2012 Chrysler 300 Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the temperature gauge had independently increased levels. The contact managed to pull over to the shoulder of the road and was able to restart the vehicle as a temporary repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, white smoke had leaked through the air vent into the interior cabin before independently shifting the gear into neutral. In addition, a fire had started from under the hood of the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that a couple of nearby pedestrians attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful due to the size of the fire. The contact had COPD, which was impacted during the failure, and medical attention was sought for a heart-related issue. The fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. A report was filed; however, it was unclear if either the local Fire department or Police department had filed the report. The vehicle was towed to a local tow lot, where it remained and was declared a total loss. The local dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

NHTSA ID

11676234

Incident

Jul 4, 2025

Mileage

123,000 mi

this car was crashed June 10 2023, owner went to hospital and car was towed and took to an auto pound .After 24 hours they told us a private company tolled it or stole it .we reported it stolen and payed a report and that's how I got the info of an independent mechanic trying to fix it. im trying to find my car and the report told me you guys have it.

NHTSA ID

11530885

Incident

Jun 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, there was an abnormal burning odor detected. The contact stated she noticed oil on the garage floor. Upon opening the hood, she noticed there was oil over the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was oil leaking from the cooler adapter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. An independent mechanic informed the contact that antifreeze and oil had entered the engine. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

NHTSA ID

11500130

Incident

Dec 29, 2022

Mileage

151,000 mi

Car was stalling and had electrical issues. I paid to get it fixed but never knew there was a recall for my vehicles alternator. The vehicle battery dies fairly quickly from time to time still and every know and then I have to call AAA to jump my car and they say my battery is good. Chrysler's number for this recall is T36. I never received a noticed.

NHTSA ID

11488273

Incident

Jul 19, 2017

Was on my way home from work and car completely lost power as I was preceding to go after stopping at a stop sign. I was LITERALLY in the middle of the road. Car wouldn't crank AT ALL. Engine started OVERHEATING causing smoke to disburse from engine. NO WARNING LIGHTS before this occurred. A big truck was coming down the road and I had to exist the vehicle. Luckily a car wasn't in the other lane so the truck went on the other side of the road. I was terrified! I called 911 to get a deputy dispatch to direct traffic around my car to avoid mutiple COLLISION. I had to have my vehicle towed. I never want another Chrysler again these cars are UNSAFE. I could have died what if my child was in the car?! I took my car to a mechanic to put on computer scanner and it gave off SEVEN codes ALL due to ELECTRICAL ISSUES! CAR IS APPARENTLY STUCK IN LIMP MODE IDK I'M SO CONFUSED AND DISAPPOINTED. I reported the issue to Chrysler recall line and they did NOTHING.

NHTSA ID

11479874

Incident

Aug 12, 2022

My vehicle stalls when placed from reverse to drive and the check engine light blinks and goes to Eco mode which makes the car shake. I’ve had a tuneup, oil change, brakes, O2 sensor and spark plugs replaced and the issues still exist. The car also will initiate skid control without warning or pressing the button which slows the car down and causes the engine to rev above 3-6rpm

NHTSA ID

11470321

Incident

Jun 21, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly downshifted and stalled. The contact shifted the vehicle into park(P) and restarted the vehicle however, the engine revved but the vehicle failed to move forward. The vehicle was towed the residence. The following day the vehicle started and drove as designed; however, the vehicle would not reverse. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown

NHTSA ID

11469715

Incident

Jun 8, 2022

IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AN BURNED THE ALTERNATOR OUT AN ALSO THE MAIN HARNESS TO THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

11318679

Incident

Mar 10, 2020

Mileage

175,911 mi

THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF WHILE RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING NO DASH WARNING AT ALL

NHTSA ID

11302093

Incident

Jan 26, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE'S THERMOSTAT RAN HOT. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE THERMOSTAT WOULD RESET TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT THIRTY MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND RESUME NORMAL DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, BUT NO ERROR CODES COULD BE FOUND REGARDING THE ETC. DESPITE THE THERMOSTAT REPLACEMENT, THE FAILURES PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

NHTSA ID

11297677

Incident

Dec 7, 2019

Mileage

132,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR DURING A STOPLIGHT IT SUDDENLY STALLED AND DIED. MY GEAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE. I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR BUT IT WASNT ABLE TO START IT JUS KEPT MAKING A CLICKING SOUND LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO START BUT COULDNT AND LAST FOR 30 SECS. I WASNT ABLE TO PUT THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. SO IN WAS STALLED OK THE ROAD. AFTER TRYING TO ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER THEM REPLACING MY WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT TWICE 1 YEAR APART. NOW IT'S BACK AT THE SHOP AND I HAVE TO PAY 140 TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSE IT AFTER SPENDING 1200. I CHECKED MY WARRANTY AND SERVICE CONTRACT AND THEY ALL EXPIRED.

NHTSA ID

11289783

Incident

Dec 16, 2019

Mileage

76,000 mi

ENGINE FIRST STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE THEN AFTER ABOUT TWO WEEKS , ENGINE MADE A LOUD CRACKING NOISE , THEN A PRESENTENCE CONSTANCE KNOCK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON HAD THE CODE CHECKED CAME UP AS A MISFIRE ON THE #1 CYLINDER. HAD A TUNE UP DONE KNOCK GOT WORSE . WAS INFORMED BY A MECHANIC OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A TIMING CHAIN / CAMSHAFT PROBLEM CALLED CHRYSLER WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL P01 DOESN'T APPLY TO MY VIN , MY VEHICLE IS A CANADIAN MANUFACTURED CAR

NHTSA ID

11271615

Incident

Sep 13, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (70MPH), THE OIL PRESSURE SUDDENLY DROPPED FROM A NORMAL 55+PSI TO ABOUT 15PSI AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE BAD AND RUN ERADICALLY. SLOWING DOWN AND STOPPING, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL MAKING IT MUCH, MUCH HARDER TO STEER THE VEHICLE AND SLOW DOWN DUE TO THE LACK OF VACUUM CREATED BY THE ENGINE TO ASSIST WITH THE POWER BRAKES AND RPM'S NEEDED TO PROVIDE POWER STEERING ASSIST. OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ABOUT 5PSI AT IDLE. NO KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE LOWER END OF THE ENGINE, JUST VALVETRAIN TAPPING/TICKING. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TOWED. THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE-WELL UNDER 100K MILES AND DOCUMENTED CARE. THERE ARE MANY, MANY HEMI EQUIPPED VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AND AT DEALERSHIPS THAT HAVE THESE RELATED TIMING CHAINS BREAKING / TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS BREAKING AND FAILING, CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS GRINDING THEMSELVES AWAY BUT, VERY FEW ARE REPORTED AS EITHER TSB'S OR RECALLS. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DEADLY AND DANGEROUS ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY!!! EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!

NHTSA ID

11255970

Incident

Aug 25, 2019

Mileage

82,500 mi

5.7 HEMI DEFECTIVE LIFTER. THE 2012 5.7 HEMIS USED DEFECTIVE LIFTERS, HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LIFTERS FAILING CAN BE FOUND ON DODGE FORUMS ACROSS THE INTERNET. WHAT HAPPENS, IS THE ROLLER ON THE LIFTER THAT ROLLS ALONG THE CAMSHAFT IS PRONE TO LOCKING UP, IT THEN GRINDS INTO THE CAMSHAFT. THIS CAN LEAD TO MISFIRES AND CAUSE METAL FLAKES TO CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE VIA OIL. IF LEFT UNCHECKED, IT MAY ALSO LEAD TO A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS OF THIS ON ALL CHRYSLER PRODUCTS THAT HAVE A 5.7L, DURANGO, CHARGER, CHALLENGER, RAM, AND JEEP AND FROM MY RESEARCH, I SEE THE BULK OF THESE FAILURES HAPPENING BETWEEN 80000 AND 120000 MILES, LIFTERS SHOULD NOT BE FAILING THAT SOON. IN MY CASE, AT APPROXIMATELY 160000 MILES, MAINLY HIGHWAY MILES, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, I SCANNED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS THROWING A CYLINDER 5 MISFIRE CODE, SO I STARTED SMALL. FIRST I REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS, I THEN TRIED SWAPPING IGNITION COILS TO SEE IF THE CODE WOULD FOLLOW THE IGNITION COIL, IT DID NOT. I THEN TESTED MY FUEL SYSTEM, THE PUMP, THE FUEL RAILS, AND THE INJECTORS, ALL WERE WORKING NORMALLY. FOR ONE LAST EFFORT, I CHECKED MY AIR FLOW SYSTEM, THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR, THE BAROMETRIC PRESSURE SENSOR, THE MANIFOLD ABSOLUTE PRESSURE SENSOR, AND OF COURSE THE AIR FILTER. ALL WERE WORKING NORMALLY. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO A DODGE DEALER, THEY TORE THE ENGINE DOWN AND FOUND THAT THE LIFTERS WERE FAILING, AFTER $2,000 TO REPAIR THE LIFTERS, THE CODE STILL PERSISTS. I REMOVED MY VALVE COVER AND WATCHED THE LIFTERS AS A FRIEND TRIED TO CRANK THE ENGINE, THE CYLINDER 5 LIFTER IS NOT TRAVELING AS MUCH AS THE OTHERS, THIS TELLS ME THAT THE CAMSHAFT HAS BEEN DUG INTO BY THE FAULTY LIFTER THAT WAS REPLACED AND IS WHY THE NEW LIFTER IS NOT TRAVELING AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD. IT WILL COST ANOTHER TWO GRAND TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

NHTSA ID

11234916

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

CHRYSLER 300 2012 WENT INTO SAVER MODE COUPLE MINUTES LATER ALTERNATOR SMOKED THEN CATCHES ON MILD FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11231780

Incident

May 20, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED, SPUTTERED, THE GEAR SLIPPED OCCASIONALLY, AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. GWINNETT CHRYSLER (5054 HWY 78, STONE MOUNTAIN, GA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000. *DT

NHTSA ID

11208652

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

31,000 mi

STONERIDGE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM PLEASANTON, CA SOLD ME THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH 2019, SOON AS LEFT THE DEALER THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE REAR CAMERA DO NOT WORK, THE UCONNECT DO NOT WORK-MALFUNCTIONS. THE CAR WAS RETURNED AND KEPT FOR TWO TO THREE WEEKS. RETURNED TO ME WITH THE UCONNECT MALFUNCTIONING, ENGINE LIGHT BACK ON, REAR CAMERA NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11196741

Incident

Mar 27, 2019

Mileage

61,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY TO ROGER WILLIAMS CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (1102 WASHINGTON DR, WEATHERFORD, TX 76086, (888) 507-8557) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11191650

Incident

Mar 6, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE, THE FILTER WAS OVER TIGHTENED, WHICH CAUSED THE OIL FILTER COOLER HOUSING TO FRACTURE AND LEAK OIL ONTO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE FIRE INCIDENT. THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS PURCHASED AT CHERRY HILL DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (LOCATED AT 1708 W, NJ-70, CHERRY HILL, NJ 08002, (856) 471-1058); HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE LOCAL PEP BOYS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 259,000.

NHTSA ID

11181071

Incident

Jan 31, 2019

Mileage

259,000 mi

MY CAR CUT OFF AND WOULD TURN BACK ON I PAID 250 FOR A BATTERY AND LABOR. ONCE I STARTED DRIVING IT THE CAR SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC

NHTSA ID

11119801

Incident

Aug 14, 2018

Mileage

11,126 mi

2012 CHRYSLER 300. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HAZARDOUS VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11053299

Incident

Jun 30, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ID

11062443

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

ALTERNATOR WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD MY VEHICLE FOR 7 DAYS. WE WENT BACK AND FORTH AS TO WHO WAS GOING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR THAT WAS COVERED UNDER THE T36 RECALL. 5 DAYS AFTER SAID REPAIR, THE A/C COMPRESSOR IS NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11031621

Incident

Sep 26, 2017

Mileage

731,000 mi

I WAS PARKING IN A PARKING GARAGE AND THE CAR WENT INTO LOW BATTERY MODE AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I COULD SMELL BURNING FROM THE ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO PARK AS I WAS IN A PARKING GARAGE. I WAS ABLE TO INSPECT UNDER THE HOOD AND WHILE FACING THE ENGINE THEIR WAS SMOKE/BURNING SMELL TO THE LEFT OF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DID CONFIRM IT IS PART OF THE T36 RECALL AND IS STATING I HAVE TO PAY UP FRONT.

NHTSA ID

11030437

Incident

Sep 28, 2017

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 300. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER (DALLAS DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM, 11550 LYNDON B JOHNSON FWY, DALLAS, TX 75238) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SHE MUST PURCHASE A BATTERY BEFORE THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD BE COMPLETED. THE CONTACT DECLINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ID

11024096

Incident

Sep 17, 2017

Mileage

83,000 mi