Three problems related to steering column have been reported for the 2006 Chrysler Town & Country. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Tl-the contact owns a 2006 Chrysler town and country touring minivan. The contact stated that he was unable to see the cruise control button that was on the steering column. The contact was concerned because he was unable to access the cruise control function. The contact also stated that there was not enough room between the seat and the door panel to allow him to access the seat recliner switch. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 121,000 and the current mileage was 124,000. Kmj.
I made a u turn and the steering column locked which could have caused the vehicle to crash resulting in injury or death. I heard a loud pop while forcing the steering wheel back to the normal driving position. I stopped the vehicle and noticed the brake lights were on. I was unable to get them to turn off, so I took the vehicle to a Chrysler/Jeep dealership since it is still under warranty. They said that the aftermarket brake control wiring harness was routed too close to the steering column. The knuckle on the steering column pulled on the wiring harness which pulled on brake light switch and broke switch loose from it's mount. This inturn activated the steering wheel interlock system. The dealer said repairs could not be done under warranty and any repairs were at my expense. I authorized them to replace the brake light and interlock system switch. They also said the whole steering column needed to be replaced if I wanted the steering wheel to lock after turning off the key. I don't know if a few small wires actually caused the problem. Even if the wiring caused the problem, it seems like a real design flaw for a brake light switch coming loose from it's mount to cause the interlock system to lock the steering wheel while the vehicle is in motion.
The contact owns a 2006 Chrysler town and country. The contact stated that when driving at any speed, the vehicle would exhibit an abnormally loud whining noise from the engine. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the noise was coming from the steering column. The dealer added power steering fluid to the vehicle. Approximately six months later, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer where more power steering fluid was added. The failure persisted. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 6,000 and the current mileage was 69,300.