2008 Chrysler Town AND Country: common problems

Owners of the 2008 Chrysler Town AND Country filed 1,939 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 1,939
involving a crash: 29

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 64% of all complaints
2 Air bags 19% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
4 Engine 11% of all complaints
5 Steering 5% of all complaints
6 Visibility 3% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
8 Exterior lighting 3% 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: 1,242 complaints (64% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Air bags: 375 complaints (19% of all), 11 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 318 complaints (16% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine: 204 complaints (11% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Steering: 95 complaints (5% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

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

3.3 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 5 complaints
4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
automatic, 6-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 1,939 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

stalls while driving271 · 14%
warning lights, check engine143 · 7%
won't start96 · 5%
steering or power steering problems88 · 5%
A/C or heater65 · 3%
smoke, burning smell, fire65 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise62 · 3%
headlights and tail lights54 · 3%
infotainment or screen glitches52 · 3%
windows, sunroof43 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Electrical system	1,242	9
Air bags	375	11
Service brakes	318	6
Engine	204	6
Steering	95	5
Visibility	63	0
Powertrain	58	3
Exterior lighting	53	0
Structure	48	3
Engine and cooling	44	2
Electronic stability control	41	1
Tires	35	1
Vehicle speed control	34	2
Wheels	29	1

What owners report

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

T & C 2008 VAN UNINTENDED SUDDEN ACCELERATION happened 2x. Service dept. Of the dealer says no problem found but it happened again. Today I am at dealer service again.Hope they solve the problem, cause several incident like this occured aluready.04
Engine · crash · 2023-05-04 · NHTSA complaint #11520369
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the anti-theft alarm system, windshield wipers, and door locks were inadvertently activated. The contact had to disconnect the battery in order to correct the failure.
Electrical system · crash · 2022-03-01 · NHTSA complaint #11454709
I was belted in and didn't even touch the airbag, but the airbag shot flames out of the right side hole burning my arm like a blowtorch. I have photos of the injury and it's healing stage.
Air bags · crash · 2018-07-27 · NHTSA complaint #11114112
Airbags did not deploy in the crash. Van has been totaled by the insurance. Much front end damage; van flipped end for end braking windshield & both front drivers & passengers windows. Seat belts saved their lives, with injuries to body & heads. Van speed maybe 40 m.p.h. On highway & uphill on a curve.
Air bags · crash · 2017-07-22 · NHTSA complaint #11010112
The contact stated that the vehicle had a strong hesitation. The check engine warning light randomly illuminated and the vehicle stalled numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic twice who replaced the egr valve and vacuum line.
Electrical system · crash · 2016-06-17 · NHTSA complaint #10874822
I am thinking that caused a power surge, and now its going to cost me $2000 to fix it if not more. My problems now are: 1) misfire in cylinder 4 2) rough idle 3) accelerating slowly while rpm's are above 3000 4) stumbling while driving (shakes or vibrates really bad while in drive/ or putters) 5) esp/bas, traction…
Steering · crash · 2016-02-19 · NHTSA complaint #10837268
The van went straight to its side and I hit the door window and we continued to roll numerous times and then came to a stop on its side, my same side. During the crash and rollover the opposite passenger sliding door was partially ripped away. Two of the passengers were ejected from the van. No air bags deployed.
Air bags · crash · 2016-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #10822295
The van would stop at low speeds with loss of steering and braking power. No codes would be triggered, it was as if the ignition was just turned off while driving. The electrical power would still be on like the radio and instrumentation panel but the steering and braking would tighten up; very scary feeling.
Electrical system · crash · 2015-09-08 · NHTSA complaint #10762206

When owners complained

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

20071
200832
200986
2010130
2011107
2012107
201375
2014263
2015686
2016230
201760
201841
201943
202029
202122
202213
20239
20241
20251
20263

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 44 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 1% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Town AND Country has 366 complaints (37 years in the data). This year has 1,939, 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.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chrysler Town AND Country?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 1,939. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (14%), warning lights, check engine (7%), won't start (5%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 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 2008 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 2008 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.