Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 23 | 4% | 65,000 miles |
| 2015 | 80 | 21% | 71,000 miles |
| 2014 | 94 | 15% | 80,000 miles |
| 2013 | 58 | 9% | 79,000 miles |
| 2012 | 12 | 2% | 111,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 1% | 65,000 miles |
| 2010 | 9 | 1% | 49,000 miles |
| 2009 | 7 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2008 | 16 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 27,000 miles |
| 2006 | 4 | 1% | 121,000 miles |
| 2005 | 4 | 0% | 21,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 1% | 42,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 2% | 36,000 miles |
| 2002 | 7 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2001 | 10 | 2% | 100,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 2% | 43,000 miles |
| 1999 | 6 | 2% | 117,000 miles |
| 1998 | 8 | 3% | — |
| 1997 | 7 | 2% | 42,000 miles |
| 1996 | 17 | 2% | 131,000 miles |
| 1995 | 2 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I am submitting this letter to formally express my serious concern and dissatisfaction regarding a safety issue that occurred and that, under only slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in a far more dangerous outcome. The situation I experienced was not only unacceptable but indicative of a potential systemic failure that warrants immediate investigation. The incident posed a clear risk to my safety and the safety of others. It is deeply troubling that such a failure was able to occur at all, and even more troubling that-had the conditions been marginally different-it could have led to severe injury or worse. This is precisely the type of preventable hazard that NHTSA exists to identify and address before it results in tragedy. …
The headrest came apart while car was parked and turned off. If the driver was behind the wheel when this happen, there is a good possibality it may have cause the driver to have an accident. The car have been to a service center to check about replacing it. There was no warning before the headrest came apart. It is my understanding that Chrysler knew about the defect but I have not received a recall notice. It seem this part is expensive to replace and I don't see that it is my place to lay out the money. Can Chrysler be held accountable?
The contact owns a 2015 Chrysler Town And Country. The contact stated that after the vehicle was parked, the contact exited the vehicle and opened the driver's side sliding door and the driver's side headrest exploded. The contact stated that the headrest explosion was very loud. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated while walking towards the vehicle, the contact became aware that the driver's side headrest had deployed and was detached from the seat. The contact stated that there was no impact to the vehicle to cause the headrest to deploy. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 183,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the contact's wife sat down in the front passenger's seat, and several minutes later, the front passenger's seat headrest deployed. The headrest struck the contact's wife on the back of the head; however, no injuries were sustained. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that an unknown plastic piece had detached from the head restraint. The vehicle remained at the dealer pending the repair. The contact stated that two years previously, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's side head restraint deployed unintendedly. The headrest struck the contact on the back of the head; however, no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the headrest was replaced. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the driver reached the back seat area, and the front driver's seat headrest erroneously exploded. During the incident, the driver sustained a mild concussion. No medical treatment was required. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 188,000.
The Battery died and would not recharge. I checked the van. No lights were left on; no warning notifications. I replaced the battery. I had the seat behind the driver seat stowed because I had surgery on my left foot and needed to haul my knee cart with me. I no longer needed it so I raised the seat and found it had melted/burnt in several spots on the seat back. I was mortified! My van is a 2013 but is in great shape and only has 46,937 miles on it. It was parked in my garage and could have caused a house fire killing all occupants. I contacted Chrysler. They won't assist in the repair or replacement stating it hadn't been recalled and was no longer in warranty. Insurance denied the claim due to it being a part malfunction. Please let others know that the seat heater & wiring harness are defective!! …
The contact owns a 2013 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while stopped, the child sitting in the second row hugged his sibling, who was sitting in the front seat, and the front passenger's seat headrest deployed. The contact was unable to push the headrest back down. The headrest struck the child on the face; however, no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that an unknown plastic item had detached from the head restraint. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 132,168.
Related recalls (1)
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured March 16, 2016, to March 17, 2016. The nuts on the third row seatbacks were incorrectly torqued and may become loose.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-torque the third row seatback nuts, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early…
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler Town and Country years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (94), 2015 (80), 2013 (58), 2016 (23) and 1996 (17) model years. Seat complaints make up 15% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for Chrysler Town and Country seat problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 16V-300 (mid/rear assembly, May 16, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chrysler Town and Country seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › head restraint (25 mentions), followed by the front assembly › recliner (17).
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.