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Chrysler 300Model year report

2009 Chrysler 300 Problems

Compared with other Chrysler 300 years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

31/100 0.6× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
83filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
69,375miles, 44 complaints with mileage
Recalls
53 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Chrysler 300 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

What owners report

Owner complaints on this model year center on two things: a long-running airbag inflator recall and a stalling/power-loss pattern that many owners link to the ignition key. The airbag reports are mostly about parts not being available rather than an actual failure, while the stalling reports come from a wide mileage range, often at highway speed, and often leave drivers without power steering or power assist for braking.

  1. Air bags

    Airbag inflator recall — no parts available

    • 33 complaints (40%)
    • median 85,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2015–2019

    Owners describe receiving notice of an airbag inflator recall and then being told the replacement part was not in stock, sometimes for months. Several report calling the dealer repeatedly without getting a date, and a few note the airbag warning light came on even though parts were still unavailable. A small number describe airbags not deploying in a collision or after hitting an animal. Most of these reports were filed in 2015-2016 with no mileage given, often after the recall notification arrived.

    Recall 15V313000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 16V352000 · DO NOT DRIVERecall 18V021000 · DO NOT DRIVE

    What to check: Ask the seller for proof the inflator recall was completed and check the campaign by VIN with a dealer before buying. If the light is on or the recall is still open, confirm parts availability in writing.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was notified of the airbag problem on my vehicle approximately about a year ago or longer. I was first informed the parts were not available to fix the problem. I was later informed the parts were available & to contact my local service dealer. When I contacted them, I was told they didn't have the parts but would call me when they got them. I never got a call form them. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10882306, filed 2016-07

    “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Chrysler 300. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v352000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.”

    NHTSA complaint #10918548, filed 2016-10
  2. Electrical system

    Engine shuts off while driving (stall)

    • 20 complaints (24%)
    • median 88,500 mi at 6.2 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • filed 2014–2021

    Owners describe the engine and all electrical power cutting out without warning, sometimes at highway speed, leaving no power steering or brake assist. Many say the car restarts after being shifted to neutral or after cycling the key, and several report no diagnostic codes stored, so dealers told them nothing was wrong. Some owners traced it to the ignition key or ignition switch, and a few had a key or switch replaced. Reported across a broad range, from about 26,000 to 143,000 miles, at both low speed and highway speed.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test that the car starts reliably and ask whether the ignition switch or key has been replaced. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a road test on the highway are worth doing, since owners report the stall can happen without codes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2009 Chrysler 300c, which has been having consistent problems with the engine shutting off while driving down the busy highway. The vehicle is stalling, quitting, not starting on the first try, fail to keep running once started, or completely stop on its own recognizance. I feel unprotected because my vehicle automatic shut off and could cause death or serious injury. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10661815, filed 2014-12, 92,076 miles

    “Car will not start when ignition switch is turned on. The alarm that indicates door is open still works but the car will not operate any other electrical functions like the windows, radio, lights, etc. I contacted Chrysler and was told that no recall existed for the vehicle. However, I think this is a problem other consumers have also experienced and would like to see this matter investigated and resolved, if possible.”

    NHTSA complaint #10673107, filed 2015-01, 26,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Horn, wipers and turn signals stop working

    • 10 complaints (12%)
    • median 62,550 mi at 5.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2009–2025

    Owners describe the horn going silent or sounding only faintly, and in some cases turn signals, wipers and other accessories failing at the same time. A few connect the failures to the integrated power module or to a dead ignition that left the car unable to start despite a charged battery. Complaints mention the car not passing inspection with a non-working horn. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 170,000 miles, with no single pattern.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: With the engine off, press the horn and check turn signals and wipers one by one. Ask whether the front control module or any wiring repairs have been done.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Truck moved into my lane, tried to honk horn(s) but failed to work. Once in a quiet place, discovered horn makes a very faint noise but no honk and no volume from either horn. The fact that it makes a faint noise means it is getting electric signal but failing to work as it should. Extremely dangerous, put my life in danger and now won't pass inspection. Horn not working with engine off is also dangerous in parking situations.”

    NHTSA complaint #10667663, filed 2014-12, 62,550 miles

    “Purchased a 2009 Chrysler 300 in february and attempted several times to blow my horn when the car was not on. I was park with the car motor off & tried to get the attention of another motor vehicle driver that was backing up and it appeared that they did not see my car - and the horn did not blow! I took the car back to the dealership & the representative who was great in trying to get an answer for me. She open up a case for me with you all. I do not want a car with the horn disabled when the motor is not running. I need this corrected asap!! …”

    NHTSA complaint #10260774, filed 2009-03, 837 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Rough or delayed shifting

    • 7 complaints (8%)
    • median 44,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2016

    Owners describe the transmission hesitating or kicking between the lower gears after pulling away from a stop, with fluid checked regularly. Some also report sluggish throttle response and inconsistent acceleration. Dealer diagnosis in the complaints is limited, and a Chrysler bulletin describes a powertrain software update for performance concerns above highway speed. Usually reported between about 15,000 and 45,000 miles, often during ordinary stop-and-go driving.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the car from a stop and feel for hesitation or a firm shift into second; check the transmission fluid level and colour. Ask whether any PCM or transmission software updates have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Car was cutting out at random times while driving. Sometimes it would restart itself within 5 seconds sometimes I had to throw it in neutral and restart it. Sometimes all the lights would come on the dash, sometimes no lights. Was not generating a code. It happened at all speeds, very dangerous. Twice I took it in and they couldn't fix it. I thought about it and was suspicious of the key. I put the car in park, started it and tapped on the key. The car stalled. I did this while driving also. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10898718, filed 2016-08, 80,000 miles

    “I have a year with my vehicle and it hasn't gave me any problems until now that the automatic transmission fluid needs to get drained. The gears wont shift correctly.RPM's feel as though they are not rising proportionally to throttle input.throttle response feels dead in certain instances.sometimes the car will chirp/spin thetiresoff the line and the RPM's rise quickly, other times you can floor the car off the line and get absolutely nothing.general sluggishness in acceleration -significantly increased drop in RPM between shifts. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10817293, filed 2015-12, 10 miles

Buying note. Check the airbag inflator recall status by VIN first, since many complaints are about the remedy rather than the part itself. On a test drive, pay attention to any cutting out or loss of electrical power and to how the transmission shifts from a stop, and ask for service records covering the ignition and any software updates.

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 83 consumer complaints for the 2009 Chrysler 300. 44 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 69,375 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns (3 marked do-not-drive) and 75 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 11 Chrysler 300 model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 31 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

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: Tires (2), Wheels (2), Electronic stability control (1), Equipment (1), Fuel system (1), Seat belts (1), Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “After receiving several post cards to get the airbag recall, I brought the car to dadeland Chrysler/jeep on march 12, 2019. After keeping the car the whole day I was told my car did not qualify for the recall, the service mgr and I spoke with Chrysler customer service who refuse to approve the airbag replacement, and the dealer did not do the work because it was not going to be reimbursed. Since then I have received several calls from Chrysler and each time I have explained what happened, then I am told they will check and get back to me and I never hear from them again. …”

NHTSA complaint #11276929, filed 2019-10

Electrical system: “My Chrysler 300 keeps loosing power. While driving on the highway at 65 MPH the vehicle decides to lose its electrical power and the engine completely turned off. There was no braking power, the steering had no play but I was able to maneuver off to the left side of the road in medium traffic. I believe the keyless ignition system has a horrific defect. It is losing contact. The double sided integrated key, I believe, is losing contact with the integral ignition switch which also contributes to inconsistent starting procedure.”

NHTSA complaint #10661264, filed 2014-11, 92,000 miles

Engine: “I have replaced parts to my front end three times. The part has cost me 125 plus labor each time. Im not sure of the name of the part, but u will know when it needs to be replaced because every time u hit a bump in the road it sounds like your front end is about to fall off. And I have replaced my thermostat housing unit twice, it literally melted twice!”

NHTSA complaint #10610065, filed 2014-07, 55,000 miles

Steering: “While driving on the freeway my Chrysler 300 died while I was accelerating into heavy traffic going approximately 55 MPH. The vehicle just cut itself off. It lost power to the engine, I lost my power steering, nor could I brake. I was close to being slammed in the rear. I was able to maneuver it to the edge of the freeway because I was luckily in the right hand lane. It took several tries to get the motor to restart. This power loss has happened on several occasions and is very frightening. From time to time I must continue to turn the ignition to the start position. …”

NHTSA complaint #10658650, filed 2014-11, 85,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 44 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 29,022 and 94,302 miles.

16%0–105%10–2516%25–5020%50–7520%75–10016%100–1507%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (44 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 69,375 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.

’08’10’12’1427’16’18’20’25
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 2009 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——4

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.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 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. 75 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 75 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 2009 Chrysler 300?

Owner complaints on this model year center on two things: a long-running airbag inflator recall and a stalling/power-loss pattern that many owners link to the ignition key. The issues reported most often: Airbag inflator recall — no parts available; Engine shuts off while driving (stall); Horn, wipers and turn signals stop working.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Chrysler 300 have?

NHTSA recorded 83 consumer complaints for the 2009 Chrysler 300 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Chrysler 300 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 38 complaints (46% of the total), followed by electrical system with 25.

Has the 2009 Chrysler 300 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Chrysler 300 reported?

Among the 44 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 69,375 miles and the middle half falls between 29,022 and 94,302 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

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.