Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Chrysler 3 Series problems

Owners filed 99 complaints about the 2001 Chrysler 3 Series with NHTSA between Feb 2001 and Jun 2018. The most-cited component is steering (30).

Complaints
99
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Steering30
  2. Air bags11
  3. Power train11
  4. Electrical system8
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic8
  6. Engine and engine cooling8
  7. Equipment7
  8. Seats7
  9. Structure6
  10. Suspension5
  11. Fuel/propulsion system3
  12. Wheels3
  13. Engine2
  14. Vehicle speed control2

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 28, 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
20012
20025
200311
200415
200515
20069
20078
20087
20095
20105
20113
20122
20134
20142
20154
20160
20170
20182

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

Steering

30 reports1 crash1 fire
“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. TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTICED TIRE ROD BRACKET HAD BROKE AS HE WAS PUTTING CAR DOWN INTO PARKING AREA. SO WHAT I PAID TO GET FIX WAS BROKE AGAIN PART COULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTED TIRE ROD BRACKET. WITH MY FAMILY I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2013Steering, SuspensionODI 10551990

Air bags

11 reports1 crash
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2015Air bagsODI 10783821

Power train

11 reports
“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). I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS NOTED BY OTHER 2001 CHRYSLER 300 M OWNERS, UPON CONDUCTING A SEARCH ON THE COMPUTER. SINCE THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY RECALLS! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2014Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10627525

Electrical system

8 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHRYSLER 300M. DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF IN ORDER TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATING FAILED TO FULLY FUNCTION AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WOULD RANDOMLY REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS OFF AND THE KEY WAS REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS, BUT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE ELECTRICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2018Electrical system, EngineODI 11103955

Service brakes, hydraulic

8 reports1 crash1 fire
“I HAVE HAD A BRAKE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. IT WENT BACK TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. IT REALLY NEVER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM OF A VIBRATION IN THE PEDAL WHEN BRAKE APPLIED AT ANY SPEED BUT VERY NOTICEABLE AT SPEED OVER 40 MPH. ALSO THE BRAKE SEEMED TO FADE. I NEVER GOT SATISFACTION IN CAUSE OR REPAIR. AFTER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED WITH SLOTTED ROTORS AND BARE PADS ON ALL BRAKES. IT SEEMED TO BE BETTER BUT NEVER PERFECT. NOW THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT AND GOES TO THE FLOOR. I HAD THE SYSTEM CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND AIR AND ALSO HAD THE MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED IN HOPE AGAINST HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING SIMPLE. STILL NO BRAKES. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 50K MILES ON IT AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10445185

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports
“I HAVE A 2001 CHRYSLER 300 WITH 143,000. THE CAR STALLS WHILE GOING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES AND HAD MANY THINGS REPLACED INCLUDING CAM AND CRANKSHAFT SENSORS, REWIRED, AND FUEL PUMP AND THE CAR STILL STALLS. I HAVE A 3 YEAR OLD CHILD AND THIS CAR IS A HUGE ROAD HAZARD BUT CHRYSLER REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 19, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, otherODI 10292933
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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