2001 Chrysler Town AND Country: common problems

Owners of the 2001 Chrysler Town AND Country filed 462 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 462
involving a crash: 15

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
2 Air bags 16% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
4 Steering 11% of all complaints
5 Visibility 9% of all complaints
6 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
7 Suspension 6% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 73 complaints (16% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 72 complaints (16% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 69 complaints (15% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 52 complaints (11% of all).
Visibility: 41 complaints (9% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 5 complaints
automatic, 3-speed
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 462 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine48 · 10%
windows, sunroof44 · 10%
A/C or heater36 · 8%
steering or power steering problems34 · 7%
airbag warning light32 · 7%
knocking, grinding or other noise28 · 6%
headlights and tail lights27 · 6%
seat belts26 · 6%
infotainment or screen glitches23 · 5%
rust, corrosion22 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	73	2
Air bags	72	6
Powertrain	69	3
Steering	52	0
Visibility	41	0
Service brakes	33	2
Suspension	29	0
Exterior lighting	28	0
Engine and cooling	24	0
Seat belts	23	1
Equipment	22	0
Structure	21	0
Latches, locks, linkages	19	0
Fuel system	17	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Brake lines rusting. I had a 94 van that was totaled because the brake lines burst during a panic stop. My son was driving the van and a truck went through a red light. My son slammed on the brakes and nothing. The pedal went to the floor; the van rolled down a ravine into a guard rail and totaled the van.
Service brakes · crash · 2009-10-01 · NHTSA complaint #10285987
My 2001 t&c was parked in my driveway when I decided to crank it to ge the air conditioning going while I went to shut the gate to our yard. When I turned around the car was going down the driveway with the driver's side door still open. The van didn't stop until it ran over the neighbor's fence and got caught in it.
Powertrain · crash · 2007-03-30 · NHTSA complaint #10186578
I later notified the auto maker corporation and was informed that the reason the airbags did not deploy was due to the fact that there wasn't enough force to damage the vehicles frame...(?)
Air bags · crash · 2005-08-11 · NHTSA complaint #10132325
The air bags did not deploy. I reported the incident to chrysler. They sent an investigator in to inspect the system before repairs commenced. The investigator advised my vehicle was not in the air bag recall. He further stated there was nothing wrong with the sensors or air bag system.
Air bags · crash · 2004-11-20 · NHTSA complaint #10100264
When putting the vehicle in reverse it accelerated, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and hit a parked vehicle. Consumer took vehicle to the dealership for inspection, and mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2004-04-28 · NHTSA complaint #10071742
We have had numerous intermittent electrical problems(tachometer quits,window wont roll up,heated seat quit working,rear window wiper quit)then on 9-13-02 the transmission failed twice within a few minutes time, the second time resulted in a car accident with injuries.
Electrical system · crash · 2002-10-22 · NHTSA complaint #768244
Another vehicle was traveling at 45 mph and rear ended consumer.'s vehicle. Consumer driver's side seatback collapsed on impact. Consumer suffered from neck and leg injuries. Please provide any further information.
Seats · crash · 2002-06-10 · NHTSA complaint #8011357
Airbags did not deploy during a six car pile up, our vehicle was the fifth, we rear ended the vehicle in front of us and then we were rear ended by the vehicle behind us. Despite wearing seatbelts the passenger hit the windshield because the air bag did not deploy on impact.
Air bags · crash · 2001-08-02 · NHTSA complaint #749519

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20001
200132
200245
200350
200472
200561
200646
200722
200822
200927
201017
201117
20127
20137
201410
201510
20165
20178
20182
20201
20211

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 824 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town AND Country has 366 complaints (37 years in the data). This year has 462, above average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Chrysler Town AND Country?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, powertrain. Total complaints: 462. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (10%), windows, sunroof (10%), A/C or heater (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Chrysler Town AND Country?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2001 Chrysler Town AND Country from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2001 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.