RE: Coolant Leak Rear Heater
 

Mr Chrylser Tech, the last 8 of my 2003 T&C AWD VIN is 1R347239. Any chance that I'm on a recall list? I was just under my van replacing my upstream and downstream oxy sensors (a rat chewed the wires) and saw the heater lines - pure rust. Thanks a million!

Rear Heater Tube Line Leaks 2003 T&C
 

My 2003 Town & Country has been leaking coolant as long as I have owned it (it was an end of lease purchase). Every 3000 miles my mechanic would tell me the coolant was low when I had the oil changed...but he could not see a leak in the engine compartment. Well, I found the leak today...because now it is a severe leak. The heater stopped kicking out heat...so I went searching. The driveway spot told me where to look...it was both coolant lines to the rear heater core. The location is under the van floor approximately behind the passanger seat. Now that I see all the threads on this post site...this sounds very common and should be a recall.

Hey Tech Man! The last four digits of my VIN are: 3R113554

By chance is this a recall gig? Best regards, Dean M

RE: Coolant Leak Rear Heater
 

I recently replaced the rusted rear heater pipes on my 2002 town and country. Is it possible to be reimbursed for these costs? My Vin number is 2R579808. I have been unable to find a recall notice.

wow, what a bunch of whining. what do you all expect to have a recall for every little problem that can occur? Chrysler should have had a recall for the allllll the differential pins that blew out the case especially on the gen 3 vans because when this happens the front wheels can suddenly lock and skid making for a fairly serious safety issue. So a coolant line springs a leak, as a vehicle owner, you are expected to maintain and monitor the condition of your vehicle. Back in the 50's, 60's, 70's, we maintained our cars. It was common place to replace the heater and radiator hoses every couple years or so even if they did not leak (yet). I'll bet hardly anyone on here ever replaced these items unless it failed.

all recalls are based on safety issues. coolant leaks are a wear-and-tear issue. The only coolant related recall I've encountered was on the AMC/Renault alliance heater cores would rupture blasting hot coolant right at the driver's legs/crotch area. I replace dozens of GM intake manifold gaskets, this is a common problem... no recall there. I've installed over 100 head gaskets in 2.2/2.5 chryslers and GM quad 4's... shouldn't these have a recall too?

A current/active recall on minivans is gen3 clock spring. this affects the air bag operation which is a safety issue. Ford had a recall on ignition switches that burst into flames, and now toyota's WOT problem (aka the Audi syndrome from the 80s)

Wow, thanks for the warm and winded response to my first post. As a first time member to these forums, I merely was trying to find out more information based on the earlier threads. I guess in the future I will look for information elsewhere.

wow, am I not allowed to express my opinions and feelings about a subject where people EXPECT something for free? I never even read your post, I read the ones where the statement that there should be a recal for the leaky tubes. I have replaced dozens of these. it takes me 1½ hrs and $120 in parts and new coolant. When I replace them, I spray the tubes with spray on bed liner prior to installation. So far a couple customers have had them last longer than the originals

the recall is for 05 vans not yours and the recall is for the clamps coming apart not the hoses rusting that is were u live not a factory defect.

The underbody heater hoses on about 141,000 of the above vehicles may leak
coolant at the heater tube crimps. This may result in the engine overheating.
Engine damage can occur if an overheated engine continues to be driven

Tx
 

Tx Chrysler Tech. This is our second Chrysler mini-van...we got 160k miles on the first and was still able to sell it off for $3k when landing our second. I was dissapointed in the coolant tube leak to rear heater on our 2003. The design is poor. The design should defend moderate rust and vibration fatigue (I'm a Structural Engineer, by the way...not some mechanic with a tude capitalizing $$$ on poor vehicle designs and celebrating/defending poor designs). My beef with Chrysler is 10 cents of rust proof coating would likely have prevented the issue I had...and what half of your 2003 van owners in winter climates will eventually have. This leak took several months to spot because it dripped only in winter (snow) and while the vehicle was on the move. My repair was about $15 and 2hrs...I didn't celebrate.

With that sort of logic, then the differential pin design that chrysler changed in 1996+ should fall under this also. Or how about strut tower rust. this is more serious issue than some stupid water tubes. Infact it's even a safety issue and frankly I'm surprised that it hasn't been formally addressed in court. So what if some heater tubes rust out 5,6,7---10 years later, engineers cannot 100% prevent EVERY possible situation. Anyone in engineering knows that planned obsolesence is normal... after all if this stuff never broke, wore out or failed in any way, how many new vehicles would be sold? I'm old enough to remember when 80,000 miles with minimal repairs was a miracle. Now people are whinning like crazy when a $100 part fails 5 years after driving it thru harsh conditions.

If you think this minor inconvience is such a HUGE issue, then go by a mid 70's chevy vega... you'd greatly appreciate these minor minivan issues.

find out the make up of the metal then find out the properties of the salt,cold weather,water and the basic ,metal expansion where rubber meets do all of this and see what the average time is for this part to fail. I am not a Structural Engineer so I wont have all of this data but U would be able to get back to me on your findings so I can pass it along to chrysler and then make a case about it. Down here in GA they hold up just fine no issues such as yours.