1999 Chrysler 300M Steering Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

10694129

Incident

Mar 13, 2015

Mileage

160,000 mi

I WAS STOPPED & JUST PUT IT INTO DRIVE FROM PARK & THE CAR JUST TOOK OFF. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT IT DIDN'T STOP RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR IS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE DID PROPERTY DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637881

Incident

Sep 18, 2014

Mileage

68,000 mi

ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN OFF FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. TOOK TO MY MECHANIC FRIEND AND HE SAID THAT ALL THE BOLTS ASSOCIATED WITH MY RACK AND PINION HAD BECOME LOOSE. HE TIGHTENED THE BOLTS UP, AND THE VERY NEXT DAY THEY WORKED LOOSE AGAIN. HE DID RESEARCH ON MY VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINS ABOUT THE RACK AND PINION AND IS SHOCKED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NOT MADE A RECALL YET. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR ACCIDENTS OR PROBLEMS, BUT AS I READ ON THE INTERNET SOMEONE HAS DIED FROM THE RACK AND PINION PROBLEMS, AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. MY MECHANIC FRIEND IS GOING TO TRY TO TIGHTEN THE BOLTS AGAIN USING LOCK TIGHT(?) ON THE BOLTS AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP THE PROBLEM. MY FEAR IS THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, AS LISTED ON WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2000/CHRYSLER/300M/STEERING/PROBLEM.ASPX AND CANNOT GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND THEIR ONLY HELP LIES WITHIN A RECALL BY CHRYSLER ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE DIFFICULT ECONOMY. NOT EVERYONE IS LUCKY TO HAVE A MECHANIC THAT IS A FRIEND. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441101

Incident

Dec 16, 2011

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO A SHOPPING MALL THE POWER STEERING ON MY 1999 CHRYSLER 300M WENT OUT.(NOTE: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED) I HAD TO USE MOST OF MY STRENGTH TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING SPACE WITH THE SAME DIFFICULTY AND RAN MY ERRAND. WHEN I RE-ENTERED THE CAR THE STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL UNTIL I GOT TO MY HOUSE ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER WHEN THE POWER STEERING AGAIN WENT OUT. I LEFT THE CAR PARKED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. I DROVE TO A DEALERSHIP ABOUT 20 MILES AWAY AND THEN LATER BACK HOME WHEN THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. I DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING EITHER ON THE WAY TO OR FROM THE DEALERSHIP NOR HAS IT OCCURRED SINCE THEN. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE OF MY CONCERN THAT THIS MAY BE A PRECURSOR TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAVE READ ABOUT THE MANY STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AND FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262665

Incident

Mar 19, 2009

Mileage

108,000 mi

1. STARTED WITH CLUNKS AND AWKWARD NOISES IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO HAVE LOOSE PLAY. FRONT SUSPENSION WAS CHECKED AN NEVER FOUND A PROBLEM. 2. ONE NIGHT TURNED LEFT AND CAR WANTED TO TURN RIGHT. WHILE NORMAL DRIVING THE CAR WOULD PULL LEFT AND RIGHT. COUNTLESS AMOUNT OF EVENTS WERE I ALMOST CRASHED. 3. RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH TIE RODS. OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE IF REQUESTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227842

Incident

May 15, 2008

Mileage

110,751 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY A REPAIR SHOP THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED REPLACING ON HER VEHICLE. SHE FURTHER STATED THAT IF SHE DROVE OVER THE SLIGHTEST BUMP AT 50 MPH, THE STEERING WOULD FAIL. SHE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE IN HER PREVIOUS VEHICLE, A 1996 CHRYSLER CONCORDE. A MECHANIC INFORMED HER THAT IF SHE DROVE AROUND A CURB, THERE WOULD BE A GOOD CHANCE THAT THE STEERING WOULD GREATLY MALFUNCTION. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

NHTSA ID

10218637

Incident

Nov 3, 2007

Mileage

138,000 mi

RACK AND PINION BROKE AFTER I NOTICED A LOSS OF CONTROL IN STEERING MY CAR. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING WHEN THE DEVICE SNAPPED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199346

Incident

Aug 11, 2007

Mileage

134,222 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON SUBURBAN STREETS IN LIGHT TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A SUDDEN WHIRRING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. UNDER HIGHER SPEEDS OR MORE TRAFFIC CONGESTION, LOSS OF POWER STEERING COULD EASILY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. POWER STEERING LOSS WAS CAUSED BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID THAT WAS LEAKING FROM THE STEERING GEAR. I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR YET. DUE TO FIRE HAZARD FROM LEAKING FLUID AND NO POWER ASSIST IN THE STEERING, VEHICLE WILL HAVE TO BE TOWED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10167518

Incident

Sep 4, 2006

Mileage

74,382 mi

IT IS SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ALIGN A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M, AND THIS HAS BEEN QUITE AN ALARMING RECENT EXPERIENCE FOR ME, HAVING JUST BOUGHT A USED ONE AND HAVING CHANGED A LOT OF FRONT-END SUSPENSION PARTS BEFORE ALIGNING AND RE-ALIGNING. I FEEL SO HORRIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT AND CONTINUE TO BUY THESE 300 CARS TODAY. IN COMPARISON TO MY OTHER CARS, (A 1993 PONTIAC FIREBIRD AND EVEN AN OLDER CHRYSLER PRODUCT, A 1986 DAYTONA) WHICH CAN BE EASILY ALIGNED IF ALL THE RIGHT PARTS ARE IN AND WORK WELL, THE 300M SIMPLY CANNOT BE ALIGNED IT SEEMS, NO MATTER WHAT PARTS ARE CHANGED. WHAT A SHAME FOR AMERICA MANUFACTURING! SHAME!*JB

NHTSA ID

10157903

Incident

May 19, 2006

Mileage

104,000 mi

1999 300M CHRYSLER "STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS". WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2000 AT A USED DEALERSHIP WITH 30,000 MILES, EVER SINCE WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND COST US A LOT OF MONEY. ON ONE OCCASION WHERE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ALL OF SUDDEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ITSELF AND LUCKILY IT WAS NOT BUSY ON THE ROAD AND SAFELY PULLED ON THE SIDE. I TOOK IT TO THE CHRYSLER DEALER AND PAY $1400 TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL. AS OF TODAY, AGAIN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOOSES ITS STEERING AND IT JUST KEEP ROLLING AND IT SO LOOSE. I CONTACTED AND DID NOT WANT TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY OR EVEN OFFER ME A DISCOUNT TO FIX IT. THEY SAID WARRANTY WAS UP. I CANNOT BELIEVE THE LACK OF ATTENTION FROM CHRYSLER TO MY PROBLEM AND I THINK ITS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10156181

Incident

Apr 25, 2006

I PURCHASED MY 1999 CHRYSLER 300M IN APRIL 2001 IT HAD 24000.00 MILES. WITHIN THE 6 MONTHS I NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM TO GET IT REPLACED. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RACK AND PINION SYSTEM AGAIN BUT EVERYTIME I TOOK IT TO BE DIAGNOSED THEY KEPT TELLING ME TO CHANGED THE TIRES OR HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED OR I NEED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED UNTIL LAST WEEKEND DEC 17, 2005 WHEN THE ENTIRE WHEEL BROKE OFF FROM THE AXLE, HAD IT NOT HAPPENED AS MY WIFE WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT OF OUR APARTMENT COMPLEX IT WOULD HAVE HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHICH IS ABOUT A 1000 FEET FROM OUR APARTMENT WHICH IS WHERE SHE WAS HEADED. I'VE BEEN READING THE EMAIL BOARDS AND I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF CHRYSLER 1999 300M ARE HAVING THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I STARTED NOTICING IT WHEN MY CAR WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 TO 70 MPH AND THE WHEELS WOULD VIBRATE, AND WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS THERE WOULD BE A CLUMPING NOSE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. ALSO WHEN MAKING TURNS IT SEEMS THE WHEEL WOULD LOOSE TRACTION WHEN IT'S WET. *JB

NHTSA ID

10145813

Incident

Dec 17, 2005

Mileage

108,000 mi

1. NORMAL EVERYDAY DRIVING 2. RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT FAILED--LOTS OF PLAY IN STEERING AND LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. 3. REPLACED RACK AND PINION UNIT--OUT OF WARRANTY--$1195.72 TO REPAIR!*JB

NHTSA ID

10139082

Incident

May 13, 2002

Mileage

43,268 mi

DT: THE CALLER STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCKED ON VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND WHEN TURNING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND THEN TRYING TO TURN BACK TO THE RIGHT. THE CALLER SAID HE FORCED IT AND IT TURNED, BUT NOW IT HAS TOO MUCH PLAY IN IT. HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, AND HE COULD NOT REACH THE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE PERSON TALKED TO COULD NOT HELP HIM FOR FREE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10136612

Incident

Sep 14, 2005

Mileage

65,400 mi

I HAVE A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. ON JULY 23, 2005 I WAS INFORMED BY THE LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP THAT THE RACK & PINION WAS BADLY RUSTED, AND THAT ONE OF THE RODS WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN! THIS CAR ONLY HAD 62,000 AT THE TIME AND WAS NOT USED A A COMMUTING CAR, AND WAS TREATED VERY WELL. SIMPLY PUT, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, GIVEN THE AGE OF THE CAR AND IT'S USE. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT I DEALT WITH SAID THAT THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL 300M'S COME IN WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT LIVE IN A CLIMATE WHERE WE GET SNOW, THUS NO SALT ON THE ROADS, AND I AM NOT NEAR THE OCEAN. BASED ON THIS, AS WELL AS DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALERSHIP, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A DEFECT, ONE THAT COST ME $2300, CONVENIENTLY 1 MONTH AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE RUSTING OCCURRED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND WOULD HAVE AFFECTED TIRE WARE. THIS EXPLAINS WHY I WENT THROUGH 4 TIRES IN THE PAST YEAR. LUCKILY, THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T CAUSE ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, BUT THIS POTENTIALLY COULD END UP BEING LIFE THREATENING FOR SOMEONE ELSE!

NHTSA ID

10134162

Incident

Jul 23, 2005

Mileage

62,000 mi

I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 69000 MILES ON MY 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. AS A RETIREE I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO OWNING IT FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS BEFORE CONSIDERING PURCHASE OF A NEW CAR. MY PROBLEMS WITH THE 300 STARTED IN JAN OF '99 INOPERABLE WINDOW MOTORS A ) 1/28/99 957 MILES DRIVERS SIDE B) 3/30/99 3792 MILES RIGHT REAR C) 6/7/99 6301MILES RIGHT FRONT D) 8/01/01 27364 MILES LEFT REAR INDOW ALSO CRACK IN DASH ALL OF THE ABOVE WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THE FOLLOWING WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY 1) 7/25/02 40046 MILES TRANSMISSION SENSORS (WOULDN'T SHIFT PROPERLY) 2) 2/14/03 ABOUT 46000 MILES DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW AGAIN. I REPLACED THE MOTOR 3) ABOUT 4/03 47000 MILES, RIGHT REAR WINDOW MOTOR CAPUT. STILL CAPUT. 4) ABOUT 50000 MILES, 2 OF 6 RADIO SPEAKERS DO NOT WORK 5) 6/03/04 58528 MILES SIGNIFICANT SHIMMY AFTER NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE. STILL SHIMMIES. 6) 6/19/04 58561 AIR CODITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILS MY PROBLEM IS I GUESS I DON'T COMPLAIN ENOUGH. I WAS PROMPTED TO DO SO THIS TIME AFTER SURFING THE NET AND FOUND I WAS NOT ALONE IN THIS REGARD. PERHAPS SOME GOOD WILL COME OF MY PLIGHT, IF NOT FOR ME, SOMEONE ELSE. THIS WAS THE 1ST AND LAST CHRYSLER DAIMLER PRODUCT I WILL OWN.

NHTSA ID

10123761

Incident

Jan 28, 1999

STEERING RACK BINDS WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNING MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. DEALER SAID DC WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP COVER COSTS OF REPLACEMENT RACK @ 1200$. HAVE PUT ALMOST A MILLION MILES ON VARIOUS VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER COME ACROSS A DEFECT THAT IS AS UNSAFE AS THE 300M STEERING.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116499

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

Mileage

86,000 mi

A LOUD CLANKING NOISE HAD COME FROM THE FRONT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. WHILE ACCELERATING AT ANY SPEED THE NOISE WOULD GET LOUDER. THE DRIVER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10115198

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

INNER TIE ROD BOLT KEPT COMING OFF. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AFTER MARKET REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, AND THE CHRYSLER MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10097605

Incident

Oct 23, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

STREERING IN THE CHRYSLER 300M HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. IT HAS 56,000 MILES AND THE STEERING HAS 3 TO 4 INCHES OF PLAY IN IT. I'VE HAD THIS IN THE DEALER TO FIX THE STEERING PROBLEM AT LEAST 6 TIMES. IT NOW SEEMS THAT TO FIX THE PROBLEM IT WILL COST $1,500. THIS PROBLEM IS SERIOUS AND AFFECTS THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086500

Incident

Aug 1, 1999

1999 CHRYSLER 300M WITH APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES ON IT REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM AND INNER TIE RODS. I NOTE ON OTHER INTERNET SITES THAT THIS MIGHT BE A DESIGN DEFECT FOR THIS CAR PLATFORM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10086481

Incident

Aug 7, 2004

Mileage

86,584 mi

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOTAL STEERING FAILURE ON 1999 CHRYSLER 300M.*MR THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE DRIVER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10083803

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

IN BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE, TURNED WHEEL, HEARD FAINT POP AND THEN NOTICED THAT I HAD NO STEERING AT ALL. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER THAT DID REGULAR SERVICE. I WAS INFORMED THAT POWER STEERING RACK HAD FAILED. THIS PART HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPLACED BY SAME DEALER IN FEB 2003 WHEN I REPORTED WHINEING NOISE FROM STEERING TO THEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082844

Incident

Jul 23, 2004

Mileage

105,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED STEERING WHEEL FELT LOOSE, AND MADE A LOUD NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC DETERMINED REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081391

Incident

Jul 6, 2004

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE SWAYS. CONSUMER HAS TO PLAY WITH THE STEERING WHEEL UNTIL IT UNLOCKS. DEALERSHIP WILL BE CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10079627

Incident

Jun 22, 2003

THIS A COMPLAINT IN REGARD TO AN ARTICLE I READ ABOUT A LAW SUIT WITH THE CHRYSLER COMPANY IN REGUARDS TO STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LH SERIES CARS. I OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M AND FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR THERE HAS BEEN RATTLING NOISES BUT JUST NOISES THEN IN AUGUST OF 2002 I STARTED TO GET EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING. I STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL I COULD GET IT FIXED BUT IN FEB 2004 I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN MY PICK UP TRUCK SO I HAD TO START USING THE VEHICLE TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. I PUT 200 MILES A DAY ON IT. I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A USED STEERING RACK BECAUSE I HAVE DETERMINED THAT TO BE THE CAUSE, BUT AFTER READING ABOUT THE ARTICLE I DON'T THINK I SHOULD USE IT AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THERE IS REALLY NO SUITABLE REPLACEMENTS. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOT DRIVE A CAR I AM STILL PAYING ON BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE!!! I FEEL CHRYSLER SHOULD HAVE TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES!!!*AK

NHTSA ID

10062135

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

Mileage

75,000 mi