Dashboard Failed problems of the 1999 Chrysler Town & Country

Instrument cluster and spedometer have failed. While driving my entire dash would turn off. No spedometer, no tachometer, no fuel, nothing. After a month or two of this happening on and off, my spedometer started getting inaccurate. It's now at about 37mph off. When I turn my car off, the spedometer goes to 0 (or below 0). When I turn my key to the right, it goes to 37mph. While I'm driving 20, it shows 57mph. If I'm driving 60mph, it shows 97mph. After performing a google search and reading through some tech blogs, we've found this is a very common problem with the instrument cluster and a broken circuit that needs to be soldered. We did that and have not had the problem with my dash instruments turning off since then, but the spedometer is still not accurate. We tried doing a spedometer reset which did not resolve the issue. I feel like there are so many people that have reported this problem, and it is unsafe for your instrument cluster to not be fully functional - that this should be a recall. I know people with jeeps and Dodge vehicles that have the same problem. I am shocked that this is not a recalled issue and can't wait to sell this. I definitely won't make the mistake of purchasing Jeep/Dodge/crysler again if you're unwilling to repair this defect for your customers at no cost. After a brief search, I see NHTSA id numbers: 10253857, 10469302, 10192636, 10093722, 10195148, 10203097, 10093722, 10137954, and 10062117 filed with same or similar problems as well as all the info I've found online.

I have a 1999 Chrysler town and country van and tnbis is the second time within the last 20 months the instrument cluster circuit board, part number 4874440, has failed. This circuit board, behind the instrument panel, controls most of the electrical circuits in the car. When it fails the gauges don't work, the warning lights don't work, the door locks fail, it affects the radio, and sometimes the car won't start. The problem is you never know when it will fail. This is the second circuit board we have had replaced. The two safety issues are the fact that the car may not start. The syptoms are very sporadic. Sometimes only the gauges are affected. Other times it won't start but may start the next day or next week. I was told this also affects the proper functioning of the driver and passenger air bags. When the gauges go out and the passive restraint system and air bag light goes on the chances are they would not function properly in an accident. Chrysler either engineered this circuit board poorly, causing the high failure rate, or their supplier is shipping defective parts. This should be a fleet-wide recall. I called Chrysler support and they said they would report the problem. The Chrysler file no. Is 16463834.

The instrument cluster will go dead as you are driving the vehicle. Non of the instrumentation will work not the fuel, tach, spedo, odometer or anything. Just as quickly as it turned itself off, it will turn itself back on and all of the instrumentation will work. Other problem,once started it will immediately shut itself off. After a few attempts it will turn itself off and then it will not start or do anything. If you let the vehicle sit overnight, usually the next day, it will start again like nothing ever happened. It does this frequently, but completely sporadically. It has happened to me approximately 9-12 times since I purchased the vehicle in may of 2003. The previous owner had it in the shop, (I have the work orders) for the exact same problems at least 2-3 times while it was under warranty and each time they told him that the problem was solved. The car was sold to me and within the month the warranty expired. I took it to the same dealership and they couldn't diagnose the problem but still charged me for a diagnosis fee. They tell me it is an intermittent problem and that I have to be able to duplicate the problem. When I have it towed to them they can't diagnose it and want me to pay for the repair even when I have a history to show that the problem was never repaired to begin with. I have seen many statements and questions about these exact same problems others are having with their Chrysler minivans posted to various internet web sites. How can I get this resolved so that the car drives without endangering myself or my family. I have emailed Chrysler directly on numberous occasions. I bought the car with 48,000 miles and it currently has 54,000 miles. I can't sell it because I wouldn't want to pass these problems on to someone else. Also, I can't trade it because the owner of the Chrysler dealership in my area,al berger of sarasota Chrysler has told me himself that he couldn't give me what it's worth because he knows it has these problems.