1999 CHRYSLER 300M Complaints

1999 CHRYSLER 300M. 8 INCH CRACK IN DASHBOARD FOLLOWING THE SEAM OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. CAN NOT BE REPAIERED ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD COVER.*AK

DASHBOARD HAS A 3 INCH CRACK JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *JB

THE VEHICLE'S PINCH BOLT BROKE WHILE DRIVING. AS A RESULT THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THAT INCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE BOLT BECAME LOOSE. *NM

A CRACK HAD DEVELOPED DOWN THE LINE OF WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS SUPPOSE TO DEPLOY FROM. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED AND A REMEDY HAD NOT BE FOUND. *JB

THE WHEELS ARE CRUMBLING APART. THE METAL ON THE WHEELS ARE DROPPING OFF IN LARGE FLAKES. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK

OUR 1999 CHRYSLER 300M (VIN #2C3-HE66G2XH-622721) HAS PLASTIC AERODYNAMIC HEAD LAMPS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED A "HAZE" THAT SEVERELY REDUCES THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD AT NIGHT. I AM NOT AN ENGINEER AND DO NOT PURPORT TO OFFER A PROFESSIONAL OPINION ON THIS ISSUE, BUT CAN REPORT AS A CONSUMER THAT THE ILLUMINATION APPEARS TO BE ABOUT HALF OF WHAT IT WAS WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW. THIS HAZE BEGAN APPEARING SOMEWHERE IN THE THREE TO FOUR YEAR OF AGE RANGE. IT TOOK A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON BUT BY FIVE YEARS OF AGE THE DETERIORATION WAS AT A POINT WHERE WE BELIEVE IT IS A LIGHTING SAFETY ISSUE. I DISCUSSED THIS SITUATION WITH TED VOGALIE WHO IS THE DISTRICT LEVEL REPRESENTATIVE FOR CHRYSLER ON JANUARY 16, 2004 AT THE ANCIRA CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO, TX. I REQUESTED THAT CHRYSLER TREAT THIS AS A DEFECTIVE PART AND REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS. MR. VOGALIE REFUSED TO OFFER THIS ASSISTANCE. IN OUR CONVERSATION HE MADE MUCH OF THE FACT THAT THE HAZE APPEARED TO BE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT AND CITED THIS AND THE AGE/MILEAGE OF THE CAR (5 YEARS/ 57,000 MILES) AS REASONS FOR NOT OFFERING TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THIS CAR'S USAGE CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS "CODDLED" SINCE IT IS ROUTINELY PARKED IN A GARAGE AND HAS NO UNUSUAL ROAD CONDITIONS OR OTHER UNUSUAL USAGE. THIS CONDITION IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH THAT I HAVE ORDERED REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS AND AM GOING TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS EVEN THOUGH THE RETAIL COST OF DOING THIS REPLACEMENT IS AROUND $800. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT CHRYSLER IS ALLOWED TO EQUIP AN AUTOMOBILE WITH A DEFECTIVE PART LIKE THIS THAT POSES A SAFETY ISSUE SO EARLY IN THE AUTOMOBILE'S LIFE AND UNLOAD A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON THE CONSUMER. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUED BY CHRYSLER ON THE CAR AND THIS PART IS NOT COVERED. *CB

I HAVE A SPLIT OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THE SPLIT STARTED OUT 3 INCHES LONG AND NOW IS 8-9 INCHES IN LENGTH. MY VEHICLE WAS TAKING TO THE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SO I WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH 1500.00 PLUS INSTALLATION FOR A NEW DASHBOARD. THERE ARE AT LEAST 50 300M'S IN THIS AREA, THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I WISH I COULD GET ALL OF THEM TO PUT IN A COMPLAINT, BUT SOME PEOPLE NEVER DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MATERIAL PROBLEM WERE THE MATERIAL IS STRETCHED OVER THE AIR BAG. I AM NOT SURE IF THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY OR IF IT WILL DEPLOY WHEN NOT NECESSARY STARTLING ME AS I DRIVE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I'VE LOOKED ON THIS WEB SITE AND SEE WHERE SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED AND I COMPLAINED PREVIOUSLY. IS THIS DEFECT BEING INVESTIGATED? THIS SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. MY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VINYL REPAIR SHOP AND THE SERVICE MAN SAID HE WOULDN'T FIX IT, BECAUSE HE WOULD BE AFRAID THE AIR BAG WOULDN'T DEPLOY PROPERLY. *CB

THE CONSUMER STATES SHE HAS TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES EVERY SIX MONTHS. THE DEALER STATES THE RIMS ARE CORRODED WHICH CAUSES A LEAKAGE. *PH IN WARM WEATHER THE RIMS WERE FINE BUT WHEN THE COLD HAD COME THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED EVERYDAY. *SC

THE EVAPORATOR COIL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. 1 MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED, I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE A/C MAKING A WHISTLING NOISE AND NOT COOLING PROPERLY.IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS POINT AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT BACK 2 MORE TIMES SINCE THEN AND FINALLY ON THE 3RD TRY THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A EVAPORATOR COIL.I AM TRYING TO GET THE DEALERSHIP/CHRYSLER TO PAY, WE'LL KNOW TOMMARROW.

EMAIL FM MARY DURST (AZ) FWD COPY OF COMPLAINT TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER RE THE OIL PAN ON HER 1999 CHRYSLER 300M, WANTS OIL PAN REPLACED FREE & A RECALL OF THE OIL PAN. *MR THE OIL PANS CAP THREADS HAD BECOME WORN DUE TO THE ALUMINUM BEING TOO SOFT METAL. *SC *JB *TT *JB