8.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$2,210
Average Mileage:
93,800 miles
Total Complaints:
15 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace the entire transmission (9 reports)
  2. new torque converter, planetaries, case, misc odds & ends (5 reports)
  3. not sure (1 reports)
2002 Chrysler Town & Country transmission problems

transmission problem

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2002 Chrysler Town & Country Owner Comments

problem #15

Dec 242014

Town & Country 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 145,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2002 Chrysler T&C with 145,000 miles started jerking at 135,000 mile around 2nd gear off and on. It never did it any other time until just before the transmission went out. It jerk violently resulting with the rpms jumping to 3500 RPMs at 70 mph. the next jerk we lost the whole transmission and no Park. It just coasted to a stop. It made a noise like driving through a plate glass window! Ending with a growl and grinding sound. It happen on Christmas Eve 2014. Salesman said not to worry when there was a slight jerk shifting when we test drove it!

Well it only lasted 10,000 miles! We bought it with 140,000 miles! The last 3 Dodge Vans all have had problems! We wont be buying another one! I highly recommend not buy any used Dodge or Chrysler vehicles after the warranty period has run out! Most people don't take care of them by doing the proper maintenance like changing the transmission fluids and fuel filters, etc.

Warning!!! If the transmission jerks at all, take it too a reputable Transmission shop. Even if it isn't the transmission these guys might be able to fix it much faster than the Dealer is capable of. The last Van i bought just started jerking at 115,000 miles last week! Just found out about a shop who is good at this type of problem!

Will let you know what they find! Today's date is 7-19-2015.

- heyray, Victor, IA, US

problem #14

Aug 312009

Town & Country LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

I'd taken the van in a bunch of times for it just not working quite right felt like is was slipping and always took it to the authorized dealer. Did all the scheduled services, maintenance, recalls with the same dealer. They balked at first about replacing it but I threw a big fit and they took care of it.

- Jessica C., Fortuna, CA, US

problem #13

Apr 112014

Town & Country LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 148,000 miles

So bummed out. 3rd time in 12 years of owning this van. Bought it brand new. Took it back to the same shop I had repair it the last time since it's only been 20 months. He's asking me if I've "off-roaded" - really with a minivan? We go on trips and to school but no off-roading, said the underside was covered in mud (we live where it rains a lot but should that be able to affect the transmission). Planetaries are broken??

Been without my van for going on 3 weeks now. Don't know how much it's going to cost this time but he had to take the whole transmission out and take it apart. Won't be buying a new one of these and I would have had I not had this experience. Honda Odyssey here we come. So disappointed especially after doing some research and seeing how common transmission issues are on this vehicle and it's partner the Dodge Caravan.

- Jessica C., Fortuna, CA, US

problem #12

Sep 282012

Town & Country LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 131,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Took it the local transmission guy, said he sees this one all the time. He doesn't use the re-manufactured ones because they break. Was without my van for over 1 week. Cost me a small fortune. Love this van but beginning to rethink my position.

- Jessica C., Fortuna, CA, US

problem #11

Nov 012013

Town & Country LX 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 114,000 miles

click to see larger images

transmission failure

Transmission Failure, 90 Miles from home....ugh, $240 towing bill along with a $1800 transmission rebuild...I've been driving Chrysler products for the past ten years, my last minivan was a 94 Caravan, it was great-never any issues. Drove it nearly 100,000 miles before I sold it...for this....

I figured being newer it would be a better van. Well right off the lot the 'Check Engine" light came on, took it back to the shady used car lot I bought it from, they told me it was the torque converter, and they would replace it but split the cost with me ($300). They had the van for a week, got it back, loaded up the van to go out of town. 90 miles from home the check engine light came on, then the van began to make some awful noises, pulled off the interstate in to a gas station, next thing I know the van wouldn't move at all. Towed it (at my expense) to the dealer that did the work, they told me the transmission was totally shot and would need to be rebuilt. So they recommended a transmission shop to do the work....a little shop of horrors. The first transmission leaked everywhere, coating the underside of the van in transmission fluid and leaving a huge puddle of shame everywhere it was parked. Bought it back, they rebuilt it under warranty, had the van for a week. Got it back, now it shifts hard, gets stuck in second gear and the damn check engine light is back on. Brought it back, they rebuilt it AGAIN-still shifts hard on down shifts. Brought it back, they told me it was "normal", B.S. took it to the main Chrysler dealership, they told me it was internal to the transmission and recommend that I replace it with a Chrysler factory reman transmission at $4800...no way.

Right after I picked the van up from the dealer, the water pump goes out without warning, causing the belt to fall off loosing all the accessory drive (alternator, power steering...etc), there's another $400 bill out of my pocket. Come winter I find I have no heat, the blend door actuator is bad and needs to be replaced, guess what? the whole dash board needs to be removed to access that part, another $600 I would have to spend...

so having been bitten in the @$$ already too many times, I took the big white lemon to CARMAX, got $2600 for the chunk of crap and RAN AWAY. I wanted to drop it from a plane, but I needed the money for another car.

That useless worthless pile of donkey turd waste of scrap metal fartmobile can ROT IN HELL!!!! I seriously hope out of some grace of god that a meteorite will fall from the sky and crash upon that pile of crap.

- Matt C., Atlanta, GA, US

problem #10

Jun 112005

Town & Country

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

Loved the styling of this car but am disappointed with the mechanical problem. Was my first American car and totally turned me off to buying American cars.

- rakaichi, Norwalk, CA, US

problem #9

Jun 112009

Town & Country Limited 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

sHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY cHRYSLER - tOOK TO DEALER & ONLY AFTER THEY TORE IT DOWN SAID THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY IT - hAD TO PAY $400 TO REMOVE FROM SHOP

- flamingocrew, Crystal River, FL, US

problem #8

Jul 222009

Town & Country Limited 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,470 miles

dEALER DID NOT FLUSH COOLING LINES when they previously rebuilt it - needed new torque converter & filter

- flamingocrew, Crystal River, FL, US

problem #7

Aug 062009

Town & Country Limited 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,223 miles

Rebuilt entire tranny again -All work done by Upstate NY Chrysler Dealer

- flamingocrew, Crystal River, FL, US

problem #6

May 252010

Town & Country LX 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 105,000 miles

105000 miles van stopped moving no signs or indications. Managed to get it to garage they had transmission rebuilt by reputable transmission shop. After 3 days started hesitating brought back under warranty now for rebuilt transmission had bad valve replace it. Drove 100 miles and planetary gear broke with a loud bang and van stopped moving. Getting new transmission unit and ready to trade van in.

- rjsjsn, Schenectady, NY, US

problem #5

Jan 052009

Town & Country LX 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 111,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The check engine light came on just prior to the weekend, but the manual stated it could just be a minor problem. I was driving on the Freeway at 70 when I heard a loud bang and immediately realized that the car was no longer in gear. Managed to get to the shoulder, had it towed to a local garage and just got the news that the transmission needs replaced. Cost of the cheapest option, according to the garage (whom I trust) is going to be $3,300. Am now searching for alternatives.l

- Albert D., Sacramento, CA, US

problem #4

Dec 072008

Town & Country LX 3.3L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,354 miles

MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS INSTANTLY STOPPED WORKING. MECHANICS HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING BUT THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE THE WORST IS THAT THERE IS NO DEALER WHERE I CAN REPORT THE PROBLEM OR BUY SPARE PARTS TO FIX IT.

- noeldacruz, Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana

problem #3

Dec 072008

Town & Country LTD 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

Chrysler transmissions are junk. This failure was completely unexpected. No warnings, no lights, no previous transmission issues. I cannot believe this thing blew up with only 78,000 miles on it!

I have had several Fords with well over 200,000 miles and never had a transmission failure (worse repairs were leaking seals).

This is just unbelievable!

- Cheryl C., Burkeville, VA, US

problem #2

Dec 242007

Town & Country EL 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 42,000 miles

Pulled into driveway to get stuff for Christmas. Came out and transmission had died. Totally sucked, van was parked sideways in driveway and covered by snow storm next day

- Sherman S., Kennedy, NY, US

problem #1

Nov 102007

Town & Country LX 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,000 miles

No prior repairs to transmission. We did have a check engine light which we had evaluated by two reputable shops and they both said we should think about replacing the solenoid valve block if we start to experience shifting problems. Apparently there is an issue with the filters in the block causing the electronic shift to lock up, causing the transmission to go into limp-mode (a.k.a. 2nd gear.)

Well, no shifting problems ever occurred. Instead the tranny "grenaded" while driving at steady 65mph speed on level terrain. No warning. BANG!! - all done. Coasted to side of road and checked under hood. Lots of fluid and smoke coming from tranny dipstick.

Repair shop let me look at the corpse and saw that it had completely fragged. Torque converter, front and rear planetaries, the case, clutch plates, all damaged or contaminated beyond repair. Neither of us could determine what died first, but it indeed died suddenly and was UNRELATED to the solenoid block trouble light.

Of course, my warranty expired 2000 miles ago. HA HA HA!

- Chris B., Lafayette, IN, US

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