NHTSA Complaint #10368750 — 2000 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

AFTER GETTING CAUGHT IN AN EARLY EVENING'S THUNDERSTORM, I ATTEMPTED A REGULAR, RIGHT TURN OFF US 34 TOWARD OUR SUBDIVISION. OUR 2000 CHRYSLER MINI VAN LOST POWER STEERING DURING THE TURN. I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP COMPLETELY WITH IN MY LANE. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS IN THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANE. AFTER REGAINING MY COMPOSURE, I DECIDING IT WAS OK TO "LIMP" HOME WITH THE VAN, THROUGH THE SUBDIVISION. I NOTICED A LOT OF THE DASH LIGHTS WERE TRIGGERED, WHICH INDICATED TO ME THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NO LONGER WORKING FOR THE FINAL COUPLE OF BLOCKS. THIS AFFECTED THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND SLOWED THE WIPER SPEED. THIS ALSO AFFECTED THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THAT PREVENTED THE DEFOGGER FROM WORKING PROPERLY. ONCE AT HOME, I FOUND THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD COME OFF. IN ANOTHER MOMENT OF TIME, THE BELT'S COMING OFF MIGHT HAVE EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN MORE DISASTER. CONSULTING THE AUTO REPAIR PLACE, (WHICH HAD REPLACED THE SAME BELT IN JUNE), I HAD THE VAN TOWED IN, WHERE A NEW BELT WAS INSTALLED. NOTHING ELSE WAS FOUND AMISS IN THE SYSTEM. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS THE RAIN OR A PARTICULAR PUDDLE HAD THE EFFECT OF CAUSING THE WET BELT TO SLIP OFF DURING THE TURN. AND IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR "WET BELT" ISSUES FROM MY VAN'S MANUFACTURER. NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH THE VAN FOR FEAR OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN WITH WORSE CONSEQUENCES.