Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My minivan has been not wanting to start, the speedometer has been jumping all over the place . I had my fuel pump and filter replaced in December 2014 due to it not starting. Now within the last 2 weeks or so it started to act like it was going to die as I would be driving and sometimes it would jump out of gear. All this last week it has been giving me problems with starting and every time I would get out of the van it would smell like somethings burning. When I turn the key to start it all you could hear is a click, try to start it a couple more times and finally get it to start. Today it wouldn't start no matter how many times I tried to start it. I open the hood and looked at the battery and one terminal looks like it is burnt.
While driving the transmission failed and the vehicle was unable to shift gears. Transmission was replaced twice, however the problem recurred. The horn airbag and cruise control have been replaced. The vehicle had brake problems. The dealer determined that the front brakes were at 45% but the rear brakes were at 70%. The dealer cleaned and adjusted the brakes. The A/C failed, the dealer replaced the fan module. The power door locks failed. The cd player doesn't work. The low beam head lights do not provide enough light therefore the consumer has to leave the high beams on to see. This problem has been checked three times but the dealer said they seem correct. The passenger seat broke. The starter failed and as a result the vehicle would not start. The steering pump failed and as a result the steering wheel became tight when making turns. The rear heater lines were leaking. …
Dt*: the contact stated while driving 45 MPH on normal road conditions, the serpentine belt fractured. No warning lights alerted the contact but loss of power steering was noticed. The vehicle had been taken three times to the dealership and the belts, pulleys and tensioner were replaced on every occurrence. The manufacturer was contacted but the resolution was a dealership referral. The contact expressed concern because the loss of power steering could create conditions for a serious accident.
The spring in my steering wheel has broken, airbags are inoperative, horn is inoperative, not to mention the other things that won't work because of it. I understand there was a recall on it...up to 70,000 miles, I never received anything about this, I was only told that it would cost 250 dollars to get it fixed by Chrysler.
He owns a 1996 Chrysler, Town& Country, only owner with 70,000 miles on the vehicle. Steering wheel popped off, mostly when turning the wheel to left. This happened often since 2005. Also, front and back windshield wipers came on at separate times when it was in off position for about one and half year.
Total loss of power steering for short periods of time, particularly during very heavy rain fall, frequently during cold periods, and usually after going through the car wash. On -2-13/97 while driving on q 3-lane highway, lost control, resulting in an accident. Also tire blew out.
While driving lost power steering fluid, which lead to the power steering failure. Vehicle becomes very difficult to steer safety. Failure of the power steering was later identify as a corroded high pressure power steering line.
At 20K and 40K miles I experienced a loss of steering when cornering on wet pavement. The steering would seize while in the turn so I was not allowed to straighten the wheels. Fortunately I was not in a high traffic area when this occured and I was able to avoid a collision. On both instances I immediately went to my Chrysler dealer. They initially replaced the tensioner which did not correct the problem. When they replaced the power steering belt it corrected the problem for 20K miles. At 40K miles they once again replaced the tensioner thinking it would cure the problem but they needed to replace the belt again as well. Now I expect to have this problem every 20K miles as it seems to be a design problem. The power steering unit is located beside the right front wheel and appears to be prone to water problems. …
The serpentine belt on our 1996 Chrysler Town & Country lxi, makes a horrible screeching sound, that we've almost come to appreciate, when faced with it's alternative silence, when the serpentine belt gets wet & slips off. The immediate & dangerous result is loss of power steering, leaving the driver surprised with their inability to safely maneuver the van. Within less than a minute, a fast hazard bell sounds & the engine temperature sensor is pinned at hot. If the driver is quick, strong, & lucky enough, to get the family "safely" off the road, before the water pump fries, stalling the van in traffic, they are now left stranded. We've had the serpentine belt & tensioner pulley replaced twice, the last time at Chrysler, and still the problem has not been corrected. We've checked for recalls but Chrysler states that this is not a life threatening failure, so no recall has been made. …
I was stopping at a red light when I heard a loud thunk from the right front of the car. I thought perhaps I had run over a rock ro piece of metal in the street that bounced up and into the wheel well. When the light changed I proceeded for several blocks and then attempted a right turn, only to find that I could not get the car steered into my lane as the power steering had disappeared, unbeknownst to me. Fortunately there was no car waiting at the stop sign on the street onto which I was attempting to turn, or I would have run squarely into it. As it was the car overheated and completely expired while I was attempting to get it to a repair shop less than two miles away. This is not an unusual event for this model, as reported by the dealer and also according to consumer complaint databases. The problem was a broken serpentine belt and pretensioner. …
Steering complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 74 complaints about the steering of the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country, 8% of the model year's 938 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist › pump (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Chrysler Town and Country steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Chrysler Town and Country steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.