2008 Town and Country Limited
#1
09-28-2009, 05:21 PM
2008 Town and Country Limited
I am wondering if anyone has had similar experiences as me with their 2008 Town and country.
I have 24,000 kms on her and she has had nothing but problems
1) brakes and rotors replaced at 17,000kms
2) new starter
3) new battery
4) new EGR valve
5) Fabric on third bench seat wouldn't stay attached replaced
6) new engine
7) new mygig
I have not had my van for a month now. I was having stalling issues with it and the final time included loud thunking under the hood. The engine had to replaced as it was too damaged to repair. I am very concerned that the engine was only the result of a bigger problem. I hate this van more than you can imagine. I did not spend that much money to have a unreliable unsafe vehicle. Chrysler has honoured their warranty but I can't stomach the thought of driving this van again. I have already had an accident due to stalling...and almost been struck by a speeding car when stalled in the middle of the intersection.....I am at my wits end...no Lemon law in Canada....any ideas...anyone?
I have 24,000 kms on her and she has had nothing but problems
1) brakes and rotors replaced at 17,000kms
2) new starter
3) new battery
4) new EGR valve
5) Fabric on third bench seat wouldn't stay attached replaced
6) new engine
7) new mygig
I have not had my van for a month now. I was having stalling issues with it and the final time included loud thunking under the hood. The engine had to replaced as it was too damaged to repair. I am very concerned that the engine was only the result of a bigger problem. I hate this van more than you can imagine. I did not spend that much money to have a unreliable unsafe vehicle. Chrysler has honoured their warranty but I can't stomach the thought of driving this van again. I have already had an accident due to stalling...and almost been struck by a speeding car when stalled in the middle of the intersection.....I am at my wits end...no Lemon law in Canada....any ideas...anyone?
#3
09-29-2009, 07:23 AM
nope no feedback.... come on you expect INSTANT gratification for people to share their problems within 3hrs after your initial post?
Must be ONLY you that has problems.... sounds like you need to look at how you drive or maintain your vehicle.
Must be ONLY you that has problems.... sounds like you need to look at how you drive or maintain your vehicle.
#4
09-29-2009, 08:35 AM
Sorry that you took offence to my post. I have several friends on the lx forums and they get responses on there posts quickly. I'm sorry that you think I am unreasonable but I just don't know what to do. I don't think it is anything I did...my last car I drove for 9 years without any problems. My van only has 24,000 kms not miles so please enlighten me and tell me what I should of done to maintain my vehicle. I have done regular oil changes and since the breaks were done my car has stalled a dozen times..wouldn't turn over when started, had problems with my radio...etc, etc. If there was something that I should of done, the shop could have told me as it has been in there many times. I am just upset because I do beleive I have a lemon, I don't think all the vans are bad...scared to drive it and I don't think I should feel this way after spending over 40,000.00. Thanks for your thoughts.
#5
09-29-2009, 10:28 AM
Sorry that you took offence to my post. I have several friends on the lx forums and they get responses on there posts quickly. I'm sorry that you think I am unreasonable but I just don't know what to do. I don't think it is anything I did...my last car I drove for 9 years without any problems. My van only has 24,000 kms not miles so please enlighten me and tell me what I should of done to maintain my vehicle. I have done regular oil changes and since the breaks were done my car has stalled a dozen times..wouldn't turn over when started, had problems with my radio...etc, etc. If there was something that I should of done, the shop could have told me as it has been in there many times. I am just upset because I do beleive I have a lemon, I don't think all the vans are bad...scared to drive it and I don't think I should feel this way after spending over 40,000.00. Thanks for your thoughts.
I've noticed this board doesn't have a lot of activity
Sounds like you got a lemon
one reason is chrysler went down the crapper after the Germans took over (IMHO)
you have a first run vehicle...with just about everything new and unproven.. That's usually a disaster waiting to happen.
just about 10 min ago I drove an 08 caravan. there's no way I'd ever buy one. at 35k miles rear brakes were shot. The trans shifts really funky, I HATE not having a real key for the ignition. WTF is wrong with a plain old ignition switch?
I'd rather drive my 1991 toyota corolla wagon or my ¼million mile gen3 van over the 08 van. I'm not at all impressed. the ONLY thing I did like was the middle door class opens.
#6
07-31-2010, 03:55 PM
I have been a Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge owner since 1999 and always been an American car proponent- so you just get an idea of how biased I can unintentionally become. I also like German cars and used to love Japanese vehicles but only those recreational vehicles such as Honda ATC and ATVs. Anyways to the point, I have been an original owner to a 2008 Town and Country Limited equipped with a lifetime warranty and everything. I can only share the short-life braking issue experience with you. I had the rotors and pads prematurely replaced when the vehicle was only 20K miles old (i.e. ~32K kilometers). Now that I received a recall letter on the brakes, things make sense now that I will be reimbursed for the repairs and possibly be offered another brake replacement service. Perhaps you have already received a letter from Chrysler by the time I type this thread message. I also have an issue with an electrical connection between wipers and the wiper switch which was fixed at no charge at the dealer. The radiator cap was also recalled. As far as all of these issues including the brake problem have been addressed by our manufacturer, Chrysler, I do not regret for buying the minivan. It has been serving me and my family impressively and I know it will for more years to come. I also own a 2003 Jeep Liberty Sport and it did not give me any trouble since I bought it off the car lot. I hope your minivan will regain its healthy condition after all the problems you have had.
#7
07-31-2010, 07:13 PM
2008 t&c
The 2008 models are notorious for brake problems. There is a factory recall that should fix it if you go to your dealer and inquire about it.
The rest of your problems do make it sound as though you did receive a 'lemon'. Although..., it does sound as though your dealer is taking care of your problems. You don't mention what engine you have but the new one should take care of your problems. It sounds as though so much of the rest of the car has been replaced, that you essentially have a 'new' car now.
I've been driving for going on 50 years now, and I've had 'lemons' from almost all the car companies. I've had a Buick that started losing it's paint and rusting in the first year. I had a Mercury Sable that went through six sets of left, front disc brakes in 20,000 miles. Mercury finally gave up and made me an unbeliveable deal on a new one. Such a good deal that I almost got the new one for free! I had another Sable that had an engine fail at 48,000 miles, luckily just before the power train warranty expired. Opposed to these experiences, I had a '96 Ford Taurus that was just about perfect!
My worst experiences have been with foreign made cars. I had a Dodge Colt, (made by Mitsubishi), that was just terrible. I had a Honda that started rusting through within two years and both the engine and transmission had to be replaced. The transmission twice! I had an Austin Healy that was also just terrible. Surprisingly, I had a second one that was perfect. Then I bought an MG that seemed to epitomize the joke told amongst British car owners, that the reason the British drink warm beer is because they have Lucas refrigerators! (Lucas supplied the electrics for most British cars.) I had a Mazda that finally drove me back to American cars because of so many problems with it! To this day, I'd never even walk into a Mazda dealership!
I just recently traded in a 2007 T&C with the 3.8 liter engine that wasn't too bad, but wasn't nearly as quiet as I thought it should be or as quiet or as powerful as the four, Ford Windstars that I previously had that all had the same size and horsepower engine.
I traded it in on a 2010 T&C Touring, Walter P. Chrysler edition. So far, I love it. The 4-liter engine with the six speed auto trans is great! Quiet and much more power. The transmission shifts so smoothly and the engine is so quiet that the only way you know it shifts is to watch the tachometer. I've not had to take it back to the dealer for even the slightest thing..., at least not yet. The last two Ford Windstars I had..., I never had to take back to the dealer for any problem either. They were as perfect as you could get.
As you can tell, I put a lot of miles on cars and I've bought quite a few over the last almost fifty years! (I even had a Ford Pinto that I put 105,000 trouble-free miles on it before trading it in! I even got 'rear-ended' while driving it, and no..., it didn't catch fire or blow up. It actually caused more damage to the Cadillac that ran into the back of it!)
You can get a lemon from any maker. You just have to keep after the dealer and probably trade it in as soon as you can afford to.
As for the quality of Chrysler cars going down after being taken over by Mercedes, my experience has been the opposite. From reading I've done, Mercedes was actually quite impressed with some of the Chrysler engines, especially the 4.7 V8 and the new Hemi's which were under development before Mercedes took over.
In fact, although Chrysler did start to use the chassis of one model of Mercedes for their sedans, that transfer of technology went both directions. The Mercedes R models, which look amazingly similar to the Chrysler Pacifica, have a good reason for doing so. They use the Chrysler chassis, (which is actually a modified T&C chassis), and modified some of the body panels and sell it as a Mercedes. Volkswagen thinks enough of the Chrysler T&C that they buy it, change the front and rear slightly and sell it as the Routan. (Chrysler wouldn't license them to use the Stow-n-Go or rotating seats.) They even use the Chrysler 3.8 liter engine in it.
I don't know the exact particulars of your engine-transmission set up, but I repeat that you should just keep pestering the dealer..., (don't get nasty, just be persistent and stubborn), and trade it in as soon as you can afford to do so.
In spite of my previous experience with a Honda, we just traded in my wife's ten year old Ford Focus on a 2010 Honda Fit that she fell in love with. We'll see how that one goes, but she only puts about 1200 miles a year on her cars. So far, it's been three months, and no problems with it yet. Of course, in those three months, she's driven it so little, that we have yet to put gasoline in it! (It came with a full tank, and it still has about a third of that left in it.) Chrysler only gives you a half-tank when you buy a car from them now!
Good luck and just be persistent with that dealer! Write letters to Chrysler management if you have to. (They'll pay more attention to an actual letter than an e-mail!
The rest of your problems do make it sound as though you did receive a 'lemon'. Although..., it does sound as though your dealer is taking care of your problems. You don't mention what engine you have but the new one should take care of your problems. It sounds as though so much of the rest of the car has been replaced, that you essentially have a 'new' car now.
I've been driving for going on 50 years now, and I've had 'lemons' from almost all the car companies. I've had a Buick that started losing it's paint and rusting in the first year. I had a Mercury Sable that went through six sets of left, front disc brakes in 20,000 miles. Mercury finally gave up and made me an unbeliveable deal on a new one. Such a good deal that I almost got the new one for free! I had another Sable that had an engine fail at 48,000 miles, luckily just before the power train warranty expired. Opposed to these experiences, I had a '96 Ford Taurus that was just about perfect!
My worst experiences have been with foreign made cars. I had a Dodge Colt, (made by Mitsubishi), that was just terrible. I had a Honda that started rusting through within two years and both the engine and transmission had to be replaced. The transmission twice! I had an Austin Healy that was also just terrible. Surprisingly, I had a second one that was perfect. Then I bought an MG that seemed to epitomize the joke told amongst British car owners, that the reason the British drink warm beer is because they have Lucas refrigerators! (Lucas supplied the electrics for most British cars.) I had a Mazda that finally drove me back to American cars because of so many problems with it! To this day, I'd never even walk into a Mazda dealership!
I just recently traded in a 2007 T&C with the 3.8 liter engine that wasn't too bad, but wasn't nearly as quiet as I thought it should be or as quiet or as powerful as the four, Ford Windstars that I previously had that all had the same size and horsepower engine.
I traded it in on a 2010 T&C Touring, Walter P. Chrysler edition. So far, I love it. The 4-liter engine with the six speed auto trans is great! Quiet and much more power. The transmission shifts so smoothly and the engine is so quiet that the only way you know it shifts is to watch the tachometer. I've not had to take it back to the dealer for even the slightest thing..., at least not yet. The last two Ford Windstars I had..., I never had to take back to the dealer for any problem either. They were as perfect as you could get.
As you can tell, I put a lot of miles on cars and I've bought quite a few over the last almost fifty years! (I even had a Ford Pinto that I put 105,000 trouble-free miles on it before trading it in! I even got 'rear-ended' while driving it, and no..., it didn't catch fire or blow up. It actually caused more damage to the Cadillac that ran into the back of it!)
You can get a lemon from any maker. You just have to keep after the dealer and probably trade it in as soon as you can afford to.
As for the quality of Chrysler cars going down after being taken over by Mercedes, my experience has been the opposite. From reading I've done, Mercedes was actually quite impressed with some of the Chrysler engines, especially the 4.7 V8 and the new Hemi's which were under development before Mercedes took over.
In fact, although Chrysler did start to use the chassis of one model of Mercedes for their sedans, that transfer of technology went both directions. The Mercedes R models, which look amazingly similar to the Chrysler Pacifica, have a good reason for doing so. They use the Chrysler chassis, (which is actually a modified T&C chassis), and modified some of the body panels and sell it as a Mercedes. Volkswagen thinks enough of the Chrysler T&C that they buy it, change the front and rear slightly and sell it as the Routan. (Chrysler wouldn't license them to use the Stow-n-Go or rotating seats.) They even use the Chrysler 3.8 liter engine in it.
I don't know the exact particulars of your engine-transmission set up, but I repeat that you should just keep pestering the dealer..., (don't get nasty, just be persistent and stubborn), and trade it in as soon as you can afford to do so.
In spite of my previous experience with a Honda, we just traded in my wife's ten year old Ford Focus on a 2010 Honda Fit that she fell in love with. We'll see how that one goes, but she only puts about 1200 miles a year on her cars. So far, it's been three months, and no problems with it yet. Of course, in those three months, she's driven it so little, that we have yet to put gasoline in it! (It came with a full tank, and it still has about a third of that left in it.) Chrysler only gives you a half-tank when you buy a car from them now!
Good luck and just be persistent with that dealer! Write letters to Chrysler management if you have to. (They'll pay more attention to an actual letter than an e-mail!
#8
04-01-2012, 11:55 AM
my 2008 3.8 Liter check engine light came on and autozone said either the gas cap or egr valve need replacing. just checking around if anyone else had any luck replacing the gas cap first before replacing the egr. we bought it used and i've noticed it likes to use oil now after several diy oil changes (about quart and a half per 3000) ... but it starts, idles and seems to perform just fine ?? so wondering if it's just a sensor malfunction or what?
#9
04-03-2012, 02:27 PM
Depending on which code your vehicle is listing, there is a TSB related to EGR Sensor systems on that model:
TSB 18-017-09 REV. A
SUBJECT:
Flash: MIL Illumination For P0404 - EGR Position Sensor Performance
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Some customers may complain of a MIL illumination. Upon further investigation the
Technician may find that P0404 - EGR Position Sensor Performance has been set.
REPAIR:
Reprogram the PCM with the latest software
TSB 18-017-09 REV. A
SUBJECT:
Flash: MIL Illumination For P0404 - EGR Position Sensor Performance
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Some customers may complain of a MIL illumination. Upon further investigation the
Technician may find that P0404 - EGR Position Sensor Performance has been set.
REPAIR:
Reprogram the PCM with the latest software
#10
04-03-2012, 06:39 PM
Well, as I see it you have 2 choices.
Go to someone who knows how to actually test your vehicles' electrical systems. Not just read the codes.
You can buy a part from Autozone and slap it on. When/if that doesn't fix your problem, I am sure they will scan it again for free and sell you even more parts you may or may not need. They aren't offering the service because they like you or their other customers. They expect to sell parts from this service and I can assure you they don't care how much money you spend before you finally throw the right part at it.
First thing you need is to post all of the codes they pulled.
Go to someone who knows how to actually test your vehicles' electrical systems. Not just read the codes.
You can buy a part from Autozone and slap it on. When/if that doesn't fix your problem, I am sure they will scan it again for free and sell you even more parts you may or may not need. They aren't offering the service because they like you or their other customers. They expect to sell parts from this service and I can assure you they don't care how much money you spend before you finally throw the right part at it.
First thing you need is to post all of the codes they pulled.