1999 Chrysler 300M Transmission Problems

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS. AFTER ABOUT 3 MONTHS I NOTICED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS BEGAN TO TURN ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. SHORTLY AFTER THAT MY FACTORY STEREO WENT OUT. THE NEXT THING I NOTICED WAS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. AFTER THAT MY DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKERS WENT OUT. AFTER THAT MY HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TURNING ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES WHEN THE CAR WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF. AFTER THAT MY HEATING UNIT WOULD COME ON AUTOMATICALLY WHENEVER I WOULD START THE CAR. I'VE NOTICED A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL INSIDE THE CAR ONCE I'VE STARTED IT UP. MY HEATED SEATS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. THERE'S A WHISTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. MY ENGINE SOUNDS LOUD NOW. THERE'S A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR WHEEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING ELECTRICAL IS SHORTING OUT. ITS HAS A DENSE HIGH PITCHED SOUND. SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT AND I HAVE MY HEADLIGHTS ON THEY WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF. WHEN I TRY TO START THE CAR THE ENGINE STRUGGLES TO TURN OVER. IT SEEMS AS IF EITHER MY BATTERY IS DYING OR MY ALTERNATOR HAS HAD IT. THE CAR HAS DIED ON ME BEFORE WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THERE IS A MYSTERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE CHRYSLER 300M CARS. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND NONE OF THEM COULD PINPOINT THE EXACT CAUSE OF ALL THESE PROBLEMS I'M HAVING WITH THE CAR. I GUESS I'M '!@#$%. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE DEFECTS AND I NO LONGER HAVE A WARRANTY ON THE CAR. YEAH, I'M REALLY !@#$%. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217516

Incident

Oct 1, 2007

Mileage

112,809 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. WHEN ENGAGED, THE GEAR SHIFT DOES NOT REMAIN IN THE PARK POSITION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE MUST BE PARKED ON A HILL AND WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE PARK POSITION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10215064

Incident

Jan 14, 2008

Mileage

118,000 mi

1. NORMAL EVERYDAY DRIVING 2. INPUT/OUTPUT SENSOR ON TRANSMISSION FAILED. SPEEDOMETER READ ZERO (0) WHEN MOVING. ONLY 2ND GEAR AVAILABLE. HAD TO DRIVE SIDE STREETS AT LOW SPEED TO PREVENT ENGINE FROM REVVING TOO HIGH AS IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. 3. OUT OF WARRANTY REPAIR; REPLACED INPUT/OUTPUT SENSORS ON TRANSMISSION. COST $173.90. *JB

NHTSA ID

10139083

Incident

Aug 7, 2002

Mileage

46,401 mi

1999 CHRYSLER 300M, DRIVING ALONG FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, SUDDEN DECELERATION. BIG SCARE FOR WIFE COMING HOME IN RUSH HOUR. SPEEDOMETER READ ZERO, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. COULD NOT GET CAR TO SHIFT INTO ANOTHER FORWARD GEAR, STILL WOULD GO INTO REVERSE. HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK TO TOW THROUGH HOUSTON, 65 MILES TO HOME ON WEST SIDE. $165.00 FOR TOW ALONE. THIS ISSUE, I SEE, IS COMMON WITH THIS CAR. WHY DOESN'T CHRYSLER ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM??? TCM TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, OR TRANSMISSION SOLENOID PACK MAY BE TO BLAME, I THINK IT'S THE TRANSAXLE OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR, SINCE SPEEDO IS NOT WORKING. TRANSMISSION HAD NO PRIOR SIGN OF PROBLEMS. LOVE THOSE COMPUTERS. SURE DO HATE THEM IN MY CAR. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132783

Incident

Aug 13, 2005

Mileage

85,280 mi

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M. HE SAYS THAT ON MAY 15TH ,2005 HE STARTED VEHICLE AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN DRIVE, AND THE SHIFTER BROKE FROM THE WELDING. SHIFTER IS ON THE FLOOR NOT ON THE STEERING COLUMN. HE NOTICED THAT ON MAY 13TH 2005 IT WOULD NOT GO IN DRIVE. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS LOCKED. HE PULLED THE SHIFTER REALLY HARD AND IT RELEASED. HE DROVE VEHICLE AND IT WAS FINE UNTIL MAY 15TH 2005. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS. HE THOUGHT SOMEONE HAD TRIED TO STEAL THE CAR. MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CABLE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GETTING HOT AND IT MIGHT BREAK REALLY SOON SO HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE IT. *AK *NM

NHTSA ID

10121359

Incident

May 15, 2005

Mileage

96,836 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

CONSUMER WENT TO BUCKLE THE CHILD INTO THE VEHICLE, WHEN THE CHILD TOUCHED THE GEAR SHIFT, AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR WITHOUT THE DRIVER'S FOOT BEING ON THE BRAKE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10115293

Incident

Jul 10, 2000

Mileage

10,000 mi

IN REVERSE VEHICLE JERKED BACK WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CAUSED A COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WHO DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102082

Incident

Nov 10, 2004

Mileage

36,000 mi

NHTSA RECALL 04V021000 REGARDING THE FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK. AFTER HAVING THE NEW LOAD-LIMITING PUSH INTO THE FLOOR SHIFTER LEVER, THE FLOOR SHIFTER IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE SHIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10096772

Incident

Sep 28, 2004

TRANSMISSION CAME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY CRASHING INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE. CONSUMER STATED TWO DAYS LATER SHE RECEIVED A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094255

Incident

Aug 11, 2004

Mileage

103,000 mi

RECALL 04V021000 CONCERNING FLOOR SHIFT IGNITION PARK INTERLOCK. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AS WELL AS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS BEING TOLD THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THERE WAS NO DEFINITE DATE AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090360

Incident

Sep 3, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO 0, TRANSMISSION STUCK IN 2ND GEAR, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. A/C KEEPS GOING OUT. THOUGHT IT WAS A FREON LEAK, BUT THEN THE EVAPORATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. A/C HAS NOW GONE OUT AGAIN. RIGHT, REAR POWER WINDOWS ARE ALSO NOT OPERATING AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA ID

10066163

Incident

Mar 30, 2004

Mileage

49,500 mi

2 TRANSMISSIONS SENSOR FAILURES: (1) 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE (2) JULY 2003 COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE: AUGUST 26 2003 - 42,000 MILES VEHICLE WAS INTO THE DEALER 6 MONTHS AGO FOR SHIFTING FAILURES - "COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" WAS THE RESPONSE AND NOW A COMPLETE FAILURE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10033508

Incident

Aug 25, 2003

Mileage

42,725 mi

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, TRANSMISSION HUNG IN 2ND GEAR, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. 31,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025464

Incident

Jul 3, 2003

Mileage

31,000 mi

WARPED ROTORS, TWO TRANSMISSION SENSOR RELATED FAILURES AND HEAVY PULSATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN BRAKING. *MR PH

NHTSA ID

10022259

Mileage

36,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLS EVERYTIME IT IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE.WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR VEHICLE HAS TO WARMED UP BEFORE IT CAN MOVE.

NHTSA ID

10007810

Incident

Feb 19, 2003

Mileage

42,652 mi

THIS VEHICLE SEEMS TO GENERATE A HIGH LEVEL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY, OR IT'S VERY SENSITIVE TO IT. I RECEIVE ELECTRICAL SHOCKS WHEN STARTING THE CAR. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT CLOTHING I WEAR. DT

NHTSA ID

770537

SAME PROBLEM AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY A DIFFERENT CONSUMER. SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO, CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND, WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP THE ENGINE STALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM TWICE IN 6 MONTHS! BOTH TIMES THE TRANSAXLE OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED. DT

NHTSA ID

770536

THE CAR WAS IN THE PARK POSITION WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. WHEN THE CAR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, IT SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD AT A GREAT AND UNCONTROLLED RATE OF SPEED. THE CAR STRUCK THE REAR SIDE OF THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE, BECOMING IMPALED ON IT. THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE WAS HIT WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT WAS TURNED ABOUT THIRTY DEGREES COUNTERCLOCKWISE. THE RECREATIONAL VEHICLE THEN STRUCK A NEIGHBOR'S PARKED VEHICLE. ALL THREE VEHICLES SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. ADDITIONALLY, BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

NHTSA ID

753472

Incident

Oct 12, 2001

SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO, CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF SECOND, WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP THE ENGINE STALLS. HAVE HAD PROBLEM TWICE IN 2 YEARS. BOTH TIMES THE TRANSAXLE OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

753162

Incident

Oct 11, 2001

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT PULL IN VEHICLE. VEHICLE DOESN'T WANT TO GO INTO GEAR. DEALER STATED ALL CHRYSLERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

895320

Incident

Jan 25, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

749691

Incident

May 1, 2001

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A HISTORY OF ENGINE PROBLEMS,, AND HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE FIRST ENGINE FAILURE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND ENGINE FAILURE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH THIS COST OF $4750.00. I DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT ENGINES TO UNDERSTAND IF THE FIRST FAILURE COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SECOND OR IF ENGINE HEAD WAS WARPED AGAIN AND WAS USING OIL, OR IF PERHAPS THE OIL PUMP WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. SLUDGE WAS FOUND IN THE OIL PAN, BUT MY OIL WAS REPLACED AT INTERVALS OF 4000 - 6000 MILES FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. INCIDENT OCCURRED OUT OF TOWN, SO I WAS FORCED TO DEAL WITH AN UNFORMILIAR DEALER. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS REQUESTED TO BE RETAINED FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, THE DEALER SENT IT BACK TO MOPAR. ONE WEEK AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED TRANSMISSION BLEW. CHRYSLER DID PAY FOR THIS. CHRYSLER FINANCIAL HOLDS THE LEASE AND IT IS NOW UP. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS MY ENGINE ISSUES WITH AN EXPERT AND UNDERSTAND IF I HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO REOPEN THIS ISSUE WITH CHRYSLER.*AK

NHTSA ID

749053

Incident

May 12, 2001

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

883953

Incident

Mar 22, 2001

AT 60 MPH, SPEEDOMETER DROPPED TO 0, TRANSMISSION STUCK, CAR DIED WHEN GAS RELEASED -- MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AS CAR STUCK IN GEAR AND WHEN STARTED COULD NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

742684

Incident

Mar 19, 2001