Have a 2010 Town and Country Touring. Have had a braking shudder since about 10000, now have 24000 miles. Took it to the dealer and they said the front rotors were warped, and there was on;y 15% left on the pads. Took the van to the mechanic today, had front rotors replaced and new pads installed. Still have the shudder. It is more noticable when braking from higher speeds. ex. getting off the freeway. What gives??? Any ideas???


Thanks

 

rear rotors are also warped

 

Agree with CHYSLER TECH, rear rotors are probably warped also. Get used to it, the brakes on these vans are junk - always have been. I love the Town & Country vans, and am about to buy a 4th one, but the brakes just aren't the best. A while back they did improve the calipers so the sticking issues have been resolved (Boots added to the slider pins) but they still wear out way to quick and warp easy. One hard brake event at highway speeds in the rain is all it takes. The pad lining material needs to be addressed by Chrysler. Anyway I generally get 30k miles out of a set of pads and rotors, and I generally replace the back (Pads and rotors) at the same time as the front. I live in norther Indiana where there are no hills or mountains.

 

well, took the van back.. one of the new rotors was warped out of the box. The mechanic said that i could have been dropped somewhere in shipping or manufacturing. Replaced said rotor, van stops without the shudder. I leased this van, it has been a great vehicle, but now that i have heard and experienced the brake trouble, I am counting the 15 months left on this lease. I was going to buy a newer van simply for the reason of it having the 3.6 l in it. Now I am unsure. Might replace it with a Durango, of Grand Cherokee.

 

TandCfan, do you know which year they upgraded the calipers?

 

The 2012's have larger rotors, calipers, etc on front and back. Making 17" rims standard on all models makes it possible for them to fit across the platform.

JK

 

I thought I had replied to this already but don't see it. Anyway good news about the 2012's since I just ordered one. Front brakes have always been an issue on these vehicles.

Anyway I think the upgrade to rubber boots on the pins started with the refresh for the 2008 model year, but I'm not certain. My 2009 has them.

 

I had the same problem. The dealer said Chrsler extended the warranty on the front brakes to 3 years/36,000 miles with $100.00 deductable, so it cost me $100.00 to fix. This is my 4th T&c, and the brakes suck. The rotors are WAY too small for the weight of the vehicle.

 

what does rotor size mean ? I have the 17 inch rims on my 2011 does it have the rotor size large ? And what is a caliper? what does it do?

thank you

 

Not sure what is on the 2011's.
The rotor is the round disc that is attached to the wheel, the caliper is the device that squeezes it to stop the vehicle. Imagine your hand grasping a dinner plate. The larger the diameter of the rotor the more stopping power. Although it's not always that simple, a lot can be done by properly matching the pad material to the rotor and the braking situation specific to a particular vehicle. Something Chrysler hasn't ever done with these minivans although it sounds like the 2012's may have received some attention. My 2012 is due any day now and I'll pop a front wheel off and have a look as soon as I get it.
One advantage to a larger wheel is that you get increased ventilation so there should be less trouble with the brakes, in theory. Still, if I have any trouble with the brakes on my new van I'll pay for an upgrade to cross-drilled rotors. They're expensive but they run cooler and resist warping better.