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2000 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

crash4 injured · 703189 · 2009-01-08

Vehicle

Make
CHRYSLER
Model
TOWN AND COUNTRY
Year
2000
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Miles at failure
132,007
Speed
25 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
4
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

DURING RAIN OR SNOWMELT EVENTS, SPLASHING WATER CAUSES THE SERPENTINE BELT ON THE ENGINE SLIP FROM THE ENGINE IDLER PULLEYS. THEY ARE SMOOTH AND ROUNDED IN DESIGN, ALLOWING WATER TO SLIP BENEATH DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN THE BELT SLIPPING FROM THE PULLEYS. THE STEERING ON THESE VANS IS EXTREMELY INADEQUATE WITHOUT POWER ASSIST, EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. OUR BELT HAS SLIPPED OFF IN THE PAST, REQUIRING BELT REPLACEMENT, BUT THIS RECENT EVENT CAUSED A LOSS OF STEERING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, RESULTING IN A CRASH. NO ONE IN MY FAMILY WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT THE VALENCE AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. AFTER CALLING MY LOCAL DMV TO FIND OUT WHERE TO REPORT THIS, AND SEARCHING THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM, I FIND IT UNCONSCIONABLE THAT CHRYSLER AND THE NHTSA HAVE NOT ACTED ON A SOLUTION SOONER. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10254300
Machine
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