Most common 2002 Chrysler 300M problems
Share of the 83 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chrysler 300M complaints by model year
Best 300M years: 2003, 2004, 2002. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000. Compare all years →
2002 Chrysler 300M recalls (1)
Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
On certain passenger vehicles, seat back recliner bolt breakage can occur resulting in the seat back reclining unexpectedly.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the recliner bolts. Owner notification began on April 23, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2002 Chrysler 300M:
Throttle control failure
Based on the low failure rate, the absence of failures over the past year, the absence of injuries, and odi's field investigation of incident vehicles, a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that no safety-related defect exists.the agency will take further action if warranted…
What 2002 Chrysler 300M owners say
Electrical system
The horn does not work which in the state of New Hampshire is a safety inspection item, and the dashboard lights work intermittently (not working more often than working) rendering the gauges unreadable at night. Not sure the exact date of the horn failure, but the steering wheel cruise control and audio controls stopped working, and I checked some forums that confirmed said failure might also disable the horn, and that is what happened. The problem occurs even when parked.
While driving 25 MPH battery warning light illuminated. Vehicle lost power, and a fire started under the hood. The fire was put out, and the vehicle was towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. The fire was the cause of one of the terminals on the battery.
Engine & cooling
On my way to work on May 8th 2014, my battery light came on. In a split second decision I decided to go to work instead of coffee first to call a mechanic and within 2 minutes my car had died. Smoke was coming in through my vents and I had witnesses yelling at me to get away from my car it was on fire. In the 5 minutes it took the fire department to get there, the front of my car was gone. I had little to no warning of this and have since found that Chrysler was aware of this problem with no recall of the vehicle. I am very thankful that my children were not with me that day and thankful that the only injury to me was smoke/fume inhalation.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chrysler 300m. While driving 5 MPH, the engine shut off and restarted after a couple of minutes. The engine shut off without warning. The contact placed the gear into neutral and coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure and was informed to take the vehicle to a local dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 75,000. Ma 10/25/15
Transmission & drivetrain
Whom it May concern: when I first purchased my car the transmission went out 3 weeks after sale the dealership repaired it and sent me on my way. I have now yet over 5K worth of receipts of repairs completed prior to the transmission going out yet again this time while driving with my children the car shut off in motion in middle of a 4 way. The electrical system while driving all light s interior pops on while driving and cause friction in the speed. This has been actively doing this for approx. 2 years when I took to have the car looked at the mechanic advised its a poorly built car and would need the whole electric system re-wired. The biggest thing is the transmission is slipping in 1st gear and reverse the first time the engine blew I was in the fast lane at 65 miles per hour dropped to 40 miles and everyone behind me was quick as I could have lost my life amongst others. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Chrysler 300 m. The contact stated that the vehicle shut off without warning while driving between 1-15 MPH. The failure occurred a year ago during the winter. The steering and power brakes became difficult to maneuver, and the engine lost power. The failure caused the contacts vehicle to cross into oncoming traffic. The last repair was performed in October 2006. Since the repair no failures occurred until recently. While driving 15 MPH down hill the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and nothing happened. The instrument panel lights illuminated and the vehicle shut off. He then shifted into neutral and restarted the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle always restarted. The vehicle was taken to hoffman automotive and was awaiting a diagnostic. …
2002 Chrysler 300M engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Chrysler 300M a good car?
Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 300M rates average: 18% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 300M at the same age. It is one of the best 300M years by this measure. 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 2002 Chrysler 300M?
The electrical system — 13 complaints, 16% of all complaints for this model year, most often about 12v/24v/48v battery. Next are the engine & cooling (13) and transmission & drivetrain (12).
How many recalls does the 2002 Chrysler 300M have?
There is 1 recall for the 2002 Chrysler 300M, the most recent from February 5, 2003 (recliner). 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 300M?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2003, 2004 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999 and 2000. See the full Chrysler 300M years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Chrysler 300M problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 69,000 miles; 39% 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.