Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Chrysler 300 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have had the vehicle towed 6 times, the vehicle goes completely dead, with new battery, once the vehicle sits for a half a day there is no power to start the car. I have talked to several other people and have had similar problems. I had car towed to Chrysler dealer ship and they said they did not want to work on it? There should be a recall, I have had many Chrysler vehicles but never this type of problem with the electrical. If you park my car on Friday when I get off work, by Monday morning it is completely dead. I have had the vehicle to two local car repair and electrical shops to no avail. (both shop owners said this is a Chrysler manufacture problem) I can be reached at [redacted].
1. Engine oil cooler assembly started leaking, due to oil cooler housing plastic cracked from oil changes at dealership. Leaking engine oil almost destroying engine due to lack of engine oil lubrication leaking on to the ground from the rear of vehicle and on to the ground. Vehicle was taken to the dealership and verified that the component has failed and that Chrylser has known of this issue for sometime. 2. I have replaced the bad blend door actuators multiple times on each side of the dashboard, due to the unbearable clicking noise within the dashboard and not letting the ventilation systems change directions in the vehicle.
CAN C BUS: its a typical issue with the 2011 Chrysler 300. The main code for the CAN C Bus "U000200" after the scan tool, the issues found are ABS Can C Bus off performance: BCM (Body Controller Module) Can C Bus off performance, SCCM (Steering Column Control Module) Can C Bus off performance, Radio Frequency Can C Bus off performance. All affect the safety and driveabilty of the car. The car drives and in the midst of driving the car stalls in traffic, the car vibrates really bad, the car seems to lose power on acceleration. Please take a look into this, as this is a common issue with the Chrysler 300.
While driving my child to school a short while ago today, my car accelerated on its own and would not brake. I was attempting to stop for an upcoming red light. The car accelerated without me pressing the gas and the brakes went completely out. I was able to avoid a collision. This lasted for under 1 minute, then suddenly the car decelerated and I was then able to brake.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chrysler 300. While driving 45 MPH, the message board displayed going into battery save mode and the navigation, radio, and message board failed to function. The instrument cluster panel failed to illuminate and eventually the vehicle stalled. Upon further inspection, the driver noticed smoke emitting from the front of the vehicle as well as a burning odor. The driver was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the alternator needed to be replaced. The technician repaired the vehicle with a defective alternator due to the part not being available to repair the vehicle. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V634000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chrysler 300. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled and various electrical functions failed. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to observe the vehicle and noticed a burning odor and smoke fumes. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who stated that the alternator failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the remedy failed. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V634000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chrysler 300. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled, smoke emitted from under the hood of the vehicle, and the battery saver mode warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery and alternator needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V634000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 22,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into three vehicles. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,218. Updated 7/14/15 the consumer also stated the brake warning lights did not illuminate. Updated 01/05/16.
Experienced complete alternator failure while driving vehicle. No prior warning of alternator problems. After failure of alternator vehicle went into power save mode while driving disabling the ABS, ESC, ECM, and cbc of the vehicle. It also caused an underhood electrical fire in which ems and the fd had to be called.
Alternator caught on fire while engine was stopped\car parked while driving on interstate, the battery indicator came on, indicating a problem with the charging system. I continued on to my destination about 3 miles. When I turned the car off, there was an obvious smell of something being "hot" and I raised the hood to see if I could see it. The alternator was obviously very hot, and slightly smoking. Assuming it was OK now that I had turned it off, I went inside the building to call the dealer. Luckily, I changed my mind about trying to drive the car any further and decided to have the car towed and went outside to wait for the tow truck. When I got back to the car, the alternator had actually caught on fire and was blazing, dropping some melted materials onto a underbody air dam and appeared to be spreading. I was able to extinguish the fire before any more damage occurred. …
Related recalls
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2018.
Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator.
Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge. The recall began on February 27, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011 and 2012 300 and Dodge charger vehicles. These vehicles May lose ABS/ESC system function due to an overheated power distribution center.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will relocate the ABS/ESC system fuse, free of charge. The safety recall began on May 18, 2012. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Electrical complaints in other 300 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2011 Chrysler 300?
NHTSA has 119 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Chrysler 300, 60% of the model year's 200 complaints. The component named most often is alternator/generator/regulator (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Chrysler 300 electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-435 (alternator/generator/regulator, Jul 10, 2017); NHTSA recall 14V-634 (alternator/generator/regulator, Oct 8, 2014); NHTSA recall 12V-197 (fuses and circuit breakers, May 2, 2012). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Chrysler 300 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 9 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.