I have seen the vents change on Auto!! Although it's usually in the summer. From what I've read, the LH cars have had a problem with fogging, so I can understand keeping the defrost/heat setting as the primary setting to eliminate that problem. I find that the auto setting does a pretty good job of keeping me comfortable though.
Yeah, I've seen the vent locations change on auto, too. If you have it on auto and change the temperature setting from, say, 60, to 80, I'll bet the system sends the air out of different vents. For the most part the auto system works very well. There have been a few times, though, when I would like to change the vent location but still have the fan and temperature continue in auto mode, and the system does not allow that.
I have a 2000 300M with only 4500 miles and I too have creaks and rattles. The dash rattles and creaks, the back door panel(s) creak, the headliner cracks, and the front end sometimes clomps. I have an appointment made for tomorrow to leave the car overnight at the dealer to fix these and other issues. I hope they can fix them but I'm not very confident at all. My 97 Grand Voyger had creaks and rattles after only 1k miles and it took the dealer five times to finally fix them. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Yeah, that's how mine works, too. In AUTO, the only thing you can change is TEMP without MANUAL mode popping up. Overall, I am pleased with the climate control. We have brutal summers and the AC works well even with slate interior. The car warms up quickly on cold days, and the heated seats are appreciated on those freezing mornings. Finally got my Zaino applied. Second coat tomorrow! Zaino tire gloss works well, too. Regards, Silver
Boy has this placed changed! I see that there are now several 300m boards. But, I'm reverting to this one since there's not much activity on those others.
Anyway, my wheels are a disgusting mess. They are also very hard to clean with just a wet towel. I don't want to scrub them with anything that might scratch. Any suggestions on products or an easier way to clean them? I don't see anything on the Zaino web site. Also, my chrome exhaust tube-things-that-stick-out-of-the-back-of-the-car are stained (rust?). How come?!
My Suggestions: 1.Wash wheels regularly using a brush like racefan9 suggested and a name brand "all finish" wheel cleaner. 2. Wax the wheels with a good auto wax. 3. Use Rain-X "wheel protectant." Now you know why I got the standard wheels on my '01! See my post #251
Personally, I don't think brushes work that well on the M's wheels. I use a bucket of soapy water (a mild car shampoo soap) and a sponge, which lets me get in between the spokes easily. Rinse the sponge frequently. A lot of wheel cleaners are very harsh, and I think chrome cleans up easily without them (non-chromed aluminum is tougher to keep clean and stain-free, IMHO). Keeping them clean is important, as rklass says.
The reason for the rust stains is because of the short trips. The car's exhaust has a lot of water vaper in it, and if the exhaust does not get hot enough the water with sit in the tips, rusting them.
Castrol Super Clean All Wheel Cleaner works great. Spray it on, let it sit, the use a hose to wash the wheel, then use a sponge, or something to wipe them clean. Use some zaino on them to help keep them cleaner. Note, The cleaner is kind of expensive, but worth it.
Tandee-Brushes won't work worth a crap on chromes. Go to Wal-Mart and get a wash mitt. Get one exclusively for your wheels so you won't get the corrosive brake dust on the paint. They're only a few buck. I use a mitt and Zaino car wash and it works fine. Just don't let it build up too much or it will get hard to do. The Zaino car wash has wax in it and it will help keep them clean. I doubt that your exhaust tips are rusted. The 300M runs a bit rich, and this can create a bit of gray/black soot (which is fine, not indicative of a problem) on the tips and possibly even on the bumper around the exhaust. Race has yellow lined exhaust tips on his M and got tired of trying to keep them yellow instead of black, so he just painted them black. Same deal for you. Just make sure that you wash them regularly to keep road salt off. Salt will accelerate the rusting process. There is a lot of moisture in gas (that's why the water vapor comes out of the exhaust forever on a cold day), but you haven't had enough time for the tips to rust, which the chrome will help prevent anyway.
AC vents-My guess as to the reason that it stays on defrost/floor a lot of the time is because most people don't like air blowing in their face. The fan ALWAYS blows when the unit in in ATC (although very lightly sometimes) mode so it reverts to that setting to circulate the air instead of blowing it in your face. It also helps maintain a more constant cabin temp, helping to eliminate cold or hot spots.
"There is a lot of moisture in gas (that's why the water vapor comes out of the exhaust forever on a cold day)"
Not to put too fine a point on it, but water is a product of combustion. If your gasoline was pure octane (C8H18) and you had perfect combustion, you'd only get CO2 and H2O out your exhaust. That's carbon dioxide and water. But we all know gasoline isn't pure octane and combustion isn't perfect. But you still get a lot of CO2 and H2O. That's why the water vapor comes out of the exhaust forever on a cold day (or any day, for that matter!).
And, Race, quit besmirching my good name. I never took anybody's lunch. You never know when you're going to get a bologna sandwich. No. I took people's lunch MONEY. Sheesh.
forgot, yes there is more than one way to clean a wheel!!! but when you use a soft bristle brush like the one i use, you can get around the lug nuts where dirt and grime hides, leaving a more brilliant shine, with less effort, you also will keep the black dirty water in the bucket and not on your hands, most women i know like to keep the nails nice and clean, playtex gloves are an option...
My y2K 300M had the dash, headliner, and door panel rattles big time. I ended up fixing myself.
The problem is that the car, particularly with PAP, flexes when going over bad roads as we have in the Northeast. It is worse in the cold as the plastic becomes brittle. The dash, in particular flexes far more than it should.
What fixed mine was to go to the hardware store and get a 15 feet of 1.5 in wide adhesive velcro strips and some 1/2 inch thick foam.
To fix the dash, remove the center cover over the radio, the glove box, drivers side knee pad, snap on end (side) pieces, plastic wood trim, and plastic around the instruments/headlight switch. Apply velcro to every contact point, particularly the perimeter and metal snaps which hold the center plate in. If done carefully, everything will still come apart fine if needed in the future, and be completely invisible.
Also be sure that the radio, DC changer, and ACT panel have velcro where they meet as they flex. Lastly, before buttoning everything back up, be sure that radio, ACT panel, and DC changer are aligned properly in relation to the cover. My radio needed adjustment.
Door panels require removing all screws and putting velcro behind the lower side and bottom contact points. Be careful not to overtighten the bottom screws or the panels will crack.
Ditto for the B and C pillars, pull the rubber from around the doors and velcro the contact points.
While the door rubber is off, put 1/2 inch foam around the headliner contact points as needed, you can hear where it "itches" by pushing on the headliner.
Lastly, open the sunroof 1st in tilt and then fully open and put wet silicone everywhere on the rubber around the glass. Repeat every three months or so.
The entire process above took about 4 hours and cost $20. It solved 98% of my problem.
I doubt most dealers would do all of the above, it is better to do it at home if one is mechanically inclined. Of course, none of this should be necessary in a car in this price class. Enough said.
Good explanation! I take it you know a thing or two about chemistry! :-) I also made sure to refer to it as water vapor and not steam! I knew someone woul pick up on that if I said it!
Are the majority of the folks here that are having rattles located in the North/Northeast? Just curious. I don't remember seeing any Southerners having problems.
I think I've got a good idea of what to do with those wheels. Just in case, on my WalMart shopping list I'm getting a brush, a mit, a sponge, a bucket, rubber gloves, and a name brand all finish cleaner. Got the zaino, got the hose, but hey, it snowed today!
Can you make a logo that looks like the one on the trunk instead of black line art? There's a picture in the 2001 brochure on page 4. I would like it shiny and metallic looking.
OK, I too live in the northeast. I put 69,000 miles on a '99 in 30 months, NO rattles. So far I have 3,000 miles on the '01 also with no rattles. Guess it's just the luck of the draw!
Does anyone have a tire rotation pattern for FIVE tires? I have the full size spare on the '01 300M, and the PHG Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires are $200.00 each. I would like to rotate 5 to avoid purchasing replacement tires before lease end. Thanks!
300-IF you do get a rattle out there in the SW, better make sure there's not a Diamondback snake attached to it!! ;-) Russ-I have thought long and hard about a 5 tire rotation, and I am getting ready to go to Pirellis for my main tires. I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to rotate the spare, but instead use it only as a spare. I don't think one tire would make that much of a difference. Two would, but I think rotating one is more trouble than it is worth. I'm buying 4 Pirelli's and leaving the new GY on the spare. I only plan on using it for emergencies anyway, and the GY should play well with the Pirelli's for that purpose. If you rotate it, you have one brand new tire on the car with 3 worn ones, and it would never be worn to the same level that the others are. I'd say don't worry about it and leave that GY on! Just my thoughts.
I replaced my stock filter element with a K&N about a month ago. I can't feel any obvious difference in performance at all, and my fuel mileage hasn't changed either. Did I just waste my money? By the way: the 3 things I like most about my M are: looks, roominess, and performance (especially handling) the 3 things I like least are: it needs more rearward travel for the driver's seat (and I'm not that tall), and I can't think of anything else I don't like. Lynn
I have a 1999 Chrysler 300M, purchased used. I can not find the plug to the engine block heater. I know I have one, I have the cold climate package and the build sheet also indicates engine block heater. I have looked near and far, but I can't find the rat! Anyone who has this please email me direct at adamczak@earthlink.net
Just finished applying the second coat of Zaino, and I am very satisfied with the results. Before applying, I rinsed the car and the water quickly slid off-better than any wax I have ever used. Leather treatment next!
No, I don't think you wasted your money. I haven't particularly noticed any difference either. But I didn't really expect to. I do expect to save money in the long run. I'll never have to replace the air filter in this car again. Just clean it every 50k miles or so. What does one of those quickie oil change places charge for a replacement air filter? 8 bucks? After about 4 or 5 of those you're in the black.
Like Grun says, the benefits are long term. There is a slight performance increase (of course it takes a good bit of improvement to really feel a change), and a slight improvement in mileage. These will make a difference in the long run. It's one of those things where the benefits add up, and hey, a tenth here and a tenth there can really add up. Changing shift points adds a bit, a k&n adds a bit, and a non-restrictive muffler adds a bit. They all add up in the end. I have been running a K&N since june and have been very happy with it.
How many here have been given a loner car to drive when their M required an extended dealer stay? Any of you? Mine said that they've never done that so now I had to borrow my father's ancient GMC van.
if you thought the 300m was slow why did you buy it??? my m has never rattled once...the dealer should have given you a loner if you were leaving it for more than a few hours, mine has only been to the dealer once and they had it for 2 hours to fix the squeaking front so i've never had a loner, this is the 3rd chrysler product i've owned since 98 and only two trips to the dealer...lucky me!!!
If you have to beat the teenager in his Mustang GT from the stoplight to 60mph, then indeed, it may be "slow". IF you don't get a kick in the a** when stomping it from 50 mph, then you should have your dealer check it...something ain't right. Heck, it might just beat the teener in the mustang to 120 at that speed. I'm still confident enough in my manhood to accept the fact that similar "sport sedans" can make it to 60 mph in 1/10 of a second or so faster than me. I never thought I was buying a Ferrari. What I bought is very respectable, though not a world beater from 0-60. It's exceptional in passing ability, it's tremendous in handling, and it can't be beat for comfort.
Derek: Define SLOW I'm on my 2nd 300M following 2 Taurus SHOs ('94 V-6 and '96 V-8. The 300M would stay with both of them, while offering far more luxury, comfort and handling prowess. I have had none of the problems you describe, and have been given a no-charge loaner on the few occasions the car was in for service for more than an hour. My 300M experience now encompasses 72,000 trouble-free miles over 31 months in both a '99 and '01 300M. While I believe there is no such thing as too much power, I think the 300M power level is more than adequate. Name one other car that even comes close to the 300M in size, power handling and features at a price within $10,000. Can you?
I'd say go for the 5 tire rotation. I have, and haven't regretted it. At the end of their useful life, I'll keep the best one of the lot and use it for the spare, then buy 4 new tires. After all, I don't expect to have to use the spare (can't recall the last time I had a flat), but if I do, it doesn't have to be brand new. It just has to work until I can get the tire repaired/replaced.
The pattern I used was: LeftRear->RightFront, RightRear->LeftFront, RightFront->RightRear, LeftFront->Spare, Spare->LeftRear
Continued to track straight and true after the rotation.
Nine months old, just passed 14K. No rattles or squeaks - and I drive on some plenty bad roads and have the PHP. Knock on (fake) wood.
Beach - whether or not you get a rental is usually something you check out before you buy a car from a particular dealer.
In my case, I was offered the option of free loaner car for life, plus a bunch of free oil changes and discounts on maintenance -or- get an extra $300 off the price of the car. I figured after taking the free oil changes into account, I'd only need a couple trips to the dealer to compensate for whatever charges I'd occur getting a loaner car.
I chose the free loaner car. Not every dealer gives loaner cars, but for me it was a plus and one of many reasons why I chose to buy from this particular dealer.
Best of luck with getting your fixed to your satisfaction. Owning a car with a lot of problems, especially a new car, is a major bummer.
Lynn, the K&N filter is one part of a system. The filter by itself will save you in filter changes. It is when you change to exhaust along with the filter that you will get the real improvement in power and MPG's. Within 40K the filter will have paid for itself. Adamczak, the cord to the heater is connected to the behind the radiator with clips. the service manual did not go into a lot of detail.
Beach--Take a look at the warranty book that comes with the car. If they are doing warranty work that extends for a day or more the warranty may state that you are entitled to loaner/rental wheels. I don't have my book at hand or I would check it out for you. My Aurora warranty had that provision, and the dealer always honored it. I haven't had occasion to look it up on my 99M.
Free loaners come with an extended warranty purchase if the repair requires the car to be in the shop overnight. The basic warranty doesn't provide a free loaner. Other than that, its up to the dealer. I haven't found one yet that provides a loaner.
Hardly! An almost 3000 pound car making it from 0-60 in around 7.7 seconds, then continuing to pull STRONGLY up to 118 (for those of us with the speed limiter), and up into the 150's for those without is not my definition of a slow car. If you really want a fast car like you say you do, sell your 30K 300M and buy a Lamborghini Diablo. It might cost a bit more, but it's fast like you want. Sounds like you picked the wrong car for your personality. The M is a Sport Luxury Sedan, not a Sports Car. Luxury with style and speed. Sounds like you need to get a Mustang and hop it up and make it an off the line screamer. That's not what the M was designed for and it's a serious mistake to think it is.
In regards to the post to the new Sedans cohost Pat, let me assure you that she is simply doing the job she was hired to do. This includes enforcing the Terms of Use agreement that you agreed to when becoming a member of Town Hall regarding copyrighted materials:
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I drove most everything within 10K of the M that was comparable (LS, the Acura line, Grand Prix, Bonneville, etc.) and nothing had the overall package that the M has. The only thing I wish the M had from any of these cars is the slick DVD nav system from the Acura. I almost bought one just for that, but I'm glad I didn't. I also personally FAR prefer FWD to RWD. I know I'm one of the few, but I think FWD is superior to RWD for my needs. RWD is a minus in my book. No flames please, that's just my preference.
I have a great 5 tire rotation pattern which I will e-mail you if you will send me your address. If you prefer not to do that, maybe someone can tell me how to post the diagram here. I have it as a jpeg file.
Comments
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1501794&a=11408326
Finally got my Zaino applied. Second coat tomorrow! Zaino tire gloss works well, too.
Regards, Silver
Anyway, my wheels are a disgusting mess. They are also very hard to clean with just a wet towel. I don't want to scrub them with anything that might scratch. Any suggestions on products or an easier way to clean them? I don't see anything on the Zaino web site. Also, my chrome exhaust tube-things-that-stick-out-of-the-back-of-the-car are stained (rust?). How come?!
Thanks,
Tandee
http://www.properautocare.com/br-42.html
you should be able to get one at your local auto parts store.
i use eagle one A2Z wheel cleaner...
1.Wash wheels regularly using a brush like racefan9 suggested and a name brand "all finish" wheel cleaner.
2. Wax the wheels with a good auto wax.
3. Use Rain-X "wheel protectant."
Now you know why I got the standard wheels on my '01!
See my post #251
AJPIII - Thanks for the pics!
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1280646&a=9486000
AC vents-My guess as to the reason that it stays on defrost/floor a lot of the time is because most people don't like air blowing in their face. The fan ALWAYS blows when the unit in in ATC (although very lightly sometimes) mode so it reverts to that setting to circulate the air instead of blowing it in your face. It also helps maintain a more constant cabin temp, helping to eliminate cold or hot spots.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but water is a product of combustion. If your gasoline was pure octane (C8H18) and you had perfect combustion, you'd only get CO2 and H2O out your exhaust. That's carbon dioxide and water. But we all know gasoline isn't pure octane and combustion isn't perfect. But you still get a lot of CO2 and H2O. That's why the water vapor comes out of the exhaust forever on a cold day (or any day, for that matter!).
And, Race, quit besmirching my good name. I never took anybody's lunch. You never know when you're going to get a bologna sandwich. No. I took people's lunch MONEY. Sheesh.
Igor
The problem is that the car, particularly with PAP, flexes when going over bad roads as we have in the Northeast. It is worse in the cold as the plastic becomes brittle. The dash, in particular flexes far more than it should.
What fixed mine was to go to the hardware store and get a 15 feet of 1.5 in wide adhesive velcro strips and some 1/2 inch thick foam.
To fix the dash, remove the center cover over the radio, the glove box, drivers side knee pad, snap on end (side) pieces, plastic wood trim, and plastic around the instruments/headlight switch. Apply velcro to every contact point, particularly the perimeter and metal snaps which hold the center plate in. If done carefully, everything will still come apart fine if needed in the future, and be completely invisible.
Also be sure that the radio, DC changer, and ACT panel have velcro where they meet as they flex. Lastly, before buttoning everything back up, be sure that radio, ACT panel, and DC changer are aligned properly in relation to the cover. My radio needed adjustment.
Door panels require removing all screws and putting velcro behind the lower side and bottom contact points. Be careful not to overtighten the bottom screws or the panels will crack.
Ditto for the B and C pillars, pull the rubber from around the doors and velcro the contact points.
While the door rubber is off, put 1/2 inch foam around the headliner contact points as needed, you can hear where it "itches" by pushing on the headliner.
Lastly, open the sunroof 1st in tilt and then fully open and put wet silicone everywhere on the rubber around the glass. Repeat every three months or so.
The entire process above took about 4 hours and cost $20. It solved 98% of my problem.
I doubt most dealers would do all of the above, it is better to do it at home if one is mechanically inclined. Of course, none of this should be necessary in a car in this price class. Enough said.
Good luck with it.
Erik V.
T
Can you make a logo that looks like the one on the trunk instead of black line art? There's a picture in the 2001 brochure on page 4. I would like it shiny and metallic looking.
If it turns out well, anyone who wants a new one, just ask.
So far I have 3,000 miles on the '01 also with no rattles. Guess it's just the luck of the draw!
Thanks!
Russ-I have thought long and hard about a 5 tire rotation, and I am getting ready to go to Pirellis for my main tires. I have come to the conclusion that I am not going to rotate the spare, but instead use it only as a spare. I don't think one tire would make that much of a difference. Two would, but I think rotating one is more trouble than it is worth. I'm buying 4 Pirelli's and leaving the new GY on the spare. I only plan on using it for emergencies anyway, and the GY should play well with the Pirelli's for that purpose. If you rotate it, you have one brand new tire on the car with 3 worn ones, and it would never be worn to the same level that the others are. I'd say don't worry about it and leave that GY on! Just my thoughts.
By the way:
the 3 things I like most about my M are: looks, roominess, and performance (especially handling)
the 3 things I like least are: it needs more rearward travel for the driver's seat (and I'm not that tall), and I can't think of anything else I don't like.
Lynn
Regards, Silver
Igor
I'm on my 2nd 300M following 2 Taurus SHOs ('94 V-6 and '96 V-8. The 300M would stay with both of them, while offering far more luxury, comfort and handling prowess. I have had none of the problems you describe, and have been given a no-charge loaner on the few occasions the car was in for service for more than an hour. My 300M experience now encompasses 72,000 trouble-free miles over 31 months in both a '99 and '01 300M.
While I believe there is no such thing as too much power, I think the 300M power level is more than adequate. Name one other car that even comes close to the 300M in size, power handling and features at a price within $10,000. Can you?
I'd say go for the 5 tire rotation. I have, and haven't regretted it. At the end of their useful life, I'll keep the best one of the lot and use it for the spare, then buy 4 new tires. After all, I don't expect to have to use the spare (can't recall the last time I had a flat), but if I do, it doesn't have to be brand new. It just has to work until I can get the tire repaired/replaced.
The pattern I used was:
LeftRear->RightFront,
RightRear->LeftFront,
RightFront->RightRear,
LeftFront->Spare,
Spare->LeftRear
Continued to track straight and true after the rotation.
Nine months old, just passed 14K. No rattles or squeaks - and I drive on some plenty bad roads and have the PHP. Knock on (fake) wood.
In my case, I was offered the option of free loaner car for life, plus a bunch of free oil changes and discounts on maintenance -or- get an extra $300 off the price of the car. I figured after taking the free oil changes into account, I'd only need a couple trips to the dealer to compensate for whatever charges I'd occur getting a loaner car.
I chose the free loaner car. Not every dealer gives loaner cars, but for me it was a plus and one of many reasons why I chose to buy from this particular dealer.
Best of luck with getting your fixed to your satisfaction. Owning a car with a lot of problems, especially a new car, is a major bummer.
Adamczak, the cord to the heater is connected to the behind the radiator with clips. the service manual did not go into a lot of detail.
"I will not violate the copyright, other intellectual property rights or privacy right of any person..."
Secondly, the Terms of Use states:
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Pat has been assigned by me to CoHost with L8_Apex here. Thank you for showing more respect in the future and for adhering to the Town Hall Terms of Use. If you have any questions, feel free to write me. Thank you and Happy Posting!
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Manager, Community
Town Hall
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Beach15-My dealer doesn't give loaners, Howerver the one time I needed one, they paid for a rental.
Rattles- I have a few, but not much of a problem for me.
And the 300M weighs more like 3500lbs
If you prefer not to do that, maybe someone can tell me how to post the diagram here. I have it as a jpeg file.