Problems · by component
2008 Chrysler 3 Series engine problems
60 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Chrysler 3 Series cite engine, 8% of all 759 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
60
8% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I informed the dealership of ignition switch recall shortly after purchasing vehicle. The dealership stated " the VIN number shows no recalls". And that was it said there nothing showing up. I KNOW ignition switch is messed up because every time I would turn the car off I could still feel it running. I've had my car a year and now it will not crank due to ignition switch and now fuel air intake is also messing up and has caused cylinder 6 to miss fire. I have been without a vehicle for a month now and I need it fixed. When test driving the car, it would slow down as I was turning into a place of business and almost getting hit by another vehicle.”
“When taking vehicle for test drive about a month ago, the check engine light was on and after driving it, i noticed when AC was on and when off, the car loses power. When i go to pull out it has no power and i almost got hit in the side every time i would pull out from a busy highway. They had check engine light looked at and they said computer told them it was air valve leak or something like that. I had appointment for them to further assist and they said they could not find anything wrong. I can hear where the valve might be leaking at. The brakes are not good. I had to put on the brakes today fast and brake pedal acted like they were gonna skid out from under my foot. Brakes are new so why is it acting like i have no brakes and there is barley any acceleration. Something is going on and i don't want to be in a car accident just because our warnings are being over looked.”
“While stopped at a stop light, one of the radiator cooling fans (plastic) disintegrated, severely damaging the radiator beyond repair. Engine coolant was quickly lost. We pulled off to the side of the road. We had to replace the cooling fans and radiator.”
“PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY, I LATER NOTICED FLUID ON THE GROUND. OPENED UP HOOD AND FOUND OUT RADIATOR FAN BLADE BROKE OFF AND PUNCTURED THE RADIATOR RESULTING IN HAVING TO REPLACE BOTH RADIATOR AND FAN ASSEMBLY. CHRYSLER ISSUED A CSN (CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTICE) THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN, BUT NO SAFETY RECALL ISSUED.”
“WE DROVE THE CAR TO GEORGIA FROM MISSISSIPPI. AS WE PULLED IN THE DRIVEWAY WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AS SOMETHING WAS CRUMBLING. WE SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND NOTICED COOLANT ALL OVER THE GROUND. WE CALLED A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE FAN TORE UP AND CAUSED THE BLADES TO PUNCTURE HOLES INTO THE RADIATOR. IT WAS FIXED AND AS WE BEGAN TO LEAVE WE WENT ABOUT5-10 DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR MADE A LOUD SOUND WE SHUT IT OFF INSTANTLY AND ADDED COOLANT HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. TRIED BOOSTING IT OFF AND IT STILL WON'T START. WE ARE BEING TOLD THE ENGINE SEIZED. WE HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS COME ON . CAR DROVE LIKE A PERFECT CAR. THEY DID SAY THE OIL WAS 1/2 QUART LOW. WE ARE GONNA TOW IT BACK TO MISSISSIPPI TO HAVE IT FIXED”
“WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND OUT OF NO WHERE THERE WAS STEAM/SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, THE CAR HOWEVER NEVER RAN HOT ACCORDING TO TEMPERATURE GAGE. COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON, I PARKED IT, FILLED IT WITH COOLANT AND TOOK IT TO CHRYSLER THE NEXT MORNING. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THAT THE CAR OVERHEATED AND DAMAGED THE MOTOR, HOWEVER ACCORDING TO THE GAGE THE CAR NEVER RAN HOT.”
Showing 6 of 60 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.