2003 Chrysler Town AND Country: common problems

Owners of the 2003 Chrysler Town AND Country filed 245 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 245
involving a crash: 15

What fails most often

1 Steering 21% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
6 Visibility 7% of all complaints
7 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
8 Service brakes 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.

Steering: 52 complaints (21% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 40 complaints (16% of all).
Powertrain: 28 complaints (11% of all).
Air bags: 25 complaints (10% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 17 complaints (7% 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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD, AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 245 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

steering or power steering problems34 · 14%
knocking, grinding or other noise21 · 9%
warning lights, check engine21 · 9%
headlights and tail lights20 · 8%
stalls while driving18 · 7%
windows, sunroof14 · 6%
A/C or heater12 · 5%
seat belts12 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire12 · 5%
airbag warning light10 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Steering	52	5
Electrical system	40	0
Powertrain	28	0
Air bags	25	8
Engine and cooling	17	0
Visibility	17	0
Exterior lighting	16	0
Service brakes	15	0
Structure	15	1
Latches, locks, linkages	14	1
Fuel system	12	0
Equipment	11	0
Suspension	11	2
Seat belts	10	3

What owners report

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

The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the dealer stated that the air bag sensor was not activated. The contact stated that the air bag senor was never turned off. The manufacturer was not contacted.
Air bags · crash · 2012-05-22 · NHTSA complaint #10459310
Steering wheel loose, loud pop sound from steering column, loss of steering in vehicle. Vehicle still at dealership for repair.
Steering · crash · 2010-09-21 · NHTSA complaint #10356852
While driving 35 mph the contact lost steering power and control of the vehicle after driving on an icy patch on the highway. The contact tried to turn right into the direction of the skid but the steering wheel locked and it would not move.
Steering · crash · 2007-02-20 · NHTSA complaint #10183029
25 mph - all air bags failed to deploy - force was strong enough to break left front axel and upper control arm. Dealer notified of problem.
Air bags · crash · 2007-01-03 · NHTSA complaint #10177632
I was then thrown forward thru my seat belt and uptowards the windshield. He he me again (car jerked and I went back) seat broke - air bag never deployed. Have severe neck problems - torn disk in lower back - pain all down the right side of my body constantly - never sleep - seen doctors waiting for injections.
Air bags · crash · 2005-04-29 · NHTSA complaint #10118709
The force of the crash caused me, as driver, to come out of my seatbelt and I was thrown out the door which opened during the crash despite being locked. I was thrown to the pavement and injured.
Latches, locks, linkages · crash · 2004-11-09 · NHTSA complaint #10098513
Consumer's vehicle was involved in a collision, and it was discovered that the power steering column was defective. Consumer stated that she discovered a recall for this problem.
Steering · crash · 2004-08-13 · NHTSA complaint #10087898
My 2003 chrysler town and county was rear-ended by a semi with trailer. The driver's seatback broke and fell on the middle seat occupant. After crash was over, I had to unbuckle and grab seat and pull as hard as I could to get it off my nephew.
Seats · crash · 2004-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #10080696

When owners complained

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

20022
200317
200439
200531
200620
200725
200821
200913
201022
201113
201210
20137
20148
20153
20165
20171
20181
20192
20211
20231
20241
20252

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,656 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 5% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town AND Country has 366 complaints (37 years in the data). This year has 245, below average.

What to check before buying

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

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chrysler Town AND Country?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 245. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (14%), knocking, grinding or other noise (9%), warning lights, check engine (9%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 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 2003 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 2003 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.