2018 Chrysler 300 Top Complaints and Problems – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Updated on March 25th, 2023 Author: Brian Jones

There aren’t many mid-size cars on the road these days as the SUV craze continues to take over. Yet, the 2018 Chrysler 300 features its own set of enthusiasts. Maybe it’s the luxury-minded style or the unique appearance that keeps people coming back for more. The automaker claims that this model is the “icon of ingenuity,” but research proves something entirely different. All this model may be known for is the long list of safety concerns from defective electrical systems to a malfunctioning powertrain.

NHTSA Complaints for the 2018 Chrysler 300

Electrical System

The vehicle’s electrical system contains many parts that must work in harmony to ensure a seamless operation. With the 2018 Chrysler 300, owners seem to find one failing aspect after another.

Just look at this NHTSA review. “Have several bugs with stereo/nav/Uconnect. Radio presets disappear. Nav volume decreases on its own. Bluetooth use interrupts nav…my local dealer and Uconnect case manager told me months ago that I need a new system yet it hasn’t been approved/ordered. Very disappointed with Chrysler customer service.”

In our first of several recall notices, we see bigger troubles with the electrical system. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V524000 discusses how certain models have a faulty powertrain control module equipped with a voltage regulator chip that fails. This leads to a stalling situation and keeps the vehicle from restarting, which can lead to an accident. To repair it, the automaker must replace the PCM. Along with this, the majority of service bulletins from Chrysler are related to electrical system issues, which proves that this model is not an icon of anything, but failure.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chrysler 300 Electrical Problems:

I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND IT’S BACK AGAIN. THEY SAID IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY WHEN THEY CAN WAS MADE. SAY IT A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS, THE REPAIRED IT LAST TIME AND I FEE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NOT JUST MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO REPAIR. I PURCHASED THE CAN BRAND NEW AND EXPECTED THEM TO STAY BY THEIR PRODUCT AND REPLACE ANY PROBLEM PARTS THAT ARE FOUND. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE OFF TIME FROM WORK AGAIN TO HAVE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED. THE CAR CAN BE PARKED AND THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT WITH COME ON AND GO OFF AT WILL. THE FRONT PARKING SENSOR WILL STOP WORKING OUT OF THE BLUE BECAUSE I GET AN ERROR MESSAGE ON THE DASH. THEN IT WILL JUST START WORKING AGAIN. SAME WITH THE FRONT RIGHT FOG-LIGHT DOES THE SAME THING COME ON AND GOES OUT AT WILL…

Powertrain

The powertrain of any vehicle must be reliable and produce a smooth-shifting operation. For customers that pay even more to drive the Chrysler 300, this powertrain should be free of defects, but it’s not.

Another NHTSA complaint states, “The 845RE transmission is causing problems of grinding noises and a howling, and feel of grinding on the gas pedal at 40 mph. No power and the car stutters in the morning at first start in Drive while moving, I’ve had it at [dealer] 3 times and can’t find what’s going wrong, this has happened in my 2016 Chrysler 300 and no solutions were found. In my research of this problem, no one else has this problem but me, that’s strange. I own the only 2 Chrysler 300s with transmission noises and grinding.”

It’s highly unlikely that this customer is the only one experiencing trouble, especially since there is also a powertrain-related recall that causes the transmission to not shift into Park. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V280000 says that the automaker installed the wrong transmission park lock rod in some models. How does something like that occur without anyone noticing, especially with such an “icon?”

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chrysler 300 Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND THAT ENDED IN A BOOM. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE IDLED AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN DRIVE. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT’S RESIDENCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OURISMAN CHRYSLER WHERE A NAIL WAS FOUND IN THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE BUT, INSTEAD THE VEHICLE BEGAN REVERSING.

VEHICLE THREW 3 CODES FOR TRANSMISSION SENSORS AS WELL AS EGR (U0402, U0402PD, AND P1DD2) WHILE CASUALLY DRIVING. THIS CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AS WELL AS VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP MODE. THIS CAUSED A DANGEROUS INCIDENT WHILE TRYING TO PASS A VEHICLE.

Service Brakes

The brakes on any vehicle are one of the most important safety features. When the brakes work as intended, everything is peaches and cream. When the brakes fail, every drive is a nightmare. It looks like riding in a Chrysler 300 produces the latter of the two feelings.

One NHTSA complaint describes the problems. It states, “The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler 300. When the contact placed the vehicle in Drive gear, it rolled backwards while the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to [dealer] where it was diagnosed, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The dealer stated that the vehicle was new; therefor, the transmission could not be the source of the failure. The manufacturer was notified and advised that the transmission be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,400.”

This issue seems to be caused by the above transmission recall, but there was also the element of defective brakes thrown in there, which only makes the situation more dangerous. If the brakes had stopped the vehicle, it wouldn’t have been as critical. The same goes for the faulty cruise control situation. With yet another recall, labeled NHTSA Campaign Number 18V332000, FCA admits that nearly five million vehicles have cruise control systems that cannot be canceled. Combine this with brakes that don’t work and the roads are filled with speedy missiles, ready to cause damage. If this is an icon, it might be better to drive a vehicle that’s considered to be nothing special. It’s best to arrive at your destination in nothing fancy, then drive an iconic death trap.

Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2018 Chrysler 300 Brake Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ABS MALFUNCTIONED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE BACK-UP CAMERA FAILED AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO START THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY TO THE SHIN BONE FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A CHRYSLER REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE’S DATA RECORDER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAILURE REPORT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 290.

ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL FREQUENTLY FAILS TO WORK AS DESIGNED. VEHICLE WILL FREQUENTLY FAIL TO DETECT VEHICLES (IN ALL CONDITIONS, AND ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES) IN FRONT OF IT AND NOT ONLY FAIL TO SLOW OR STOP, BUT INSTEAD ACCELERATES. THIS HAS REQUIRED MANUAL BRAKING MULTIPLE TIMES TO TRY AND STOP IN TIME. ADDITIONALLY THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE FAILS TO RECOGNIZE CARS IN ITS LANE AND WILL RANDOMLY PANIC BRAKE WHEN THERE IS NO VEHICLE IN THE LANE, IT APPEARS PICKING UP A VEHICLE IN THE NEXT LANE OVER. THIS OCCURS ON STRAIGHT ROADS AS WELL AS CURVED, WITH FLAT AS WELL AS VARIED ELEVATION.

Your Lemon Law Legal Rights

Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Chrysler pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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