Engine Belts And Pulleys problems of the 1997 Chrysler Town & Country

The contact owns a 1997 Chrysler town and country. The contact was driving approximately 55 mph in rainy weather when the steering wheel became abnormally stiff and difficult to turn. The defroster also failed and the contact experienced an increase in stopping distance when applying the brakes. The vehicle was pulled over and the contact noticed that the serpentine belt was detached. The contact reattached the serpentine belt and continued driving. The failure recurred 3 times and only when driving in rainy weather. After each failure, the contact would reattach the serpentine belt himself. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or the vehicle repaired. The failure mileage was 185,000 and the current mileage was 187,000.

The contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Town & Country. While traveling at speeds of 30 mph during rainy weather, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the timing belt was replaced, however the failure recurred. The failure mileage was 196,000 and the current mileage was 198,000.

I have 1997 Dodge town and country van and every time it rains the serpentine belt pops off. Dodge told me that this is a known problem and there is no sure way of resolving it. This is very dangerous because there is no power steering once the belts pops off.

Engine belt squeak/failure/falling off. Replace belt.

When your serpentine belt breaks, is replaced because of damage or wear or just falls off the pulleys when you go through water puddles. . . Then you must replace the belt tensioner as well as the belt to reduce future problems. . . I have a 1997 t & c and have just recently replaced the belt tensioner of the 2nd time. . . Not hard or expensive. . . . Must do about every 3 to 4 years. . . The tensioners wears out.

The serpentine belt comes off when it rains. You lose steering ability immediately.

While driving in the rain, not standing water or high water, my 97 Chrysler town and country started overheating. Not knowing what was wrong, I pulled over and let it cool off and attempted to restart my trip. This continued every 1/2 mile and finally I had no power steering. Trying to get to a filling station, it finally just died. After having it towed, staying in a hotel and taking a cab to work, the mechanic told me my serpentine belt just came off. He replaced it. He stated that this has been known to be happening with these vans and for additional money and labor costs I could have a "kit" installed and will hopefully prevent this problem from continually happening. The kit he spoke about was a belt that is ribbed on both sides and replacement of a pulley. If this is a known problem then Chrysler should recall and replace this free of charge.

Last December 2004 while driving, my steering wheel locked up and I was unable to make a turn. I looked under hood and found s belt had slipped off. I was able to have it fixed. I do not know what caused this. Today 5/9, again, the belt came off as my sister was about to go down an incline. Should she have been in the process of descending, she would have had an accident, because of a sharp turn in the road. At the repair shop I was told that there is a problem that exist with the tensioner in this vehicle, and that it slips off when it rains or if water gets into it. In order to put the vehicle in use I've had to have it repaired. From the complaints I've read, this should be made into a recall issue, and those who've had to make repairs and replace belts, should be reimbursed by the manufacturer.

The bolt that holds the fan belt tensioner onto the engine broke unexpectedly while going about 25 mph. As a result, the fan belt broke off and the consumer lost steering. The consumer managed to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. The fan belt pulley tensioner was replaced.

Chrysler town and country Mini van 1997 serpentine belt falls off. This has happened to us at least 5 times. This belt will come off when ever it is raining or snowing. When this happens we lose power steering immediately. We have had some near terrible accidents with the loss of power steering. We have been blessed to not get hurt. Chrysler knows about the failure in their service bulletin number 07-02-99. We had to install a special bracket assembly 4612412. Even with this bracket the belt came off again.

While driving serpentine belt came off. As a result, power steering assist malfunctioned. Serpentine belt was replaced five times, however, problem still exists.

I had the belt replaced on my 1997 Chrysler Town & Country to avoid a breakage. Since that time, the belt has come off twice allegedly due to water/rain. I live in new orleans & have been in alot more rain over the last 6 years and never had a problem. The first time, they just put the belt back on, the last time, I was charged an extra $50 for a better belt, but was also told of an advisory that Chrysler issued 7-2-99 indicating this problem and that a bracket could be used to fix the problem. The local dealership advised that this would cost another $260 to fix a problem that never existed before I had the belt replaced. I feel that Chrysler knows that there is a problem with their new belts, but because my van is older, they are unwilling to foot the bill to fix it and they are jeopardizing my safety and everyone else's by not doing so. I am now afraid to drive my van during or after a rain.

Serpentine belt comes off on a regular basis. A Chrysler employee told the consumer to expect it to come off when driving in the rain.

Nar 06/19/2003. Soon after the consumer purchased the vehicle he noticed the parking brake did not work. The vehicleh had a flat tire before entering the interstate. The car was taken to the service dealer to have the brakes repaired, but it was evident that the parking brake was defective. Along with the parking brakes several other problems existed with the vehicle. A belt tensioner and tune up was needed. There were two recalls were issued for the fuel rails and clocks springs. However the dealership failed to recognize other malfunctions like the parking brakes in which the consumer felt a recall needed to be issued. Please investigate and give prompt response. The consumer was told the reason the parking nrake did not work was because the vehicle needed disc pads, brake shoes rotors and drums because they were glazed and could not be resurfaced. The fuel injector and throttle body needed to cleaned.

Tensioner pulley bolts snapped, assembly flew into power steering pulley, breaking pulley and pump, due to low speed at moment of failure, loss of control of vehicle did not result in accident or injury.

Main belt tensioner sheared off due to metal fatigue, causing the power steering filter pump to become inoperative.

While driving heard a strange noise, and temperature gauge went to hot, and lost all power. Consumer managed to get to side of road. Consumer felt that on highway there may have been an accident. Dealer has put four belts on vehicle, and problem still remained. Consumer states each time belt fails that brakes fail and steering is hard, consumer was told by 2 mechanics that this year and model vehicle is noted for this problem.

Fan belt failed.

While driving vehicle under rainy conditions, consumer states" there was a sudden loss of all power. Took to dealer and they stated serpentine belt had fallen off due to driving in rain. Please provide any further information. Ts.

Was driving approximately 40mph, when the serpentine belt (timing belt) came off. This caused the lost of power steering, brakes and coolant. Have been to dealership at least 3 or more times for problem with serpentine belt. Ts.

Consumer state while traveling 30 mph without any indication the power steering ended the temperature gauge was running high. Consumer pulled over and look under hood and notice major belt had broken. Vehicle was repaired three weeks after repair problem return. Please provide further information. Ts.