1997 Chrysler Town and Country Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1997 Chrysler Town and Country has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 3,384,829 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 546 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 02V293000 2002-11-07 1,500,521 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE BEEN WOUND INCORRECTLY DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF THROUGH ILLUMINATION OF THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP, AND COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A DRIVER'S AIR BAG OPEN CIRCUIT, IF THE PART IS NOT REPLACED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLOCKSPRING ASSEMBLY ON ALL VEHICLES WITH 70,000 MILES OR LESS. AN EXTENDED LIFETIME WARRANTY WILL ALSO BE PLACED ON THIS COMPONENT FOR ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. DAIMLERCHRYSLER WILL ALSO REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE PAID TO HAVE THE CLOCKSPRING REPLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES. …

SEAT BELTS 02V076000 2002-03-08 545,311 affected
Defect

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SOME TRIM MATERIAL CAN LOOSEN AND DROP INTO THE REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRIM WITH FOAM BLOCKERS AND INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL 3RD ROW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 3, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 00V268000 2000-09-13 1,163,000 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS BUILT WITH 3.3L AND 3.8L ENGINES HAVE FUEL RAILS WITH NITROLE RUBBER O-RING SEALS THAT CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME. FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE UNDERHOOD FUEL INJECTION FUEL RAIL COULD RESULT, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

Consequence

FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SEAL ON THE VEHICLE FUEL RAILS TO PREVENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE OF FUEL FROM THE FUEL RAIL CROSSOVER TUBE, SHOULD THE EXISTING O-RINGS CONTINUE TO DEGRADE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2002. DUE TO THE LARGE QUANTITY OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE…

CHILD SEAT 98V185000 1998-08-06 157,000 affected
Defect

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS. THE SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINT ON THE INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT CAN BECOME DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT WHEN THE SAFETY BELT LATCH PLATE BECOMES CONTAMINATED.

Consequence

THIS CAN CAUSE DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING A CHILD FROM THE RESTRAINT.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL CLEAN THE LATCH MECHANISM. AN EXTENDER WILL BE ADDED TO THE EMERGENCY RELEASE ANCHOR FOR THE CHILD SEAT SAFETY BELTS SO THAT THE RELEASE CLIPS ARE MORE VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM CAN NOT BE UNLOCKED. IN ADDITION, AN INSTRUCTIONAL OWNER'S MANUAL…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 96V215000 1996-10-29 18,997 affected
Defect

THE MASTER CYLINDER REAR SEAL, BETWEEN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE VACUUM RESERVOIR, MAY NOT SEAL ADEQUATELY ALLOWING HYDRAULIC FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE POWER ASSIST VACUUM RESERVOIR.

Consequence

AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES, THE LEVEL SENSOR WILL DETECT THE LOSS OF FLUID AND ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRAKE WARNING LAMP. CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED CAN RESULT IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES. ADDENDUM (4-14-97): VEHICLES INSPECTED PER CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 707 AND FOUND TO BE OUTSIDE THE LISTED SUSPECT MASTER CYLINDER DATE CODE RANGE, MUST NOW HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER PRIMARY PISTON REPLACED (CHRYSLER RECALL NO. 714).

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS
69
1crashes1injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
38
5crashes1injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
31
2crashes1deaths
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
29
5fires1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
28
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
19
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
14
1crashes5fires
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
14
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
13
4crashes8injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
13
5crashes2fires8injuries
Total complaints546

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Vehicle suddenly turns off while driving with no control of the gas or breaks.”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2017-07-12

“Vehicle suddenly turns off while driving with no control of the gas or breaks.”

ENGINE · reported 2017-07-12

“Vehicle suddenly turns off while driving with no control of the gas or breaks.”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2017-07-12

“On ignition the vehicles dash gage instrument panel lights (odometer, gas gage, warning lights) do not turn on with ignition, vehicle runs 2-3 seconds and shuts off, with no sputtering or knocking. Searching online for problems of a similar nature many sites indicate the error may stem from an…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2015-08-24

“Well I'am having electrical issues now I close my hood and my 4 ways start blinking, I turn on my van and the abs & and air bag light come on when I start it but never go off.the cv boot is bad and the half shalf on passenger side I think its making alot of sound when I go down the road ,I already…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2015-03-23

“Well I'am having electrical issues now I close my hood and my 4 ways start blinking, I turn on my van and the abs & and air bag light come on when I start it but never go off.the cv boot is bad and the half shalf on passenger side I think its making alot of sound when I go down the road ,I already…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2015-03-23

“Well I'am having electrical issues now I close my hood and my 4 ways start blinking, I turn on my van and the abs & and air bag light come on when I start it but never go off.the cv boot is bad and the half shalf on passenger side I think its making alot of sound when I go down the road ,I already…”

WHEELS · reported 2015-03-23

“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 chrysler town and country. While the vehicle was parked, the driver and passenger side air bags deployed without warning and smoke filled the vehicle. The contact was able to safely exit the vehicle with minor injuries to the hand. The manufacturer was not notified. The…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2015-02-27

Defect investigations

Investigation EA01007 Opened 2001-02-21 · closed 2002-11-22

AIR BAG CLOCKSPRING

There is no summary currently available

Investigation EA97003 Opened 1997-01-31 · closed 1998-08-19

INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP

THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.

Investigation EA97003 Opened 1997-01-31 · closed 1998-08-19

INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP

THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.CHRYSLER CORPORATION HAS SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT IDENTIFYING A SAFETY DEFECT AND OUTLINING THE PROPOSED REMEDY.RECALL NUMBER 98V-185 HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS SAFETY RECALL.

Investigation EA99013 Opened 1999-06-11 · closed 2001-08-10

POST COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM

Investigation PE99010 Opened 1999-02-03 · closed 1999-06-11

POST-COLLISION FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY

There is no summary currently available

Investigation RQ00008 Opened 2000-03-09 · closed 2002-03-18

DC MINIVAN FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAK

There is no summary currently available

Investigation SQ96016 Opened 1996-09-18 · closed 1997-02-04

INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT BELT LOCKUP

ODI CONTINUES TO RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING LATCHING/RETRACTOR MECHANISM PROBLEMS.CHRYSLER'S ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBLEM INDICATES THAT OWNERS OF THE VEHICLES ARE NOT ADHERING TO THE CLEANING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SEAT.THE SEAT APPEARS TO MALFUNCTION IF CRUMBS OF FOOD OR BEVERAGE RESIDUE ACCUMULATES ON THE LATCHING…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1997 Chrysler Town and Country as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.