2008 Chrysler Town & Country Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, steam was coming from the radiator. The temperature gauge failed to indicate that the engine had overheated. The contact pulled over and discovered that the coolant had leaked out. The contact added water to the coolant reservoir and then drove the vehicle to the residence where the coolant hose was replaced. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that he needed pay for a diagnostic test to determine the cause of the temperature gauge failure to indicate that the engine had overheated. The temperature gauge was not replaced. The failure mileage was 59,000.

Unknown. Vehicle abruptly shuts off. Usually before full operating temperature is reached. It has happened dozens of times. It most recently happened today. Always when you remove your foot from the throttle at lower speeds. You can watch the tach go to 0 when your foot comes off. No warning, no consistency. It has never occurred while accelerating. Most events happened going around a curve, occasionally while slowing to turn into a lot or at an intersection. No problem at highway speeds. The most challenging time though is taking your foot off the gas going around a curve and it quits. Response is to rapidly slip the transmission into neutral and turn the key to start. It usually fires right back up. If you have no situational awareness however this could lead to a really bad outcome. This has been going on for over 100,000 miles. Have 192 now but the problem is getting worse. Dealers always have codes but nothing worked. Once a crankshaft sensor was replaced (On a suspicion) but no code for it. It helped a while but the problem has returned. Still no code for that sensor but I’m having it replaced again.

The vehicle died while driving six times. One additional time the vehicle died after being stopped at home. Each time the vehicle lost all power functions, steering and breaking. It just came to a stop, dead. On two of the occurrences a tow was required to move the vehicle to the dealership for repair. On five of the occurrences the driver was able to restart the vehicle. On three occasions the vehicle was evaluated by repair facilities and they could not reproduce the stoppage. One time at QualTech Automotive Service in Austin and two times at Nyle Maxwell in Austin. The vehicle did pass the Texas Safety inspection in November 2021. The stoppage problem occurred over the last nine months with the latest stoppage being on 12/23/21.

CAR ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHEN IN DRIVE. DRIVES FINE, WHEN I STOP AT LIGHT OR GO VERY SLOW IT JUST SHUTS DOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED WATER AND COOLANT, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CONTINUALLY TOP OFF THE FLUIDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V611000 (EQUIPMENT) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GARBER CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOCATED AT 5330 BAY RD, SAGINAW, MI 48604, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF HER CHILD WHO WAS REGULARLY TRANSPORTED USING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 174,923.

THE ENGINE STALLS/SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS OCCURRED ABOUT 12 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 MONTHS, AND IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHEN DRIVING THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AND POWER STEERING IS LOST AND BRAKING BECOMES DIFFICULT. IT IS SOMEWHAT RANDOM BUT MORE PROMINENT ON COOLER AND HUMID DAYS. THE RECALL FOR THE BAD IGNITION KEY FOB SWITCH WAS COMPLETED 5 YEARS AGO AND SHOULD NOT BE THE ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VAN GETS FLASHING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD, THE ODOMETER STARTS TO BOUNCE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THEN THE VAN STALLS. IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AND AT A STOP SIGN

WHILE DRIVING IT SHUTS OFF.

OIL DRAIN PLUG & OIL PAN STRIPPED. IT CAUSE ENGINE OIL LEAK

THE VAN SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. MY KIDS MOTHER SAID THAT TWO TRACTOR TRAILER MISS THEM BY A HAIR PIN DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH IN VA. SHE HAD NO STEERING CONTROL AND BRAKES AT ALL. COULD NOT RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER SHE PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE CENTER LANE OF A THREE LANE HIGHWAY 95S . SHE VERY SCARE AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WAS GOING TO PLOW IN BACK OF HER OUR TWO KIDS. SHE HAD TO PUT THE GEAR SHIFT BACK IN PARK TO RESTART THE VAN. YOU EDUCATED PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS HAPPEN ALL ACROSS AMERICAN AND YOU LETTING PEOPLE PUT THERE LIFE IN DANGER ,WHY BECAUSE BIG CHRYSLER COMPANY RULES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THEN STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (MAC HAIK CHRYSLER/DODGE/JEEP IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST NINE TIMES THIS YEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. FURY MOTORS IN SOUTH SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA 55075 WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE SHUT OFF,

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (MCDONALD CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM -BIG RAPIDS, 14061 NORTHLAND DRIVE, BIG RAPIDS, MI 49307), BUT WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED DUE TO NO FAILURE CODES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL APPROXIMATELY EVERY TEN MINUTES AS THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUED TO DISPLAY EMPTY. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILURE IN INJECTOR NUMBER FOUR THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AFTER THE REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS HAVING A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER FOUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

OIL CONSUMPTION BEYOND NORMAL. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE AND FOUND A WIDE PROBLEM FOR CHRYSLER/JEEP MODEL YEARS UP THROUGH 2011 WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE. THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE VALVE GUIDES AND SEALS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO BE BURNED AT A FAR GREATER RATE THAN WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD WOULD SAY IS NORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION. WITH THIS ISSUE IT USES MORE THAN A QUART PER 1,000 MILES. DEALER HAS SAID THIS IS NORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION. SINCE THE GUIDES ARE DEFECTIVE ALONG WITH THE SEALS THIS IS CAUSING DRY START EVEN WITH LOW MILES! I AM METICULOUS WITH MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLES, DAILY DRIVEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES APPROX. 30 MILES DAILY. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED IN THE MORNINGS YOU CAN HEAR THE DRY START TO THE VALVE TRAIN. IT GOES AWAY AS SOON AS THE ENGINE IS RUNNING AND OIL IS CIRCULATING. HOWEVER YOU CAN HEAR THE VALVE TRAIN IS NOISIER THAN USUAL. I HAVE BEEN SERVICING VEHICLES FOR OVER 35 YEARS NOW BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND AS A HOBBYIST. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW TO THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. I PERSONALLY KNOW SOMEONE WHO RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE THEIR ENTIRE ENGINE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. EVEN THE SIMPLEST OF INTERNET SEARCHES TURNS THIS ISSUE UP. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WE WOULD LIKE THE DEALER TO ADDRESS THIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 182,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, LIGHT GRAY SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

STOPPED ON THE ROAD AND THEN CHECK ENCINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN WITH STOPPING WHILE IN THE MIDDLE DRIVING WOW SO DANGEROUS SOME WAS IS SERIOUSLY GOING TO GET HURT PULLED OVER THEN AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR I TRIED TO START AND AGAIN JUST STARTED WITH NO PROBLE BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON ....

MY 2008 TOWN & COUNTRY BURNS A LOT OF OIL. THERE ARE NO LEAKS OR WET SPOTS UNDER THE HOOD OR ON THE GROUND. I HAVE TO ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY 100 MILES. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT A MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL, OF THE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. KINDLY LOOK IN TO ISSUING A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU.