2004 Chrysler Town & Country Engine Problems

AFTER EVERY FUEL FILL THE VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH OR STALLS. MOST TIMES FOR THE FIRST MILE THEN CLEARS UP. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PULL OUT IN TRAFFIC AFTER FILLING THE TANK.

ENGINE STALLED AFTER REFUELING. THIS CAUSED MY WIFE TO PANIC WITH 4 KIDS IN THE VAN, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO RESTART ON A BUSY ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. *TR

FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS (SINCE 2009), MY 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN WANTS TO DIE SOON AFTER EVERY TIME THAT IS FILLED WITH GAS (NO MATTER THE OCTANE TYPE). THE PROBLEM MOST TYPICALLY RESOLVES ITSELF AFTER 5 MINUTES OR SO, BUT IN THE INTERIM THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS AS THE VAN LOSES FUNCTION WITH THE POWER TRYING TO DIE. I HAVE ENDED UP LEARNING TO DRIVE WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND COAST WHILE REVVING THE VAN. OR BETTER YET AT A STOP LIGHT RACE THE ENGINE WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL (I SEE NOTHING BAD THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH THIS SOLUTION!!). FOR THE MOST PART THE CAR IS USED ONLY WHEN NEEDED ANYMORE AS WE ARE TERRIFIED OF FILLING THE CAR UP. WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE IT PART TIME BUT SOME PEOPLE AREN'T SO FORTUNATE AND THIS IS A CAR THAT DRIVES MANY FAMILIES. IT IS DEPLORABLE TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND YET NO ONE CHOOSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DESIGN FLAW OF THE VAPOR/LIQUID VALVE. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED! *TR

THIS VEHICLE STALLS AFTER REFUELING. I GOOGLE THE PROBLEM AND I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM ALL HAVING CHRYSLER/DODGE VEHICLES. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AS THE VEHICLES TEND TO RANDOMLY STALL AFTER REFUELING. SEVERAL MECHANICS POSTED THE CAUSE AS BEING A DEFECTIVE VALUE ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE POSTS. SHOPS ARE REPORTING A PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANK ON DODGE CARAVAN, GRAND CARAVAN, PLYMOUTH VOYAGER, AND TOWN AND COUNTRY VANS. SHORTLY AFTER REFUELING, DRIVERS EXPERIENCE ENGINE STALLING. THE STALLING MAY REPEAT SEVERAL TIMES. THE PROBLEM IS THE VAPOR/LIQUID SEPARATOR VALVE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THE VALVE IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT LIQUID FUEL FROM ENTERING THE CHARCOAL CANISTER/EMISSIONS SYSTEM. WHEN THE VALVE FAILS, LIQUID GAS CAN ENTER THE LINE AND FILL THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. AFTER REFUELING THE PCM ON THE VEHICLE DETECTS A CHANGE IN FUEL LEVEL. THEN, WHEN THE ENGINE MEETS CERTAIN TEMPERATURE AND DRIVING CRITERIA, THE PCM ISSUES A PURGE COMMAND TO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER TO REMOVE THE STORED GAS VAPORS. IT?S AT THAT POINT THAT ALL THE LIQUID GAS IN THE LINE GETS SUCKED INTO THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. THE PCM EXPECTS TO SEE GAS VAPORS ENTERING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND IT IS PREPARED TO ADJUST AIR/FUEL MIXTURES TO COMPENSATE. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT PREPARED TO SEE LIQUID GAS COMING INTO THE INTAKE. THAT?S WHAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE GAS TANK. CHRYSLER DOES NOT SELL THE VAPOR/LIQUID VALVE AS A SEPARATE UNIT. ONCE THE TANK IS REPLACED AND THE CHARCOAL CANISTER PURGED, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY.

AFTER FILLING MY 2004 T&C MINI VAN WITH GAS, I PULLED OUT ONTO THE STREET AND DROVE LESS THAN 2 BLOCKS WHEN TURNING A CORNER I LOST ALL POWER WHEN THE ENGINE DIED SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT STEER VERY WELL AND WAS ALMOST HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAD TO STOP PUT IN PARK AND ABLE TO START AND DRIVE AWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS ADVISED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE OIL HAD BECOME TOO HOT AND WAS CLOGGING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

MY VAN COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AFTER I FILLED THE TANK WITH GAS. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEND BUT I HAD NO POWER TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND TRY TO RESTART IT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT STARTED AGAIN. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM EVERY TIME I FILL THE TANK, FROM ANY LEVEL OF GAS. IF I CAN LEAVE THE GAS STATION AND TRAVEL TO .7 MILES WITH CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL, IT SOMETIMES WON'T DIE. IF I HAVE TO BRAKE, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY CHOKES OUT. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO FILL IT TO SEE IT HAPPEN AND THEY WEREN'T GOING TO DO THAT. FINALLY AFTER A YEAR OF THIS PROBLEM AND A MULTITUDE OF OTHERS, I CALLED CHRYSLER USA AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN, I HAD A MANAGER AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEER TO RIDE WITH ME TO SEE IT HAPPEN. SURE ENOUGH IT DID AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK AND FUEL LINE...... *JS

AFTER REFILLING THE TANK AT ANY GAS STATION AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT RUNS ROUGH AND STALLS. THE STALL CAN OCCUR ANYTIME FROM RIGHT AFTER THE ENGINE RESTART OR UP TO 5 MINUTES AFTER RESTART. THE CAR HAS STALLED IN THE GAS STATION ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE FIRST NOTICED IN DEC 2010 AND SEVERAL TIMES ON THE ROAD IN TRAFFIC. A WEB SEARCH INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN APPARENT ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLES FUEL TANK AND "PURGE" VALVE. I FOUND DOZENS & DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS. THIS SEEMS TO FIT INTO A SAFETY RECALL CATEGORY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE

ENGINE STALLS EACH TIME THE FUEL TANK IS FILLED. THIS HAPPENS ONLY ONCE PER FILL UP AND ONLY AFTER LEAVING THE FUEL STATION AND ENTERING THE ADJACENT ROADWAY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AS THERE IS NO WARNING AND NO POWER TO STEER AND PULL OFF THE ROAD TO RE-START. RE-STARTING CAN TAKE A WHILE TO ACHIEVE IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT APPARENTLY REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK? WHY IS CHRYSLER NOT REQUIRED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AS IT IS A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS FAILURE? *KB

SPURIOUS ENGINE FAILURES. HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES IN PAST YEAR. ENGINE LOSES POWER (CHUGS) THEN QUITS COMPLETELY. NO PROBLEM RESTARTING ENGINE AND CONTINUING. DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *TR

THE 2004 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, ESPECIALLY IN IDLE. THE ODOMETER READING WAS 37,500, THE VEHICLE WAS 3.5 YEARS. OLD, AND IT HAS A 3.8 LITER ENGINE. A CHRYSLER DEALER RAN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND DETERMINED THAT NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES WERE NEEDED. ALSO, SOME COMPUTER CODES MAY NEED TO BE RESET. COST WOULD BE $350. I BOUGHT THE PARTS AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF. I REPLACED MANY SPARK PLUGS IN THE OLD DAYS AND THESE WERE THE WORST LOOKING PLUGS I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE TIPS OF THE ELECTRODES WERE SEVERELY ROUNDED OFF ON ALL 6 PLUGS. I OWNED CHRYSLER/PLYMOUTH MINIVANS SINCE 1984 AND ONLY REMEMBER REPLACING SPARK PLUGS ONCE, AND PROBABLY @ A HIGH MILEAGE. CHAMPION WARRANTS THEIR PLATINUM PLUGS FOR 5 YEARS. CHRYSLER'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE SAYS TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES @ "100,000 MILES". SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG WITH THIS ENGINE. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR LESS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY HESITATION OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE DEALER DETERMINED A SPARK PLUG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM RETURNED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF ALL SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG BOOTS, AND THE IGNITION. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS A FAULTY EGR VALVE. OTHER PEOPLE TO WHOM THE CONTACT SPOKE TO HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE CHRYSLER 3.3 LITRE ENGINE. THE CONTACT HAS TO PAY $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE EVERY TIME THAT VEHICLE IS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. UPDATED ON 06/01/2006. *AK *TS

I HAVE A 2004 AWD CHRYSLER PACIFICA WITH ABOUT 25K MILES. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO START IT UP REGULARLY AND CONSISTENTLY SINCE EARLY JULY 2005. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 5X TO HAVE PROBLEM FIXED. FIRST TIME COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM SO THEY TIGHTENED NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. 2ND TIME NO CODES FOUND, NO PROBLEM FOUND. 3RD TIME DUPLICATED PROBLEM, BUT NO SOLUTION. 4TH TIME CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, SENT BACK WITH A RECORDER TO RECORD CAR OVER THE WEEKEND. 5TH TIME REPLACED POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM CAR BACK AGAIN. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLD. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT CUT OFF. ONCE THE VEHICLE GETS GOING IT WILL RUN A LITTLE, THEN IT WILL CUT OFF AGAIN. CONSUMER STATED THAT UPON APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT OR ANY KIND OF STOP VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF. *AK

HAS VARYING IDLE AND POOR GAS MILEAGE SINCE 5000 MILES. CHRYSLER DENIES THIS IS A PROBLEM, HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. VEHICLE WILLL IDLE FROM 500 - 750 RPM IN DRIVE WITH A NOTICIBLE MISS. *AK