The vehicles plastic tank collapsed on the inside. This resulted in incorrect fuel level reading. *nlm the dealer replaced the pump at no charge but the sending unit in the tank has the same reading. The dealer had the fuel tank down, and stated that the tank was sagged, and possibly caused the false reading. Chrysler sent out letters about the problem but when the consumer called the dealer, they stated that this was a manufacturer problem.
1996 Chrysler Town and Country: wrong fuel gauge reading
9 of the 925 complaints about the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country describe wrong fuel gauge reading.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 4
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
Wrong fuel gauge reading by model year
What owners say
Fuel line is leaking, resulting low fuel level after pumping. Dealer has been notified.
Inside sidewall on left front wheel suddenly split away. On four different occasions while driving the transmission suddenly downshipt without any warning to a lower gear causing the speed of the car to immediately drop from 65-70 MPH to 50mph or less and on other occassion the transmission lockup, problem diagnosed as relay control for TCM, replaced, to no avail. Transmission leaks oil and other fluid, replace shat seal,gasket and resealed pan. Replace fuel gas tank to achieve reliable fuel gauge measurement. Steering locks up especially on hard left turn, replace rack and pinion.
The fuel gauge warning light comes on with 7 gallons remaining and read empty with 5 gallons rremaing. Nlm
The fuel tank senser is not operating correctly. I experienced symptoms that suggested I had run out of gas with the gas gauge reading 1/4 tank and the distance to empty reading on the internal computer at 76 miles. I pulled into a gas station and was able to put in 20.5 gallons of gas. The tank capacity is listed at 20 gallons. I monitored the gas consumption over the next tank. I drove 330 miles and the gauge read between 1/4 and 3/8 of a tank and the distance to empty reading was 106 miles. I was able to put in 17.7 gallons which indicates about 2.3 gallons were remaining in the tank. That is no where near 1/4 or 3/8 of a tank. I understand that some 1996 jeeps were recalled for a similar defect. It may be possible that the jeep and chrysler products share some of the same componants. This is the third gas tank that the van has had. The first tank was replaced due to a faulty sensor which always showed much less gas remaining than was actually in the tank. That tank was replaced. The next tank leaked and also was replaced. The latest tank now appears to show much more gas remaining than is actually in the tank. I have informed my local chrysler dealer. They inspected the external wiring of the sensor and said it looked normal. My comments have been noted in the vehicle maintainence records. However, I was informed that any sensor problem will require disassembly of the gas tank.
Auto transmission failed and was replaced after 46,856 miles. Fuel gauge reads empty when 5 or 6 gallons remain - tank replaced, problem never fixed. Windshield wipers will come on by themselves, switch replaced problem still exists. Electric cooling fans failed, module and relay replaced. Driver window moter and regulator failed. Air conditioning compressor leaked, A/C hoses leaked all new system put in.
Fuel gauge not reading accurately.
Fuel gauge sensor failed.
Defective fuel gauge.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: mini vans built with 3.3l and 3.8l engines have fuel rails with nitrole rubber o-ring seals that can degrade over time. Fuel leakage from the underhood fuel injection fuel rail could result, increasing the likelihood of a vehicle fire.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a seal on the vehicle fuel rails to prevent external leakage of fuel from the fuel rail crossover tube, should the existing o-rings continue to degrade. Owner notification began on january 25, 2002. Due to the large quantity of vehicles involved in this campaign, the owner notification will be phased over the next several months. However, if a vehicle is leaking fuel from the o-rings, the vehicle should be taken into a dealer to have this repaired as soon as possible. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1‑800‑853‑1403.
Recall number 00V268000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: minivans. Fuel can leak from the fuel tank at the interface of the fuel pump module attachment.
- Risk
- If a fuel leak occurs in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel pump module attaching nut with a nut that includes tighter design tolerances. The sealing o-ring will also be replaced.
Recall number 99V216000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- What is wrong
- A static electric charge can build up on the ungrounded metal section of the fuel filler tube.
- Risk
- This condition could cause a spark to occur when fueling the vehicle and possibly ignite the fuel vapors.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a ground strap for the fuel filler tube.
Recall number 96V002000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- The fuel tank rollover valve can allow fuel to pass into the vapor canister resulting in the potential for fuel leakage.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage increases the potential for a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler tube with a filler tube that has an additional rollover valve. The associated rollover valve vapor hoses will be rerouted.
Recall number 95V236000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country fuel gauge
Is wrong fuel gauge reading a common problem on the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country?
9 of 925 owner complaints about the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country (1%) mention wrong fuel gauge reading. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country?
There are 4 recalls and 0 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1996 Chrysler Town and Country
Airbag light 77Wipers 68Fuel leak 60Adaptive cruise 55Stalling 55Transmission failure 39Fire or smoke 34Loss of power 32Door locks 29Power steering loss 25Headlights 18Fuel pump 17Fuel smell 15ABS 14Brake failure 13Overheating 11No deployment 7Slipping 7Grinding brakes 6Jerking 6Won't start 6Engine failure 5Seat belt 5Steering lock-up 5Won't shift 5
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