FaultScore

FaultScore report

2012 Chrysler 300C problems

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2012 Chrysler 300C with NHTSA between 2017 and 2019. The largest single group is the electrical system. Across this model's run it ranks 9 of 12 worst.

A

FaultScore 21/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Chrysler 300C.

How this is worked out

The numbers

17

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

2

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

73,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 6 vs 50 Severity 61 vs 50 Early failure 0 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 6
Against the median year of the Chrysler 300C. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 61
11.8% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2012 compares with every other Chrysler 300C

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2012 Chrysler 300C

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 7 41.2%

0 crashes, 2 fires · median 84,500 mi

Engine & Cooling 4 23.5%

Median failure at 74,500 miles

Other & Unspecified 2 11.8%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

Stability & Traction Control 1 5.9%

Median failure at 65,000 miles

Wheels 1 5.9%

Median failure at 65,000 miles

Steering 1 5.9%
Transmission & Drivetrain 1 5.9%

Median failure at 100,410 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 1 6.7%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 7 46.7%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 3 20.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 4 26.7%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Jul 2017 peak 3 Jul 2019

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 114,000 miles Arnaudville, LA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED FLASHING RADIO STARTED CUTTING ON AND OFF AT HEN MY WIFE WAS DROPPING KIDS OFF TO ME I SEEN SMOKE AND TOLD HER TO POP HOOD AND SEEN A FIRE STARTING IN ALTERNATOR TOLD HER TO CUT CAR OFF AND ALTERNATOR START SMOKING NO POWER TO CAR AT ALL HAD TO LEAVE WINDOW DOWN HAD IT AT CHRYSLER 07/24/ 2012

NHTSA complaint #11113436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,000 miles Mineral, VA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300C. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, HE NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRES AROUND THE ALTERNATOR WERE GLOWING RED. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WHITTEN BROTHERS OF ASHLAND (11409 WASHINGTON HWY, ASHLAND, VA 23005), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V435000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

NHTSA complaint #11006065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Renton, WA

STEERING

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH DOWN HILL ON A CITY STREET, WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO FLASH A POWER STEERING ERROR MESSAGE, I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO BRAKE/STEER THE VEHICLE AS NORMAL WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ME TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE VEHICLE ALLOWED ME TO GET TO A PLACE OF SAFETY WITH EXTREME DIFFICULTY STEERING AND BRAKING. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND SHUT OFF STILL FLASHING THE WARNING MESSAGE. ONCE THE VEHICLE STOPPED I COULD NO LONGER START THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #11230116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Hillsville, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTIONS BACKUP CAMERA FLICKERS IN REVERSE. IT ALSO SOMETIMES DISPLAYS THE CAMERA VIEW REVERSED AND WITHOUT GUIDE LINES ON SCREEN. MULTIPLE CHRYSLER 300 VEHICLES HAVE THESE BACKUP CAMERA ISSUES NEW, USED, AND PRE-OWNED.

NHTSA complaint #11190110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,410 miles Matawan, NJ

POWER TRAIN

CAR STARTED MISS FIRING ONE COLD MORNING. SHAKES AT LOW RPM AND THROWS A CEL. BARELY OVER 100K MILES AND IT TICKING VERY LOUDLY WHICH MAKES ME BELIEVE IT IS THE ROCKER ARMS. NOW INSTEAD OF BEING COVERED THE COST TO REPAIR I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET ON A CAR I AM STILL FINANCING. SIMPLY RIDICULOUS , NEVER OWNING A CHRYSLER EVER AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #11186035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,410 miles Matawan, NJ

ENGINE

CAR STARTED MISS FIRING ONE COLD MORNING. SHAKES AT LOW RPM AND THROWS A CEL. BARELY OVER 100K MILES AND IT TICKING VERY LOUDLY WHICH MAKES ME BELIEVE IT IS THE ROCKER ARMS. NOW INSTEAD OF BEING COVERED THE COST TO REPAIR I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET ON A CAR I AM STILL FINANCING. SIMPLY RIDICULOUS , NEVER OWNING A CHRYSLER EVER AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #11186035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Groton, CT

WHEELS

ABS LIGHT MALFUNCTION AFFECTING STEERING AND SMOOTH RIDE AND VEHICLE CONTROL

NHTSA complaint #11166308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Groton, CT

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ABS LIGHT MALFUNCTION AFFECTING STEERING AND SMOOTH RIDE AND VEHICLE CONTROL

NHTSA complaint #11166308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cincinnati, OH

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY COMPLAINT IS MY DASH BOARD IS ACTUALLY PEELING APART. I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE MARCH 10,2018.

NHTSA complaint #11124595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 52,000 miles West Valley, UT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE BLIND-SPOT SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE REMOTE KEYLESS SYSTEM HAS FAILED. THE BLIND-SPOT SYSTEM FAILED OVER TIME, IT WOULD SPECIFICALLY MALFUNCTION DURING RAIN/SNOW WEATHER EVENTS OR AFTER A CAR WASH. THE REMOTE KEYLESS SYSTEM HAS FAILED OVER TIME. AFTER THE CAR HAS STARTED I GET THE WARNING THAT THE KEY HAS LEFT THE CAR WHEN IT'S STILL IN MY POCKET. IT WON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE KEY FOB WHEN HELD TO THE IGNITION BUTTON.

NHTSA complaint #11123174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles West Valley, UT

ENGINE

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. CAUSED MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AND FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC AND LEARNED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE/DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE, COSTING NEARLY $7K.

NHTSA complaint #11123179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,000 miles Arnaudville, LA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED FLASHING RADIO STARTED CUTTING ON AND OFF AT HEN MY WIFE WAS DROPPING KIDS OFF TO ME I SEEN SMOKE AND TOLD HER TO POP HOOD AND SEEN A FIRE STARTING IN ALTERNATOR TOLD HER TO CUT CAR OFF AND ALTERNATOR START SMOKING NO POWER TO CAR AT ALL HAD TO LEAVE WINDOW DOWN HAD IT AT CHRYSLER 07/24/ 2012

NHTSA complaint #11113436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 99,000 miles Bristow, VA

ENGINE

"TAKATA RECALL" THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AN ACTUAL PROBLEM. THE LIGHT MAY COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A FEW HOURS OR A FEW DAYS.

NHTSA complaint #11093474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Englewood, CO

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY RECALL ON MY CHRYSLER 300C WENT OUT THE ALTERNATOR BEFORE THEY HAD THE PART TO FIX IT AND NOW MY MONITOR WENT OUT CAUSE OF IT. I WAS LUCKY IT WAS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WHEN IT DIED

NHTSA complaint #11074234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,000 miles Fulton, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I REC'D A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND WAS CONSIDERING TRADING IT IN FOR A NEWER VEHICLE; HOWEVER THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK IT TOOK INDICATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE OPEN RECALL (NO CURRENT FIX), THEY COULDN'T GIVE ME THE BEST PRICE TO TRADE IT SINCE THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SELL IT UNTIL THE RECALL FIX WAS IMPLEMENTED

NHTSA complaint #11051662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 48,000 miles Cumming, GA

ENGINE

THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR FOR ALTERNATORS FAILING/OVER HEATING EFFECTING CIRCUITRY, THAT CAN STOP THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION OR END UP IN FLAMES. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS I WAS NOTIFIED 3 MONTHS AGO AND STILL NO REMEDY I WANT MY CAR FIXED. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR.. MY CAR TRUNK HAS OPENED WHILE DRIVING. PART OF THE SAME PROBLEM?

NHTSA complaint #11022881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 84,500 miles Charlotte, NC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I HAVE A 2012 CHRYSLER 300C. YESTERDAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING AROUND 40 MPH THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY FAILED AT THE SAME TIME SO SUBSEQUENTLY THE ELECTRONICS IN MY VEHICLE QUICKLY BEGAN TO SHUT DOWN STARTING WITH THE RADIO, AIR CONDITIONING, AND THEN ALL OF THE VITAL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS THE ABS BRAKES, POWER STEERING, AND IGNITION ( NO ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS ULTIMATELY). WITHOUT ANY ELECTRICAL POWER IN WORKING IN MY CAR I SOMEHOW MANAGED TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OF THE MAIN ROAD INTO A PARKING LOT ( BARELY MADE IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ACTIVE POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM STOP WORKING AS IT SHOULD. HAD THERE BEEN OTHER VEHICLES IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA , I MAY NOT BE SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT . SO ONCE I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR STOP AND OUT OF THE HIGHWAY, I OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED WHITE SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ALTERNATOR AND I ALSO THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETED DRAINED BECAUSE THE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS, IGNITION, DOOR LOCKS, WINDOWS, AND ETC WERE NOT WORKING. HAS THERE BEEN OR IS THERE A PENDING RECALL FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL OF CAR. I HAVE A 5.7L HEMI ENGINE WITH A 220 AMP ALTERNATOR. I DID READ ONLINE THAT A RECALL #T36 WAS GOING TO BE ISSUED IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCE, BUT I'M NOT TO SURE ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF THAT INFORMATION. CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION PERTAINING TO MY EXPERIENCE?

NHTSA complaint #11011164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,000 miles Mineral, VA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300C. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, HE NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRES AROUND THE ALTERNATOR WERE GLOWING RED. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CONTACTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WHITTEN BROTHERS OF ASHLAND (11409 WASHINGTON HWY, ASHLAND, VA 23005), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V435000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

NHTSA complaint #11006065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Edicott, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300C. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IN LAMONT, ILLINOIS WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT SPOKE A WITH AN UNKNOWN CHRYSLER DEALER IN NEW YORK WHO STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V435000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA complaint #11005809 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.