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Chrysler 300Model year report

2006 Chrysler 300 Problems

Complaints
1,002filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
79,207miles, 704 complaints with mileage
Recalls
42 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
20 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl RWD · 17 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2006 Chrysler 300 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year report two dominant themes: a shifter that will not come out of Park, and repeated stalling, often shortly after refueling. Many complaints also describe air bag warning lights or air bags that did not deploy in a crash. Reported mileages are wide, from under 5,000 to over 175,000, with most issues appearing in six-figure mileage cars.

  1. Fuel system

    Stalling, often shortly after refueling

    • 235 complaints (23%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (215 state mileage)
    • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,400 (median of 13 quotes)
    • filed 2006–2026

    Owners report the engine quitting without warning, often within a short distance of filling the fuel tank, at low speed or at a stop and occasionally on the highway. Some say it restarts after several attempts, while others describe repeated stalls in traffic. Complaints mention diagnosis attempts at dealers and independent shops, with some replaced parts such as a fuel tank or sensors, and several owners note their vehicle was not included in a related recall or service campaign. Reported from low mileage up to roughly 195,000 miles, with many cases between 40,000 and 140,000 miles; frequently tied to just after a fuel fill-up.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask if the fuel tank has been replaced under any service campaign, and test drive the car immediately after a fill-up to see whether it stumbles or stalls.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving on the off-ramp of a freeway and my car abruptly stalled. There were no warning lights or anything. After several tries, my car started up again. Approximately 2 months later, the same thing happened while I was driving on the freeway. This time, it took approximately 20 minutes for my car to start up again.”

    NHTSA complaint #10549375, filed 2013-10, 77,300 miles

    “My 2006 Chrysler 300 stalls at random times. It has stalled while I'm driving over 45mph, around a curve, stopped at a light and driving slowly through a parking lot. It doesn't just stall, it stalls over and over again. When it stalled this morning around a curve, I had great difficulty controlling the steering so that I didn't go into the ditch or into an oncoming vehicle. This is extremely dangerous. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10780767, filed 2015-10, 172,323 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Shifter stuck in Park / will not shift out of Park

    • 262 complaints (26%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 8.0 yrs old (239 state mileage)
    • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $435 (median of 21 quotes)
    • filed 2005–2024

    Owners describe starting the car and finding the gear lever locked in Park, unable to move into Drive or Reverse. Some say restarting the car temporarily restores normal operation before the problem returns and worsens over time. Complaints describe tows to dealers or independent shops, where diagnoses ranged from a faulty shifter assembly or shift cable to a broken internal release mechanism; several owners say they were told their vehicle was not covered by a related recall. Reported from roughly 42,000 to 150,000 miles in the sample, with several cases in the 70,000-110,000 mile range.

    Recall 05V460000

    What to check: Before buying, cycle the shifter through Park, Reverse and Drive several times with the engine running and ask whether the shifter assembly or cable has ever been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2006 Chrysler 300 touring. I drove the car without any problem and parked in my car garage at home. I went to the car to drive out of home, engine starts well, but gear lever is stuck to park, will not disengage. I researched a little about this and noticed that this is a major problem with the Chrysler car and many people have been having problems with this. I also noticed that Chrysler had issued a recall for this problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10616475, filed 2014-07, 91,000 miles

    “Chrysler 300 with 73000 miles, suddenly will not shift out of park. Internet research show service bulletin k39 for just such problem. Contacted dealer, was told that my VIN does not qualify for free repair. (what VIN # does qualify?) quoted $450+. More internet research found details of broken pink pulley mechanism . Removed silver plastic bessel from around gear shifter, I can see the broken part. Mechanic video on you tube showed me how to bypass the problem. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10469020, filed 2012-08, 73,330 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine stalling, rough running or loss of power

    • 285 complaints (28%)
    • median 81,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (259 state mileage)
    • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 15 quotes)
    • filed 2006–2026

    Owners describe the engine cutting out at speed or at idle, sometimes with the check engine light on and hard idling afterward. Several complaints mention oil found on the intake gaskets, EGR valve replacement, or lifter ticking noise on V6 engines. Some report dealers could not duplicate the failure or recommended a long block replacement. Reported from about 54,000 to 161,000 miles in the sample, with many cases over 100,000 miles.

    What to check: Listen for ticking or knocking at cold start, check the oil and coolant levels, and ask for service records showing regular oil changes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2006 Chrysler 300, my engine started knocking, I had my vehicle towed to the nearest dealership were they informed me that I have sludge in my engine and there is nothing else that could be done until I provide maintenance record, the blame was placed on me, the consumer. I was told that I neglected my new vehicle that I owe 32k on. How crazy is that. The car was 10 months old at the time I took it to the dealer for repair and also had a oil change the day of my car being towed to the dealer for repair. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10175781, filed 2006-12, 21,659 miles

    “The throttle light comes on the ln at an intersection the car dies.start back up then idles very hard.gotten it checked out&there was oil on top the intake gaskets..I've done regularly mantience on the car so the shouldn't be able.now the car is just sitting in the drive way until I can afford a motor...ive looked on google&there are millions of people with the exact same problem so obviously its not the customer...ive called Chrysler to see if the would reimburse me my money if I gotten a new one put in&basically they said no to a problem …”

    NHTSA complaint #10838098, filed 2016-02, 161,000 miles
  4. Air bags

    Air bag warning light or air bags that did not deploy

    Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the air bag warning light coming on, sometimes with a chime, and in other cases air bags that did not deploy in a collision. Some owners mention receiving recall notices but being told the repair parts were unavailable. Others describe unusual noises from the passenger-side air bag area while driving. Reported across a wide mileage range in the sample, from about 45,000 to over 175,000 miles, including cars with fewer than 50,000 miles.

    Recall 15V313000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 16V352000 · DO NOT DRIVE

    What to check: Check that any open air bag recalls have been completed for the specific VIN, and confirm the air bag warning light goes out after the bulb check at startup.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I hit a pole that crushed in the driver side of the car including part of the hood. Did over $4500 of damages. Even the frame horns had to be replace. The air bags did not worked. If it wasn't for the seat belts, I would have went through the windshield.”

    NHTSA complaint #10744295, filed 2015-07, 141,000 miles

    “I was hit from behind on freeway by drunk driver and pushed into side wall on highway. In the process my seatbelt unlocked and none of the air bags deployed even though he hit me going close 100mph.*dt*jb*dt the consumer provided photos.”

    NHTSA complaint #11362722, filed 2020-10, 48,000 miles
  5. Fuel system

    Fuel odor and fuel leaks

    • 110 complaints (11%)
    • median 80,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (99 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,350 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2011–2025

    Owners report a strong gasoline smell inside the cabin and garage after refueling, and in some cases visible fuel leaks. Complaints describe the tank itself deteriorating according to shop staff and a full fuel tank replacement being recommended. Some owners say they were told their vehicle was too old or not covered for the related repair. Reported from about 42,000 to 80,000 miles in the sample, typically noticed right after filling the tank.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Smell for fuel around the filler neck and under the rear of the car after a fill-up, and look for stains or wet spots near the tank.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Every time I fill my car with gas I get a gas smell inside my car and garage for the next few day. I call about a recall for my car and was told that my car was too old to be serviced at the dealership where I bought it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11405386, filed 2021-03, 78,000 miles

    “Gear shift stalled during rush hour traffic on october 14th, 2016. Car was towed to dealership for repair. Car was leaking fuel december 14, 2016. Car was taken back to dealership again with the same problem on january 11th with leaking fuel. Tank is deteriorating according to dealership service advisor manager. Car is being repaired. Not sure what is happening on the base model regarding the 2006 Chrysler 300. I have spent a lot of money on this car. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10947215, filed 2017-01, 42,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a shifter function check and a post-refuel test drive is worthwhile on this model year, along with verifying recall completion by VIN. Service records showing regular maintenance help, since engine and fuel-system complaints often appear in higher-mileage cars.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 1,002 consumer complaints for the 2006 Chrysler 300. 704 of the complaints include a mileage, and 25% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 79,207 miles. Of all complaints, 45 involved a crash, 17 a fire, 36 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns (2 marked do-not-drive) and 88 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Exterior lighting (15), Body and structure (14), Suspension (14), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (10), Seat belts (9), Tires (9), Electronic stability control (8), Equipment (7), Wheels (4), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seats (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “I was driving down the road and the car just shut off all at once. I immediately put emergency flashers on and crank it up only for it to do the same thing 3 or 4 more times before it starts to drive normal as if nothing ever happened. This happens while I am driving down the street, turning or whenever it feel like cutting off.”

NHTSA complaint #11220718, filed 2019-06, 121,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Vehicle will not shift out of park. Had to walk 10 miles to get home at 11pm.searched for recall on this problem and found Chrysler notification k39. Even with over 20,000 reports of this problem dealer shop refused to admit there is a problem with the shifter interlock and stated my vehicle is not part of any recall and will charge me for repair.”

NHTSA complaint #11129153, filed 2018-09, 100,095 miles

Fuel system: “Car shut off in the middle of highway, stalling, I was almost hit from behind. Now it won't even start. Every issue is related to the fuel issue recall. But my because my VIN isn't included, I have to deal with this. You guys aren't perfect and missed adding my car to the recall.”

NHTSA complaint #11311809, filed 2020-02, 95,460 miles

Engine: “My vehicle suddenly shuts down after a short period of driving it has stopped several times in the middle of traffic and needless to say I was berated and once even threatened as several other vehicles could not pass this could cause an accident or someones life”

NHTSA complaint #11092556, filed 2018-05, 151,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

25% of the 704 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 50,000 and 110,000 miles.

6%0–105%10–2515%25–5021%50–7521%75–10024%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (704 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 79,207 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’05’08’11’14232’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2006 Chrysler 300. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
300 · sedan RWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2006 Chrysler 300 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
300 RWD2.7L 6-cyl4-speed automatic182621$3,200
300 RWD3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172520$3,350
300 RWD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172420$3,350
300 RWD5.7L 8-cyl5-speed automatic152318$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2006 Chrysler 300 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 88 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 88 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chrysler 300

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202365001419—Too new
202255,0002423—Not enough data
20212040,0002423—Rising
2020972,0002423—Not enough data
20196112,00024237 · FewerRising
201815321,000442350 · TypicalStable
20178242,00024230 · FewerFalling
20167636,73124237 · FewerFalling
20159942,0004—2338 · TypicalFalling
201423735,0007523100 · MoreFalling
201330642,0006523100 · MoreFalling
201242665,0009521100 · MoreFalling
201120049,5007—2177 · MoreFalling
201012370,2027——50 · TypicalFalling
20098369,3755——31 · FewerFalling
200871476,1504——76 · MoreFalling
200749878,2934——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20061,00279,2074—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200582574,3757——Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Chrysler 300 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Chrysler 300?

Owners of this model year report two dominant themes: a shifter that will not come out of Park, and repeated stalling, often shortly after refueling. The issues reported most often: Stalling, often shortly after refueling; Shifter stuck in Park / will not shift out of Park; Engine stalling, rough running or loss of power.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006 Chrysler 300 have?

NHTSA recorded 1,002 consumer complaints for the 2006 Chrysler 300 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2006 Chrysler 300 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 258 complaints (26% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 257.

Has the 2006 Chrysler 300 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2006 Chrysler 300 get?

The EPA rates the 2006 Chrysler 300 (300, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2006 Chrysler 300 reported?

Among the 704 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 79,207 miles and the middle half falls between 50,000 and 110,000 miles; 25% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.