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Chrysler 300M Transmission Problems

emmaremmar Member Posts: 3
I just purchased a 2001 300M with 57000 miles on it. I was driving it home thinking about how great it was running, shifting etc when the tranny disengaged. I could not do anything to get it back except that if I shut the car off and then turned it on again, I could crawl forward in drive as long as I did not go over about 1000 rpm. I lost reverse and all other gears. Engine codes P1684 and P0700. I have a hard time believing that the tranny went out at this mileage and wondered if anyone had had a similar problem. I should mention that this was the first drive of the car at a considerably higher altitude in case that has anything to do with it.

Comments

  • brendaloujwbrendaloujw Member Posts: 1
    I just had the same thing happen to me today!!! Someone told me that it might be the speed sensors...Have you had any luck on this problem???'

    Brenda
  • emmaremmar Member Posts: 3
    Well I have an answer but no luck involved except bad! - they checked the sensors and they are fine. I am now looking at having to rebuild the transmission.
  • hukill300mhukill300m Member Posts: 2
    I have an 01 300M at at 41,000 my transmission went out. Luckily since it was technically out of the 40,000 mile warranty I was able to get Chrysler to pay for the parts and I paid for the labor to get it rebuilt. Now at 151K it's starting to shift into neutral going down the road. It just started so I haven't been able to determine if there is a rhyme or reason but i'm afraid of what may lay ahead for my 300. I love the car and with the exception of the tranny I have had no problems.
  • emmaremmar Member Posts: 3
    When they rebuilt ours, they did say there were a lot of upgraded parts that they put in. I really hope that we don't have to go through this again!
  • hukill300mhukill300m Member Posts: 2
    The new one has lasted much longer than the factory one so that must be correct. I have also noticed my AM radio does not display the correct channel and occasionally the climate control goes plank for a few minutes. Nothing major, the transmission thing is my biggest concern right now. I have to pull over to the side of the road, stop for about 10 seconds and it shifts back into drive automatically. It seems like some sort of computer sensor (as I cross my fingers).
  • 1566may1566may Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 chrysler 300m the transmission changes great does not slip etc but I have a clunking sound all the time I crawled under the car and found I had lot off movement where the half shaft goes on to the output shaft I replaced the halfshaft & the clunking is still there I have play on the output shaft.
    I spoke to a tranny shop & he said the whole tranny needs to come out & be rebuilt along with diferential as he says that is where my clunking is coming from

    Is it possible to change the diff bearing without removing the tranny from the car ?
  • alciealcie Member Posts: 3
    on my 2000 300m with 79000 miles, the transmission sticks in second gear. I can tell, because if I shift to auto-stick that's where it stays. The speedometer stays at "0" and the RPM's go way up. This lasts a few miles, and then it works okay again. Once lasted 1/2 an hour, going 40 mph all the way home. I took it to a shop (not a dealer) and after several days of investigation, they say it is electronic - "the wires are all messed up/corroded". It works now, but no telling when it's going to give out again.
    have you ever seen these symptoms before?
    (btw - my car also displays the infamous "300m light show").
  • 300mtrailbar300mtrailbar Member Posts: 1
    I have had the same problem in the past with the speed sensor. My car would stay in second gear, my speedometer wouldnt move, and the car would turn off at high rpms. .. it was the speed sensor!
    now I am having problems.. I think it could be the tranny, I drive fine with any speed under 80miles an hour, then when I hit 80-85mph the engine light kicks in and the engine feels like it wants to stall shaking around...If any one can help me with some info of what might the problem be.
    thnx :shades:
  • loli6loli6 Member Posts: 1
    After reading through some of what has been posted I am convinced that Chrysler has a real problem on there hands.I own a 2004 last model of the 300M. It had 12K miles on it when I bought it. Very good at taking it in for updated services, etc. Last year "2007" is when I started having problems while it was still warrantee. Re-accuring problems with the surging of the engine as it shifts at even a low RPMs and then at 65 miles per hour, the RPMs would drop or go up. I also received an infamous 300M light show. Head lights/ dash lights flashing on and off day or night. Mostly when it was in the automatic switch mode. However the dome light also flashed on and off even when the lights were not on. and occasionally they will stay on. Another posting mentioned high alltitude might have played a part in the tranny problem. I also had more issues with higher climate areas as well. These problems have gone unsolvable by the dealer until the current visit to the dealer demanding to spend more time resolving this issue. I am currently having to rebuild the Transmission at $3200.00 and I have no warrantee to date. The lights still flicker, The engine has only 52,000.00 K miles on it. I am regreting the purchase of this car. and other unmentionables! L
  • alciealcie Member Posts: 3
    just to update the group - I finally took this into the dealer and told them I thought it was the sensor. They determined it was the wiring/computer, which was exactly what the original mechanic had told me. But the original mechanic couldn't fix it, being a computer. Chrysler dealer fixed it and I ended up paying around $600 for the deal, but now the car runs well.
    If only the hub caps/wheels didn't cause the tires to go flat (and the air conditioning fails even though I had it fixed 3 times in 3 months), I'd be a happy camper.
  • fordfan_17fordfan_17 Member Posts: 175
    chrysler 300 m owners with 722.6 Mercedes transmissions the case connector to the transmission leaks it needs to be checked and replaced if leaking just a known problem heads up. this trans can cost well over 5k$ at the dealership to get replaced.
  • jamz39jamz39 Member Posts: 1
    All of a sudden my 300m downshifts hard when it hits 30-32 mph. replaced both speed sensors. Still have the problem. Any ideas.
  • bricadbricad Member Posts: 1
    edited May 2010
    2002 300M--no check engine light on, auto transmission won't shift out of park into reverse or drive. Any ideas as to the cause??
  • dlumpkindlumpkin Member Posts: 2
    how much was it to get the air conditioning fixed...my fans don't blow out the front airways and the heater don't work...

    "my hooptie rollin, tail pipe draggin, heater don't work and my old ladys naggin"
  • kkollioskkollios Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2010
    2001 Chrysler 300 6 cyl Automatic 104000 miles

    When decelerating my car jolts then gets stuck in first gear. I turn it off then on and the problem goes away for a few miles. Our mechanic said the check engine light says" stuck in first gear". He flushed and conditioned the trans. For a few months now I have also been having problems with my interior and headlights flashing. Also the radio station presets change? new battery 1 month ago and problem still persists. Could these problems be related? Maybe fuses or electrical system or separate trans problem? Anyone ever hear of this?
  • ncp220ncp220 Member Posts: 1
    We just took our 300M to the dealer after if was stuck in 2nd gear. They stated it was a transmission valve body problem. $775.00 later it is supposed to be fixed...
  • goldenhoardgoldenhoard Member Posts: 1
    Have a 300M (2001) that has just stopped getting power to the wheels. Can shift into drive (from a stop and it will move but soon like it shifts itself into neutral....no go. Acts more like a control problem than a failed tranny. Car is sitting at my mechanic's lot waiting to be looked at. Don't want to trade trannies if that's not neccesary. Really love the car, hate to get rid of it for a lot of reasons,,,one is money...have very little now in this economy.
    Any thoughts at all for me and my mechanic??? Goldenhoard
  • groundlevel300groundlevel300 Member Posts: 3
    that happened to me and i had the transmission replaced then the second one started to slip3 months later and i replaced the speed sensor and havent had a problem with it since. also they told me driving with the auto stick tears them up and i quit using it and havent had a problem since. now one of my 300's has 300,000miles and drives great still.
  • srs273srs273 Member Posts: 3
  • srs273srs273 Member Posts: 3
    In 180000 miles my 2000 300m has beed good to me. But just yesterday with no warning the tranny started downshifting hard from 2nd to 1st. Also from a stop it wants to start in 2nd. When I try auto shift it wont stay in 1st at all, even at a stop, I try and try and it keeps popping into 2nd. Now going from 2,3,4 and back down 4,3,2 is smooth as always.
    I am VERY mechanical but trannys are complicated things that will have you chasing your tail. I tried to pull codes with the "key dance" and it seems to have no coes. (engine light is not on)
    any thoughts?
  • tp5277tp5277 Member Posts: 1
    Same issue. But you should call the Dept. O Transportation. There number is 800 424 9393 and they can force them to do recall.
  • nixit1nixit1 Member Posts: 1
    My Chrysler 300m will not go into gear. It is automatic and it will not move into gear. any suggestions would be helpful!
  • burneyjburneyj Member Posts: 1
    When your transmission (shifter) won't shift out of park to reverse it's because the shifter cable is lose/ off line. You need a shifter cable not a transmission.
  • hns72022hns72022 Member Posts: 1
    This is happening to now on my 2002 Chrysler 300m. Hard downshift to 2nd and the flickering interior and dash lights. Never would have thought the two things to be related. Did the flushing of the transmission solve the problem of downshifting?
  • grevo26maxxgrevo26maxx Member Posts: 2
    Ok so where is the speed sensor? I have a 01 300M and it will go into drive and then seconds later goes into what seems like neutral and if I give it some gas it goes back into drive again for a few more seconds, reverse does the same thing. is this a sensor or need tranny?
  • burneybburneyb Member Posts: 1
    It's neither it's just a shifter cable; believe it or not there is a belt call a shifter cable that allows you to shift from park, reverse, neutral to drive. Sometimes the shifter cable becomes damanged or loose if you spill soda or something into the area around your shifter.
  • grevo26maxxgrevo26maxx Member Posts: 2
    what ? Huh? Why did you reply to my post. A cable has nothing to do with my issues?
  • bruhnskabruhnska Member Posts: 4
    In the summer of '10 I drove out from Michigan to Nevada in my '02 300M special. Ont he way back, 3 hours out of vegas my car went suddenly into 2nd gear and I could not get out. So I drove at 30 mph for a few miles to get to the next (luckily big) city in Utah. After spending 4 days there, the problem was fixed. It turned out to be the TCM. It was called safe mode as to why it stays in a low gear so as to prevent further damage to the tranny at higher speeds. We thought starting though the Grand Canyon had soemthing to do with it. After we were on our way the check engine light came on again but drove fine, the car was just not made to do that kind of travel I guess. I am also experiancing light flickering, even after not being touched in a few days, still trying to figure that out, I posted my problem as a reply in electrical.
  • bruhnskabruhnska Member Posts: 4
    Also called Limp-Mode
  • pitmanoeuvrepitmanoeuvre Member Posts: 68
    edited July 2011
    There are alot of people having very much the same problems with the transmission going into limp-in mode etc. The first thing to consider (seemingly unrelated) , is that the transmission relies upon all of the sensors that are on the engine as well , to determine where & when to shift. The transmission is electronically controlled , which means that if your engine is not running properly or your electricals are not in good condition - you might have transmission problems as a result. The first thing moreover to consider are the connections to the battery (source) , they should be free of corrosion & not original. If they are old or bad , intermittent signals are sent to the PDC (Power Distribution Center) & passed on to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module) etc. , which can cause improper DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) as well. While all DTC's only point to the effected area - and never pinpoint the exact source for any code (according to the Chrysler Service Manuals) - even when using a DRB III testing unit. Even the DRB III cannot work correctly without a proper source battery & main connections (according to Chrysler & it's own manual).

    Things like , vacuum leaks in the engine - can cause late or hard downshifting where the engine RPM's are lower than normal , where the gears almost miss meshing (then they clunk) - because the transmission is still spinning faster than what the engine is (they are out of synch) - when the shift occurs , and while the sensors are no longer able to send a proper signal to the onboard electronics. So ... more than ever - your car's battery/cables & engine components must be in good condition to expect the transmission to work correctly. You must also , change the transmission filter & O-ring (that goes onto the valve body in the transmission oilpan) - just as you would for your engine , every 50,000 miles/77,000 km. They are not expensive.

    The primary cause of "check engine light" & other "flickering" of the instrument panel lights etc. - is caused by corroded aluminum battery post terminals & the "inline fuse link" on the positive battery cable. Which can be removed or replaced with a similar type fuse link (which is only a smaller portion of cable to disallow full current to overload the battery/PDC/PCM etc. combination) - and it can be discarded without any problem. After doing so - you will not have any instrument panel problems , or odd DTC's building up as a result of the intermittent power flow from the battery/alternator - charging system , etc. Otherwise , you could be replacing sensors until the wiring harness is capable of producing an increased efficiency within it's contents to make all sorts of DTC's or test findings/dashlights or symptoms - go away temporarily.

    Basically , these things work just like new spark plugs that still don't make the engine stop missing or hard to start - because of the fact that the spark plugs wires (or coil packs & connections) are faulty. But , changing the spark plug type or gap etc. , could produce some temporary results in these areas if you don't consider the power flow to the spark plugs. Obviously , once you replace the spark plug wires or coil packs etc. , and the problem is gone for a long period (with the new spark plugs) - you have solved the problem , and not just altered it.

    For example : If you were to remove an oxygen sensor from your exhaust , and you also had a faulty MAP sensor etc. as well , the electronics system can no longer calculate transmission & engine rpm's correctly - so "limp-in mode" is set as a result. Jumping to conclusions , with a bad battery/ terminals and cables , and/or engine component connections (ie: hoses), is the worst thing you can do.

    I have solved these problems on my 2002 300M Special , simply by ensuring the battery/cables & connections were good by replacing them with steel battery terminals & new cables. Aluminum is a poor conductor at best - and after years of exposure to the elements - they will show intermittent continuity or none at all in some places (whereas the cables may also produce these fluctuations full time as well) - due to inner corrosion or metal fatigue. Any on and off or up and down fluctuations in current flow can cause all sorts of sensor/computer problems , which the transmission relies upon. Any time you have a diagnosis of sensor problems , it's best to consider the power flow (and the fact that the vehicle is not in full operating conditions while it is checked at idle) , prior to replacing any. There are some mechanics who will inconsiderately replace any sensor that a tester tells them has a problem with voltage etc. This is like replacing your home PC , or it's components , when the wall plug or the main power cable is in terrible condition or slightly faulty (having been outside for 10 years). Today's cars are now effected by these intracacies.

    One sure way to test your battery posts/terminals & cables is to use a sensitive analog meter - and run the positive probe along the edges of surface , and note whether or not the meter needle swings from left to right while it is in a continuity mode. If it does at any point , you don't have constant continuity. As opposed to just setting the meter to the 50 volt range , and looking for 12 volts etc. , at any given single points. The connection should measure and have constant continuity at any point including the connections & surfaces. Inside an oxidized aluminum battery terminal clamp (where the connecting cables are soldered) - the cable is probably also oxidized (bad continuity). When NEW aluminum cables etc. are measured & tested - they will never show a loss of continuity. And if an analog tester can detect a fluctuation - then your car's computer will as well.
  • pitmanoeuvrepitmanoeuvre Member Posts: 68
    The 300M transmission has a built-in (brake pedal) safety switch , incorporated into the shifter cable mount , on the top of the transmission - which requires specific measurements to "set" the cable for proper alignment. If the cable/brake pedal switch is incorrectly set , the transmission might not engage properly , or the brake pedal safety switch may cause a malfunction in the normal electronic detection operation status , when used. There is a specific measurement that must be followed when installing/adjusting the cable's set point. The shifter lock/setting is NOT seperate as some others are. This entire setup works as follows :

    The cable itself shifts the transmission , but the switch is connected to the brake pedal , which must be pressed (safety feature) , or else the shifter release button will not unlock. When this incorporated setup is correctly set , you should test the shifter unlock button (front of shifter) , by attempting to move the shifter "without" pressing the brake pedal. If the shifter moves (without having pressed the brake pedal) - it is NOT set correctly , and a fault code may be recorded by the PCM as a result - or a short circuit could exist (lights flickering). When the incorporated cable/switch mount is set correctly , only when you have the brake pedal pressed (should the transmission come out of park).

    As far as hard downshifting or like symptoms , there are some factors involved that pertain to the transmission filter/fluid and fill volume. Firstly , the original transmission filter is of a specific type (spring loaded felt) , and has a Chrysler emblem stamped onto it's metal casing. Any other filter may be inadequate or perform abnormally (not the same filtering material and no internal filter spring). Secondly , the proper transmission fluid must be used (MOPAR ATF+4) , which "is" red in colour when poured , but it also appears as "blue" in it's entirety (brown would be very overused or aftermarket fluid). According to the Chrysler Service Manuals & Owner's Manual , the fluid should be (4 quarts) , which is the amount required to reach 1/8" below the cold mark as suggested by the Service Manual as the correct replacement amount (volume of transmission oilpan). "If" you only replace 4 quarts of new fluid , you will find that the transmission will not operate correctly , and that in fact , 5 quarts or slightly more is necessary "if" you allow the transmission to fully drain dry (so that you can more effectively get a seal when you reapply the silicone to the oil pan gasket). There is no drain plug or hole in the transmission oilpan. Moreover , both the Service Manual and the Owner's Manual specifically state that the use of "other" types of transmission fluids are NOT recommended , and that more frequent fluid and filter changes will be required if you do. Also , that the use of transmission fluid additives is absolutely NOT recommended. Case in point also - is that the actual MOPAR transmission fluid container states that it's contents (chemical/oil properties) - are specifically designed and include additives that protect and promote proper operation of the transmission [meaning : any other ATF+4 fluid is NOT specifically tested or made with the same additives required for proper operation of the Chrysler transmission]. The MOPAR transmission fluid DOES contain additives not found in all ATF+4 fluids. Note also , that the MOPAR container is 5 Litres (approx. 5 quarts) in volume - NOT 4 Litres (approx. 4 quarts).

    In some cases , even the Chrysler Service Manuals can be incorrect. You should refill the transmission with 5 quarts/litres of MOPAR ATF+4 fluid to achieve proper operations.
  • chaos50chaos50 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 300M, bought used. I live in Colorado, high altitude. At just under 94,000 miles, my transmission suffered from "catastrophic failure" according to my mechanic. The warning light came on while driving at freeway speed (but not in the mountains), several loud noises occured, and the transmission was gone. No gears whatsoever. Coasted to a safe stop (after midnight in a scary area) and had it towed to our mechanic the next day. He took out the entire transmission, and said he had never seen anything so destroyed, when he opened the case, chunks of metal and parts just fell out. So, we purchased a rebuilt transmission from Chrysler, to the tune of $3,000, along with a 3 year, 100,000 mile warranty on the tranny. 500 miles after replacement, while driving at night (naturally) along the interstate in the mountains, while trying to pass another car, loud clunk, light comes on, tranny goes into limp mode. Try climbing I-70 in Colorado in second gear sometime. We again limp to a safe spot, pay to have the piece of sh** towed and wait to hear on the warranty. Well, Chrysler says "there is no way that new transmission should have failed, you have to bring it to a dealer this time for repair". Fine. After being blown off and put off by the dealership for a week, as in "our mechanic has to analyze the codes to determine what's wrong", we finally get a call telling us......Wait for it.....the transmission has failed, but only to about a 50% extent this time, not 80% or more like last time, so instead of replacing the transmission, they strip it down and replace approximately 50 or more parts and components, declare it fixed, and send us on our way. The warranty did cover the repairs, so that was good, but we were out another tow bill, and left stranded by this craptacular car for a second time. Less than one month later, at exactly the same number of miles on this transmission, 517, while driving home from work, the warning light comes on again, and the car makes noises, and once again goes into "limp mode". Good news this time-it wasn't after dark, and we were able to limp to the dealership. Bad news.....the dealership's "transmission expert", and I use the term quite loosely, is out of town on vacation for a week, no doubt recovering from all the fantastic repairs he has done of late, but as soon as he is back, our car will be his TOP priority! So glad I read the stuff on this site, and learned about such things as speed sensors and torque converter problems, parking relay, throttle position sensor, gear ratio problems and the flashing light problems that I too have experienced. Will give me something more to discuss with the mechanic/dealership, but I fear that will mean that I will be given a bill for some other flukey thing in wiring or electronics that I will have to pay for, and that is what is killing the transmissions. Question? Since I am a taxpayer, and as such a part owner of this crap company-Chrysler since their bailout-can't I just give myself a new car out of inventory until I find one I like? Seriously, 3 failed transmissions in 3 months, all on a car with under 98,000 miles-and easy old lady miles, except when doing the occasional mountain trip.
    HATE THIS CAR!!!!!
  • snshne22snshne22 Member Posts: 2
    I feel your pain.....i just purchased a one owner (lie) less then a month ago .....under the influence of my fiance ....should have done toldthe car fax ....(liars) let me start this way i am a mechanic by trade except since i shattered my back i can't now.....i knew i knew never to buy a dodge or a Chrysler ....but i broke down and did to avoid an argument .....well i should have stood my ground...because i have had this POS LESS then a month and the trans they said was just replaced 20000 miles ago number one never was ....lie number two i am the third owner ......needless to say small claims court or Judge Judy is gonna love this one ...thank god my BFF works at a trans shop and his brother is top tech advisor and is only going to charge me for parts. But thats not the point ....i am a single mother of 4 i spent my income tax on a car that i was promised was reliable and still under warranty from a PRIVATE owner .....HA never again .....but i will tell you this it will be fixed ....and sold and this chick that i bought it from is going down .....yea she tried telling me after it broke down when it felt like i ran over two dead bodies that it was just a battery cable .....yea ok .....well when she told me that i can only speak to her lawyer anymore is when she drew the line .....i am after my money and BLOOD
  • snshne22snshne22 Member Posts: 2
    Let me add .....i have a 1998 Chevy Cavalier ....that has 270000 miles on it that won't die !! I will NEVER EVER OWN anything but GM again ....when its fixed ....its gone baby gone
  • pitmanoeuvrepitmanoeuvre Member Posts: 68
    Sorry to hear that mess , as my 300M Special is making me wonder why I didn't stick with Chrysler all these many years. GM makes a great car , but their repairs can be a total moneypit. It seems that the correct cars to buy are the luxury models. All Buicks are still doing well , whereas Pontiac is gone. Also , if I remember correctly over the years , many owners of old cars have : the luxury models.

    As far as any transmission goes , it's best to deal with the dealer who knows their cars best. Things like , inadequate or non-OEM transmission filters can raise both the temperature and pressures inside the transmission to the point where , as you experienced , the exact same thing occurs repeatedly. The transmission fluid must be OEM as well , and cannot be added to , mixed or otherwise adversely lubricated. The engine block coolant is exactly the same because of the use of more aluminum in these parts. They require good quality / correct lubrication. Aluminum is not strong , it is lightweight and more functionally durable if treated with the correct lubrication fulltime , so you can't grossly miss the service intervals to change the transmission or coolant fluids. Race engines are exactly like this if used on the street , or for whatever other reasons. They will work better , but only if you take proper care of them.

    I know that some service centers provide disgusting and inadequate service , GM being one of the best , whereas FORD is just absolutely unbelievably stupid. FORD broke my ignition switch at the dealership because they had no idea that my pickup had a slider lock that needed to be in the release position to turn the key. Their own vehicle , with claims of outrageous sales numbers , and they couldn't figure out how to turn the key into the run position to push the vehicle while it was getting an oilpan replacement. I guess they decided to move my truck while the engine was apart. And they gave it back to me with a broken lock/cylinder after the repair. To top that off , the starter motor was not properly installed , it got stuck in the on position where I had to get out while the engine and starter were turning together and pull the battery cable off with a wrench. Is that stupid or what? GM repairs will rack up alot of costs , but at least things will work or work out. Ford , takes your money and it doesn't run , work or remain in any kind of "same" condition.

    You mentioned that your miles were granny miles or whatever , and GM sure fits the bill on that kind of owner operation. Stand on it to the floor everywhere you go , well , expect the worst from just about any maker. Then there's the owner who NEVER changes anything , just drives the car until it stops type of user , and angrily enters the service bay.

    Sellers of cars , dealerships included , can sell you something that has been abused and NOT consider those details in terms of value. When I bought my 300M , I considered buying from someone who , at least claimed they never had any problems with the vehicle. And , no mechanic is going to put his time into a vehicle he knows has been abused. So... when you get to a mechanic , he has no choice but to put your vehicle through a thorough recap , where anything missed up to that point , cannot be corrected. This is also why some mechanics do lousy work , as they know the vehicle is a goner already. So.. they give you half of what you pay them on the spot in terms of service.

    It pays to put some money into maintainence , and NOT do the disgruntled owner thing when it comes time to do repairs. In other words : the old guys who drove right , and hit the service bay at 9am frequently , laughed all the way to the bank in the end. In fact , some of them bought the next car , and the next car , and the next car with the difference it made. What these lies all amount to : are lies designed to save enough money to pay for gas at par. Thanks to the compact car , lots of people are thinking that way. Sell the car once you know it's had enough of YOU , is NOT a good practice.

    My M doesn't take wooden nickles , although it might take a sip of good wine when it gets the chance. Goodbye FORD , have a nice day GM , GET LOST compact canary - and see you at the finish line Chrysler , with bells on.
  • pitmanoeuvrepitmanoeuvre Member Posts: 68
    edited March 2012
    As an added note to my most recent post , I have to say that it's NOT a good idea to try to participate in forums that collect alot of foolish owners who constantly try to play up their knowledge about a particular car or vehicle type on a daily basis. #1 , they have nothing else to do , and #2 , they are NOT the type of car crazy person who can work on ANY vehicle and make it sing. They are : picky , overly opinionated , and downright unable to communicate , especially when they are wrong , or worse : shown up.

    In fact , they are the only people I find that can spend all of their time with a service manual in their hand , and still mess up every single vehicle or owner who comes their way. Especially where they have extensive experience , it is not a surprise to see them running a vehicle where the stabilizers are absent or have been removed for convienience. Right away , they are OUT OF MY MIND. NOBODY , and I mean nobody could do or show that they have NO BRAINS that much - but they do. Why would I trust their winey attitude towards particulars? In other words , if they aren't getting their way , your car will suffer the consequences. And buying something they worked on , you might do just as good at the scrap yard.

    Example : did you know that the part number on your bulbs is : 1157. WOW. Good thing you knew that cuzz I might have thought they were 1156 or some other number. Geez thanks alot , now I can consider myself DOT informed. NO stupid , work the car , not the number. And I suppose I have to explain WHY I would work the car and NOT the numbers? Don't you think anybody realizes YOU WORK THE NUMBERS?

    If you rely upon the numbers used when you buy a car , chances are : the number you will be left with from these winners is : (0) at the end of the day. Good thing they don't stock your fridge.
  • ronm7ronm7 Member Posts: 1
    Last summer (when it was hot and we were running the A/C then stopped briefly at Starbucks), we had a similar situation with our 01 Chrysler 300M but thank goodness we were much closer to home and had the car towed. After replacing the fuse, TCM relay, the TCM itself (three times), the 2/4 shift pack, the car ran fine for a month then went into limp mode again with the trouble code of P1788. We had the car towed to a transmission shop and the tech checked the wiring harness that goes from the transmission to the TCM for continuity and found a problem. We found a used wiring harness from a wrecking yard and when the tech pulled the harness out, the plastic coating on the wires were completely melted together and some wires were shorting out. The car still went into limp mode and after diagnosis from the dealer the recommendation was to rebuild the valve body. We found a shop where the tech had worked at the dealership and had experience with this problem. He rebuilt our car's valve body with an upgraded rebuild kit and the actual valve body itself had some kind of hairline crack or another flaw, so he rebuilt another used valve body and the car now works great with better shifting and no problems. Since the wiring harness is clipped to the transmission and the engine, we were told it is common for the harness to melt and cause problems as the catalytic converters run right below the transmission and it gets blazing hot in that area especially in the summer.
  • pitmanoeuvrepitmanoeuvre Member Posts: 68
    It's a good idea to have your alternator output checked at idle whenever you are going to rely upon fault codes , to see if the output is normal instead of maximum full time. Maximum full time suggests either a bad battery or voltage regulator/alternator , or just plain old shorting wiring within the harness etc.

    That test can save you alot of time and money replacing parts.
  • knipplerpinknipplerpin Member Posts: 1
    Just came across your post - did you ever figure out the problem as my 300m has a similar issue.
  • alciealcie Member Posts: 3
    yes, but can't remember all the details now. My husband says it was a "switch" - something electrical - it wasn't very expensive to fix, but that's all I remember now. Now I'm trying to sell it - 2000 300m with 90K miles.
  • cinnamon55cinnamon55 Member Posts: 1
    i too had the same problem with my 300m 2003. I took it to an independent repair shop and found that my solenoid switch was sticking. And get this, Chrysler knows all about this. Service bulletin 21-008-04 REV.A tells which ones are bad. Date range between 3001 and 0603 (to read this the first 3 characters are the day of the year, the 4th is the year, ie.3001 is the 300th day of 2001) I called Chrysler about this and got the runaround. Because I took it to an ind service center, they wouldn't consider paying for the part even though they knew the part was bad.
  • burns290burns290 Member Posts: 1
    Hi Everyone -This morning my 2004 300M (110k miles) started fine, but when I shifted into reverse to back out of the garage...nothing. The shift knob moved freely and correctly to R...but no shift or movement by the car. I thought that was odd...so I went from R to D to P and still no shifty. Tried this about twice more and let it sit in R for 20+ seconds and still nada. So then I shut off the car, immediately re started it, and voila ! everything is fine and drove fine at interstate speeds.

    FYI-Trans has not had a filter or fluid change ever as far as I can tell. I will get that scheduled unless the symptom above is going to end up with the word catastrophic in it.
  • harry95harry95 Member Posts: 1
    when slowing down to make a turn, I get a klunk and the transmission will not shift out of 1st gear. This is a 2002 chrysler 300m with 86000 carefully driven miles.
  • bluefish001bluefish001 Member Posts: 1

    My Chrysler 300 M (2003) has developed transmission issue that doesn't appear to be duplicated in this particular forum or anywhere else that I can find. The problem is somewhat intermittent and only occurs when the temperature outside is above 55 to 60°. When the temperature is above this temperature the transmission will occasionally slip into limp in mode after a prolonged drive and you decelerate to a stop. It appears to be related to sustained driving in fourth gear and the transmission being unable to downshift. Proceeding the limp in mode the transmission will have an audible clunk sound. Oddly, turning the car off and turning it back on clears the limp in mode and the car is able to be driven again.

    The dealership replaced the solenoid pack and the valve body a year and a half ago and the problem seemed to be gone for "of course the length of the warranty work" one year. But started acting up just before the winter season. I persevered assuming that I only had a few months of driving before the transmission gave out completely. But then the winter months set in and the transmission performed flawlessly for the 3 to 4 months of extreme cold.

    I dropped the pan a day ago and there was no extreme issues to report. The fluids fine, no debris in the pan beyond the normal. I did discover however that one of the screws in the valve body had been stripped assumedly by the dealer when the valve body was replaced. I'm very suspicious that this may be the cause of the problem. But I'm hoping that maybe somebody has had a similar issue and can shed some light on this for me.

  • roxie1979roxie1979 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 300m base. 155,000 miles.
    Downshifts hard sometimes when slowing down. Then will start off with high rpms when driving off from that stop. I have to pull over and turn off engine, then restart car and it will run fine until the next occurance. Light is on on dash. Got it checked. Need solenoid. 600$ quote. I read some stuff online and thought it might of been input output sensor. Well just the input cuz the speedometer won't work with output being bad. But was planning on changing both at same time. But it ended up being solenoid :(.
  • sara7888sara7888 Member Posts: 1
    My 00' 300M is possible having Transmission issues... I don't hear noises but when it shifts into 2nd it jolts a little. Now I smell burning. How long do you think my car could go? It drives nice besides the switch in 2nd. Also my head light stay on  sometime by it self.  Ugh Thank you!
  • rufuglyrufugly Member Posts: 6
    I wonder how many people just driving along suddenly has their 300m go into limp mode. While getting catastrophic failure code. Then how many nervously take car to mechanic or dealer only to be given news of a fatally wounded tranny. Had they just investigated a little to find when proximity sensor fails it interprets the problem as a disconnect between flywheel and transmission. When it's just a 50 dollar sensor saying it doesn't detect flywheel movement which happens when sensor doesn't work. Better to get new sensor. There are two one smaller one larger. Get the larger one a deep 17 mm socket maybe 19 mm and change in 5 min. Saving thousands. Too many mechanics ready and willing to sell you new tranny and take your perfectly good tranny and sell on Craigslist. 
  • rufuglyrufugly Member Posts: 6
    I bought my 99 300m in 2004. It had 115k on it I paid 5 k for it at dealer auction. I drove that car 10 years for another 120k more before I sold it. All I ever had to fix was hub on r and l front two prox sensors on tranny air blend door actuator and alternator. Oh yes and that tricky ground terminal under back seat causing fuel pump to randomly work then fail. It never failed while driving only after parking and shutting off engine. I hardwired to ground bypassing connector never had another problem. I figure all in all that car cost me maybe 60 dollars a month. 
  • Aquarias1000Aquarias1000 Member Posts: 1
    My 300M has been setting for a long time now maybe 8 years , but started and run every couple months , runs fine shifts fine and no check eng light untill I dug it out and Insured it for a year haha , took it for a drive after temp reaching closed loop , but guess what when I drove it there was no speedo, and the check eng light came on , when I slowed down for some tracks it died, but cranked very easily, after going to the end of the road to turn around it died again , after parking I through the the matco scan tool on it, codes p0605 and p0700 apeared. If your expirenced in this area you opinion would be appreciated ! 
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