Most common 2003 Chrysler Town and Country problems
Share of the 245 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chrysler Town and Country complaints by model year
Best Town and Country years: 2004, 2007, 2003. Years to avoid: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2005, 2009. Compare all years →
2003 Chrysler Town and Country recalls (2)
Latches/locks/linkages › Hatchback/liftgate › Lock
On certain minivans, the power liftgate (plg) latch May not engage the striker allowing the liftgate to open while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power liftgate control module free of charge. The recall began April 26, 2005. Owners May contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain minivans equipped with 3.3 or 3.8l v-6 engine, the upper power steering cooler hose May split and cause a fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the upper power steering cooler hose. This recall began on September 27, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country:
Power liftgate latch
This investigation was opened on July 30, 2004, based on odi consumer complaints alleging unwanted opening of the vehicle's power liftgate (plg) while driving.in daimlerchrysler corporation (dcc)'s September 17, 2004 response to odi' s information request letter, it provided additional consumer complaints and lawsuits.dcc states in part, ...the plg latch becomes stuck in a semi-closed state not allowing the plg…
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.
Engine Stall After Refueling
This defect petition evaluates July 7, 2014 allegations from an owner of a model year (MY) 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan that engine stall occurs in these vehicles without warning after refueling.The petitioner's vehicle is a Chrysler RS platform minivan.The RS platform includes MY 2003 through 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country and Chrysler Voyager minivans.NHTSA evaluated the…
What 2003 Chrysler Town and Country owners say
Steering all 52 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country Mini van. While driving 35 MPH the contact lost steering power and control of the vehicle after driving on an icy patch on the highway. The contact tried to turn right into the direction of the skid but the steering wheel locked and it would not move. Due to the steering locking the vehicle spun to the rear end and hit an embankment. The vehicle crashed into a ditch and rolled over 3 times and returned to the upright position. The front driver's side tire blew out and the airbags didn't deploy. The seat belts did not secure the contact and the passenger. The contact and passenger were transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital due to their injuries. There was a previous recall on the vehicle campaign# 04V386000 with steering, hydraulic power assist; hose, & piping connections. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the power steering made a loud winding noise and locked up. The contact stated that the issue only occurred in inclement weather without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 165,000.
Electrical system all 40 →
While driving the van in town it completely shut off. I was driving straight at 35 mph. It would not restart and had to be towed to service garage. When it shut off the first time all of the dash warning lights came on for a second then shut off. The garage said the ignition switch had to be replaced and the main computer. Then the Chrysler dealership had to flash the computer. They said they did and I drove the van 20 miles at 55 mph and it shut off again. No codes were shown when tested. I was able to get it started again after 20 minutes of sitting and tried to drive it again and it kept shutting off while driving 65 mph on the interstate. After several shut offs and finally getting it restarted I was able to get the van to a safe place to have it towed. …
The airbag on the passenger side blew up. On robin hood rd when car was almost stopped for a traffic light on buena vista rd. When the airbag blew up with my daughter-in-law in that seat. Calling Chrysler they said there was no recall on it and they would do nothing because of the age of the car. A month earlier I spent $2000 on repairs on this car and now it is useless. Starting the car it smells like it's going to catch on fire. The car was in motion and almost at a complete stop for a traffic light when the airbag exploded which was very scary. When I first called Chrysler they ask the location of the car and LED me to believe someone from Chrysler would examine the the van and then a week later calling I found out they were denying anything because of the age of the car. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 28 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country. While driving unknown speeds, the contact heard an abnormal rumbling noise while shifting gears. Prior to the failure, an unknown warning indicator illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer informed the contact that there were no recalls and referred her to NHTSA. The failure mileage was 200,000.
Over 20 miles per hour, car pauses for more than a normal minivan period of time, prior to accelarating. Also noise is heard coming from below minivan, when accling., that was not present up till a couple of months ago. Dealer service station claims that minivan was tested and pause in accl. Is normal. Noise still be checked out. If slow gaps in accl. Are normal, than why did this not happen for first year we owned the minivan? We've had recalled power steering hose changed as per recall instructions, power steering had, prior to recall, made extreme noises at times that were not normal, hose replacement seems to have solved that particular problem. Also, in past year and a half, had problem was A/C, and also defective fuel pump. Finally, when purchasing the 2003 limited own & Country, was told by ref. …
2003 Chrysler Town and Country engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 25 / 21 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Minivan.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country a good car?
Based on 245 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Town and Country rates better than average: 46% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Town and Country at the same age. It is one of the best Town and Country years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country?
The steering — 52 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about hydraulic power assist › hose, piping, and connections. Next are the electrical system (40) and transmission & drivetrain (28).
How many recalls does the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country, the most recent from April 6, 2005 (lock). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chrysler Town and Country?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2007 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2005 and 2009. See the full Chrysler Town and Country years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Chrysler Town and Country problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 60,000 miles; 43% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.