Three problems related to manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe have been reported for the 1998 Chrysler Town & Country. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
I own a 1998 Chrysler town and country minivan and I was getting real sleepy every time I drove it . Upon inspection by an auto repair shop. I was informed the expansion joint on the exhaust pipe crossover pipe was cracked and letting fumes enter the passenger compartment. This is a very dangerous situation. The repair part is over $500 which the mechanic said was very much overpriced. This expansion joint is made of stainless steel which gets very brittle with heat and will crack over time with extended use. The part was used on Chrysler Town & Country and voyager minivans. I feel due to the seriousness of this defect, these vans should be recalled and repaired without cost to the vehicle owners.
Failure of the flex joint in the rear exhaust manifold on the 3. 8 liter v6 engine. Causing exhaust noise under the hood and exhaust entering the cabin area when the heater is in use.
Consumer states the engine developed a leak in the connection between the rear cylinder head and its exhaust manifold shortly after the warranty expired and there is also a noise. Dealer advised that heat had warped the original exhaust manifold and that the noise was due to the exhaust leaking. The rear exhaust manifold was replaced.