Chrysler Town and Country 1996–2000
3rd generation minivan (NS) · Chrysler NS
NHTSA data through 12 August 20263,217 complaints, 833 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 58,823 and 130,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 24 complaints (2.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 40,000
- 25%
- 58,823
- Median
- 90,000
- 75%
- 130,000
- 90%
- 162,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 24 | 2.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 9 | 1.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 15 | 1.8% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 23 | 2.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 52 | 6.2% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 88 | 10.6% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 76 | 9.1% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 63 | 7.6% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 62 | 7.4% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 73 | 8.8% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 51 | 6.1% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 41 | 4.9% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 47 | 5.6% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 50 | 6.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 28 | 3.4% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 36 | 4.3% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 23 | 2.8% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 14 | 1.7% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 16 | 1.9% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 18 | 2.2% |
| 200,000+ | 24 | 2.9% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 3,217 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996–2000 Chrysler Town and Country, and 833 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 58,823 and 130,000 miles. The median is 90,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (12.9% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles), the electrical system (11.6% of complaints, typically around 111,000 miles), the airbag system (10.8% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Engine and its cooling system86,000median 86,328 miles, middle half 58,000 to 122,000
- Electrical system111,000median 110,697 miles, middle half 68,000 to 150,000
- Airbag system85,000median 85,000 miles, middle half 59,000 to 101,000
- Transmission and driveline70,000median 69,900 miles, middle half 55,000 to 95,000
- Fuel system107,000median 107,000 miles, middle half 67,000 to 139,000
- Steering89,000median 89,000 miles, middle half 56,000 to 141,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit92,000median 91,818 miles, middle half 57,000 to 112,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and its cooling system | 414 | 12.9% | 86,000 | 58,000–122,000 |
| Electrical system | 374 | 11.6% | 111,000 | 68,000–150,000 |
| Airbag system | 347 | 10.8% | 85,000 | 59,000–101,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 339 | 10.5% | 70,000 | 55,000–95,000 |
| Fuel system | 247 | 7.7% | 107,000 | 67,000–139,000 |
| Steering | 192 | 6.0% | 89,000 | 56,000–141,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 190 | 5.9% | 92,000 | 57,000–112,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 155 | 4.8% | 70,000 | 50,000–86,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 148 | 4.6% | 96,000 | 68,000–133,000 |
| Suspension | 132 | 4.1% | 101,000 | 76,000–127,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 90,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 12.9% of complaints (414 reports, 124 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,328 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 58,000 and 122,050 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 11.6% of complaints (374 reports, 116 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 110,697 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 68,000 and 150,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 10.8% of complaints (347 reports, 81 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 101,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 10.5% of complaints (339 reports, 72 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 69,900 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,395 and 95,263 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 7.7% of complaints (247 reports, 29 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 107,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 66,639 and 139,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 6.0% of complaints (192 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 89,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,500 and 140,560 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1996 model year drew the most — 1,411 complaints — while 2000 drew the fewest at 378. The median year sits at 485.
That makes 1996 an outlier: roughly 2.9 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
Of the 3,217 complaints filed against this generation, 145 reported a crash; 183 reported a fire; 161 reported an injury; 27 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 58,823 and 130,000 miles, with a median of 90,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and its cooling system and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine and its cooling system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 86,328, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission 1996–2000
41TE / A604 Ultradrive failure: solenoid pack and clutch pack wear producing harsh shifts, limp-in mode (2nd gear only) and complete loss of drive. Highly sensitive to using non-ATF+4 fluid.
Body 1996–2000
Power sliding door latch, cable and motor failures; doors opening in motion or refusing to latch.
Engine 1996–2000
3.3L/3.8L V6 head gasket and intake plenum gasket leaks at higher mileage.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,411 | 130 |
| 1997 | 546 | 120 |
| 1998 | 397 | 144 |
| 1999 | 485 | 226 |
| 2000 | 378 | 213 |
What owners reported
The VIN for this vehicle is: [xxx] car suffered fuel line breakage after driving through a large puddle. Was towed to o'hara Chrysler-plymouth dealer(clinton, mi) for repairs, which the fuel line damage was determined. Inquired with the service rep, [xxx], as to why since owning the vehicle. The maximum tank…
1996 · 11,000 miles · Fuel system
The vehicles plastic tank collapsed on the inside. This resulted in incorrect fuel level reading. *Nlm the dealer replaced the pump at no charge but the sending unit in the tank has the same reading. The dealer had the fuel tank down, and stated that the tank was sagged, and possibly caused the false reading.…
1996 · 42,000 miles · Fuel system
On numerous occasions the vehicle will intermittently fail to shift into o/d. It may drive fine for days and then lock in second gear. Manually changing the gearshift does not override the failure. The onboard computer does not log the failure. It does capture the manual shifting event. The only way to correct…
1996 · 50,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
I have read all the complaints about the 1996 Town and Country. I find it interesting how the complaints are exact to one another. Different owners, same problems. Chrysler takes no responsibility for the problems of this vehicle. I have owned mine since 1999 and have experienced every single one of these claims that…
1996 · 62,000 miles · Body structure
Built from 833 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page