Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Chrysler 300M owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While turning a corner my steering wheel turned one direction while my tires stayed straight. Also while driving down the highway at 45 miles an hour. My car went into the opposite lane almost head on into another vehicle when my wheels decided to turn back when I turned the steering wheel almost to the end of steering ratio. This car is going to end up killing someone. Then there will be a major law suit. I replaced the rack & pinion. Worked for about a month and now it is starting to do it again. Also replaced the tie rod ends. The bolts back out or become loose on the rack & pinion. Have had to tighten them on many occasions.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Chrysler 300m. When the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be serviced, the mechanic observed the bolt from the rack and pinion detached from the vehicle. The mechanic stated that the rack and pinion failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 174,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I have a 2000 300m. It has experienced sloppy steering, ?hitches? And a lack of smoothness, especially in left hand turns, and a tendency to not have the wheel come back to center without undue force being exerted. The front end also makes several different types of noises. The car is now in a asce shop with copies of information and TSB?s found on this site. I am hoping to have it properly repaired and to have my son use it for college (approximately 125 miles away). I am now concerned that, even repaired, the car will be unsafe. I believe I had an issue early on with it and the dealer replaced some tie rods or something. The car now has 160,000 miles on it and I have spent money on many items like brakes, tires, complete suspension replacement, several front end alignment issues, battery, air conditioning, etc. I thought it would be a good safe car for my son. …
This past weekend after taking a day trip to va I discovered a leak under the front hood. It smelled and looked like oil. The previous Monday I had my oil changed at the local Chrysler dealer and thought that maybe something May be wrong with the filter. On Monday the 31st of mar I talked to the service mgr and he told me to bring it in. He looked under the hood and under the engine and found that it was a power steering leak not an oil leak. He stated that this is a common problem with the 300m. I stated that this seems to be mfg'ing problem. He stated it didn't happen to all of them so that is why it was not a recall or service bulletin. I disagree with his statement. I had extended warranty to they fixed it and it cost me $100.00 deductible. I feel this is not something I should have paid for. …
Driving aprox 10 MPH into to school pick up and drop off area, to pick up children as school was letting out. I lost all steering functions, I had to have car towed back to my residence. My husband found that a bolt had broke off the tie rod ((right side) going into the rack and pinion and the (left side) bolt to the tie rod had back out of the rack and pinion. Their were no warning signs that something was wrong with the steering. I thank the good lord that it happened where and when it did, it could have been a different outcome a few miles down the road with myself and 3 children in the car going 45-50 MPH on the 2 lane road going back to our home. Now as I drive our other vehicle around and see a Chrysler 300m I worry about the safety of the occupants in that vehicle and the others around them.
The steering on our 2000 Chrysler 300m became very loose. The steering worsened to the point that we felt uncomfortable driving the car. We took the car to a local dealer, lithia Dodge, to investigate. The problem was a failed steering rack and pinion. The car only has 46,000 miles. The repair was $850 for a refurbished rack and pinion replacement. The repair was not covered under warranty: the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty had expired and the steering rack and pinion is not covered under the 7 year/70,000 mile power train warranty. We strongly believe this is a serious safety issue and consider ourselves lucky that we did not experience complete steering failure.
Light clunking when I purchased vehicle in the steering gear got worse and worse and louder and louder erratic steering fluid leaking very bad and lots of power steering whines and hard to keep straight while driving. Excessive play in steering and wandering and the front wheels have been vibrating and shaking while driving and it makes the car wobble very scared to continue to drive with my young child but I have no choice in the matter I have another rack I got used for 500 bucks but I have no way to get it fixed because my lack of funds I was told that my steering gear bushings where worn out and that I needed my rack replaced a s soon as possible.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Chrysler 300m. While the contact was driving approximately 35 MPH making a right turn, the steering wheel failed to maneuver back into a straight position. Eventually, after several attempts the steering wheel returned to the proper position. The contact was able to continue driving normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was contributed to the rack and pinion. On a separate occasion the similar failure recurred while making a left turn. The vehicle was not prepared. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000. Updated 04/18/12
Premature failure of the safety related steering equipment has occurred on my 2000 year Chrysler 300m. The rack and pinion failed and I am now scheduling repairs at my cost as the warranty is expired. I took the vehicle to a dealer numerous times for over a year without satisfaction on their review. They initially would say the condition was "normal". I have found an independent repair shop and will be having them replace the rack and pinion. This is an apparent problem with most of the 300m and intrepid models based on consumer information I have reviewed. Such a wide spread premature safety related problem should be corrected by Chrysler.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Chrysler 300m. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 MPH and attempting a turn, the vehicle exhibited a loud explosion. The driver's side tire immediately felt as if it had separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was later towed to an independent mechanic where they advised her that the rack and pinion was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 140,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Steering complaints in other 300M years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2000 Chrysler 300M?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the steering of the 2000 Chrysler 300M, 22% of the model year's 242 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Chrysler 300M steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2000 Chrysler 300M, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Chrysler 300M steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 63,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 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.