2000 Chrysler 300m complaints

THE STEERING SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED

THE WEATHER STRIPPING ON THREE OF FOUR DOORS ON MY 2000 CHRYSLER 300M (43,300 MILES) HAS SHRUNK AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RESEARCHED SEVERAL CONSUMER WEBSITES AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OR CAN BE INVESTIGATED.

NOT ABLE TO TOTALLY LOCK ALL DOORS. SYSTEM IS ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED. VERY NOISY WHEN AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED AT 15 MPH. NECESSARY TO DEACTIVATE, THUS HAVING TO MANUALLY LOCK DOORS. BECAUSE THIS WAS A STANDARD OPTION, IT SHOULD WORK FOR REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME. WHEN ORDERING REPLACEMENT PART, WAS INFORMED OF A TWO WEEK WAIT BECAUSE OF LOCAL BACK ORDER ON LIKE PART, INDICATING MANY OTHER OWNERS WERE HAVING SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS SECOND FAILURE. FIRST TIME WAS ON DRIVER FRONT DOOR, SECOND TIME WAS ON PASSENGER FRONT DOOR. CAN THE BACK DOORS BE FAR BEHIND? DT

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG HOUSING IS CRACKING AND THIS COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO BE DEFECTIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

WHEN DRIVING TOWARD THE SUN, THE GLARE OF THE REFLECTION OF THE LEATHER DASHBOARD ON THE WINDSHIELD MAKES IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, THIS REFLECTION COVERS THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD, THE COLOR PLUS THE GRAIN OF THE LEATHER REFELECTION ON THE WINDSHILED DISTORTS THE CONSUMERS VISION, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NUMEROUS DAHSBOARDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON OTHER VEHICLES WITH NO SUCCESS.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THERE IS A TERRIBLE GLARE COMING FORM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND IT IS DISTRACTING THE CONSUMER VISIBILITY. NLM

THE TIRE/RIM COMBINATION SUFFERS FROM CHRONIC SPORADIC LEAKAGE, PARTICULARLY WHEN POSITIONED ON THE FRONT . ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE FRONT TIRES HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE UNDERINFLATED. ON 4 OR 5 OCCASIONS, THE TIRES HAVE GONE COMPLETELY FLAT, SO FAR WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AFTER A 20 MILE RUN. GOODYEAR EXAMINED THE MOST RECENT FAILED TIRE AND RIM AND REPORTED THAT THE RIM WAS EXCESSIVELY CORRODED WHERE THE TIRE SEALS TO IT. FURTHERMORE, ONCE CLEANED WITH A GRINDER, GOODYEAR REPORTED RESIDUAL PITTING THAT COULD AFFECT THE SEAL. CHRYSLER DIPPED THE TIRE AFTER GOODYEAR CLEANED THE RIM AND REINFLATED THE TIRE AND FOUND NO LEAK. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO REMOVE THE TIRES AND INSPECT THE RIMS FOR EXCESSIVE OR ABNORMAL CORROSION THAT MIGHT SUGGEST A DEFECT CAUSING CHRONIC LEAKAGE. CONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE IS HAZARDOUS, YET I CAN'T FIND OUT WHETHER THE ISSUE IS WITH THE RIMS, THE TIRES, OR BOTH. CHRYSLER'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT I START OVER AT ANOTHER DEALER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO INSTRUCT THE DEALER TO REMOVE THE TIRES AND EXAMINE THE RIMS. (THEIR RECOMMENDATION WHEN I INITIALLY CALLED OVER A YEAR AGO WAS TO COMPLAIN TO GOODYEAR.) AT THIS TIME, I HAVE PURCHASED A COMPRESSOR AND AM MONITORING THE INFLATION CAREFULLY. IF HYPER MAINTENANCE PREVENTS A REOCCURRENCE, I WILL STILL NEED TO INSPECT AND POSSIBLY REPLACE THE RIMS DUE TO PITTING WHEN THE TIRES ARE REPLACED FOR WEAR. GOODYEAR HAS PROVIDED EXCELLENT SERVICE; CHRYSLER SEEMS TO BE STONEWALLING.*AK

ON MONDAY, 5/20, I WAS EXITING MY 2000 CHRYSLER 300M AND AS I PULLED THE INTERIOR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE, THE CHROME PLATING ON THE HANDLE SPLIT ALONG THE TOP SEAM, SLICING A DEEP GASH IN MY MIDDLE FINGER. AFTER ATTENDING TO THE WOUND, I FOUND THAT THE CENTER OF THE DOOR HANDLE NOW HAS A 2" SECTION OF THE CHROME FINISH THAT HAS TORN AWAY FROM THE HANDLE, LEAVING A HORIZONTAL, RAZOR-SHARP PROTRUSION THAT COULD CUT ME AGAIN AT ANYTIME. FEARING THIS HAZARD WOULD CAUSE FURTHER INJURY TO ME OR MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY, I CONTACTED MY DEALER, BRANDYWINE CHRYSLER JEEP IN WILMINGTON, DE ABOUT GETTING A REPLACEMENT HANDLE FOR THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TOLD ME THAT CHRYSLER DOESN'T MAKE REPLACEMENT DOOR HANDLES; I WOULD NEED TO ORDER A WHOLE NEW INTERIOR DOOR PANEL AT A COST OF $309, NOT TO MENTION THE $70/HOUR LABOR TO INSTALL IT. I WENT TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY, 5/21, AND THE SERVICE GUY REMEMBERED HAVING A DOOR PANEL IN THE SHOP AND WENT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING HE COULD DO. HE RETURNED TO TELL ME THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO REMOVE THE HANDLE FROM THE PANEL WITHOUT DAMAGING IT, AND TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE DOOR PANEL BECAUSE THE PROTRUDING STRIP OF CHROME FINISH CANNOT BE REPAIRED. EVEN IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE TREACHEROUS 2" SECTION OF FINISH FROM THE HANDLE, THAT WOULD LEAVE TWO EQUALLY SHARP AND DANGEROUS VERTICAL EDGES RUNNING COMPLETELY AROUND THE HANDLE. TODAY I CONTACTED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE VIA EMAIL ABOUT THE DEFEC

CHROME WHEELS 3 INCH CENTER HUBS ARE SEPARATED FROM THE MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THEM TO RIM DUE TO CORROSION.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INSTALLED WITH AN AFTERMARKET BODYGUARD ELECTRONIC CORROSION CONTROL SYSTEM, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE.(CLAIM#51-0490-684)*JB

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH INNER/OUTER TIE RODS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE. DRIVER WAS IN A FLAT POSITION. TRUNK WAS PUSHED INTO BACKSEAT. VEHICLE TOTALED, PASSENGER AND DRIVER WERE INJURED.*AK *JG

WHILE TRAVELING 55-65 MPH VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIMMY DUE TO POOR GOODYEAR TIRES ON CHRYSLER, 300M, 2000. CONSUMER IS ON SECOND SET. *AK GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES P225/55R17. THE VEHICLE HAD ROTORS, BRAKES AND SWAY BAR REPLACED. *YH

THE DRIVERS POWER SEAT IS NOT STABLE, DURING SLIGHT ACCELERATION THE SEAT LURCHES BACKWARD SLIGHTLY, DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM. *SLC

CONSUMER LEFT VEHICLE IN PARK AND RAN TO OPEN GATE, PROCESS WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE. CONSUMER'S BACK WAS TURNED WHEN VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING FORWARD. VEHICLE BUMPED CONSUMER, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BE INJURED. DEALER CHECKED FOR ANY PROBLEM, BUT FOUND NOTHING.*AK *SLC

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REPLACED (HAPPENED IN SCHOMBERG ONTARIO, CANADA ZIP L0G 170).

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

REPORTING PLASTIC FUEL TANK HAVE PUNCTURED BY RUNNING OVER SOMETHING WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH, AND CAUSED FUEL LEAKAGES, PRIBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE FUEL TANK IS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE GROUND; DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DEALER REPLACED FUEL CELL ASSY WHICH INCLUDED PUMP FORM A STOCK UNIT , REPLACEMENT APPEARED TO BE SATISFACTORY FOR APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES AND IT NOW IS NOISY, UNKNOWN IF THE PUMP IS OPERATING PROPERLY, ONLY OCCURS AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME USUALLY OVERNIGHT WEATHER AND TEMPERATURE AS WELL AS FUEL LOAD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE

WHEN MAKING U-TURN STEERING WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER POSITION. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK *SLC

MY REAL CONCERN IS THAT I MAY HAVE PURCHASED A TEST CAR WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH. ON THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD READS, "CHRYSLER PROVING GROUNDS" VISIBLE ONLY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS WET. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER?*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL. THEN, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO SPIN STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY AROUND, NO CONTROL WHAT SO EVER. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. *AK DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE, VEHICLE ONLY HAD 3500 MILE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. *SLC

CANNOT KEEP TIRES BALANCED. BALANCED 3 TIMES IN LAST 6 WEEKS. ALSO HAD 2 TIRES REPLACED TO TRY AND CORRECT. I WAS TOLD BY A FRIEND IN DAYTON OHIO THAT HE HAD SAME PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO GOODYEAR DEALER THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM ON THE 300M WITH THE 17 INCH WHEEL PACKAGE. EVERY TIME I ASK CHRYSLER DEALER IF THEY KNOW OF SUCH PROBLEM, THEY SAY NO, BUT GOODYEAR DEALER SAYS THAT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND HE HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS, AND THIS IS JUST ONE GOODYEAR DEALER. HE SAYS THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH THESE TIRE ON ANYTHING ELSE. ONLY THE 300M WITH 17 INCH WHEELS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: MK438MDR TIRESIZE: P225/55R17)

VEHICLE HAS BRAKING DISTANCE THAT IS TOO LONG , ACCIDENT 0N MARCH 2, 2001 WAS DUE TO THIS. $ 4500 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE . VEHECLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. DEALER STATED BRAKES WERE AS THEY SHOULD BE. *AK BRAKES WERE TOO SOFT AND REQUIRE TOO MUCH RESPONSE TIME. *YH

12-29-00 TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 45MPH ANOTHER CAR MADE A TURN WITHOUT YIELDING WITH NO TIME TO STOP I HIT THE OTHER CAR BOTH CARS WERE TOTAL LOSES BUT THE AIRBAGS NEVER OPENED UP TO PREVENT INJURIES ---- THANKS CHRYSLER -*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HIT ICE, VEHICLE SPINNED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF THIS VEHICLE FAILED ON THE DATE INDICATED. LESS THAN 4 HOURS LATER, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF THE SAME VEHICLE FAILED. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE A SIDEWALL DEFECT. THERE ARE NO APPARENT PUNCTURES. THE TIRES EXHIBIT A TEAR, FROM INSIDE OUT, IN THE SIDEWALL. UNSUBSTANTIATED RUNMOR FROM A TIRE INSTALLER IS THAT HE "SEES THIS PROBELM ON THIS TIRE ALL OF THE TIME". *AK (TIRESIZE: P225/55R17)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/55R17 )

VIBRATION NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE WHEN CAR IS IN DRIVE/REVERSE AT LOW RPM 1000-1500 RPM. TESTED AND SEEMS TO COME FROM CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. *AK

WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL IS TURNED ON TO WARMER TEMPERATURES, COLD AIR WILL BLOW. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK

WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I HIT A TREE DEAD ON GOING ABOUT 35 MPH, AND AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS "TOTALLED" HOWEVER, IT CAN BE REPAIRED. EXACT DAMAGE COST HAVE YET TO BE FIGURED, BUT IT WILL BE BETWEE $3000-$5000. THE CAR IS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD.*AK

THERE IS A REFLECTION COMING FROM DASHBOARD THAT BLINDS DRIVER ON SUNNY DAYS. DEALER SAYS IT'S THE DESIGN OF THE WINDSHIELD BEING AT AN ANGLE. *AK *SLC

HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT ALWAYS COME ON AT NIGHHT AFTER PULLING SWITCH. VEHICLE WOULD FAIL TO START. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE REPAIRED PROBLEM. PICKED UP VEHICLE & THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. BEEN BACK & FORTH NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY STEERING LOCKED. THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE ALL OF THE STEERING FLUID LEAKED OUT. OWNER VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE PROBLEM COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BECAUSE MY TIRE WAS GOING FLAT, THE MECHANICS FOUND THAT THE WHEEL WAS CRACKED. THEY ORDERED ONE; IT CAME AND WAS WRONG SIZE; WHEN THEY ORDERED THE NEXT ONE, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THERE WERE 500 ON BACK ORDER! THIS 1ST VISIT WAS ON 7/5/00 AND I DIDN'T RECEIVE THE NEW TIRE UNTIL 8/21/00. WHAT IF WE DON'T FIND OUT THAT THESE WHEELS ARE CRACKED UNTIL ONE BREAKS APART? HOW ARE WE TO KNOW THIS COULD HAPPEN?( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 17 )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 25MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED STEERING BY ITSELF TO THE LEFT. VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY DOING 360'S IN ONE DIRECTION. CAR FINALLY STOPPED. DEALER SAID THAT THE STEERING RESERVOIR WAS BUSTED FORM IMPACT. CONSUMER SAID THERE WS NO IMPACT, ONLY A SCRAPE ON THE DRIVER ON FRONT FENDER & SMALL DENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, CAR SHUT-OFF. CONTINUED TO SHUT 5-7 TIMES. DEALER HAS YET TO GET THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN..COMPUTER SHOWS ONLY 6 START CYCLES SO THEY KNOW THE COMPUTER HAD A POWER FAILURE. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT WILL NOT SHUT OFF FOR THEM.. *AK

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. ALSO, REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, SEATBACK COLLASPED, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURHER DETAILS. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION RATTLES/GRUMBLES AT THE SPEED BETWEEN 40-50. A TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKUP PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES, THIS THURSDAY WILL TAKE IT BACK AGAIN. APRIL 7, 2000 DROPPED IT OFF OVERNIGHT AND THEY SAID THEY CHANGED THE TCM COMPUTER, BUT THE TECH DIDN'T "FEEL" THE PROBLEM UNTIL I TOOK HIM OUT AND HE NOTICED IMMNEDIATELY. SAID THAT IT WAS LIKE THAT ON ALL 300M CARS. TOOK HIM ON A NEW 300M WITH 5 MILES ON THE ODO AND HE COUDLN'T NOTICE IT THEN. HE THEN SAID IT WAS THE VEHICLE SHIFTING INTO OVERDRIVE AND RPM'ING "LOW" CAUSING THAT RUMBLE. TOLD HIM THAT WAS HOGWASH AND TO FIX IT OR I'LL INVOKE THE LEMON LAW. SO, THIS THURSDAY WILL TAKE IT BACK FOR ANOTHER SERVICE.

PULLING OUT OF A TRAIL STATION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WENT TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULDN'T TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. MADE THREE ATTEMPTS. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK

THE SAFETY PROBLEM IS WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. WITH THE WINDSHIELD HAVING SUCH A HIGH ANGLE OF SLANT, DURING MID-DAY SUNNY DAYS, THE UPPER DASH REFLECTS SO BADLY IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE IS GREATLY IMPAIRED. EVEN THOUGH THE DASH IS IN A MATTE FINISH, THERE IS STILL CONSIDERABLE REFLECTION. IN MY OPINION, ENOUGH REFLECTION TO RAISE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. *AK