Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Chrysler 3 Series problems

Owners filed 351 complaints about the 1999 Chrysler 3 Series with NHTSA between Sep 1998 and Sep 2020. The most-cited component is air bags (51).

Complaints
351
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
32
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
19
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags51
  2. Structure49
  3. Steering48
  4. Engine and engine cooling33
  5. Power train32
  6. Wheels22
  7. Suspension20
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic20
  9. Tires20
  10. Vehicle speed control19
  11. Electrical system18
  12. Visibility17
  13. Seats15
  14. Exterior lighting11

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19984
199915
200022
200135
200234
200359
200461
200545
200621
200712
200815
20093
20104
20114
20121
20131
20146
20156
20161
20171
20180
20190
20201

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

51 reports13 crashes
“I AM NOT SURE WHO MANUFACTURED THE AIRBAGS IN 1999 CHRYSLER 300S, BUT I AM WONDERING WHAT WOULD CAUSE AN AIRBAG TO HAVE A HOLE IN IT AND WHERE THE HOLE IS, IT WAS FRAYED, MY DAUGHTER WAS THE PASSENGER WHEN THEY WERE HIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL AND PASSENGER DOOR, THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED BUT HAD A BIG HOLE IN IT AND WAS FRAYED WHERE THE HOLE WAS, LIKE A FLAG THAT HAS BEEN BLOWING IN THE WIND FOR YEARS, I AM COMING UP ON STATUE OF LIMITATIONS SO YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WOULD BE SO APPRECIATED!!!! MY LAWYER DOES HAVE PICTURES OF THE AIRBAG WITH THE HOLE IN IT, AND SHOWING ALSO HOW IT WAS FRAYED. MY DAUGHTER SADLY LOST HER LIFE IN THIS ACCIDENT, SHE WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED NOVEMBER 29TH 2014 ON HWY 23 NEAR WAITE PARK MN, CAR WAS IN MOTION, HER NAME IS [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11047231

Structure

49 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS CRACKED WHERE THE AIR BAG IS LOCATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2014StructureODI 10662147

Steering

48 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE FAILURE CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING THAT LATER CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A SEWAGE AREA. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 13, 2015Steering, Electrical system, Air bags, EngineCrash reportedODI 10694129

Engine and engine cooling

33 reports1 crash3 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AT ANY TIME AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AT ANYTIME. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED BY AREA MECHANICS, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED, BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE, CURRENT MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/14/11*LJ UPDATED 09/23/11*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10419807

Power train

32 reports7 crashes1 related recall
“ACCELERATOR STICKS , HAPPENED ONE TIME WHEN VEHICLE WAS NEW, (VEHICLE WAS LESS THEN SIX MONTHS OLD, ALSO HAPPENED ON 07/11/08 AND 07/12/08) WHEN DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR THEN REMOVING FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, PEDAL DOES NOT RETURN, CAR KEEPS GOING FASTER TILL ENGINE IS SHUT DOWN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2008Power trainODI 10237917

Wheels

22 reports
“ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE LUG STUDS ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAVE SHEARED, LEAVING ONLY TWO (2) LUG NUTS HOLDING THE DRIVE WHEEL ON THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRED IN APRIL OF 2007 AND AGAIN IN APRIL OF 2008. BOTH TIMES, THE WHEELS HAD BEEN ROTATED PRIOR TO A LONG TRIP ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO FLORIDA, AND ON THE RETURN TRIP AFTER APPROXIMATELY 1300 MILES, THE SAME WHEEL (DRIVE WHEEL) LUGS AGAIN FAILED. IF THIS HAD NOT BEEN NOTICED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE POTENTIAL FOR DISASTER COULD HAVE BEEN VERY REAL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2008WheelsODI 10225303
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.