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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering30
- Air bags11
- Power train11
- Electrical system8
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Equipment7
- Seats7
- Structure6
- Suspension5
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Wheels3
- Engine2
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
5
11
15
15
9
8
7
5
5
3
2
4
2
4
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 11 |
| 2004 | 15 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 9 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
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.
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”
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.”
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”
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.”
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”
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”
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.