Chrysler 300M: Problems & Solutions

bigmike5 · February 2005

Here is the promised part number for the wiper switch on the 99M. Module #46022882AH Cost:$225.00 plus $105.00 Labor. My dealer is usually about 25-30% above what you can find OEM parts for if you look hard elsewhere.

Anyone have a part number for the wiper relay, if there is such a bird. I plan on trying that next as the switch appeared to improve but did not solve the problem I had. [Instead of the time between the sweeps changing based upon rotation of the stalk control, the little rascal sweeps multiple times or not at random even on the long intervals. Might do one sweep as it should on the first detent, but it might do 3 instead. It developed a mind of its own on how many times it will sweep on each delay setting.] If the relay doesn't work I will try to price out a new turn stalk and see what that goes for.

farmerbill · February 2005

I broke the plastic housing of the right side mirror on my 2000 300M. The mirror works fine but looks bad. I haven't been able to find a new after-market mirror with memory or one from a junkyard around Louisville, KY and $200 more or less from a dealer for a new one seems kinda steep.

The used parts guys have quoted me $100 to $125, if they had one. Still kinda steep, but maybe that's as good as it gets.

It seems like the shell is the same for 300M's, Intrepids, Concordes and the LHS. Does anyone know if I can take the innards out of my broken shell and put them in a shell from a less expensive (non-memory) mirror?

Any ideas or sources appreciated.
Bill Carner

farmerbill, Corydon, Indiana

njerald · February 2005

Have you heard of EBAY????????????

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&ite- m=7955785763&category=6763

You don't need a memory mirror just a motorized one. The memory signal comes from the seat-mirror memory module and controls the motor on the mirror.

I don't know about changing the mirror itself out.

You'll just have to watch the EBAY listings.

intrepidspirit · February 2005

A mirror & housing from a 2003 (for example) has different dimensions than a 2000. I noticed a few scratches on my 2003 mirror when I got it and I wanted to swap mirrors with my 2000 which was going in for lease turn-in. The mirrors were different sizes so I didn't pursue it...

If you were replacing both the mirror and housing, the size difference may not be noticeable.

crazyhorse2 · February 2005

FYI: 3" dash speaker 'fills out' the front sound stage effect for acoustical purposes. As a demonstration of this principle, listen to your favorite music piece with your eyes closed [certainly not when you are driving]. It will seem like the performance is originating from the front center of the cabin. Disconnect the center speaker and you will be more able to discern the performance to your door speakers [creating a spatial "gap" in the soundstage]. It's like surround sound without the discrete channels. Audiobahn has 3" speakers rated at 60 watts RMS for those who are interested. I do not know if they fit depth wise... I am unfamiliar with construction of 300's dash.

crazyhorse2 · March 2005

Oops. Need to clarify reference for "3 inch dash speaker." The OEM Speaker is actually a 2.5" speaker, I read on one of these enthusiast sites a guy had great success with replacing the 2.5 with a 3 in the dash.

valeriec · March 2005

For the last week we've heard a very loud buzzing sound from the rear door lock when the lock is operated electronically - either through the auto lock function (when you hit 15 mph) or by locking the car with the remote. Does anybody have any idea what might be causing this?

tayl0rd · March 2005

Yes. It's a broken/slipping gear on the lock actuator.

bassamme · March 2005

I had to change both locks on the driver side (front and rear)about a year ago. They failed within a week from each other. Last week the passenger side rear door lock started buzzing. So off to the dealer this week. A recalls on these locks?

my300m · March 2005

Hello Everyone, I'm a new owner of a 2000 300M with 43K miles and I must say I enjoy the car! Now that I've got the car, I'm going to spend a couple of days getting familiar with it. The one thing I did noticed during my first drive at night was that the cruise control lights do not illuminate...is that a standard feature of the car or are they suppose to light up? I would have to believe they light up because it is difficult to find them at night. Anyway, if they do, how do I fix the problem? Appreciate any insight!

tayl0rd · March 2005

Congrats on your "new" M!! Sorry, but the cruise buttons don't light up. It's a bummer.

randyinwa · March 2005

I have the same problem as msg 104 (see below).. my 300m is a 2000 with 54k miles... Has anyone a clue? I didn't see any post/reply for his post.

BTW... glad I found this group.. looks like a bunch of good info n nice people... :}

Randy

#104 of 218 Growl by del12 United States of America Jan 30, 2004 (10:49 am)

My 30M, 25,000 miles has a "Tony the Tiger" growl. This only happens when the engine is cold. When I put it in gear and give it gas I get this growl. Let off on the accelerator, growl stops, accelerate again-more growl. The local 5* dealer says the noise appears to be from the engine exhaust system and this is normal for all 2002's per the factory rep. Anyone else with this problem?

tayl0rd · March 2005

That's just the 3.5L beast under the hood getting ready for action! ;p

Just kidding. It could possibly be a loose heat shield around the exhaust manifold or the catalytic convertors. What RPM range does it occur? I have on '02 Special and have no "growl" to speak, of other than the exhaust note.

tayl0rd · March 2005

UPDATE:

Still no luck finding the problem with my Nav radio. It works sporadically. It'll go a few days and work just fine then, out of the blue, it'll start acting up again. I am so not wanting to have to buy another one. It would stink to buy a new one only to turn around and trade the car for the new M45. But that probably won't be happening for a while.

Could it be a faulty circuit or fuse? Don't know if I told you guys this before or not, but when it "stops" working, the audio portion will still work. It's just stuck on the last radio station or disc it was on the last time I turned the car off. The display and all of the buttons won't work. The only thing that will work is the volume (steering wheel volume buttons and the radio knob). If I accidentally leave it on satellite radio when I turn it off, it will default to the CD changer when I start the car again. I'm still wondering if it's a problem with my Sirius receiver and not the actual radio itself. As has been happening, after a long period, it will finally "boot up." If I'm driving for a half hour or more, the "boot screen" will appear and all functions return as if nothing ever happened.

Aren't there any electronics savvy (circuits and repair-wise) folks here?

my300m · March 2005

Thanks! After I sent the message out, I did a little more searching in the forum and found out that they don't illuminate! You are right, not only is that a bummer, but it's stupid. Anyway...you wouldn't happen to know how to change out the driver map light would you? I know, stupid question, but until I get the service/repair manuals, I'm on my own and it doesn't look obvious...

my300m · March 2005

Does anybody know where I can get my hands on repair/service manuals on CD that covers the 2000 M? So far, all I can find are the Haynes manuals which aren't bad, but I'd like to get CDs if I could...

quietflyer · March 2005

I don't know if you can get CDs for the service manuals, but you can get the service manual in book form. Look in the back of your owner's manual, there is a form to order a Chrysler service manual. I ordered one for my '99 300M and it is very complete (1-1/2" thick, very thin paper!).

illini4 · March 2005

This condition is caused by one of the drive belts (serpentine or v-belt). It can be eleminated or minimized by tightening them, but as soon as they stretch again, the growl will return. There's a TSB on this.

tayl0rd · March 2005

Am I searching wrong or does no one on Ebay offer the update disc for the RB1 Navigation radio anymore?? I'm wondering if I might have a firmware problem that an update would fix.

njerald · March 2005

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7961558109&category=342- 17

All 4 manuals. There are many other listings also.

my300m · March 2005

Thanks for the info.....

faulkner · March 2005

I have a 2001 300M with 56,000 miles. Recently the engine light comes on for about 2 seconds and then goes off. There has been NO code history generated to read and determine what is causing the problem. Sometimes the oil lamp will light up just after the engine light comes on but not always. When the engine light comes on and I'm idling the engine will quit. If I am moving and the engine light comes on the car will 'miss' or 'lurch' as if the gas has been shut off for a second, the engine light goes off, then everything is OK. This happens once or twice a day up to 20 times a day or more sometimes. I have replaced the oil level sensor, map sensor, crank sensor and cam sensor - nothing has helped. I need help if anyone knows what is causing this problem or what to check to correct the problem! ANY suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

tayl0rd · March 2005

Bad fuel injector(s)/filter? Low oil? Bad transmission sensor? A fuel line leak letting air in? You need to give us more details on what you've checked and what kind of driving/conditions are occuring when the lights come on, i.e. hard cornering, heavy braking, heavy acceleration, etc.

faulkner · March 2005

I believe the injectors are OK. The oil level is fine. The light comes on at ANY time whether I am on the interstate doing 70MPH or doing 30MPH in a straight line. It seems to stall more when I am idling. It has stalled twice out of about 75 times when I was cornering.

intrepidspirit · March 2005

Is this the "check engine" light? If so, this could be almost anything from a loose gas cap to a main computer malfunction.

The main computer failed in my 2000 at around 35,500 miles (thankfully under warranty). I had little warning -- the light came on at the start of a 25 mile trip. When I got to my destination, it was lurching and stalling and I parked it. When I got back to the car an hour or so later, it would not start. The main computer was replaced under warranty, so I don't know how much it cost.

The catalytic convertor can be a major source of these problems as well...

renard1 · March 2005

renard1 · March 2005

I HAVE A 01 300M, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND TURNS OFF, THE CAR LOOSES POWER AND JERKS, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. SOMETIMES IT RUNS WELL THEN STARTS TO JERK, MECHANIC SAYS IT'S FROM 6TH FUEL INJ WIRES, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.HOW CAN I FIND THE PROBLEM, I CAN BE DRIVING JUST FINE, GET SOMEWHERE,TURN VEH OFF. WHEN I GET BACK IN A LITTLE LATER, LIGHT LIGHTS UP AND VEH BEGINS TO SHAKE. ANYONE HAVE THAT PROBLEM, AND HOW DID THEY FIX IT?

illini4 · March 2005

I don't remember where I saw it, but it had to be in this or some other forum. Regardless, it boiled down to tighten or replace the drive belts.

drummerboy3 · April 2005

Hey, bro-
thanks for the info. I bought a 99 300M on Easter Sunday for my wife. We love it! Ihave noticed that the same speaker is blown also. This info is great because now I know I could do it myself( the dealer wanted $300 to do it!)
I also noticed that my headlights are faded and kinda weathered. Headlights are pretty expensive and I wondered if anyone out there knows how to get them clear and bright again...

tayl0rd · April 2005

Yes, there is a way to get them clear again. First, try some plastic polish. If that doesn't work, try some glass polish. Zaino makes a very mildly abrasive glass polish. www.zainostore.com.

Worst case scenario, you can remove the cover and simply use some Windex or soap and water to clean the under side of the cover. Warning: It will NOT be easy to remove the cover; it's hard enough just to get the headlight itself out, let alone the cover. If you do remove the cover, make sure you have some silicone or other gasket type sealant to seal the cover back on.

Anyway, do a search of this forum for cleaning the headlights. I believe it has been discussed several times here and on the other 300M board.

quietflyer · April 2005

Congratulations on buying your '99. I had the same problem with the headlights on my '99 300M. Look in the Chrysler 300M forum, message page 1288, message #25750. I detailed what I did to clean my lights. It helps if you know how to remove the lights from the car but you can do it with them in place if you are careful (paint around lights scratches easier than lenses!) My lights still look good after four months. I now have 91,600 miles on my 300M and still enjoy driving it. Last month I bought the BF Goodrich Traction T/A tires and am very satisfied with them.

laurasdada · April 2005

DB3: What color is your '99 M? Are you in New England?
I traded my Platinum '99 for an '05 Acura TL (great car, like the M) and am wondering where my M has gone...!

drummerboy3 · April 2005

My 300 is also platinum. It's an awesome color. My wife and I really like it :shades: . We're in Los Angeles, CA.

intrepidspirit · April 2005

"I traded my Platinum '99 for an '05 Acura TL (great car, like the M) and am wondering where my M has gone...!"

Buying an '05 Acura TL -- $35,000

Trading in your '99 300M -- $5,000 back

Being able to let go of your '99 300M...
Being able to let go of your '99 300M...
Being able to let go of your '99 300M...priceless!

I feel for you! I solved my letting go problem by buying another 300M!

laurasdada · April 2005

I don't think I want to let go of my M, it was too good of an ownership/driving experience. But my lust for new pretty young things got the best of me!

And:

'05 TL (Non-Nav) <$31k

Trade '99M -- $6k back. That hurt, I was really hoping for at least $8k. But, again, that lust thing just took over...

Who knows, the next version of the 300 = Lust???

laurasdada · April 2005

Ok, DB3: Black interior? Chrome wheels? How many miles when you bought it? Unlikely, but maybe it is my Platinum Bullet??? Was there a lot of spare change in/under the driver's seat?!

merv1 · April 2005

Had a recurring snapping noise on the front which only went away when I replaced the front wheel bearing - do not replace with the cheap "made in China" version - I have replaced three of these, some with only 5-10 miles - one set actually snapped coming off the hoist!! Spend the extra money and get the US version (SKF brand) and the problem goes away. I completely wore out a China bearing in 10,000 freeway miles. I tried replacing lower control arm ( for the ball joint) and the drive shaft for CV's,but neither fixed the problem.

merv1 · April 2005

My blower motor won't work - fuse is OK. How do I get to the blower motor to check to see if the motor is open-circuit or not? Are there any other known problems with this component/system that have the same failure mode?

charlesf1 · April 2005

I live in the Los Angeles, CA area. Where can I get a pair of clear headlight lens covers?

gsinclair · April 2005

I have the same problem....always starts though....dealer can't find the problem.....have you been able to find out how to correct?

gsinclair · April 2005

gsinclair · April 2005

Have a problem with my climate control....fan control doesn't work and when I try pushing the off button...it doesn't go off but have increased fan. Any solutions?

bigmike5 · April 2005

If the fuse is ok then you need to see if there is a relay for the blower. There are relays for a lot of things in the car, the ignition for one. When I had a starter problem it turned out to be a $10 relay. So see if there is a relay associated with the blower. Start there.

bigmike5 · April 2005

Will be up your way the end of June. Second grandbaby due the 26th. My son got some Monstah Seats for the 1 July game at Fenway. $100 a pop. Hope they have won a game by then. lol. :shades:

merv1 · April 2005

Checked the blower by disconnecting the blower power plug under the glove box and putting power to the plug terminals - blower works fine. Now going to replace the speed resistor element. Thanks for the input.

laurasdada · April 2005

Good timing, Mike. The Sawx are off the schneid... Only a game behind the Yanks! I hate the Yankees. Congrats on grandkid #2. Hope you fit in Fenway, Big!

Again, if anybody buys a '99M, Platinum ext., Charcoal int, Chrome Razorstars with around 67,000 miles at time of purchase, post it. I'd really like to know my M has found a good home. And maybe get all the loose change under the driver's seat back! Premium gas is expensive!!!! As are Monstah seats at the Pahk!
Wicked pissah!

purpur · April 2005

I put on BF Goodrich traction ta's

purpur · April 2005

purpur · April 2005

I hear a knocking noise from the front end when I go over small bumps. garage said front end was tight. Any suggestions

drummerboy3 · April 2005

It's got the leather black interior, has 56K Miles, but has the factory painted alloys. And I didn't find any spare change!
By the way, the center dash speaker was blown too. I took your advice on how to remove the a pillars and dash, and boy!

was it easy! I unplugged the speaker and the system sounds great. I hardly miss that speaker! thanks again for the info!

Chrysler 300M: Problems & Solutions

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Chrysler 300M: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Chrysler 300M: Problems & Solutions