The Lemon Index
200120031st generation
About average · most complaints: brakes
Better years to buy
37 owner complaints, first 3 years 19 mpg combined, EPA
Similar cars, same year
2002 Chrysler Concorde 962002 Oldsmobile Intrigue2002 Hyundai Tiburon
Lemon Index: 100 = the average car, lower is better.
When problems show up
Only 17 complaints listed a mileage: too few to say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 09E012000 (lights) and 03V035000 (seats) done? Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- Do the brakes feel even, with no ABS or brake warning light? When were the pads and brake fluid last done?
- Do all the lights, screens and power features work? Has the battery, alternator or any wiring been replaced?
- Is the airbag light off, and were any airbag recalls done?
- Chrysler sent dealers 78 repair notes for this car. Was this one done: “Subject regarding front door speaker wiring incorrectly installed”?
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Chrysler's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 37 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 10K to 28K miles (16K to 45K km) on the car (17 of all 37 complaints filed so far listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
In owners' words
Car still won't start. Still waiting for computer. Dealer has had for 14 full days. I only had it for 12 days.
2002 Chrysler 300M owner · NHTSA complaint 756374
More owner reports
The brakes and rotors continued to wear prematurely. The dealer stated that the rotors were warped.
NHTSA complaint 10117406
Chrysler 300m 2002 dashboard battery light illuminated before losing power.
NHTSA complaint 10113625
Fixes owners look up most.
From 200 YouTube videos · 2.7M views · 1999–2004 Chrysler 300M
Most-watched topics
- Windows, doors & mirrors178K views
How To Replace (fix) the Mode Door Actuator on a 2000 Chrysler 300m Air Vents for freejbe313 · 86K views · 5 videos - Cooling system94K views
2004 Chrysler 300m 3.5 V6 PO172 & overheats while driving but not at idle case studyBrick Auto LLC · 60K views · 4 videos - Oil leaks & gaskets50K views
![Intake Manifold Gaskets Replacement: Part 1 [2000 Chrysler 300M]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qMVxtMU9yQc/mqdefault.jpg)
Intake Manifold Gaskets Replacement: Part 1 [2000 Chrysler 300M]MattsMotorz · 50K views - Fuel pump, filter & tank36K views
![Fuel Pump Replacement: Part 1 [2000 Chrysler 300M]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tlD-G7IS-uk/mqdefault.jpg)
Fuel Pump Replacement: Part 1 [2000 Chrysler 300M]MattsMotorz · 36K views
Show 3 more
- Transmission & shifter28K views
2000 Chrysler 300m output speed sensor change.Adam Mcdonnough · 28K views - Timing chain & engine23K views
2001 Chrysler 300M misfire cyl 6 Part 2 the fixMaic Salazar Diagnostics · 23K views - Death wobble & steering22K views
2001 Chrysler 300M inner tie rod bushing replacement, Pt 1The Shade Tree Fix-it Man · 20K views · 2 videos
Before you buy, watch
2002 Chrysler 300M - Review, Specsfotoautos · 9K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2002 is the same generation.
Costs are the middle (median) of the dollar amounts people say out loud in these videos, so one wild number can't swing it. They aren't verified bills or sales; real prices depend on year, miles, condition and where you live. Tap Hear it to jump to the moment.
Problems Chrysler told dealers about
Chrysler sent dealers 78 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Subject regarding front door speaker wiring incorrectly installed
- Powertrain control module initialization
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Recalls 2
- Lights · recall issued 2009
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES.
- Seats · recall issued 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, SEAT BACK RECLINER BOLT BREAKAGE CAN OCCUR RESULTING IN THE SEAT BACK RECLINING UNEXPECTEDLY.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Government investigations
- ClosedThrottle control failure2003
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front — · side — · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3,150 (USD) a year in fuel (EPA estimate at U.S. prices, 15,000 miles or 24,000 km a year). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
Every Chrysler 300M year. 2002 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Show 2 older years (1999–2004, YouTube reviews only, no complaint data)
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 6 Chrysler 300M years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
Embed this chart
Put this chart on your site, blog or forum. Free, with the credit line built in; the 2002 bar is highlighted.
<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/chrysler-300m/?y=2002" title="Chrysler 300M reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="284" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/chrysler-300m/2002/">Lemon Index</a> (2002 Chrysler 300M reliability)</p>Quick answers
Is the 2002 Chrysler 300M reliable?
About average by government complaints. It drew a bit more than the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 112; 100 is average, lower is better). The Chrysler 300M year with the fewest complaints per car sold is 2001.
What are the most common 2002 Chrysler 300M problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (19%), electrical (16%) and airbags (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2002 Chrysler 300M have?
2 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2002 Chrysler 300M get?
19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Does the 2002 Chrysler 300M have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 11% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2002 Chrysler 300M cost in fuel a year?
About $3,150 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2002 Chrysler 300M have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Chrysler 300M year is better than the 2002?
Nearby, the 2001 drew fewer owner complaints per car sold (about three-quarters as many complaints as the average car).
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works