Chrysler Problems

I kind of agree with the workshop you used that the problem was a prime candidate to be caused by the TIPM unit. This is basically a fuse-box, relay-box and electrical control unit rolled into one and, when it fails, it can often cause the problems you’re seeing all happening at once. This unit performs a very similar role to the body computer in other makes and models and it’s used to allow various functions of the car to talk to other components and functions.

I understand that the new TIPM hasn’t fixed things, but faults with these units are not uncommon and it wouldn’t be the first time a brand new component has been faulty before it has even been fitted. A good check would be to try the TIPM from a car you know works properly and see if that fixes the issues. Certainly, the random and grouped nature of the faults points to the TIPM in a big way. If it really isn’t the TIPM at fault, I’d start looking for a bad earth somewhere on the car that is causing the mayhem.

But try this test first. Disconnect the battery and leave it overnight. Next morning, reconnect the battery and see if the problem has gone away. It’s worth a try even though the fix may not last indefinitely, but it’s simple and free.

The first thing to do is find out where the leak is exactly. It could be in some of the plumbing that takes the water form the reservoir to the washer jets, but it's probably more likely to be a crack in the plastic reservoir itself.

If that's the case, you could try to mend it with some epoxy (or a lump of some other repair material) but if the tank is old and brittle enough that it's already cracked, the repair will almost certainly be temporary at best. What you need to do is find a replacement reservoir and fit that to the car. The problem there is that even a second-hand reservoir from a parts recycler will probably be just as old as the one you're replacing and might fail in the same way in the not too distant future.

You might get lucky and find an online seller with this exact product brand new, although you might have to order it from overseas. When it arrives you'll probably have to remove the pump unit from your old bottle and fit it to the new one, although some sellers provide the whole battle and pump assembly. That will be the dearer option.

You could also buy what's called a universal washer bottle kit. These are designed to 'fit all cars' but don't actually fit anything perfectly, particularly something relative modern like a Crossfire which has a pretty convoluted bottle shape to fit the space it's designed for.

It very much sounds as though the car's alternator has failed. The alternator's job is to charge the battery when the car is being driven. If the alternator is weak or has failed completely, it can't do that and the battery will eventually run out of charge and fail to operate things like the ignition, lights and electric power-steering. Which could entirely explain the problems you're seeing. The illuminated battery light on your dashboard is the other big hint that the alternator has quit on you.

There's a very quick check that can be done to see if the alternator is pulling its weight, and I'd be a bit surprised that a roadside-assistance mechanic didn't perform it as part of jump-starting the car to get you going. The test involves using a volt-meter to see if the battery is, indeed, being charged when the engine is running. A new or reconditioned alternator is the best solution, but only after you've tested the car to see if that's the actual problem.

You could also be looking at a battery that has failed (which, at just 12 months old, we would expect) and can also create the same symptoms you've noted.

It very much sounds as though the car's alternator has failed. The alternator's job is to charge the battery when the car is being driven. If the alternator is weak or has failed completely, it can't do that and the battery will eventually run out of charge and fail to operate things like the ignition, lights and electric power-steering. Which could entirely explain the problems you're seeing. The illuminated battery light on your dashboard is the other big hint that the alternator has quit on you.

There's a very quick check that can be done to see if the alternator is pulling its weight, and I'd be a bit surprised that a roadside-assistance mechanic didn't perform it as part of jump-starting the car to get you going. The test involves using a volt-meter to see if the battery is, indeed, being charged when the engine is running. A new or reconditioned alternator is the best solution, but only after you've tested the car to see if that's the actual problem.

You could also be looking at a battery that has failed (which, at just 12 months old, we would expect) and can also create the same symptoms you've noted.

You’d expect this to be a yes or no answer, but the reality is a little different. Your car can theoretically use E10 fuel, but only if that fuel has an octane rating of at least 95 RON. Much of the E10 fuel sold in Australia has an octane rating of 94, not the 95 you need, so unless the pump states that the fuel it dispenses is 95 RON, you might be better to stick with normal unleaded.

This suggests that while your car has the specific fuel system fittings that won’t be damaged by the ethanol content in E10, the engine is tuned for 95-octane fuel and could suffer pre-ignition (also called pinging or detonating) if run on 94-octane fuel. In turn, this is probably because the car was designed for a market where E10 fuel is, in fact, uniformly 95 RON, and Australia simply doesn’t line up with that.

It could be that the camera is covered with crud, and only needs cleaning, or it could be a fault with the camera itself or maybe the wiring.

If there are any common problems and complaints about Chrysler's reliability or faults, they'll likely show up on our Chrysler problems page. You can also calculate a car's projected resale value via our price and specs page.

Generally the cost will depend on the variant and year. You can get more information on quick and cheap key replacments from dealers or automotive locksmiths here.

Chrysler products suffer from a reputation for having hit-or-miss reliability, being that some cars are fault-free gems while others are nightmares of continual issues. Dodge vehicles are no longer sold new in Australia, so I'd suggest looking to options from Kia or Toyota, as well as the Chrysler Grand Voyager if you're desperate for an American van.