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 2003 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the mechanic advised that the wiring harness caught on fire and would have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
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 Town and Country lxi did not start after successfully operating vehicle earlier in the day. Jumped vehicle and then drove to establish battery power. Vehicle stalled when going into reverse, then again at 40 MPH this happened on a total of six different occasions. Vehicle had lost charge the next morning and had to be jumped to get to dealership. Technician could not duplicate problem, no codes to report upon first inspection. Service attendant took vehicle for a drive and experienced stalling while reversing vehicle and then again when accelerating above 40 MPH. Eight individual codes have been identified. And the dealership wants more money to reach a diagnosis on this "intermittent" problem. NHTSA has 5 records of this exact problem. Vehicle has 48,000 miles to date. When will manufactures stand behind a product and offer assistance to fix an obvious defect??????? …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the brakes squeaked and pulsated when depressed. All of the brakes and rotors were replaced. The air conditioner compressor made a grating and scraping sound and was replaced, along with the alternator. The contact was afraid to remove the key from the ignition because it would take ten minutes of jiggling to get it back in and start the vehicle. The vehicle would make a clunking noise when shifting into gear. The cylinoid was replaced. The gasket and seal on the water pump and the accessory belt were replaced. The contact was informed that the water pump needed to be replaced within six months. The liftgate was replaced as well. …
Chrysler Town & Country, 2003 103,000 miles electrical problem symptoms 1. Battery light comes on intermittently, several times an hour. 2. Digital displays on dash board flicker and then steady followed by: 3. Speedometer and tachometer needles jump. 4. Sound only, on radio drops out for 1-2 seconds, every couple of minutes. 5. Fuel level alarm goes off and false low level indicated. 6. Vehicle periodically won't start, but after second try starts normally. 7. Speedometer needle pegs against back of stop pin, all else returns to normal operation. 8. Acceleration is slow to respond, lags about a second. 9. Periodically misses and tries to stall at highway speed, during acceleration. 10. ABS and brake light frequently illuminate. Recently had rear brakes rebuilt, and complete replacement of front brake system at 90,000 miles. 11. …
I own a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country that I purchased new in oct. Of 2003 from mortiz in fort worth, texas. Since purchasing this van it has been used for mostly long distance trips and has been serviced regularly. At the end of January 2007 my transmission solenoid pack started leaking. On feb. 15, 2007 I bought a new solenoid pack from madison square Chrysler in huntsville, alabama. I installed this item myself being that all that was involved was unbolting the old one and installing the new one. On feb. 20, 2007 with mileage of 87918 I had the transmission fluid flushed by the above mentioned dealer as well as oil change and maintenance checks. On feb. 28, 2007 the check engine light came on. I returned to the dealer on March 1, 2007 with mileage of 87990 for another round of service costing $1033.42. …
Dt: consumer purchased a new vehicle in 2003 and since then there have been numerous problems. Over the weekend, while driving 45 MPH the consumer applied brake pressure because she was approaching a red light and discovered there were no brakes. The brakes were mushy/loose and went to the floor. They were not responding to pressure. The consumer pumped brakes in up and down motion and they activated, but were weak in their response. The consumer was able to stop just barely missing another vehicle. Consumer drove vehicle about a mile to the dealership, who stated that master cylinder failed and would have to be replaced. A new master cylinder was ordered. However, the parts have not yet arrived. Consumer wished to file a complaint at this time even though she did not know the outcome of this repairs. This was the first time this happened with the brakes. …
Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Town and Country. While driving at 65 MPH the vehicle stalled. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and installed a transmission carrier, but indicated that the fuel injection pump could also be the cause of the failure. This incident occurred for three weeks and continued to occur after being repaired. The failure occurred when the vehicle was hot or cold. The contact stated that there were no warning indicator lights when the stalling occurred. However, when the vehicle lost power the oil light indicator was lit. The contact felt unsafe driving the vehicle due to the frequent stalling incidents, including one that occurred at 1 am. Updated 2/22/2007 -now the vehicle exhibits a rough start condition. The steering had become very tight and makes noise. The radio will not play and the vehicle cuts off when it is on. Transmission problems. …
Electrical complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the electrical system of the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country, 16% of the model year's 245 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2003 Chrysler Town and Country, though it has 2 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 2003 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire 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.