2005 Chrysler Town and Country Door Lock & Latch Problems

Which parts fail

• Doors › Latch
  7
• Hatchback/liftgate › Lock
  2

Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  510%
• 25k–50k
  1529%
• 50k–75k
  1122%
• 75k–100k
  918%
• 100k–150k
  816%
• 150k+
  36%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The rear sliding door on our 2005 Chrysler Town & Country has failed, making it impossible to open the door more than 12 inches. This is a safety problem because we obviously have a van so that we can transport our children. The design appears flawed. There is a cheap plastic chain carrier that contains wiring and rides in the door track. This has blown apart, causing the car wiring to be exposed and subject to wear in the door track. Although we only have 54000 miles on the car, Chrysler says this is a wear and tear item (I.e., we've just used the door too much). They won't fix it, even though the door on the other side is beginning to have problems too (bushings falling off, rough closing, etc). It looks to us like the whole sliding door concept at Chrysler needs to be rethought. We can't be the only ones with this problem. …

Randomly, the power locks on my newly purchased 2005 Chrysler Town & Country touring edition (3.8l v6) decided to stop working. Research online told us to just remove the fuse labeled iod and then put it back. This does stop the problem but it's temporary and in my case it stopped working. After further research it appears the vehicle needs a computer update which I'm expected to pay for. This update, in my case, would require me to lose my car for at least a week. Seeing that I am in a high risk pregnancy I don't think it would be a good idea to not have my car. Chrysler knows this is a problem cause they made the update to correct it. I think this is a safety issue. I leave my car, hit the lock button, hear the honk telling me it's locked but it's not. Someone can easily get into my car. As well, I have a 2 year old. …

1.- while driving in the city, I accidentally hit the unlock button on my Town & Country limited 2005. My daughter was able to manually open the passenger sliding door while the car was in motion 2.- the Chrysler Town & Country limited 2005 failed to provide safety features to prevent the driver and passenger sliding doors to open while on driving gear. .- I took my car to jack miller Chrysler in kansas city, the dealer where I bought my car and explained to the maintenance manager the problem. He told me that there was nothing that could be done because " that's the way Chrysler builds its cars". I called chryslers customer service, and was told that we should always ride with child safety lock on. This doesn't change the fact that there is a serious defect with their sliding doors. …

We have a 2005 Town & Country minivan with locks that quit working often. We disconnect the battery for a few minutes and they work again for a day or two. This is very unsafe for many reasons. Sometimes they stop working and you don't know it until you get back in your car, thinking the whole time your car is locked and it is not. Also, having 3 children riding in a car with locks that don't work is very unsafe. I have a family member with the same minivan and they are having the same problem, how ironic. After reading on-line I have read how common this is. What do we have to do to get Chrysler to make a recall on this problem? We don't have the extra money in today's economy to have it fixed at the dealership. I am really hoping there is some way they make a recall on this problem. We have put some thought into getting a new minivan that is not so unsafe for our family. …

The vehicle headlights go out randomly while driving and cannot be turned back on immediately. High beams still work if manually held on by pulling the high beam switch. This has occurred numerous times. Also the electric door locks fail randomly. Also the electric door locks fail randomly. Also elec windows fail randomly. Dealer always reports, unable to duplicate the problem. Also vehicle has one time totally shut down electrically while driving at 60 MPH. All electric components went out and vehicle stopped running. It restarted after turning off the key and re starting. Headlight problem is the most dangerous as they just shut off randomly while driving and cannot be immediately turned back on. This is not a one time problem but a constant re-curring malfunction.

Power locks quit working. Vehicle acts like it was locked up when pressing the remote (horn beeps, lights flash) but locks don't lock. Power doors also quit working causing potential pinch-points. When the doors act up and bounce back open, they sometimes try to re-close but the interference sensor doesn't stop the door from closing on a body part. Can temporarily make it better by removing and replacing the iod fuse, but the problem returns a short time later. Problem began right after warranty expired. Dealer wants 300-800 to attempt to fix the problem but can't guarantee that either component will positively correct the problem. Hundreds of similar complaints on the web with the same issue and no positive corrective action.

The electric door lock/unlock actuator on the driver's side door stopped unlocking that or any of the other locks. Several days later the actuator began to work again then a few days later again stopped working. This has repeated several times now. This problem occurred before several months after we had bought the vehicle used in mid 2012. At that time, a mechanic replaced the driver's side door actuator which seemed to solve the problem until it recurred this August. At all times, even when the driver's side door actuator did not function, the lock/unlock function on the remote has always worked. The safety issue is that in the event of an accident, the driver cannot unlock the passengers' doors.

2005 Chrysler Town and Country liftgate was being closed using automatic closing mechanism. Husband stepped around card and liftgate crashed onto his head at considerable force cracking open his head and requiring 5 staples to his head. He is 6' 5" and 200 lbs, I would hate to see what would have happened if it was my 4 year old whom had been hit. Chrysler touted the safety of the automatic doors upon purchasing the vehicle stating that even a fingertip would cause the doors to retract. I am contacting Chrysler to inform them of this possible defect or at least to warn consumers of the dangers. I will not be using the automatic feature any further.

Power locks failed. I took the van to the dealership in jan. 2009 for other repairs (ck engine light - ended up being a bad egc valve) and when I mentioned the locks had failed the technician immediately asked if the van was a 2005. When I said yes, he told me that there was a defect in the programming of the locks which has caused a high number of them to fail. Told I would have to pay $100 to have them fixed. Which I did as it has been very inconvenient as there is only one lock for key entry. $100 for it to be reprogrammed was highway robbery. Why was there no recall if they knew they were defective?

I attempted to lock my van using the remote. The van did not lock. Thought battery was dead in my remote. But sliding door would still open. Then I had to manually lock all doors and it's difficult when I'm pregnant. I am unable to unlock all doors using the interior switch and there is only one door that I have to manually unlock with the key. It was constant. Someone suggested to pop off the fuse and then put it back. Did that. But temporary solution. Also the lock will not automatically lock when van is in motion over 20 MPH. Dangerous as I have kids all under the age of 5.

Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Town and Country years