Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Chrysler Town and Country owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Back sliding door inoperable, dealership sold the vehicle this way, neglected to disclose the issue. When we noticed we refused the sale, dealership added to the sale contract that it would be fixed before delivery, vehicle was not fixed before delivery after several attempts, and a third party off site company attempted to fix the issue. Dealership had the vehicle for 36 days before coming to a temporary fix, door still has issues opening and closing. Sometimes won't open at all or just close instantly after opening pinching/crushing anyone who isn't fast enough to get out of the way in the door. Door has also come completely off the track at one point. The door will not stop if it starts to close, it will slide closed into you or a child, the censors do not work as designed apparently. …
On 3 July 2021 the driver side rear sliding door became inoperable. The door would not open using either the electronic motor or by manually pulling the handle and sliding the door. The door lock appeared to be jammed in the locked position and could not be unlocked either electronically or manually. Not being able to open the rear door in any manner is unsafe and in the event of an accident would not allow access or egress to passengers in the rear of the vehicle. I had an independent ASE Certified Master Mechanic asses the issue. The only way to get the door open was to remove the door panel from the inside and manually push the lock actuator back into the correct position. Upon further inspection and testing it was noted that flipping the child safety lock back and forth several times seemed to have reset the actuator and the lock and door has worked correctly since.
On 4/12/2022, I attempted to open the drivers side sliding door on our 2106 Chrysler Town & Country. The door did not unlock when using the key fob or when using the unlock button on the drivers side door. I also tried manually unlocking the door but it would not unlock. Now the door is stuck in a locked state and will not open. I was unable to open the door to put my child into their car seat and therefore I would not be able to get them out of the car in an emergency. As this issue just started today (4/12/2022) I have not had a chance to get the vehicle looked at but have found many articles online that confirm that this is a re-occurring issue with this particular vehicle. There were no warning lights or any other indicators that this issue would occur. Vehicle and doors were working completely fine up until this morning (4/12/2022).
During idle, or driving under various conditions, vehicle will randomly "shut down". This can happen driving through a corner or on the interstate at 70mph. Once it shuts down, you lose braking and steering assist. Still have headlight and accessory power. Car will start right back up either putting it in neutral and turning the key, or coming to a stop and putting it in park. Doesn't hesitate to crank, appears to have fuel pressure and spark. There is no correlation to this issue with driving conditions. Sometimes will happen multiple times in a day, sometimes wont happen for a week. Research suggests that this is a very common issue across many years of vehicles that have used the 3.6L Pentastar engine, however no TSB's or recalls have been issue for the 2016 T&C exhibiting this issue.
The contact owns a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally lost motive power without warning. The contact stated that the failure occurred occasionally while driving or while idling. The contact stated that the vehicle would restart after waiting for several minutes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where no failure was diagnosed however, the dealer advised the contact to replace the battery. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but no assistance was offered as the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine completely shut off while in drive on the road, lost all power, brakes everything. managed to coast into to a parking lot, where the vehicle kept turning on and off. The key didn't seem to connect to the van. the van died as soon as i coasted it off the road. everything is electronic in the van. even taking inserting the key fob into the van did not work. Van has around 93000 miles on it. Had problems where the van would not start at all before then got it to start eventually. It was like the ignition was not reading the key. First time it happened driving on the road. newer vehicle battery and batteries in the key fob. Help. is there a recall on this van?
Rear side passenger doors. At times they do not work remotely or manually. They go into a lock position and there are no means of opening them. If there are passengers in the vehicle, they are locked inside without any means to get out those doors. At the present time on my vehicle, one is working and the other is in a lock position. I am calling the dealer today to set up an appointment to resolve. This is a very serious problem if someone was to have passengers and have to exit the vehicle through those doors quickly, or are not able to climb out the front or back doors, I feel could lead to a liability or lawsuit against the manufacturer.
I have this vehicle and the drivers side sliding door has locked up completely. I will not unlock or open manually or electrically. I had it in for a diagnostic at a certified body shop in Devils Lake, ND 58301. They say it is the locking mechanism or actuator. I have recently been informed that Chrysler has extended the warranty for thi part to 15 years or 150K. But my vehicle does not show up as having a recall for this. The bulletin number I am referring to is 23-036-21. It covers 2015 and 2016 town and countrys mine is a 2016. How do I get this covered
left sliding door will not open or close. yes, it will be available for inspection. our safety is put at risk while in the car if the vehicle catches on fire and there are passengers in the back seat who will not be able to get out the side door because it will not open. no, the problem has not been reduced or confirmed by the dealer. no one has has inspected the vehicle. there were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to failure. it first appeared about 4 months ago. have attempted to see what could be done, but it was beyond my abilities.
Ignition Switch. The switch moves somtimes out of run postion, turning off the engine, spesially when the engine is worm. ( I found this information in my Hayes Repair Manual where they also says it has a recall since 2015) Dealer claimed it was a computor glitch. Only the dealer ship. The Techs could could not get a clear signal that's why they said it was a computor glitch. But I think they know more because they said it might be the ignition switch. When I asked they if the had one they said no because they are waiting for parts from China....
Electrical complaints in other Town and Country years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2016 Chrysler Town and Country?
NHTSA has 107 complaints about the electrical system of the 2016 Chrysler Town and Country, 20% of the model year's 527 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2016 Chrysler Town and Country, though it has 5 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 2016 Chrysler Town and Country electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 3 injuries 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.