Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal sound was heard coming from the vehicle, and a fuel odor was detected. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the serpentine belt had fractured and severed the fuel line, causing fuel to spill onto the engine. The mechanic replaced the serpentine belt and trimmed the fuel line; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the mechanic, and the mechanic bent the clamps on the serpentine belt and reattached the belt. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
The contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country. The contact stated while the vehicle was running, the engine would misfire. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,492.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle overheated. The vehicle made a clacking noise and smoke began to rise from the engine. The check engine light did not illuminate until the vehicle began smoking. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The engine shut off and the contact allowed the vehicle to cool down. He added water to the radiator and drove to his residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and they stated that the computers failed and needed to be replaced. The contact disagreed and stated that the vehicle overheated because the fan and cooling system were inadequate in size. The dealer did not repair the vehicle. The current mileage was 71,421 and failure mileage was 50,000.
The Town and Country van that we own continues to have multiple issues with intermittent stalling and various speeds. The van usually has problems most after refilling with gasoline. This problem has been happening for a few months and continues despite efforts to remedy the problem. I feel this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed by Chrysler and the NHTSA to avoid a major casualty incident since these vans are having documented problems at all speeds including highway driving at 70 plus MPH. We are not sure if the problem exists due to electrical issues, fuel pump issues or EVAP system issues due to the fact that no reportable codes are being thrown when the vehicle has this problem.
Thick white smoke was coming out of the back of the van - it had a burning smell. People on the highway were moving away from us because of it. We brought it to our mechanic and he said that the tubes that feed antifreeze to the back of the van (to heat the back) were all rotted, and leaked antifreeze all over the exhaust. He said it was a result of "poor manufacturing." the car is a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country and only has 30,000 miles on it. The warranty just ran out 2 months ago.
A month after we bought it stop running would start do anything its been just sitting int he yard since we checked fuel pump put new one in nope that wasn't it we have checked everything .now our friend hins its the head gasketim sorry but we just gotthe van in July to only drive it for 2weeks can you help
Lincoln Town and Country would stall when shifting. Around 1K miles the vehicle had become hard to shift and would stall. The consumer had taken the vehicle for a recall and felt it was a mistake because the vehicle did not run the same since. On a few occasions moisture filled the vehicle as far back as the middle seats. When the vehicle stopped in the street or at idle it seemed as if the timing was slow. The vehicle was shifted into neutral and smoothed out. The consumer also heard a noise in the motor which turned about 1700-1750 RPM's, and a loud sound had come from the engine area. (the noise had become intermittent) while traveling, the consumer viewed smoke and or steam in which they were unsure of where it was coming from but when they looked under the hood everything looked fine. The dealer was unable to fix the problem. …
The vehicle stalled without warning. As the consumer pulled into the parking space, the vehicle stalled without warning, then the vehicle was placed in park, restarted, and continued into the parking space. On another occasion the vehicle into reverse, the vehicle stalled without warning, restarted the vehicle, placed in drive and stalled again. There was an intermittent click noise when the pedal is depressed, the A/C fan noise, the suspension felt loose and leaned to left, uneven tire wear, clunk noise in the front end when coming to a stop, when turning, and pulling into a parking space, the tires meet a resistance,the gas pedal vibrated, and there was a groaning noise in the steering wheel and or the engine when turning or when in reverse. The motor mount was installed incorrectly and was repositioned properly. Scc
My 2002 and 2001 Town and Country"s the rear heater steel tube lines rusted out at the bracket just under the passenger floor in front of the rubber tube connection to the rear aluminum tube lines. There is a recall on the 2005 year but Chrysler will not honor this on 2001-2004 models even though they are the same tubes on the Town and Country and the Dodge caravan for these years. I have a 2001 and a 2002 Town and Country plus my sister has a 2002 Dodge grand caravan with the same problem. I also looked into your other forms for the same problem and there are complaints in 2001,2002,2003, and the recall statement for 2005. This is a common flaw and should be repaired by Chrysler and this part re-engineered and the new style part fully installed on my 2001 and 2002 Town and Country's at no cost to me.
Driving vehicle at appropriate speed in traffic, noticed A/C was blowing warm air, smell of something burning and smoke under hood from passenger side. Immediately turned off air and stopped vehicle as soon as it was safe to do so. Upon opening the hood found smoke coming from right front engine bay area around alternator and A/C compressor. Allowed engine to ventilate and cool, restarted vehicle but with HVAC system off and drove to the nearest repair shop where the mechanic checked the vehicle. Mechanic changed the engine oil and recommended to charge the A/C system with refrigerant. Other mechanics suggested taking vehicle to A/C repair shop. Informed that t&c vehicles prone to have A/C compressor issues and known defect. Never received recall notice or offer by Chrysler to have known defect corrected.
Engine complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country, 9% of the model year's 404 complaints. The component named most often is engine (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chrysler Town and Country engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2002 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 2002 Chrysler Town and Country engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles, and 28% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.