NHTSA Complaint #10224813 — 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

I STARTED TO HEAR A LOW ROAR (NOT UNLIKE TURNING THE STARTER WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING) COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VAN, USUALLY UPON STARTING, USUALLY INTERMITTENT, BUT SOMETIMES BRIEFLY WHILE DRIVING OR TURNING, AND SOMETIMES WHEN STARTING THE VAN, THE NOISE WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS A RACK AND PINION FAILURE, WITH FLUID LEAKING OUT, WHICH HE SAYS THEY WOULD NOT USUALLY SEE IN THIS "YOUNG" A VEHICLE. MILEAGE = 53,000. HE WANTED ME TO CALL THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OR IF THE REPAIR WOULD BE COVERED. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE AT ALL. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND NOW SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THIS VAN, AND CHRYSLER SHOULD OWN UP TO IT AND REPAIR. THIS VAN IS NOT EVEN FOUR YEARS OLD, HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT OR DRIVEN ABUSIVELY, AND THIS KIND OF A FAILURE MUST INDICATE A DEFECT IN DESIGN OR MATERIALS. I AM NOW LOOKING AT A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILL. *TR