Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
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 power sliding doors operate erratically. Sometimes they act like something is in the way and the door reverses direction. This occurred recently and my daughter's foot was smashed by the door. It did not require a doctor's visit but her foot was bruised. We took the vehicle to the delaership and they said that there were no error codes. They said they contacted Chrysler hq and they said if there are no codes then there is nothing they can do. There are other times when the sliding doors are closing and the ignition key is turned (to start the engine) the doors reverse direction. There have been other times where the door started to open but then stopped and had to be closed manually. This happened four times in a row but when taken into the delaership they said there was no code so they couldn't do anything. …
While removing a bike rack from the trunk of my 2002 Town & Country Mini van, my hand slipped shutting and trapping the fingers on my right hand in the door jam. Since my fingers were in the way, the trunk wouldn't shut securely and therefore, the trunk release would not work. When I tried to open the trunk with my left hand, it just dinged at me three times and stayed tight on my hand. My fingers quickly began loosing feeling. Seeing as I had no adults available to assist, I started trying to pull my hand out as my daughter called 911. The ring on my right hand was keeping the trunk opened just barely far enough where I could pull my hand out, but in doing so I managed to scrape a large portion of skin off one of my fingers and my knuckles were bleeding. If it hadn't been for that ring, I am certain I would have needed the paramedic' assistance to break open the door. …
2002 Chrysler Town & Country lxi. Turn signal indicator lights inside vehicle are malfunctioning, we are unaware if they malfunction outside, other lights are shorted out inside in the "dash" area. These are all indicators of an electrical short somewhere in the vehicle. Also the power rear door on the driver's side does not open using the keypad when it is cool or raining. We were told by dealership at the time of purchase that it didn't operate at all and needed a new motor, that's why we were "getting a good price". The rear power doors will both also almost close all the way, and then open for not reason, I.e. Nothing in the way at all. The rear power doors will also not close if you are on a very slight slant. The liftgate gives a hard time latching when using keypad. The vehicle was purchased in October 2008 preowned from a dealership. These issues cause a major safety threat. …
The manual door lock on the sliding door will not unlock. Both automatically or manually. It does this intermittently. My van is a wheelchair van and the sliding door is my only means of exit. I had a wheelchair van mechanic take the whole locking mechanism apart and he discovered there was a flaw in the design of the door actuator. He made a modification and it worked. This is a big problem in all year models of the Chrysler Town & Country vans. In an emergency situation, there is no way of opening the door. The manual lock sticks in the locked position and will not release, even under force. Chrysler is well aware of this problem. Chrysler could at least address the problem and make a retrofit part for these doors.
Rh side door intermittently fails to open. It was repaired under warranty at 30861 miles. Now failing again. Dealer says over $400 to repair. I believe this is a safety issue since the door becomes nearly impossible to open and does not close properly after it fails to open electrically. I believe that Chrysler needs to repair it properly, or have a safety recall on this defective mechanism.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that intermittently the rear driver side door opens. As a consequence her child could exit the vehicle while in motion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the technicians were unable to identify the cause of the failure. She is in the process of contacting the manufacturer. The failure and current mileages were 85600. Bl
Dt: the contact stated the sliding passenger door of van closed on the contact's leg. He opened the door remotely, and while it was opening, his shoulder bumped the door, causing the door to reverse. The cause of this incident was unknown because no contact has been made with the dealer or manufacturer. As a result of this incident he sustained minor injuries.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the passenger's side sliding door would not unlock manually or automatically. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The current mileage was approximately 160,200.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. The right rear passenger side door was locked tight and could not be opened manually or with the electronic key. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified. The door lock failed in March 2010. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 95,000 and the current mileage was 107,000.
Dt: caller's son was getting out of van and without warning the automatic door closed on his head. Caller said it took a lot of force to get the door to open. The more she pushed the harder it was to open door. She believed her son was unable to set off sensor to stop door. Her son was almost 4 years old ,and was a bit shook up.ui
NHTSA investigations
Power liftgate latch
This investigation was opened as pe04-054 regarding reports of alleged power liftgate (plg) opening while driving.the investigation was upgraded on November 22, 2004 based on information provided by daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc) in its September 17, 2004 response to pe04-054.
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country, 6% of the model year's 404 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Chrysler Town and Country door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches 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 door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 62,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to locks & latches 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.