Most common 2005 Chrysler 300 problems
Share of the 837 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chrysler 300 complaints by model year
Best 300 years: 2020, 2022, 2023. Years to avoid: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2006, 2005. Compare all years →
2005 Chrysler 300 recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. With this change, Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 RAM 1500, 2005-2009 RAM 2500, 2006-2009 RAM 3500, 2007-2010 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis, 2008-2010 RAM 4500 and 5500 Cab…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM owners. Mitsubishi owners will be notified by their company.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners.
Air bags
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S.
Power train › Automatic transmission
On certain pickup trucks, sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with 42rle automatic transmissions, the cup plug that retains the park pawl anchor shaft May be improperly installed. If the shaft moves out of position, the vehicle May not be able to achieve 'park' position.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the transmissions and install a bracket to ensure the park pawl anchor shaft is retained in the proper position. The recall began on November 28, 2005.
Electrical system › 12V/24V/48V battery › Cables
On certain passenger vehicles, the battery cable fasteners at the bulkhead stud May not have been properly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the bulkhead stud battery cable fasteners to the proper specification. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Seat belts › Front
On certain passenger vehicles, the front shoulder belt adjustable turning loop (atl) bolts May not have been properly tightened.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the shoulder belt adjuster turning loop bolts to the proper specification. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Show 1 more recall
Seat belts › Rear/other
On certain passenger vehicles, a spot welding operation for the rear floorpan reinforcement May not have been performed.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear floorpan reinforcement for missing welds and install structural rivets if necessary. Owner notification began on July 6, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2005 Chrysler 300:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2005 Chrysler 300 owners say
Air bags all 256 →
The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags); however, after retrieving the vehicle the following day, the vehicle experienced several failures while driving. The A/C was inoperable, the vehicle was running rough, the check engine warning light was flashing, and the vehicle almost stalled while coming to a stop. Additionally, the contact became aware that there was a hole in the fuel tank. The dealer was notified of the failures, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The manufacturer followed up with the dealer, and the contact was later informed that no assistance would be provided because the failures were unrelated to the recall, as per the dealer's assessment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while the mother was driving at approximately 10 mph when suddenly the driver-side air bag erroneously deployed. During the incident, no crash had occurred and the vehicle had not driven over a pothole or bump in the road. The driver sustained a left-hand injury which included three fractured fingers. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was towed away and examined by the manufacturer's engineer. The cause of the failure was not explained but the contact was informed that the manufacturer took no responsibility for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 190,000
Transmission & drivetrain all 193 →
This is a serious safety concern regarding the shift interlock system on my 2005 Chrysler 300. When the vehicle is in Park, particularly in traffic, and the light turns green, I am forced to lift the coin attachment and manually press the pink interlock just to change gears or accelerate. This creates a dangerous situation where I am unable to move the vehicle promptly, potentially leaving me vulnerable to a rear-end collision. The issue stems from Recall 05V462000, which specifically addresses a shift interlock defect that Chrysler has failed to address despite my repeated attempts to have it repaired. Chrysler has not taken any action to resolve the recall issue, leaving me in a potentially life-threatening situation every time I drive. It is unacceptable that this recall has not been acted upon, and this critical safety defect must be corrected immediately.
The vehicle began to shutter in reverse. This went on for about a week. Transmission fluid level was checked and it was in the normal range. My husband and I were driving it and made a sharp turn to find us in a spot to continue forward and go off a cliff or back up and get out of traffics way. He backed up and we heard a clunk. The car continues to drive forward with no issues but it acts as of it's in neutral when you put it in reverse. No codes are showing either.
Electrical system all 101 →
The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light would remain illuminated. Occasionally the lights on the dashboard and inside the vehicle would randomly blink off and on. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. During the diagnostic test, the electrical fuses continued to malfunction. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The failure mileage was 137,000.
This is a serious safety concern regarding the shift interlock system on my 2005 Chrysler 300. When the vehicle is in Park, particularly in traffic, and the light turns green, I am forced to lift the coin attachment and manually press the pink interlock just to change gears or accelerate. This creates a dangerous situation where I am unable to move the vehicle promptly, potentially leaving me vulnerable to a rear-end collision. The issue stems from Recall 05V462000, which specifically addresses a shift interlock defect that Chrysler has failed to address despite my repeated attempts to have it repaired. Chrysler has not taken any action to resolve the recall issue, leaving me in a potentially life-threatening situation every time I drive. It is unacceptable that this recall has not been acted upon, and this critical safety defect must be corrected immediately.
2005 Chrysler 300 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 5.7L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2005 Chrysler 300 a good car?
Based on 837 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 300 rates avoid: 2.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the 300 at the same age. It is one of the 300 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Chrysler 300?
The air bags — 256 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › sensor/control module. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (193) and electrical system (101).
How many recalls does the 2005 Chrysler 300 have?
There are 7 recalls for the 2005 Chrysler 300, the most recent from May 24, 2016 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chrysler 300?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2022 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2006 and 2005. See the full Chrysler 300 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2005 Chrysler 300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 74,000 miles; 35% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.