NHTSA Complaint #10054368 — 2001 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE@ 46,500 MILES IN 2001 CHRYS TOWN & COUNTRY: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON STEADY; DLR SAID DIAGNOSTICS INDICATE TYRANNY OVERHEATING; CHANGED OIL & FILTER. LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ONE DAY LATER; DEALER REPLACED TYRANNY SOLENOID PKG FOR $350. ONE WEEK LATER, WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAR BUCKED UPON STOPPING @ END OF H'WY OFF-RAMP & BRIEFLY REFUSED TO MOVE IN ANY FWD GEAR. TOOK TO DEALER WHO KEPT IT TWO DAYS BUT SAID NFF, COULDN'T DUPLICATE SYMPTOM. 2-3 DAYS LATER TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A TURNPIKE TRIP. WHILE CRUISING @ SPEED LIMIT UNDER CRUISE CONTROL, VEHICLE BUCKED & WENT INTO "LIMP-MODE" AS EVIDENCED BY TACH MOVING FROM 2K TO 3K RPM. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD; VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR(NO CHK ENGINE LIGHT). HAD CAR TOWED 85 MILES TO SAME DEALER (SOUTH HILLS CHRYSLER-JEEP) IN PETERS TWP, PA. HAD TO FIGHT HARD WITH DLR AND WITH DAIMLER CHRYS CUST SVC, BUT DEALER REPLACED TYRANNY; WE PD $1100. POOR QUALITY AND POORER DEALER SERVICE INTEGRITY. WE WERE HAPPY TO GET CONCESSIONS, BUT THE BAD TASTE REMAINS. SEEMS MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR WIDESPREAD EXPERIENCES. OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEM SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: CONTINUING "STEERING SHUDDER" WITH NO CAUSE, AUTO REAR LIFT GATE WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE AUTOMATICALLY WITH NO FIX AFTER MULTIPLE TRIPS & COMPLAINTS AND TOO-EASILY-WARPED FRONT ROTORS THAT CAUSE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATION. LETTER WAS WRITTEN TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE IN AUBURN HILLS COMPLAINING ABOUT EXCESSIVE COST OF SOLENOID REPLACEMENT AND POOR SERVICE/TREATMENT BY DEALER. BITTER VERBAL COMPLAINTS WERE MADE TO THE DEALER SERVICE MGR AND THE GENERAL MGR AS WELL. CUSTOMER SERVICE DID ASSIST MEDIATION OF THE TYRANNY PROBLEM AND DID OFFER A CONCESSION ON THE COST OF THE SOLENOID. WE HAVE NOT YET REC'D THE MONETARY REFUND PROMISED, BUT IT'S BEEN ONLY THREE WEEKS. *CB