Chrysler 300 — the 13 years we've written up
2011–2023, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 10 of the 13 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 13 Chrysler 300 model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Chrysler built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Chrysler 300 by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
Parking brake may be misadjusted from the factory — car can roll away when parked (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen delamination and ghost touches — the 2018–2019 fault to check for on this year — $400–$1,800 for a replacement head unit
Side-curtain airbag inflators can rupture — recall with a long parts wait, so assume it is open until proven closed — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Side-curtain airbag inflators can rupture — and two owners found theirs deployed in a parked car — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Side-curtain airbag inflators can rupture — recall parts were scarce, so many cars are still open — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
Wrong park-lock rod may let the car roll (recall), and a powertrain control module that can stall the engine (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $1,200–$2,500 for a valve body outside it
Pentastar cylinder head failure (earlier builds) — $1,200-$2,200
AWD front driveshaft bolts can loosen and drop the shaft (recall); dial shifter stuck, stalls with a throttle warning — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $400–$1,500 for a shifter module or wiring outside it
Pentastar cylinder-head / valve issues (early builds) — $500-$1,500 if affected
Alternator failure — stall at speed, burning smell; three recalls now apply to this year — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $500–$1,100 for an alternator outside it
Alternator can fail mid-drive, stall the car, or short and catch fire — two recalls — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $500–$1,100 for an alternator outside it
Alternator failure — stall without warning, smoke and fire; two recalls cover it — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $500–$1,100 for an alternator outside the recall
Alternator quits and the car dies in traffic — two recalls, nine fires, 60% of the record — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $450–$950 for an alternator outside the campaigns
3 of these 13 have no high-severity issue in our write-up. That means we didn't find an expensive recurring fault — not that one cannot exist on the specific vehicle you're looking at.
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Chrysler 300 in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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