I found the headrest exploded on the driver side when I got in the car in the morning. Apparently, this is common as I found it on the Internet while looking for a solution. Looks like a plastic part inside the headrest broke. AHR system inadvertently activated it seems. I’m glad I wasn’t in the car and it didn’t hit my head.
2013 Chrysler Town and Country seats problems
58 complaints (9% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 78,821.
- owner complaints
- 58
- of this car's complaints
- 9%
- typical mileage
- 78,821
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front assembly: head restraint7
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Chrysler Town and Country seats problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2016 Chrysler Town and Country, MY 2010-2017 Jeep Compass, MY 2011-2020 Dodge Durango, MY 2011-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Journey, MY 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty, MY 2010-2011 Jeep Nitro, and MY 2010-2011 Jeep Patriot vehicles.On December 2, 2019, ODI received a response from FCA that included vehicle production data, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, production changes, and other data related to the alleged defect from the start of production (2010) through September 24, 2019.On January 27, 2020, ODI received an update to the December 2, 2019, IR response from FCA.On September 22, 2020, ODI requested additional subject vehicle AHR information from FCA.ODI received FCA's response on October 21, 2020.ODI subsequently received an update to FCA's October 21, 2020, response on February 16, 2021.During the investigation, ODI requested updates to certain IR questions on two occasions.FCA provided updates to question #2 on March 5, 2021, and questions #2 and #5 on May 26, 2023. FCA’s IR response data identified approximately 7.5 million subject vehicles (with approximately 15 million AHR assemblies).Due to the large number of vehicles and failure reports, ODI focused its analysis on the FCA vehicle model with the highest failure rate to represent the worst-case scenario.For this purpose, ODI focused on MY 2012-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for its analysis.This population includes 710,890 vehicles that FCA manufactured between August 19, 2011, and August 8, 2015.ODI identified 2,839 alleged AHR failures within this limited population.ODI identified 263 alleged injuries that were caused by AHR failures in MY 2012-2015 Grand Cherokees vehicles.Of these alleged injuries, ODI categorized them as eighty-two (82) soft tissue (neck/whiplash, bruise) injuries, four (4) concussions, fifty-nine (59) headaches, and one hundred eighteen (118) without a specific injury description.Although complainants have alleged injuries, ODI has been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injuries where medical treatment was required.Consumer outreach was conducted by ODI, where sixty-three (63) FCA complainants with alleged injuries were contacted.Twelve of the sixty-three FCA consumers responded and were interviewed by ODI.ODI requested medical records, however, only one response was provided. Attorneys representing the responding complainant provided a synopsis that indicated they had experienced prior neck-related injuries dating to the mid-1990s.ODI also contacted one hundred (100) consumers who submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) in an attempt to validate alleged injuries. Despite the efforts of ODI, the office has been unsuccessful at obtaining substantive documentation/evidence supporting complaints that allege serious injuries (where pre-existing medical conditions did not already exist). In addition to the low severity of alleged injuries caused by AHR deployments, there have been eleven alleged crashes and two alleged lane departures within the entire subject vehicle population that has been in the field up to sixteen years (with over 8,500 AHR inadvertent deployments).ODI was not able to validate that the alleged crashes were the result of inadvertent head rest deployments, and the crashes were minor in nature. ODI has conducted a thorough investigation of the alleged safety defect and with up to sixteen years of exposure for some vehicles and over 8,500 inadvertent AHR deployments, no serious crashes or injuries could be validated in the sub-population of focus.The lack of serious injuries validated by ODI with such large period of field exposure is consistent with thework done by the federal safety agency’s Human Injury Research Division and the Biodynamic Research Corporation, which support that an inadvertent AHR deployment is not likely to cause serious injury.In addition to the low risk of injury, FCA released an extended warranty program that covers inadvertent AHR deployment for ten years / unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. PE19014 is closed with the FCA extended warranty program.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. To review a complete closing summary, please the attached closing report. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE19014
What 2013 Chrysler Town and Country owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The Battery died and would not recharge. I checked the van. No lights were left on; no warning notifications. I replaced the battery. I had the seat behind the driver seat stowed because I had surgery on my left foot and needed to haul my knee cart with me. I no longer needed it so I raised the seat and found it had melted/burnt in several spots on the seat back. I was mortified! My van is a 2013 but is in great shape and only has 46,937 miles on it. It was parked in my garage and could have caused a house fire killing all occupants. I contacted Chrysler. They won't assist in the repair or replacement stating it hadn't been recalled and was no longer in warranty. Insurance denied the claim due to it being a part malfunction. Please let others know that the seat heater & wiring harness are defective!! I feel Chrysler should accept the responsibility pay for the repairs due to defective parts. Had this fire continued, they would be facing a much larger lawsuit such as wrongful death, etc.
The driver side headrest airbag deployed. No one was hurt, this was a replacement recall part from December 2023. This was supposed to be safe, what if I was driving my family and friends around and this happened? We don’t feel safe. I left a message with the dealer and am waiting to hear back. No one has inspected it this time yet. No warning signs.
The contact owns a 2013 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that while stopped, the child sitting in the second row hugged his sibling, who was sitting in the front seat, and the front passenger’s seat headrest deployed. The contact was unable to push the headrest back down. The headrest struck the child on the face; however, no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed that an unknown plastic item had detached from the head restraint. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 132,168.
I was enjoying holiday driving with family in my 2013 Chrysler Town & Country Limited when suddenly a very loud pop was heard, with a forceful strike to the back of my head being felt. Alarmed & dazed for a moment, it was observed that my driver’s side active headrest had just exploded forward striking me on the back of my head. Once off the highway and stopped, I discovered that the active headrest had actually come apart. From the damage inside the exposed headrest, this catastrophic failure seemed to be mechanical in nature with root cause thought to be STRESS FATIGUE for the plastic casement. In other words, this active headrest did not just randomly “go off” from an errant SRS command or an electronically manipulated trigger short. I observed the headrest’s metal latch pin to still be in the locked or reset position. Instead, the plastic assembly holding two (2) heavy coil springs ruptured unprovoked. When this happened, the front part of the headrest assembly rapidly propelled forward. Though the 2010-2016 Chrysler Town & Country active headrests are an integral part of the air bag or Supplemental Restraint System, THIS particular failure was NOT due to a SRS Control nor electrical malfunction. Rather, the plastic retainer struts surrounding the metal latch pin failed. Being that my head and neck were static in position with a small amount of clearance from the front face of the headrest, the propulsion of the headrest forward caused quite a sharp smack to the back of my head. This led to some residual neck strain for the balance of the day. I have not experienced any repercussions since that day of the incident, but I do believe this to be a SAFETY ISSUE for others who may be more age OR physically compromised. I’ve found through MOPAR tech forum and dealership research that the 2010 - 2016 active headrest FAILURE is NOT rare, but more and more COMMON to the Chrysler make. Please advise. Thank you so much.
UNKNOWN. Inexplicably, the driver's headrest had deployed (see photos). I noticed it while opening the vehicle's driver door in a parking lot. The vehicle was not parked near any other vehicle. I brought the minivan to the closest Chrysler dealer. For more history please see text that immediately follows from my original 3/2024 communication to you. Original 3/24 Request #1488564 Case/Reference [XXX] The case concerns a driver’s headrest that deployed in 2022. On [XXX], 2022 I brought my 2013 Chrysler Town & Country mini-van to Schumacher Chrysler of Delray Beach, FL. After 2 days (on [XXX]) the service advisor informed me that their parts department didn’t have a matching headrest in stock and they would have to order one. At that time the vehicle had 68,530 miles. I followed up monthly, then bi-monthly, then quarterly until October 2023. At that point (XXX) I called your office where it was assigned case [XXX]. Your office told me to call Stellantis, which I did the next day. It became their case [XXX]. They told me that they’d contact the dealer, Schumacher, and I’d hear from the dealer “soon." I never did and I finally called Stellantis on [XXX] as followup; 4 1/2 months is a long time for “soon." Stellantis claimed they tried calling me in December 3 times. I never received any such calls or phone messages (and in checking caller id on my phone — which I basically never erase — had no record of any phone calls from either Stellantis or Schumacher. You’d think someone would have the courtesy to leave a message.) Stellantis told me yesterday that I needed to start-over; make the 25 mile round-trip drive to Schumacher (the closest Chrysler dealership) to “diagnose” the problem. What is there to “diagnose” on a deployed headrest that they, Schumacher, already saw and diagnosed? I am requesting that you, the federal safety agency, take this matter “under your wing." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Driver side front seat active head restraint deployed while vehicle unoccupied. Plastic holding metal pin or rod broken.
I was driving and all of a sudden I heard a loud pop and the driver side head rest deployed on its own. There was no accident, I was just was driving. The headrest struck the back of my head resulting in me having a sore neck.
Headrest deployed with no occupancy or impact. Vehicle was parked in the garage when this occurred.
Today my wife was driving our 2013 Chrysler Town and Country. I took some pictures of the headrest popped open. I watched some YouTube videos about it to find out that it is a safety feature if the vehicle is in a rear end collision. This van however was not in an accident. Since it is Saturday, my dealer's service department is not open. I will have to call them on Monday.
Questions about the 2013 Chrysler Town and Country seats
Does the 2013 Chrysler Town and Country have seats problems?
Owners have filed 58 complaints about the seats of the 2013 Chrysler Town and Country, 9% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2013 Chrysler Town and Country seats problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 78,821 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Chrysler Town and Country seats?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Chrysler Town and Country have bad seats?
The Chrysler Town and Country model years with the most seats complaints are 2014 (94 complaints), 2015 (80 complaints) and 2013 (58 complaints).
Other 2013 Chrysler Town and Country problems
Electrical 393Engine 112Airbags 50Transmission 41Brakes 40Fuel system 40Steering 26Body 25Visibility 24Lights 18Acceleration 15Driver assistance 9Seat belts 5Locks 3Suspension 2Wheels 2Tires 1
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