1999 CHRYSLER 300M Complaints

DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER AND CHILD WERE INJURED.*JB

I OWN A 1999 CHRYSLER 300M.IN FEBRUARY OF 2001, I TOOK MY CAR TO ELKINS CHRYSLER IN DURHAM, NC, TO HAVE SEVERAL THINGS LOOKED AT BEFORE MY CAR WENT OUT OF WARRANTY.EVERYTHING WAS FIXED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MY DASHBOARD. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE TIME SAID THAT HE COULD NOT FIX THE DASH UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE TO HIM THAT THE DASH HAD BEEN CUT. I TRIED TO CONVINCE THE MANAGER THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THAT MY DASH HAD BEEN CUT, BUT THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A MANUFACTURES DEFECTIVE. INSTEAD OF CHRYSLER BACKING THEIR PRODUCT AND FOCUSING ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, I WAS REFERRED TO A MAN WHO DOES VINYL AND LEATHER REPAIR. I SPENT A HUNDRED DOLLARS OUT OF MY ON POCKET TO HAVE THE SPLIT IN MY DASH REPAIRED. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO LIVE WITH A DASH THAT WAS NOT VERY APPEALING TO THE EYE.RECENTLY MY DASH HAS STARTED TO SPLIT AGAIN. IT IS ALONG THE SAME VERTICAL AXIS AS THE FIRST SPLIT, BUT ABOUT 6 INCHES HIGHER. CHARLES EMANUELE OF ELKINS CHRYSLER TOLD ME THAT THE SPLIT IS OCCURRING IN THE SEAM OF THE DASH WHERE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DASH. AGAIN ELKINS CHRYSLER REFUSED TO FIX MY VEHICLE, BECAUSE NOW THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I THEN CONTACTED CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN MICHIGAN, AGAIN NOTHING BUT A LOT OF EXCUSES AND NO ONE WILLING TO REALLY LISTEN TO MY COMPLAINT. I AM NOT TRYING TO ASK FOR SOMETHING UNREASONABLE, I AM ONLY ASKING CHRYSLER TO FIX SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE FIXED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEFECT IN THE DASH IS AFFECTING THE RESALE VALUE OF MY CAR AND I THINK THERE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD NOW WITH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG.*AK

THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE STARTED TO SPLIT OPEN NEAR THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT. I SHOWED THIS AREA TO A SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE, AND HE TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. IT WAS CONSIDERED TRIM, NOT AN ITEM COVERED BY WARRANTY. I TOLD HIM IT APPEARED TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT AND I FELT CHRYSLER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE AT MY EXPENSE, AND THE PERSON WHO DID THE REPAIRS, SAID HE HAS REPAIRED 6 OR 7 OTHER 300M'S, IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE ALSO STATED HE WOULD, IF NEEDED TELL THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE, THAT IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. ALL THE CARS HE REPAIRED, HAD NO ATTACHMENTS PLACED ON THE DASH TO CAUSE THE SPLIT, AND ALL APPEARED TO BE TOO STRAIGHT TO BE A TEAR. IT WAS AN AREA THAT WAS PULLING APART. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF MY AIR BAG DEPLOYING ,UNEXPECTLY AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY.*AK

THE CRACK AROUND THE AIR IS ON THE SEAM AND NO WHERE ELSE.THE LIGHTS OVER THE CONSOLE JUST WENT OUT ONE NIGHT THE FUSES WERE FINE DONT KNOW WHY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP BACAUSE OF A TWO INCH PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL.DEALER CONTACTED. STEERING WHEEL BINDS AFTER MAKING A TURN; REQUIRE A JERK TO TURN THE WHEEL BACK. RACK & PINION UNIT WAS THE PROBLEM. *AK

AT 35MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL TIGHTEN UP AND IT IS HARD TO TURN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

FRONT DRIVER'S SID E AND PASSENGER'S SIDE F ALONG WITHT PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE HAVE BEEN LEAKING AIR DUE TO DESIGN OF RIMS. CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE AND DEALER FIXED TIE RODS AS POSSIBLE CAUSE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED AND RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED TWICE. *YH

MY DASHBOARD CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT ON THE SEAM OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IT IS CONTINUING TO CRACK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SEAMS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER AND TO DAIMLER CHRYSLER. MY ANSWER FROM THEM WAS TO GO TO A JUNK YARD AND BUY A DASHBOARD.I TRIED SEVERAL SHOPS TO GET THIS REPAIRED AND NO ONE WOULD TOUCH IT BECAUSE OF THE LIABILITY.I DO NOT FEEL SAFE NOT KNOWING IF THE BAG WILL DEPLOY RIGHT IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT . THE REPAIR SHOPS I TOOK IT TO SAID THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ONE THEY HAVE SEEN ON THIS MODEL AND THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO YOU.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT ON TWO OCCASIONS THE ENGINE STALLED DUE TO A FAULTY SENSOR THAT WAS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER.*JB. CONSUMER STATED WHEN INCIDENT FIRST HAPPENED, THE DEALER STATED THE SENSOR SWITCH IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND SHUT DOWN THE MOTOR TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION, THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR, THE INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME.*JB