The contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Town and country. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph in rainy weather when the steering wheel became abnormally stiff and difficult to turn. The defroster also failed and the contact experienced an increase in stopping distance when applying the brakes. The vehicle was pulled over and the contact noticed that the serpentine belt was detached. The contact reattached the serpentine belt and continued driving. The failure recurred 3 times and only when driving in rainy weather. After each failure, the contact would reattach the serpentine belt himself. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or the vehicle repaired. The failure mileage was 185,000 and the current mileage was 187,000.

- Harrison Township, MI, USA

I have 1997 Dodge Town and country van and every time it rains the serpentine belt pops off. Dodge told me that this is a known problem and there is no sure way of resolving it. This is very dangerous because there is no power steering once the belts pops off.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

When driving, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle has been to the dealer on six occasions.

- Kansas City, KS, USA

The most recent brake failure was the most potentially deadly. Without warning, we had total brake failure due to rear wheel cylinders seizing up. We contacted Chrysler, offered to send them the defective parts. After numerous calls to customer service and the recall center, we were told Chrysler was not interested. Chrysler contacts were very rude. We pulled up a recall from NHTSA id number 96V215000. Our concern was the remark in the corrective summary. The master cylinders in 1997 minivans made in St. Louis were defective. Our minivan was manufactured in St. Louis. According to Chrysler recall center, the recall was on vehicles with traction control. We have traction control. People at customer service will not talk to us about the recall notice to help us. Our van is handicap accessible. Safety for our family and out disabled son is of utmost concern. Since Chrysler is no help, who is?

- Highland Park, IL, USA

Somewhere between 82,000 & 86,000 miles, my engine began making a ticking sound. Since I was due for an oil change, I took the van in to a nearby shop for an oil change. The first thing the mechanic called me about was an oil leak...he thought the head gasket was blown and was calling for my authorization. When he removed the valve cover, he called back to inform me that I had a broken head. Somehow, one of the stanchions that holds the rocker arm assembly had broken off and the rocker arm next to that stanchion was loose and causing the clicking sound. Neither he nor I had never heard of that type of part failure and I went to the shop to see what he had found. The stanchion was broken through about 1/4 inch below the rocker arm. In my mind, since a head is a solid block of cast aluminum, this was not a part that should wear out or have to be replaced. The engine had never overheated, et cetera. In quoting the repair estimate, the mechanic informed me that since the head was broken, in addition to the cost of purchasing a reconditioned head, I would also have to pay a $200 core charge since my broken head could not be exchanged and reconditioned. To my way of thinking, since the head shouldn't have broken in such a manner anyway, the core charge was unfair. My belief was that this is either a casting or design flaw and regardless of the fact that I was 16,000 miles over the warranty, this type of breakage should not have happened. I then went to the Dodge dealership service department to see if Chrysler Corp. Was helping consumers with this type of problem. He then put me in touch with the service manager. I learned a few more things from the service manager. First, since my vehicle was out of warranty, he was certain that Chrysler would not help in any way with the repairs. When they recondition the heads, they now insert a shaft through the stanchions to provide additional strength to prevent these breaks.

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

While turning/braking vehicle stalled and lost power. The consumer managed to pull over.

- Glen Ellyn, IL, USA

While driving heard a strange noise, and temperature gauge went to hot, and lost all power. Consumer managed to get to side of road. Consumer felt that on highway there may have been an accident. Dealer has put four belts on vehicle, and problem still remained. Consumer states each time belt fails that brakes fail and steering is hard, consumer was told by 2 mechanics that this year and model vehicle is noted for this problem.

- Brownsville, TN, USA