2014 chrysler town and country oil filter housing recall

I have been a loyal Chrysler owner for most of my adult life. My grandfather retired out of the old Chrysler Truck Plant in Windsor and my father retired out of Chrysler Assembly as a rates clerk. I have owned numerous Chrysler made vehicles. My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country with 131,850 kms. has developed an oil filter housing leak. I can't put into words what I am feeling currently. I maintain my vehicles to the highest degree and it is terrible that Chrysler builds garbage like this and expects customer loyalty. I have always defended Chrysler but I am starting to think maybe Consumer Reports is not wrong about rating Chrysler products as it does. I have an appointment at my local independent mechanic on Tuesday to fix this problem as I am going to boycott the dealer for this repair. Thanks for listening to my rant.

. . . I have owned numerous Chrysler made vehicles. My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country with 131,850 kms. has developed an oil filter housing leak. I can't put into words what I am feeling currently. I maintain my vehicles to the highest degree and it is terrible that Chrysler builds garbage like this and expects customer loyalty. I have always defended Chrysler but I am starting to think maybe Consumer Reports is not wrong about rating Chrysler products as it does.. . . .

One can definitely understand your shattered expectations with a motor vehicle with which you have a long, storied, happy past. But there is an old saying that goes something like this. "We have met the enemy and he is us." Do you possibly think that replacing the oil filter cartridge over the years has caused an over torque situation and this has set up the situation for causing a crack in the housing? Select link below about oil filter housing leak.

Thanks for the video, shows exactly what is my problem.

It's one part, but ok.
Since you obviously now distrust everything Chrysler, don't go OEM. Partially because they're on backorder. As in probably months of backorders. C19, the weather epidemic in Texas, and port/air congestion are all on order for Stallantis's 'reason' as to why no one can get any.
Nearly 30,000 are on backorder. One currently going through the 'work.

My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country with 131,850 kms. has developed an oil filter housing leak. I can't put into words what I am feeling currently.

I just have to point out that even if that was a factory problem, one relatively minor issue over the course of 131,850 km is not “garbage.”

The oil filter cap squeeks as I tighten it. I tighten slowly and stop when the cap appears to be fully seated. Making the housing and cap out of plastic, instead of cast aluminum, is a cost saving measure I cannot endorse.

The oil filter cap squeeks as I tighten it. I tighten slowly and stop when the cap appears to be fully seated. Making the housing and cap out of plastic, instead of cast aluminum, is a cost saving measure I cannot endorse.

Unless the plastic part actually lasts longer than the aluminum+gasket would.

A lot of the housing problems is traced back to everyone running the filter cap back into the housing with about 100ft-lbs every LOF.
I used to be a tech, and I ran them in too when I first started, but they are very delicate. Either you crack the plastic you run the filter into, or something with an over-tightening screws up the oil process.
There is a torque spec. I think they are 12ft-lbs.
It's not always manufactures or engineers fault.

My parents had this trouble on their 2014 Grand Cherokee 3.6. They had theirs fail at 17,000 miles back in 2016. Seemed the 2014's had the most trouble with this. I do wonder if alot of the trouble on these 2014's are the previous year(s) filters being used (2011-2013 are different) and the housing over time failing and leaking. Chrysler has a note in the catalog stating 2014's are a different filter and it is in all caps. No matter what quality issues are painful at best, but I am with some of the others on here, there could also be an install issue in this too. There is a ton of demand I'm seeing for this in the system though so one never knows.

Do not exceed 25 Nm of torque when tightening. I have never had any issues with this style housing.
Always change the rubber O ring too.

Do not exceed 25 Nm of torque when tightening. I have never had any issues with this style housing.
Always change the rubber O ring too.

I have been a loyal Chrysler owner for most of my adult life. My grandfather retired out of the old Chrysler Truck Plant in Windsor and my father retired out of Chrysler Assembly as a rates clerk. I have owned numerous Chrysler made vehicles. My 2014 Chrysler Town and Country with 131,850 kms. has developed an oil filter housing leak. I can't put into words what I am feeling currently. I maintain my vehicles to the highest degree and it is terrible that Chrysler builds garbage like this and expects customer loyalty. I have always defended Chrysler but I am starting to think maybe Consumer Reports is not wrong about rating Chrysler products as it does. I have an appointment at my local independent mechanic on Tuesday to fix this problem as I am going to boycott the dealer for this repair. Thanks for listening to my rant.

This is a known problem for Pentastar engines from that era.

I maintain my vehicles to the highest degree and it is terrible that Chrysler builds garbage like this and expects customer loyalty.

I'm not innocent, as I over-torqued and spun a wheel stud on my Jeep, which has a much lower torque spec than my old Ram 2500 when I replaced a hub a few years ago for bearings. When I took it in to get ball joints last year, my local shop owner determined that somehow I had installed an incorrect hub and ended up never having to deal with the spun stud. Anyway, you now know not to over-torque the oil filter assembly cartridge cap. Modern autos are not designed with owner maintenance services in mind.

The oil filter cap squeeks as I tighten it. I tighten slowly and stop when the cap appears to be fully seated. Making the housing and cap out of plastic, instead of cast aluminum, is a cost saving measure I cannot endorse.

Are you replacing and lubing the new o-rings before reinstalling?

The oil filter cap squeeks as I tighten it. I tighten slowly and stop when the cap appears to be fully seated. Making the housing and cap out of plastic, instead of cast aluminum, is a cost saving measure I cannot endorse.

I prefer a cast aluminum housing and a plastic cap as well. Ford and Volvo have done well with theirs. GM on the other hand made a garbage version for the ecotecs.

I prefer a cast aluminum housing and a plastic cap as well. Ford and Volvo have done well with theirs. GM on the other hand made a garbage version for the ecotecs.

I haven't had a problem with GM's. It's worked great for me.

There is a torque spec. I think they are 12ft-lbs.
It's not always manufactures or engineers fault.

You know what the solution to this problem would be? A big sticker saying "Please do not exceed 12 lb-ft when tightening."

I do wonder if alot of the trouble on these 2014's are the previous year(s) filters being used (2011-2013 are different) and the housing over time failing and leaking. Chrysler has a note in the catalog stating 2014's are a different filter and it is in all caps.

Again, a big bright sticker would have saved Chrysler a LOT of money and reputation.

Armstrong (floors) is a case study in this. People kept destroyign their brand new “no wax” floors by using the wrong cleaners on them, and blaming Armstrong. The cure: they printed care instructions on their floors in big letters, to be washed off with water by the owner.

You know what the solution to this problem would be? A big sticker saying "Please do not exceed 12 lb-ft when tightening."

But where? I wouldn't trust the engine cover, about 2% of all mechanics & techs (dealership or independents) actually keep them on.

You know what the solution to this problem would be? A big sticker saying "Please do not exceed 12 lb-ft when tightening."

Again, a big bright sticker would have saved Chrysler a LOT of money and reputation.

Armstrong (floors) is a case study in this. People kept destroyign their brand new “no wax” floors by using the wrong cleaners on them, and blaming Armstrong. The cure: they printed care instructions on their floors in big letters, to be washed off with water by the owner.

Nobody ever seems to figure this stuff out until AFTER their reputation is suffering from it. I don't know how long it took the Army to figure this out, but the guys in Mishawaka had to start putting stickers on HMMWV windows for the same reason. Guys were using Windex-type ammoniated cleaners on the windshield that caused the clear vinyl safety covering or whatever it was to cloud up.

But where? I wouldn't trust the engine cover, about 2% of all mechanics & techs (dealership or independents) actually keep them on.

You put a bright yellow painted emboss ON the cap (MAX TQ 12 LB-INCH) like they do with oil filler caps for oil weight. Like this, but highlight the "25NM"

Sticker may have been the wrong word. A quick yellow covering on that notice would be good, but a warning sign would be better. Make it clear. I would see that and not even try to read it because I'd assume it was a part number of some such.

Back in the early 1990s, Chrysler was the first to start clearly marking all the fluids and fuses.

I was saddened by the fact that when my son lifted up our spare tire compartment, there were no instructions. "See the manual." Also, there are no more marks to guide you when you're putting the jack down there - something I recall from every Chrysler I ever had. (They used to have little bumps for the jack to fit into for greater stability.)

I have spoken to other Chrysler Techs about this. They didn't seem to think that over-tightening the filter cartridge cap was the real cause of the cracking housing/oil leak issue. Chrysler used 2 different vendors for the injection-molded plastic filter adapters. One of the part supply vendors apparently had a process or quality control issue.