Most common 2008 Chrysler 300 problems
Share of the 727 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 →
2008 Chrysler 300 recalls (4)
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.
Electrical system › Ignition
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008 Chrysler 300 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Magnum vehicles manufactured May 23, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 24, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured April 3, 2007, to May 12,…
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Power train › Axle hubs
Chrysler is recalling 5,509 my 2008 300, Dodge magnum, and charger vehicles. The torque retention crimp feature was missed during the manufacture of one lot of rear axle hub nuts. This could cause the nuts to loosen and allow the halfshaft to disengage from the wheel hub.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear axle hub nuts. The recall began on July 21, 2008. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Chrysler 300:
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.
What 2008 Chrysler 300 owners say
Electrical system all 506 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V567000 (Electrical System); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure from occurring. The contact stated that several days after the recall repair was completed, the contact had to adjust the ignition switch to start the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owned a 2008 Chrysler 300. While the contact's son was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power without warning. As the vehicle was being coasted to the side of the road, the driver lost control and crashed into a guardrail. The vehicle caught fire. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The driver escaped by kicking out the driver side window before the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The police and fire department were at the scene and the fire was extinguished. Police and fire reports were filed. The driver sustained injuries that required medical attention, hospitalization, and rehab. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
Air bags all 186 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chrysler 300. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V352000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Dealer is unable to order the recalled air bag. I had it in to be fixed a month ago, verified with dealer they had the part before I made the appointment. Took it in and they advised it is on backorder. Called 1q/10 and they advised they are NOT ALLOWED to order the part. What am I supposed to do?
Engine & cooling all 80 →
When taking vehicle for test drive about a month ago, the check engine light was on and after driving it, i noticed when AC was on and when off, the car loses power. When i go to pull out it has no power and i almost got hit in the side every time i would pull out from a busy highway. They had check engine light looked at and they said computer told them it was air valve leak or something like that. I had appointment for them to further assist and they said they could not find anything wrong. I can hear where the valve might be leaking at. The brakes are not good. I had to put on the brakes today fast and brake pedal acted like they were gonna skid out from under my foot. Brakes are new so why is it acting like i have no brakes and there is barley any acceleration. Something is going on and i don't want to be in a car accident just because our warnings are being over looked.
I informed the dealership of ignition switch recall shortly after purchasing vehicle. The dealership stated " the VIN number shows no recalls". And that was it said there nothing showing up. I KNOW ignition switch is messed up because every time I would turn the car off I could still feel it running. I've had my car a year and now it will not crank due to ignition switch and now fuel air intake is also messing up and has caused cylinder 6 to miss fire. I have been without a vehicle for a month now and I need it fixed. When test driving the car, it would slow down as I was turning into a place of business and almost getting hit by another vehicle.
2008 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 2008 Chrysler 300 a good car?
Based on 727 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 300 rates avoid: 3.2× 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 2008 Chrysler 300?
The electrical system — 506 complaints, 70% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the air bags (186) and engine & cooling (80).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chrysler 300 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 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 2008 Chrysler 300 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 76,000 miles; 25% 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.