AI Damage2003 Chrysler 300M: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Chrysler 300M filed 33 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 33
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 27% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 12% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 9 complaints (27% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 33 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags failed to deploy. He sustained severe headaches and migraines and could not move his right arm. He also sustained a severe whiplash. The vehicle was completely destroyed. He has not notified anyone other than the insurance agency. The police arrived at the scene and a police report was filed.
When sitting at a light, the vehicle jumped forward at times and or backwards without warning and as a result, another vehicle was hit. Chysler found nothing wrong.
The steering axle attach to the rack of pinion keep coming off. When that happen the wheel fell to the ground. In my car this is the 3rd time that happen.
The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,600.
The car suddenly slowed down to a complete stop while I was driving it on the highway.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 chrysler 300m. When the contact attempted to start the vehicle, the service light illuminated. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 15v567000 (electrical system) and 15v313000 (air bags). The parts needed for the repair were not available.
Car is jerking as it is trying to shift to the next gear at 55+ miles per hour. It is also sluggish like it is working harder to just drive and the check engine light has come on but aamco transmission and gp auto couldn't find anything work with the engine or transmission.
While driving various speeds, the vehicle would jerk, surge forward, and then suddenly shut off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 75,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,527 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 300M has 99 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 33, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Chrysler 300M?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 33. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (18%), airbag warning light (9%), jerking, harsh shifts (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Chrysler 300M?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Chrysler 300M from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.