3rd generation minivan (NS) · Chrysler NS · 3,217 complaints, 833 with mileage
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.
42% of failures occur beyond 100,000 miles — a wear pattern. The car generally reaches substantial mileage before trouble starts.
The most-reported areas are the engine and its cooling system (12.9% of complaints, typically around 86,328 miles), the electrical system (11.6% of complaints, typically around 110,697 miles), the airbag system (10.8% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 414 | 12.9% | 86,328 | 58,000–122,050 |
| Electrical System | 374 | 11.6% | 110,697 | 68,000–150,000 |
| Air Bags | 347 | 10.8% | 85,000 | 59,000–101,000 |
| Power Train | 339 | 10.5% | 69,900 | 55,395–95,263 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 247 | 7.7% | 107,000 | 66,639–139,000 |
| Steering | 192 | 6.0% | 89,000 | 55,500–140,560 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 190 | 5.9% | 91,818 | 57,000–111,800 |
| Visibility | 155 | 4.8% | 69,500 | 50,187–86,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 148 | 4.6% | 96,250 | 68,000–133,000 |
| Suspension | 132 | 4.1% | 101,000 | 76,000–127,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,411 | 130 |
| 1997 | 546 | 120 |
| 1998 | 397 | 144 |
| 1999 | 485 | 226 |
| 2000 | 378 | 213 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
For a buyer, a late-failure pattern shifts the question from whether to when. 42% of reported failures occur beyond 100,000 miles, so an example approaching that figure is approaching the range where other owners started reporting problems. The middle half of all failures falls between 58,823 and 130,000 miles.
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.
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