Chrysler 300 Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 2,661 NHTSA complaints, the Chrysler 300 years to avoid are 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018 — the worst logged up to 5× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 758 | 175 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2009 | 95 | 34 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 137 | 52 | 7 | CAUTION |
| 2011 | 200 | 69 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2012 | 424 | 217 | 9 | AVOID |
| 2013 | 305 | 147 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 236 | 140 | 8 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 97 | 53 | 5 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 76 | 39 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2017 | 82 | 20 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2018 | 152 | 28 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 59 | 12 | 2 | BEST |
| 2020 | 10 | 4 | 2 | N/A |
| 2021 | 19 | 7 | 2 | BEST |
| 2022 | 5 | 4 | 2 | N/A |
| 2023 | 6 | 5 | 1 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Chrysler 300. Full methodology.
Common Chrysler 300 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Chrysler 300 are electrical, drivetrain. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Infotainment screen delamination with phantom touches
· Chrysler 300 2017–2020Corroborated by 12 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 97 electrical complaints across 2017–2020, typically 46,233 miles.
Drive shaft bolt failure
· Chrysler 300 2017–2018Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 23 drivetrain complaints across 2017–2018, typically 29,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2008 Chrysler 300: 758 owner complaints on federal record, 175 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
2011 Chrysler 300: 200 owner complaints on federal record, 69 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
2012 Chrysler 300: 424 owner complaints on federal record, 217 of them severe, plus 9 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
2013 Chrysler 300: 305 owner complaints on federal record, 147 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
2014 Chrysler 300: 236 owner complaints on federal record, 140 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
2018 Chrysler 300: 152 owner complaints on federal record, 28 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Chrysler 300.
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FAQ
What years of the Chrysler 300 should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Chrysler 300 years to avoid are 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Chrysler 300?
The 2019 and 2021 Chrysler 300 show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Chrysler 300 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Chrysler 300's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Chrysler 300 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Chrysler 300 reliable?
The Chrysler 300's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 2,661 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018 rate "avoid", while 2019 and 2021 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Chrysler 300?
The most-reported problem area for the Chrysler 300 is electrical, followed by drivetrain. Confirmed failures include infotainment screen delamination with phantom touches, drive shaft bolt failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Chrysler 300 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Chrysler 300, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.