Is the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country a bad year?
403 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Town and Country years.
Keep it. You picked a good year.
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country are in line with other Town and Country years. Steering and air bags stand out for this year: see below.
6th quietest of 17 Town and Country years by owner complaints (years with 7+ years on the road).
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2002 Town and Country owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 50,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 76 (19%) | 26k–76k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 66 (16%) | 38k–83k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 60 (15%) | 34k–94k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 40 (10%) | 13k–81k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 32 (8%) | 13k–88k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 24 (6%) | 40k–97k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 23 (6%) | 30k–84k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 22 (5%) | 16k–82k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Body structure | 19 (5%) | 29k–94k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Suspension | 17 (4%) | 28k–90k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Visibility and wipers | 16 (4%) | 44k–93k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Tires | 12 (3%) | 38k–114k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 22 (5%) | 56k–131k miles · ahead | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Equipment | 21 (5%) | 52k–86k miles · ahead | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 50,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 403 complaints: 15 mention a crash · 12 mention a fire · 20 report an injury · 2 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Oct 2023.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Vehicle had just entered atlanta georgia on I85 southbound. There was very heavy stop and go traffic. Upon light acceleration, the engine lost power.
The van was professionally modified straight from factory by independent mobility systems, inc (Ims) a company out of business that specialized in these modifications.
The ignition fuse blew out which caused the vehicle to stall. This occurred while driving and at a complete stop.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 50,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country: 8
When the hitch is loaded to the maximum rating, the hitch may fracture or break at the bend location where the main body of the hitch meets the hitch muffler strap. If the area in question fractures or breaks, this could cause an unstable driving condition, possibly resulting in a crash.
Certain aftermarket brake hydraulic master cylinders sold as replacement brake cylinders for certain Ford, daimlerchrysler, and Jeep passenger vehicles. These brake cylinders were sold under the brand names of napa, raybestos, aimco, ac delco, carquest, bendix, and wagner. Loss of brake fluid can lead to a decrease in brake line pressure and an increase in stopping distance, which can result in a vehicle crash.
On certain Mini vans, condensation from the instrument panel air conditioning ducts may drop through vent holes in the top of the radio and result in a short circuit that subsequently sends direct current to the rear speakers. This could result in a speaker fire.
On certain minivans equipped with 3.3 or 3.8L V-6 engine, the upper power steering cooler hose may split and cause a fluid leak. Power steering fluid leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in an under hood fire.
Certain aftermarket replacement fuel filters, models wix filter part numbers 33576, 33577, 33734; napa filter part numbers 3576, 3577, 3734; and carquest filter part numbers 86576, 86577, 86734 used on 1996-2000 daimlerchrysler town & country, Dodge caravan, and Plymouth voyager vehicles… A possible fire can occur in the presence of an ignition source.
Aftermarket replacement fuel filters manufactured between september 17, 2002, and january 20, 2003, sold under the brand names listed above. The filter may experience malfunction of the quick connector either blocking fuel flow to the engine or causing a fuel leak. If this condition occurred while the vehicle is in motion, the engine could stall. Also, in the presence of an ignition source, the fuel leak could result in a vehicle fire.
On certain Mini vans, the fuel tank control valve weld joint could separate resulting in a possible fuel leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in an underbody fire.
Vehicle description: certain Mini vans fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems." The owner manuals supplied with these vehicles do not indicate which seating positions are equipped with tether anchorages and child restraint anchorage systems as required by the standard. In the event of a crash, the child seat may not be properly attached increasing the risk of injury to the child.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chrysler: 18
Repair instructions Chrysler sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number
NHTSA defect investigations: 6
Headlight malfunction
Headlight malfunction
Power liftgate latch
Speaker fire in the rear of the vehicle
Power steering hose failure
Neighbouring years
2001 Town and Country: 461 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2003 Town and Country: 245 complaints, keep it.
Every Chrysler Town and Country year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · All Town and Country years side by side
Other Chrysler models: Chrysler 200 · Chrysler 300 · Chrysler 300C · Chrysler 300M · Chrysler Aspen · Chrysler Concorde · Chrysler Crossfire · Chrysler Crossfire Roadster · Chrysler PT Cruiser · Chrysler Pacifica · Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid · Chrysler Sebring · Chrysler Sebring Conv · Chrysler Sebring Convertible · Chrysler Voyager. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country a bad year?
403 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Town and Country years. At 50,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: steering (76), air bags (66), electrical system (60), transmission and drivetrain (40), engine (32).
How many recalls does the 2002 Chrysler Town and Country have?
8 recall campaigns list this model year: Equipment (NHTSA 10E034000), Brakes (NHTSA 06E022000), Equipment (NHTSA 04V-531), Steering (NHTSA 04V-386) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.