Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Headlights: low beams do not work at all but high beams do. Second time this vehicle has had the same problem. Last time Chrysler replaced under a lifetime replacement, just short of a recall yet here I am having the same problem again.
While driving on rural road at night, shortly after turning right and disabling windsheild wipers: the headlights and entire instrumental panel completely shut off working without warning. Pulling back on the blinker lever and holding it back activated the brights and those worked. After toggling headlight switch off and back on, instrument panel and headlights reactivated. This failure mode doesn't exactly match ea11010, which claims that the instrument panel remains in operation while only the headlights fail. However I am unclear on whether my van's problem could still be at least partly caused by the headlight switch, so I will replace it at my own cost. My Chrysler dealership tells me they will only replace the switch under warranty if they can reproduce the problem, and otherwise they will charge a $150 diagnostic fee... More than the cost of the switch! …
During the driving, headlights went out at 55 MPH and I made several attempts to toggle the switch and headlights came on. After a long period with this issue, it gets worse, it takes me at least 2-3 minutes toggling the swtich to turn it on. It is not safe to drive with this issue. Headlight switch is recalled by Chrysler but it doesn't apply on my vehicle.
My headlights go on and off all the time they even flicker sometimes by turning headlight switch on and off they come back on doesn't happen all the time sometimes I'll be driving and headlights will just go off by flipping switch off and on a few times they come back on
Backed out of the driveway, headlights flickered, would not stay on, high beam worked, low beams came on, went off several times, would not stay on. This is for the date today 9/16/15, the date field above doesn't accept numerals.
I have the same intermittent headlight problem as described in the below article but my Chrysler Town & Country is a 2005. It appears the problem is not limited to 2001-2002 model years. I am afraid to drive this vehicle at night. The headlights sometimes suddenly turn off while driving (although the running lights stay on) or when starting up the vehicle the headlights won't turn on. Was there ever an official recall for this? Http://www.autotalkusa.com/recalls1.asp?make=Chrysler date: 06/08/05 make: Chrysler NHTSA investigates Chrysler minivan headlight problems June 2005 the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) has upgraded an investigation of 813,597 Chrysler minivans including Dodge caravan and grand caravan, Plymouth voyager and grand voyager and Chrysler Town & Country and voyager minivans from the 2001 and 2002 model years to check for problems with headlights, …
Since about March of this year, our van headlamps will not turn on with the switch. It takes playing with the switch several times before they go on. Recently the headlights randomly go off as we are driving, we have to pull over and play with the switch to get the lights to go on. Also as we park and turn the car off, sometimes the headlights or the dash lights will go on by themselves. Currently we are having to jump the car often as if there is a drain on the battery. We took the battery to the location where it was bought and they tested the system, and battery and charging system passed all test. In other incidents which May or not be related our power sliding doors are not working properly. The left side does not function at all, and the right side closes and opens when the button is depressed. It takes two tries before it locks properly. …
Overhead lights in console went out one at a time (one had already been replaced within 1st yr.). I went in to buy replacement bulbs at the dealership. The design has changed and part of the plastic has to be trimmed to make it fit. They put the bulbs in and it still didn't work. They said the wiring must have melted so you need to order the entire overhead console. After hearing this I wondered why there had not been a recall - wiring burned? And, it sounded as though they were familiar with this problem, I was not the first. My husband looked at it today and he got the light to work but not with the switch. It is getting power but it won't operate the bulb. They had said part of the plastic on the bulbs melt. Once again, melting bulb base not a recall issue? Chrysler told me the dealership needs to troubleshoot to find the problem - with me paying $92.50/hr.! …
I have a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country. Tonight at 8:30 I turned the light switch on and started out of a parking lot when I realized that the headlights were not on. After several attempts of flipping the light switch on and off with no success, I put the vehicle in park and tried several more times and was finally able to get the headlights to turn on. 15 minutes later, while traveling down the road at 40+MPH with 3 month old twin grandbabies and two older children in the vehicle, the lights turn off for at least 20 seconds or more and then return back on for even less time, when they resume to turning off again several times before making it home. I purchased this vehicle from a used dealership in September of 2010 with no idea that there were so many complaints about the headlights failing. …
About May or June of this year, the headlights of our 2005 Town & Country van started failing to come on when the interior switch was turn "on". At first, simple toggling would get them to work though the frequency of having to do this as well as the lights failing to stay on have increased significantly in the recent months. This is my wife's primary work vehicle and she often returns from work when it's dark. She had a number of instances where the headlights have just "gone out" while she was driving. I was looking on the internet recently to see if there were any posts as to what is causing this to happen and not many have posted an definitive answer to the headlight failure. My other major issue with this 2005 Town & Country is the ac system. …
Headlight complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2005 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 117 complaints about the lights of the 2005 Chrysler Town and Country, 14% of the model year's 857 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Chrysler Town and Country headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2005 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 2005 Chrysler Town and Country headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 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.