Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that there was a hole where the emblem was located on the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air bag, Steering) however, the emblem was removed but not replaced. The manufacturer was contacted however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.
I was leaving my place of residence and was navigating a 90 degree left hand turn while in drive at approximately 10mph. As I began to attempt to straighten the wheel and accelerate out of the turn I realized I had no steering and the car wouldn't accelerate. The engine had stalled and the steering wheel was locked while turned to the left. No warning lights or messages were present even after I started the vehicle back up. I feel incredibly lucky this happened at a low rate of speed instead of at highway speed. It has never done anything like this before and we cannot figure out what caused the engine to stall or why there was no steering when it happened.
The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V396000 (Air Bags, Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer and Brent Brown Chrysler Jeep (1825 N University Pkwy Provo, UT 84604) were made aware of the recall but informed the contact that parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Incident with Chrysler Town & Country 2008 2/9/15 between 4:26-4:29 p.m. Driving slow after just having gotten a green light (25mph or less) hit a big bump in the road. Every light on the dashboard lit up and I felt the engine lose power. The van coasted for a couple seconds then seemed to gain power back. Went around a bend in the road slowly and the engine lost all power. It did not come back at all this time. I tried to use the turn signal to get turn into a parking lot. Signal did not work. Neither did power steering. I could not get van to turn into parking lot. There was a moving vehicle behind me and a parking lot full of cars to my left. I found the automatic brakes were not working. I turned the steering wheel hard to the right to avoid hitting an oncoming vehicle and thankfully the van coasted into a snow bank which stopped it from moving any farther. …
While I was driving on the on-ramp to a highway my car hit a bump and lost control and I started sliding. Thankfully there happened to be no one coming. I noticed that when my van stopped halfway in a ditch and halfway on the left lane I went to move my vehicle it wouldn't move so I then noticed it was off but still in drive and the key was still on. So I put it in park and shut it off then turned it back on then was able to proceed driving but since then my ESP/bas, and traction control light have been on. After having that happened I had the recall on my van fixed. Well the lights are still there and now the driving is worse. I cant control my steering and they say it is my steering angle sensor. They also say my catalytic converter needs fixed and a PCM flash. Which I don't understand how all these problems started since my ignition unwillingly shut off. …
I was driving down the road going between 35-40 MPH and my car shut off. The radio and headlights were working but the engine was off, the power steering stopped working and the brakes were not working correctly. I tried to steer on the road but was approaching a stop sign where cross traffic did not stop. So I ended up pulling into the front yard of someone's house to slow and finally stop the car. The front yard was large so luckily I did not hit any mailboxes or houses. My car had shut off in 3 other incidences but I wasn't going as fast and I was in a residential neighborhood so I was able to let the car roll to a stop and no one was hurt. We use this car as a family car and I am worried that someone is going to get hurt if this happens again. I have called the closest dealership several times and Chrysler and no one seems to be able to help me. …
My Town and Country is involved in the l25 recall. There have been several occasions where during operation, the key moves from the "on" position. This causes the vehicle to shut off and I am unable to steer or engage the brakes. I have contacted Chrysler several times about this and to receive an estimated time of when the parts will be available for repair. I contacted them today, 1/6/2015 to let them know that it happened again and I almost caused an accident on a major highway. I also requested for them to provide me with a safe vehicle to drive while waiting on the parts for repair due to the concern I had for the safety of my children and other drivers. They said that it was not possible because they did not know when the parts would be available. This disregard for the safety of my family and the public is unacceptable. …
My vehicle will shut off while I'm driving. It's been an ongoing issue. There are no lights that come on, on the dashboard that indicate any error, except the antilock break light will occasionally light up. I could be driving slow or fast, it makes no difference, it will just shut off, and the power steering and brakes lose power and don't work. This is very dangerous and can easily cause an accident. I have done some research online and have also seen this exact same problem with hundreds upon hundreds of other consumers with the same make and model. People have taken their vehicles to Chrysler dealerships and mechanics and no one can figure out the cause. This is a huge safety issue. I have small children, 2 still in carseats, and my youngest who is 1 is handicap. I am scared to drive it. I still owe $10,000 on my auto loan for this car, so I am stuck with it. …
Within the first 10 to 15 minutes of driving the vehicle, the engine will shut off causing extremely hard steering and braking. There does not seem to be a pattern as to if I use the remote start or just the key. It does seem to happen more in cold weather than when the weather is warmer. This happens on the average of 3 to 5 times a week. After the engine cuts off and then re-started, there are no other cut offs until the vehicle sits for some period of time and started up again. This is so serious that my wife and daughter cannot drive the vehicle. I know that a recall has been issued but it has been several months and there is nothing (according to the dealer) that can be done so the vehicle can be driven safely! Help please!!
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the traction control warning lamp kept illuminating intermittently. The vehicle veered to the right and the power steering seized. The contact mentioned that excessive force was required to maneuver the vehicle. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V139000 (electrical system). The dealer was notified of the failure and indicated that the part needed was not available to repair the failure. The contact constantly had to turn off and restart the vehicle to reset the computer. The vehicle was also included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V394000 (air bags). The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Steering complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 95 complaints about the steering of the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country, 5% of the model year's 1,939 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist › hose, piping, and connections (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chrysler Town and Country steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country, though it has 7 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 2008 Chrysler Town and Country steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering 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.