NHTSA Complaint #11421659 — 2015 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2014, (IT WAS THE 6TH CHRYSLER MINIVAN I'VE OWNED SINCE 1995.) I LOVE THESE MINVANS! THIS ONE HAS HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH CYLINDER #3 MISFIRING AND CAUSING VIOLENT SHAKING (AS IF IT HAD A BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT). THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIAGNOSED AND EVENTUALLY "FIXED" BY THREE DIFFERENT CHRYSLER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IN NC, FL & VA.(THE PROBLEM OCCURED ON VARIOUS TRIPS). IT WAS USUALLY DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. MOST RECENTLY IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SPARK PLUG FAILURE DUE TO A TINY CRACK IN THE INSULATION. THEY INSTALLED A NEW SPARK PLUG, AND AFTER LEAVING DEALERSHIP AND DRIVING NO MORE THAN 20 MILES, VIOLENT SHAKING OCCURED AGAIN. I IMMEDIATLEY RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS TIME #3 SPARK PLUG HAD "EXPLODED" AND CAUSED THE CYLINDER HEAD TO CRACK. ALL PREVIOUS REPAIRS WERE COVERED BY THE "LIFETIME" WARRANTY PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE IN 2014. HOWEVER THIS TIME, CHRYSLER INSURANCE SENT AN INVESTIGATOR WHO DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE EXPLODING SPARK PLUG AND THEREFORE DENIED COVERAGE. THE CHRYSLER SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE "PCM" FAILED, CAUSING THE SPARK PLUG FAILURE. THE INSURANCE AGENT CONTINUES TO DENY THE CLAIM BECAUSE THEIR POLICY "DOES NOT COVER SPARK PLUG PROBLEMS" ! THEY NOW WANT ME TO PAY $2500 FOR REPAIRS. IN ALL CASES, THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND I WOULD RETURN TO A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THEIR COMPUTER CHECK ALWAYS DEFINED THE PROBLEM AS BEING SOMETHING IN CYLINDER #3, BUT INCONCLUSIVE BECAUSE OF NO OBVIOUS ENGINE SYMPTOMS. THEY WOULD RESET THE ENGINE LIGHT AND SEND ME ON MY WAY UNTIL AN ACTUAL PROBLEM OCCURED, AND THEN LEAVE THE VEHICLE FOR MORE DETAILED CHECKING. EACH TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND USUALLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON I-95...A DANGEROUS TIME AND PLACE FOR ENGINE PROBLEMS TO OCCUR. PLEASE NOTE THAT EVERY PROBLEM WE'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH CYLINDER #3 "MISFIRING". IS THERE A PROBLEM HERE?