Accelerates without warning while parking
2015 Chrysler Town and Country cruise control problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
3crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 13 cruise control complaints filed for the 2015 Chrysler Town and Country, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Of the 6 model years of Chrysler Town and Country we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 13.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2015 Chrysler Town & Country has multiple documented cruise control defects: failure to disengage, unintended acceleration, inability to regulate speed on hills, and unresponsive buttons. Dealers often cannot diagnose the problem, and Chrysler has not recalled the model despite acknowledging similar recalls for other vehicles.
Owners report five distinct cruise control problems in the 2015 Town & Country. Most serious: cruise control fails to disengage when brakes are applied or the button is pressed, leaving the vehicle accelerating to dangerous speeds (one owner reached 92 mph and could not stop it). During these incidents, a red lightning bolt or inverted Z appears on the instrument panel. A red lightning bolt or inverted Z symbol displays on the instrument panel during failures. Dealers cannot diagnose the issue—no fault codes appear in diagnostics. Chrysler acknowledges a related recall exists for other vehicles but excludes the Town & Country from coverage and suggests owners simply avoid using cruise control.
Second problem: cruise control cannot hold speed on hills. The vehicle loses 3–4 mph climbing, then surges 5–7 mph downhill, creating unsafe speed swings. Multiple owners report the same behavior, yet Chrysler claims it is normal operation—contradicting owner experience with other vehicles dating back decades.
Third issue: the on/off and cancel buttons on the stalk function erratically or not at all, forcing owners to brake to disable cruise. Speed adjustment buttons work fine.
Additional failures include cruise control malfunction on mountainous terrain (one replaced at 80,000 miles) and unintended acceleration at very low speeds (5–10,000 miles), resulting in collisions with fixed objects.
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control fails to deactivate; unintended acceleration
Cruise control remains engaged after brake pedal depression or accelerator release, causing vehicle to continue or increase speed to dangerous levels. Multiple owners report inability to disengage cruise control despite repeated brake attempts and manual shutoff. Red lightning bolt or inverted Z display appears on instrument panel during incidents.
When: Various speeds (5 mph to 92 mph); one incident at 4,000 miles, another at 48,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle continues accelerating after brakes applied; Cruise control will not disengage after button pressed; Red lightning bolt display on instrument panel; Inverted Z symbol on instrument panel; Unintended acceleration to 92 mph; Failure more evident in inclement weather
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer states no code appears in diagnostics; unable to pinpoint cause or perform repairs
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler acknowledged a related recall exists but states 2015 Town & Country is not included; advised owner not to use cruise control; stated failure is not covered by recall program
Cruise control speed regulation fails on hills
Cruise control cannot maintain steady speed on inclines. Vehicle loses 3–4 mph climbing hills, then downshifts and overshoots 5–7 mph descending, creating unsafe speed swings for surrounding traffic. Multiple owners with same year report identical behavior.
When: During hill driving; consistent across multiple vehicles
Symptoms owners cite: Speed drops 3–4 mph going uphill; Automatic downshift and 5–7 mph acceleration downhill; Unsafe speed variations affecting traffic; Occurs on small hills
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs attempted; dealerships acknowledge complaint but take no action
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler states behavior is normal operation; owner disputes this claim based on experience with other vehicles dating to 1980s
Cruise control button on/off and cancel functions unresponsive
On/off and cancel buttons on cruise control stalk fail to engage or disengage cruise control reliably. Owner sometimes forced to use brake pedal to disable cruise control. Problem occurs intermittently across various speeds.
When: Occurs from new vehicle; persistent across variety of speeds
Symptoms owners cite: On/off button does not respond; Cancel button does not respond; Intermittent button functionality; Forced to use brake pedal to disable cruise; Speed increase/decrease buttons operate normally
Cruise control malfunction during mountain/elevation driving
Cruise control fails to operate properly on mountainous or hilly terrain. One owner had cruise control replaced after diagnosis at dealership.
When: At approximately 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control does not operate properly on mountainous roads; System malfunction during elevation changes
Repairs/costs cited: Moore Chrysler Jeep Fiat (Peoria, AZ) diagnosed need for cruise control replacement; repair was in progress
Unintended vehicle acceleration during low-speed driving
Vehicle accelerates on its own at very low speeds without driver input, causing crashes. Two separate incidents at low speeds (5 mph parking situation, another during slow traffic) resulted in collisions with fixed objects.
When: At approximately 5,000–10,000 miles; parking/slow maneuvers
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden unintended acceleration at 5 mph; Vehicle accelerates without throttle input; No operator control during acceleration event
Repairs/costs cited: One incident resulted in airbag deployment, bumper damage, and unknown parts damage requiring replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware in at least one incident but provided no assistance
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
I haven't reached 50,000 miles yet but my fuel injector has gone bad. While driving my engine light came on then the car started to vibrate. I checked the manual and it didn't help. I've called several to the location closes to me and the location I brought it from. I have not received any information on the problem.
Had cruise control trouble with your 2015 Chrysler Town and Country?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2015 Chrysler Town and Country?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 10,000 and 53,000 miles, with the median around 32,908. A quarter of owners report trouble before 10,000; a quarter make it past 53,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/Chrysler/Town and Country.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.