This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Driver began to smell smoke while traveling with seat heater on. Driver's legs began to burn from the seat, and turned the seat heater off. Manufacturer was contacted.
Van purchased new in 7/99. Now has 30,000 miles on it and final payment is next month. In Dec. 02, drivers side heating element went out. In Feb. 03, passenger side went out. Noticed a small burn hole in seat, took it to dealer, they would order new elements, but we'd have to live with the hole. Feb 24, dropped son off at school, driving to work, kept smelling something. Looked over and smoke was coming out of the hole in the passenger seat. Pulled over, put it out with snow. Got to work, called the dealer, they told me to bring it in the next day!! when leaving work, seat motor kept running. Took it to the dealer immediately, asked them to pull the fuse so there would be no power to the seats. They said there was no way it disconnect the seats. When husband got home, he reached under the drivers seat and pulled the fuse. Took it in the next morning, said they would check it and order new element. One hour later they called and said they would have to order new seats for both driver and passenger side. That was 2/25/03. Today is 6/19/03, still not fixed. Dealer says they have passenger side seat but not the drivers side. It is still at factory. After 2 months of calling, they have said the factory shipped it out 6/17 and should be here in about 2 weeks. I refuse to let them put the passenger side in without the drivers side being fixed because I am afraid it will catch fire also. Chrysler customer assistance is no help what so ever. They refuse to give me the district reps number. The service dept at the dealer is no help, they just keep saying it is ordered. If it wasn't for the parts manager, we'd probably never get the seat at all. From the looks of the number of complaints on this site, these seats should have been recalled. This is only one of the problems I have had with this van and definitely will not be purchasing another Chrysler product. They do not stand behind their 5 star rating.
While driving to work, I smelled something burning. I looked over and my passenger side seat was smoking. I turned off my seat heaters and when I stopped the van, I noticed there was three holes in the front part of the seat. The heat coil had burned through.
Driver's seat on our 1999 Chrysler Town and country ignited as a result of the seat heater malfunctioning. It burnes a hole through the leather seat and singed my wife's pants.
Front seat heaters become uncomfortably hot. Unable to safely use heaters, afraid of seats catching fire. Local dealer states nothing they can do under warranty even though this is a $36,000+ vehicle with an extended factory warranty.
Both driver side and passenger side seat heaters get too hot. The driver's side heating element burned through the leather seat. The heater cannot be used safetly. We are concerned about it starting on fire.
Consumer stated that the seat heater is to hot causing the heater to burn a hole into the driver seat causing and distraction to the consumer. Dealer notified.
Consumer stated the drivers seat heater becomes so hot that it is unusable, it was turned on for awhile, and after 10-15 minutes the vehicle smelled like smoke, and the seat was too hot to sit on and it burned 2 holes in the leather seat.
This is a corrected complaint from ODI#759939. We purchesd the van with 38,600 miles. We believed we had a 3,000 mile or 3 month warranty. The driver's side seat heater shorted and caused the seat to catch fire. Not a smolder, a real fire with flame and smoke etc. My 4 children were in the vehicle. Fortunately my wife was standing near the van and was able to put the fire out with snow. We notified scott morris at morris motors and he said he would check into the situation. We have waited patiently and only called every couple of weeks. He kept telling us Chrysler would call us. No-one ever called. Today scott said he will do nothing and should have let the van burn up. No kidding, he said that. We called Chrysler ourselves. They told us they would do nothing and not to call back and that we could not speak with any supervisors. What if the van burned with my children in the vehicle and we couldn't put the fire out" what if the van burns while parked in my garage and causes a huge catastrophe" we need help and no-one is willing to help us. They are, in fact, rude and sarcastic. All we are asking is for a new seat that is working properly and safely. That is all we want. Please help. Thank you. Nlm
Wiring in driver's side seat heat malfunctioned. Overheated on left side when switched on. Service dept at dealer disconnected, stating that it was getting so hot that it was a hazard. So hot it could melt wiring. Possible fire hazard. Replacement and repair estimated at $1500!!
Seat warmer heating element caused seat on T passenger's side to catch on fire. This happened while driving the van. Driver was able to put out the fire. No one was seating in the seat at the time. Dealer has been called about the problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Canton, GA, USA