Chrysler Town And Country 2008–2016

5th generation minivan (RT) · Chrysler RT · 11,354 complaints, 7,212 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

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 72,677 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The electrical system accounts for 38.7% of complaints (4,391 reports, 2,345 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 104,000 miles.

A single system taking 38.7% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The engine accounts for 10.6% of complaints (1,198 reports, 953 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 60,000 and 110,000 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 9.3% of complaints (1,060 reports, 317 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 76,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,185 and 105,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 5.6% of complaints (634 reports, 376 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,100 and 100,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 5.5% of complaints (627 reports, 464 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 75,059 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,470 and 100,000 miles.

The brakes account for 3.8% of complaints (435 reports, 370 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 28,860 and 92,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2008 model year drew the most — 2,879 complaints — while 2015 drew the fewest at 509. The median year sits at 933.

That makes 2008 an outlier: roughly 3.1 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

NHTSA records 21 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (5), equipment (4), the electrical system (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 11,354 complaints filed against this generation, 258 reported a crash; 161 reported a fire; 332 reported an injury; 6 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 2.3% 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 44,000 and 101,000 miles, with a median of 72,677. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 78,000, 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

Recalls (21)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Chrysler Town And Country 1996–2000
• Chrysler Town And Country 2001–2007