2001 Chrysler 300M Brakes Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10445185

Incident

Jan 23, 2012

COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKE SYSTEM. FORTUNATELY, THIS OCCURRED WHILE MOVING THE VEHICLE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR WITH A "WHOOSH" SOUND AND FLUID SPILLED ALL OVER THE GROUND DUE TO A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE. THE LINE WAS CORRODED AND UPON SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION ALL LINES WERE FOUND TO BE CORRODED AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT (THE ADJACENT FUEL LINES WERE TOTALLY FINE). REPAIR ESTIMATE IS $1200+. GIVEN THE SUDDEN AND POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS NATURE OF THE FAILURE ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO THE FUEL LINES WHICH WERE SUBJECT TO THE SAME CONDITIONS BUT WITHOUT SIMILAR CORROSION, PERHAPS THERE WERE IMPROPER MATERIALS USED. THIS VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 60K MILES ON IT, GOOD OVERALL CONDITION, MAINTAINED, ETC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10328567

Incident

May 2, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

DECEMBER 20TH 2008 ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VEHICLE STARTED ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE. INNER TIE RODS AND BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED NOT EVEN TWO WEEKS BEFORE ALONG WITH TWO TIRES AND BRAKES. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHILE IN AN INTERSECTION. A TRUCK COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION HIT THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT LEFT PASSENGER SIDE AND THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS IN A 180 DEGREE POSITION WITH LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT SIDE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254176

Incident

Dec 20, 2008

Mileage

104,000 mi

TODAY I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 50 MPH. I WAS COMING UPON A INTERSECTION AND THE LIGHT HAD JUST TURNED RED. THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES TRAVELING ALONG THE ROAD IN THE SAME AND OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS I WAS. THERE WERE TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION. APPROXIMATELY 2 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME COMING UP TO THE LIGHT. AS I BEGAN TO STOP MY BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. I TRIED PUMPING THEM, BUT GOT VERY LITTLE HELP FROM MY BRAKES. THINKING QUICKLY I MOVED INTO THE SECOND LANE, THAT HAD NO OTHER VEHICLES. HOWEVER IT WAS VERY CLOSE FOR ME TO HAVE REAR ENDED THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY TWO CHILDREN. I THOUGHT MAY BE MY BRAKES WERE WET. SO I CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT WAS CAUTIOUS. AS I CAME UP TO THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO STOP, I ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER THIS TIME, SMOKE CAME BILLOWING FROM MY HOOD. I HAD ABOUT 3 MORE MILES TO MAKE IT HOME, SO I CONTINUED HOME AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. HOWEVER MY HUSBAND INSPECTED MY VEHICLE AND SAID THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS BURNT BY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HE SAID IT LOOKED AS IF THEY BRAKE LINE WAS INSTALLED TO CLOSE TO THE CONVERTER. HE FELT THIS WAS A HAZARD. THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT VERY DIFFERENTLY, HAD I HAD HIT ANOTHER DRIVER. LUCKILY WE WERE SAFE AND NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I HOPE CHRYSLER RECOGNIZES THIS DEFECT AND NOTIFIES OTHER OWNERS, AS PEOPLE COULD BE SERIOUSLY HURT WITHOUT BRAKES!! *JB

NHTSA ID

10152493

Incident

Mar 11, 2006

Mileage

67,500 mi

2001 CHRYSLER 300M RACK AND PINION HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE RACK BROKE. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE VACUUM SYSTEM. *TS *NM

NHTSA ID

10150801

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

44,000 mi

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE POPPED WHEN DISENGAGED. VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED, RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS 2 INCHES FOLLOWED BY THE WHEEL LOCKING UP AND THE STOP MOVING. VEHICLE HAD TO BE FLAT BEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO WAS REPLACING THE PARTS THAT FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087497

Incident

Jul 21, 2004

Mileage

58,000 mi

I OWN A 2001 CHRYSLER 300M. I BOUGHT THE CAR SEPTEMBER 2000 WITH 10 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, AT 40,000 MILES MY 4 DISC CD CHANGER/TAPE PLAYER/AM-FM STEREO WITH 12 SPEAKERS WENT COMPLETELY OUT. IT USED TO DING (LIKE WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AND YOU TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, THAT ANNOYING "DING") CONSTANTLY. I COULDN'T GET IT TO STOP. THE I WAS TOLD BY THE 5-STAR SERVICE TECHNICIANS THAT IT WAS AN "INTERNAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEM" BUT THEY COULD REPLACE THE STEREO WITH ANOTHER ONE AT THE TUNE OF $450 PLUS $50 FOR LABOR. AT 50,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND I CALLED THREE DIFFERENT 5-STAR SERVICE DEPARTMENTS I WAS TOLD "NO PROBLEM, THAT LIGHT REALLY DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, BUT YOU SHOULD GET THE CAR IN SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT, WE CAN'T GET YOU IN FOR A WEEK, IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S OKAY TO DRIVE." THREE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TOLD ME THE EXACT SAME THING. I ALSO TOLD THEM THE CAR WOULDN'T MAKE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE IT WAS "SLIPPING," LIKE IT WOULDN'T STAY IN GEAR. FINALLY, A DEALERSHIP 40 MILES AWAY TOOK ME IN, THE CAR ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT THERE. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A WINDING SOUND, AND IT WOULDN'T STAY IN GEAR AT ALL. THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION - AT BARELY 50,000 MILES. I WAS THEN TOLD IT WOULD COST ME AT LEAST $3500, MAYBE MORE. I CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMPLAINED. CHRYSLER SAID THAT IF I PAID THE FIRST $950, THEY WOULD PICK UP THE BALANCE, BUT THE STEREO'S INTERNAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS STILL MINE TO DEAL WITH. I SAID OKAY AND I GOT THE TRANSMISSION FIXED - BUT AS OF TODAY I'M STILL EXPERIENCING SHIFTING PROBLEMS, SLUGGISHNESS, AND HESITATION. MY HEATED LEATHER SEATS DON'T WORK, MY ON-BOARD OVERHEAD DIGITAL INFO CENTER, NONE OF THAT WORKS. THE BRAKES SHAKE AND SHUDDER EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN. THE PADS AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED, BUT TO NO AVAIL. NOW I HEAR A LOUD "CLUNK" EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047052

Incident

Aug 5, 2003

Mileage

40,000 mi

BRAKE PEDAL HAD FLUTTERING FEELING LIKE ROTORS WERE WARPED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT BECAUSE I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT COULD BE THE ROTORS AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. BOTH FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND REQUIRED REFACING AT VERY LOW MILEAGE (15K). DISC PADS ARE ALMOST LIKE NEW. I'VE OWNED SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES W/DISC BRAKES AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM AT SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. SUSPECT DEFECTIVE OR EXTREMELY POOR QUALITY ROTORS. NLM

NHTSA ID

767734

Incident

Sep 25, 2002