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Chrysler 300MModel year report

2001 Chrysler 300M Problems

Complaints
91filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
67,250miles, 64 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.5L 6-cyl FWD · 16 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2001 Chrysler 300M (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Chrysler 300M most often describe steering problems, particularly with the power steering rack and pinion and the inner tie rods, which in some complaints led to loss of steering at low speed. Transmission shifting complaints, cracked dashes around the passenger airbag, heated-seat electrical shorts and corroded brake lines also appear repeatedly, typically between roughly 50,000 and 100,000 miles.

  1. Steering

    Steering rack and pinion failure / loss of steering

    • 24 complaints (26%)
    • median 60,000 mi at 5.3 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • filed 2003–2013

    Complaints describe clunking or grinding noises from the front end, play or looseness in the steering wheel, wandering, and the wheel sticking on turns. In several cases owners report a sudden loss of steering, with the wheel turning but the front wheels not responding, often while pulling out of a parking space, turning at an intersection, or at low speed. Many of these vehicles had the rack and pinion replaced, sometimes more than once, and some owners also had inner tie rods or bushings replaced. Reported from roughly 30,000 to 145,000 miles, with many under 75,000 miles; some trucks had a replacement rack fail again within a year or two.

    What to check: On a test drive, listen for clunks or grinding over bumps and check for play in the steering wheel; ask whether the rack and pinion or tie rods have ever been replaced and keep an eye on front tire wear.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2001 300M Chrysler with 50,000 miles on it. My car already has to have a new steering rack assembly. The steering wheel wanders, with excessive play in the wheel and makes a large grinding sound when wheel is turned to the right or the left. Also, sporadically the gauges will all drop to zero for 5 to 10 seconds and then reset while driving down the road.”

    NHTSA complaint #10030624, filed 2003-08, 40,000 miles

    “Backing out of a parking stall I heard something pop then I couldn't turn left or right I could only go up or back so I was stuck in the middle of the parking lot had t o get towed steering wheel just kept turning.”

    NHTSA complaint #10498307, filed 2013-02, 137,000 miles
  2. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission won't shift or slips out of gear

    • 9 complaints (10%)
    • median 76,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2003–2014

    Owners describe the transmission locking in a low gear so the car will not accelerate past highway speeds, failing to shift up, or slipping in first and reverse. In some complaints restarting the car temporarily restored normal operation, while others were told the transmission or torque converter needed replacement. A few reports mention a check engine light along with the shifting problem. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 105,000 miles, including some vehicles with very low mileage.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive the car through all gears, including a highway merge and a reverse start on an incline, and ask for any transmission service records or stored fault codes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving the vehicle at 30 MPH, I got a check engine light. The vehicle transmission would not shift to the next higher gear during acceleration. Note: this was also evident by an increase of engine RPM's on the tachometer. This vehicle was purchased new by myself in 2001. It has only 17,508 miles on it!. Checking of the engine fault light revealed a p0601 trouble codei. This is an internal fault in the powertrain control module (PCM). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10627525, filed 2014-08, 17,508 miles

    “While driving the torque converter failed. As the consumer accelerated, the vehicle stalled in traffic. The consumer had to place the gear in park and shift back to drive to make the vehicle proceed. The consumer was almost rear ended. The clutch on the torque converter failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the engine light. The consumer was told that the electrical surges caused the light to come on. This seemed to be a common problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10055262, filed 2004-05, 85,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Heated seat and electrical shorts, burning smell

    • 9 complaints (10%)
    • median 82,000 mi at 3.3 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2002–2018

    Owners report a burning smell and the heated driver's seat shorting out, with burn marks found on the seat back or heating circuit. Other complaints describe dash lights staying on with the key out, gauges dropping to zero and resetting, and repeated battery replacements. In the seat cases the dealer identified a shorted heating element, and owners say repairs were not covered. Mostly reported between about 55,000 and 90,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Try both heated seats and watch for unusual smells or warmth, and check that interior lights and gauges behave with the key removed; ask about battery and charging-system history.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Safety issue!! Heated seat drivers side stopped working, other electrical components started malfunctioning brought in for service, dealer made diagnostic check, we were told heated seat circuit shorted and showed burn marks. Not replaced too costly called Chrysler customer service was told by senior supervisor they could not help us. Our concerns are safety issues not only cost. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10233774, filed 2008-07, 57,000 miles

    “My wife was driving our 2001 300M when she smelled something burning in the car ,the lights started flashing,and it smelled so hot that she was afraid the car was going to catch on fire. She stopped and could not find the source at the time. After she got home we discovered that the heated drivers seat had shorted out and started to burn the seat back before power was cut off to the heating element. We took the car to the dealership to complain about a possible fire hazard. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10182592, filed 2007-02, 90,000 miles
  4. Air bags

    Cracked dashboard near passenger airbag

    • 11 complaints (12%)
    • median 58,500 mi at 3.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2004–2007

    Complaints describe a crack forming in the dash on the passenger side, in the area of the passenger airbag, sometimes several inches long and extending into the wood trim. Owners say the dealer often attributed it to sun damage, and that repair means replacing the whole dashboard, which some found costly. Some owners also report the airbag warning light staying on. Reported from about 39,000 to 65,000 miles, often on cars described as garaged or well kept.

    Recall 01V273000

    What to check: Inspect the passenger-side dash carefully in daylight for hairline cracks and check that the airbag warning light goes out after the bulb check at startup.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “10 inch crack in dashboard above the passenger's side airbag. It also has started to crack the wood grain, pretty soon it will be from windshield to glove box. A 2001 car that' has been garaged and well taken care off, and they were saying it was sun damaged. After doing my own investigation on the internet, I found out that there were a lot of people who also had the same problem, and everyone was helpless as to what to do! I am worried that the airbag may not deploy properly in an accident. Why won''t daimler/chrsyler do something. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10195917, filed 2007-07, 39,000 miles

    “I have a 2001 Chrysler 300M with a crack along the left side of the passenger airbag. This is a very common problem on 300 miles and has been happening since the 1999 model. Chrylser has done nothing to rectify the issue and will not even consider speaking to you about repairing it unless your car is under warrenty. Repair shops will not fix it due to its proximity to the airbag and the only option is to have the dealer replace the entire dash which will cost $1200. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10061861, filed 2004-03, 65,000 miles
  5. Brakes

    Corroded brake lines and brake failure

    • 6 complaints (7%)
    • median 59,000 mi at 5.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2002–2012

    Complaints describe the brake pedal going to the floor, sometimes with a whoosh and fluid loss, traced to a ruptured or corroded brake line; in one case all the lines were found corroded. Another owner reported the parking brake cable popping when released on an incline. Repairs involved replacing the affected lines or cable. Mostly reported between about 58,000 and 67,500 miles.

    What to check: Have a mechanic look at the steel brake lines for rust, especially underneath and along the frame, and confirm the parking brake holds on a slope.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Today I was driving my vehicle at a speed of about 50 MPH. I was coming upon a intersection and the light had just turned red. There were other vehicles traveling along the road in the same and opposite direction as I was. There were two lanes in each direction. Approximately 2 vehicles in front of me coming up to the light. As I began to stop my brakes completely failed. I tried pumping them, but got very little help from my brakes. Thinking quickly I moved into the second lane, that had no other vehicles. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10152493, filed 2006-03, 67,500 miles

    “The emergency brake cable popped when disengaged. Vehicle was parked on an incline in the driveway when this occurred, resulting in the vehicle rolled backwards 2 inches followed by the wheel locking up and the stop moving. Vehicle had to be flat bedded to the dealership, who was replacing the parts that failed.”

    NHTSA complaint #10087497, filed 2004-08, 58,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the steering rack, brake lines underneath, and transmission behavior is worthwhile on this model year, given how often those systems appear in owner complaints. Ask for service records showing whether the rack, tie rods, or brake lines have already been replaced.

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 91 consumer complaints for the 2001 Chrysler 300M. 64 of the complaints include a mileage, and 27% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 67,250 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 29 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: Body and structure (5), Suspension (5), Wheels (3), Engine (2), Seat belts (2), Vehicle speed control (2), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “Oct 2013 five months after I just had my car fixed . As I was driving through the green light I heard a noise like grinding my car stopped I could not go forward or backward, I was stopped in the far right lane of a three lane street I had to put on my flashers. I could not be move only by a tow truck. I had just had tire rods changed in may 2013 and rack n pinion fixed in may which that broke as I was backing out of a parking spot had to be towed. As I was taking the car to the dealership that had fixed it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10551990, filed 2013-11, 155,005 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I own a 2001 Chrysler 300M. I bought the car september 2000 with 10 miles on it. I have had nothing but problems, at 40,000 miles my 4 disc cd changer/tape player/am-fm stereo with 12 speakers went completely out. It used to ding (like when the lights are turned on and you take the key out of the ignition, that annoying ding ) constantly. I couldn't get it to stop. The I was told by the 5-star service technicians that it was an internal electrical problem but they could replace the stereo with another one at the tune of $450 plus $50 for labor. …”

NHTSA complaint #10047052, filed 2003-11, 40,000 miles

Air bags: “I have been trying to get the air bag recall resolved on my car. I checked in september and again october 16 and told that they do not have replacement parts. When I go on the Chrysler web site for recall information, it says that parts are available. I feel that Chrysler, or the dealer, are not giving me top priority. In the mean time, I am at risk. I checked this out again today with the same result.”

NHTSA complaint #10783821, filed 2015-10, 75,000 miles

Brakes: “Complete failure of brake system. Fortunately, this occurred while moving the vehicle out of a parking space. The brake pedal went suddenly and completely to the floor with a whoosh sound and fluid spilled all over the ground due to a ruptured brake line. The line was corroded and upon subsequent inspection all lines were found to be corroded and in need of replacement (the adjacent fuel lines were totally fine). Repair estimate is $1200+. …”

NHTSA complaint #10328567, filed 2010-05, 60,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

27% of the 64 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 47,748 and 92,315 miles.

5%0–103%10–2519%25–5031%50–7523%75–10013%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (64 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 67,250 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

’02’0414’06’08’10’12’14’18
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.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2001 Chrysler 300M 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 M FWD3.5L 6-cyl4-speed automatic162419$3,550

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 2001 Chrysler 300M → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

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. 29 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 29 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chrysler 300M

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20047157,6161—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20033362,0360—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20028368,7501—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20019167,2503—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200024259,0416—19Not compared (before 2008)Rising
199935168,6863—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling

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

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Chrysler 300M?

Owners of the 2001 Chrysler 300M most often describe steering problems, particularly with the power steering rack and pinion and the inner tie rods, which in some complaints led to loss of steering at low speed. The issues reported most often: Steering rack and pinion failure / loss of steering; Transmission won't shift or slips out of gear; Heated seat and electrical shorts, burning smell.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2001 Chrysler 300M have?

NHTSA recorded 91 consumer complaints for the 2001 Chrysler 300M as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2001 Chrysler 300M is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 29 complaints (32% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 11.

Has the 2001 Chrysler 300M been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2001 Chrysler 300M get?

The EPA rates the 2001 Chrysler 300M (300 M, 3.5L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2001 Chrysler 300M reported?

Among the 64 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 67,250 miles and the middle half falls between 47,748 and 92,315 miles; 27% 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. 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.