Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Instrument cluster and spedometer have failed. While driving my entire dash would turn off. No spedometer, no tachometer, no fuel, nothing. After a month or two of this happening on and off, my spedometer started getting inaccurate. It's now at about 37mph off. When I turn my car off, the spedometer goes to 0 (or below 0). When I turn my key to the right, it goes to 37mph. While I'm driving 20, it shows 57mph. If I'm driving 60mph, it shows 97mph. After performing a google search and reading through some tech blogs, we've found this is a very common problem with the instrument cluster and a broken circuit that needs to be soldered. We did that and have not had the problem with my dash instruments turning off since then, but the spedometer is still not accurate. We tried doing a spedometer reset which did not resolve the issue. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country. On occasion, the vehicle would not start. Also, while driving, the headlights would suddenly shut off. For each failure, the contact indicated that banging on the dashboard would resolve the issues. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on multiple occasions and the battery, starter, and computer were replaced; however, the failures continued. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Dt: consumer received a recall on seats to have them redone. There was a problem about the heated seats getting hot. They had the seats redone. When they drove the car a substantial amount of miles the back of the van/the taillight, and back bumper caught on fire. The car was sitting still when the fire occurred.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country. On several occasions, the instrument panel failed to remain illuminated. The vehicle was not dagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 148,000.
When consumer started their vehicle it wouldn't start, then smoke started coming from under the hood. The dealership indicated that the problem was caused by the starter motor. Please provide more details.
We have a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country van and we have experienced electrical problems beginning at about 60,000 miles. It started with the dash lights and gauges intermittently going off, then back on. It also affected power to the radio and the power windows. I had the car in during the warranty period several times but the service technician could not reproduce the defect. Finally at 108,000 the car failed to start and had to be towed to a dealership. The problem was diagnosed as a faulty circuit board for the instrument panel cluster behind the dashboard, part number 4874440. This is a safety issue because gauges May not work when a mechanical malfunction occurs, such as a water pump, alternator or battery failure. Additionally, the car May not start when the weather conditions are severe, placing the occupants in danger. …
I have a 1999 Chrysler Town and Country van and tnbis is the second time within the last 20 months the instrument cluster circuit board, part number 4874440, has failed. This circuit board, behind the instrument panel, controls most of the electrical circuits in the car. When it fails the gauges don't work, the warning lights don't work, the door locks fail, it affects the radio, and sometimes the car won't start. The problem is you never know when it will fail. This is the second circuit board we have had replaced. The two safety issues are the fact that the car May not start. The syptoms are very sporadic. Sometimes only the gauges are affected. Other times it won't start but May start the next day or next week. I was told this also affects the proper functioning of the driver and passenger air bags. …
No crash involved...noticed after a rainstorm here on the coast, that there was the sound of water rolling back and forth in the dash area when I was driving..not only that, but there was a significant(huge flood) of water coming into the passenger compartment from the dash area immediately in front of the passenger seat...enough water that my carpeting was completely soaked, and ruined. After this happened many times..I finally figured out what it was..there is some sort of drain hose to a water collection reservoir under the windshield...which can be disconnected to drain, but in the event of debris washing into it...would clog up and overflow..resulting in the described condition..this is very poor design in my opinion..some of folks I have had this to..did not have a clue what was going on...I have not said anything to Chrysler about this...but think it is not just me who has the …
This is the 2nd incident for the same problem. First complaint #10468365. I was stopped at an intersection. I crossed the street and my tires splashed water that was running down the street gutter. The water was 2-4" deep. I once again immediately lost steering and the engine began to overheat. I was able to muscle the steering wheel enough to pull it off to the side of the road. I looked under the hood and found the belt had slipped off again. I had to have it towed to the garage. The mechanic checked out the belt and the tensioner and said they were OK, and they reinstalled the belt. The first time this happened I was turning a corner, and the van went into the opposite lane. I guess I can be thankful for the draught these past few months. This is a serious problem. It makes me afraid of driving when it is raining or with any water on the road. …
Our vehicle has failed to start on 3 occasions. The first time we had it towed to the Chrysler dealership. It started right up for them and they could find anything wrong. If you google 1999 Chrysler Town & Country you will find many complaints and few solutions. One party has spent over $3000 at the dealership and still has the problem. I am not a mechanic but my guess would be there is a loose soldering joint on one of the boards. It has to do with the alarm. The car thinks its being stolen so it cuts the engine off. What has worked for us (believe it or not) is a good hard bang on the top of the dash. I am fearful of driving. I don't want to get stranded. This should definitely be a recall and Chrysler needs to address this issue. The alarm set light comes on each time, sometimes even while driving! We shouldn't have to cross our fingers every time we get in the van! …
NHTSA investigations
Overheating of front seat heaters
Allege that the front seats over heat and smoke or catch fire
Air bag clockspring
There is no summary currently available
Electrical complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Chrysler Town and Country, 15% of the model year's 362 complaints. The component named most often is horn (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1999 Chrysler Town and Country, though it has 4 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 1999 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 4 fires and 1 injury to electrical system 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.