2022 Chrysler 300 Problems and Complaints

The Chrylser 300 is one of the last standing vehicles in the mid-size sedan segment, having been on sale for more than 10 years now. The current generation of the 300 received a refresh for the 2015 model year after which the sedan is carried forward as is with minimal changes. Destined to be in production for 3 more years, the Chrysler 300 is a direct rival to the Volvo S90, the Dodge Charger, and the Nissan Maxima. 

The Chrysler 300 has seen its share of recalls in its current generation, with the majority of them being in the pre-facelift era. There had been a decline in the recalls, but still, the numbers were aplenty. This was also accompanied by user complaints following the same pattern. Let’s see what the most common issues were and what all the recalls were made for. 

Chrysler 300 User Complaints

The Chrysler 300 is an old dog and shares its underpinnings from an archaic platform. The performance of the sedan is a live example of how much improvement the car could use. The sedan had also received backlash in its earlier days where people complained a lot about the issues they had faced. The latest model years did not have the same fate but had a lot of new issues, of which the most recurring ones are: 

Electrical issues:

1. Battery drain issues: Many owners have reported the battery in their car’s battery to drain out quickly. Some people have reported the battery draining after just two days of the car sitting idle. In some cases, the battery drained while the car was moving and stalled the car. There had been instances where the interior lighting blacked out due to the battery's inability to take the load. 
2. Starter issues: Resonating with the battery issues, the starter of the car gave issues as well. People have complained of the unit failing at very low mileage and leaving the occupants stranded. 
3. Infotainment issues: Numerous complainants have reported the infotainment system to stutter and freeze. This caused a lot of distraction while driving since the driver had to stop and operate the system. Complainants have reported the unit to lag during normal operation. The reverse camera is said to freeze and not display anything, affecting rearward visibility. 
4. Inconsistent headlight throw: People have reported the headlights' throw to be inconsistent and cause issues to the driver as well as to the oncoming traffic. The low beams are said to be too dim while the high beams are too bright for operation.

Mechanical issues:

1. Fuel leakage: People have reported the fuel to leak into the cabin from the secondary fuel tank, causing a strong odor and nausea. There have been reports of a fire in the cabin for the same reason. There had been a recall issued for the same, after which the complaints reduced. 
2. Overheating and alternator fires: The thermostat in the early model years overheated and malfunctioned. This caused the unit to fail and lose power spontaneously. Complainants have also reported the alternator to fail due to this, leading to a burning smell and fire. 
3. Transmission issues: There have been numerous complaints of the 300’s gearbox slipping gears and entering Neutral from Drive. The complainants had also complained of the gearbox jolting at low speeds before causing a complete failure of the transmission. Several reports have also claimed the unit got stuck at Park, while some have claimed the car to not shift out of Park. 

Exterior issues: 

1. Rusting issues: The underbody of the 300 is reported to catch rust easily due to a poor anti-rust coating from the factory. The rusting spread to the suspension and other mechanical components. This also led to the parts' malfunction and caused issues in handling. 
2. Warping door panels: The Chrysler 300 door panels are said to warp and cause hindrance in airbag deployment. There have been instances of molding inside the interior, causing a pungent odor as well. 
3. Exploding sunroof: The sunroof of the car exploded and caused the glass to enter the cabin. This had caused injuries to the occupants while also causing a distraction for the driver.

Chrysler 300 Recalls

The Chrysler 300 recalls list is long and consists of 19 new recalls made across 11 model years. Although many of the recalls have been in the initial model years, the 2022 model year has no recall issued under its name. The last recall for the car was made on July 8 2021 with NHTSA Campaign Number 21V516000. 

The recall consisted of many other models from the carmaker and was primarily done because of an improper bonding job of the windshield. An improperly bonded windshield may cause the windshield to separate in case of a crash and increase the chances of injury in a crash. The dealers re-bonded the windshields properly, free of charge. Details of the other windshields are summarized below:

S. No.	Date	NHTSA Campaign Number	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks
1.	January 6, 2012	12V004000	Tires	A malfunctioning Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) will not warn the driver of a low tire pressure.
2.	May 2, 2012	12V197000	Service Brakes	An overheated power distribution system may cause a malfunction in the ABS/ESC system.
3.	April 3, 2013	13V118000	Airbags	Improperly sized terminal crimps on seat side-airbag wiring harness may cause the seat side-airbags to malfunction.
4.	December 6, 2013	13V610000	Powertrain	A fractured transmission shaft could result in a complete loss of power.
5.	October 8, 2014	14V634000	Electrical System	A failed alternator might cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
6.	July 23, 2015	15V461000	Equipment	A vulnerable software on the equipped third-party radio system can allow third-party access to certain control systems.
7.	April 25, 2016	16V240000	Powertrain	The affected units may not warn the driver while in PARK, leading the driver to exit the vehicle while the vehicle is moving.
8.	May 24, 2016	16V352000	Airbags	A rupture in the airbag inflator due to propellant degradation may result in metal fragments entering the cabin when the airbags are deployed, increasing the risk of injuries.
9.	February 14, 2017	17V097000	Powertrain	Loose front driveshaft bolts may cause disconnection of the front driveshaft, causing loss of power.
10.	July 10, 2017	17V435000	Electrical System	A failed alternator might cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
11.	November 21, 2017	17V741000	Electrical System	A failed alternator might cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
12.	January 9, 2018	18V021000	Airbags	A rupture in the airbag inflator due to propellant degradation may result in metal fragments entering the cabin when the airbags are deployed, increasing the risk of injuries.
13.	May 1, 2018	18V280000	Powertrain	An incorrect transmission park lock rod may not let the transmission enter PARK, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement.
14.	May 17, 2018	18V332000	Electrical System	A malfunction in the cruise control might not disable it, resulting in it maintaining the cruising speed or accelerating, increasing the risk of a crash.
15.	July 12, 2018	18E053000	Powertrain	A malfunction in the cruise control might not disable it, resulting in it maintaining the cruising speed or accelerating, increasing the risk of a crash.
16.	August 9, 2018	18V524000	Electrical System	A failure in the voltage regulator chip in the circuit board of the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) might result in a stall.
17.	January 15, 2019	19V018000	Airbags	A rupture in the airbag inflator due to propellant degradation may result in metal fragments entering the cabin when the airbags are deployed, increasing the risk of injuries.
18.	March 14, 2019	19V203000	Electrical System	Improper illumination of driver warnings can result in the driver not receiving warnings from the system, increasing the risk of a crash.
19.	July 8, 2021	21V516000	Visibility	Improperly bonded windshield may come off in event of a crash.

Model Year	Airbags	Electrical system	Equipment	Powertrain	Service Brakes	Tires	Visibility
2011	4	2	0	0	1	0	0
2012	4	2	0	1	1	1	0
2013	2	2	0	2	0	0	0
2014	1	4	0	3	0	0	0
2015	1	1	1	2	0	0	0
2016	0	1	0	2	0	0	0
2017	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
2018	0	2	0	1	0	0	0
2019	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
2020	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2021	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2022	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

What model year of the Chrysler 300 should you avoid?

The Chrysler 300 reliability had a rocky start with a bevy of issues reported to the NHTSA. Although a sane choice, the mid-size sedan did not appeal to many because of this. The latest model years have had most of the issues resolved and brought in peace of mind. As such, we’d avoid the 2011-2015 Chrysler 300 due to the massive number of recalls issued and complaints listed.

Should you go for the 2022 Chrysler 300?

The 2022 Chrysler 300 follows on with a strong reliability factor and minimal complaints registered on the NHTSA’s website. Although not the most updated car, the 300 is massively practical and very comfortable. If one is planning for the 2022 300, we’d suggest the alternatives because the Chrysler sedan had started showing its age a while ago with archaic engineering. If one wants to buy the 300 used, the 2019 Chrysler 300 and above will be a pretty good deal.