some complaints attribute this to wires breaking inside the door harness, and one describes the door latch assembly failing on the rear passenger door. Repairs described include splicing the harness as a temporary fix and replacing the latch assembly. Reported from about 20,000 to 110,000 miles, with no clear seasonal pattern.

   What to check: Cycle both sliding doors several times from the inside and outside handles and the remote, listen for the motor straining, and check the door harness routing at the hinge for chafed or spliced wires.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Power sliding passenger doors stop working due to wires inside wire harness breaking. Splicing the wires back together is only a temp. Fix additionally rust has developed at the bottom of the sliding doors. Additionally, I am not able to lock the passenger sliding door on the passenger side.”

   NHTSA complaint #11073487, filed 2018-02, 110,000 miles

   “The passenger side sliding door will not open from the inside. The electric door release won't work and now the manual door release won't work. People are trapped inside. Only way out, is to open it from the outside to release the people inside.”

   NHTSA complaint #10444006, filed 2012-01, 20,500 miles
5. 5
   Brakes

   Premature front brake pad and rotor wear

   • 19 complaints (9%)
   • median 29,090 mi at 3.4 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2021

   Owners report front pads and rotors wearing out well before expected, with some complaints describing grinding and metal-on-metal contact at low mileage. Several say there was little or no audible wear warning before the grinding started. According to complaints, dealers characterized the wear as normal maintenance rather than a fault; one later complaint describes the brake pedal going to the floor along with worn pads and rotors. Several complaints are under 30,000 miles, with others in the 30,000 to 50,000 mile range; the brake pedal complaint was filed at about 36,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Have the front pads and rotors measured rather than judged by appearance, and check pedal firmness and the brake fluid level during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We have a 2007 Chrysler town & country with 21,000 miles. Front brake pads and rotors have premature wear. Have to have replaced because they are at 3mm. Chrysler sts 'normal maintenance'...I've never had to replace brakes on a leased vehicle! Anyone else with this issue?”

   NHTSA complaint #10245029, filed 2008-10, 21,000 miles

   “2007 Chrysler Town And Country driver's side front brake had unusually fast wear and gave no audio warning of low pad material. I took my '07 t&c with 28,180 miles into Chrysler dealer with grinding sound coming from driver's side wheel when applying brakes. Diagnosis reveal rotor grind thru and must replace front pads and rotors. 3 things unusual: 1. Out of 6 new cars I've owned and driven in the same fashion, this Chrysler's brakes worn out unusually fast compared with the others. 2. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10351370, filed 2010-08, 28,180 miles

Buying note. A test drive that includes a fill-up and a few slow stops is worth doing, since the post-refueling stall is the most common complaint and does not show up on a short drive. Beyond that, budget for a front brake and steering inspection and check the interior light housings and sliding doors for the wear owners describe.

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.