The Chrysler 300 is a full-size four-door sedan. The second generation ran from the 2011 model year through the end of production in 2023. It uses the LX platform, which it shares with the Dodge Charger and Challenger, and it keeps a layout that most large sedans abandoned: a longitudinal engine driving the rear wheels, with all-wheel drive available on V6 cars.<\/p>\n
Two engine families cover nearly every 300 on the road. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 is the volume engine and is offered with rear- or all-wheel drive. The 5.7L HEMI V8 is rear-wheel drive only and powers the 300S V8, 300C, and the 300C Platinum. Early 2011 and 2012 cars used a five-speed automatic behind the V6; from 2013 on, almost all 300s use the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic, which Chrysler calls TorqueFlite 8.<\/p>\n
Trim names changed over the years but the structure stayed consistent: a base Touring or 300 Touring, a sport-themed 300S, and a luxury-themed 300C or 300C Platinum. A limited 300C with the 6.4L HEMI closed out the 2023 model year in small numbers.<\/p>\n
The 300 is tuned for quiet highway travel rather than sharp handling. The cabin is wide, the rear seat is genuinely roomy for adults, and the trunk is large. The V8 cars use a cylinder deactivation system Chrysler calls Multi-Displacement System, which shuts down four cylinders under light load to save fuel. You may hear a slight change in exhaust note when it switches modes. That is normal.<\/p>\n
The 300 is a conventional, mechanically straightforward car. Parts are widely available because the drivetrain is shared across several Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products. That keeps most service predictable.<\/p>\n
Suspension bushings, sway bar end links, and front lower control arms are common wear items once the car passes the 90,000 mile mark. On all-wheel-drive cars, the front axle disconnect system and the transfer case need occasional attention. If you hear a clunk over bumps or feel a vibration that comes and goes with speed, have the front end inspected before you replace tires.<\/p>\n
Most of what a 300 needs over its life is work that does not require a lift. Oil and filter changes, brake pads and rotors, battery replacement and testing, alternator and starter work, spark plugs and coils, belts, sensors, and diagnostic scans can all be performed where the car is parked.<\/p>\n
That matters on a car like this for two practical reasons. First, the 300 is large and heavy, so a dead battery or a seized brake caliper is an expensive tow. A mechanic who comes to you removes that step. Second, many 300 complaints are electrical or electronic, and those are diagnosed by scanning the car and reproducing the fault, not by putting it in the air. A certified mobile mechanic can connect to the vehicle in your driveway, read codes from the engine, transmission, and body modules, and tell you what is actually failing before any parts are ordered.<\/p>\n
Work that genuinely needs a shop, such as internal transmission repair, major cooling system teardown, or suspension work requiring an alignment rack, is identified up front so you are not surprised partway through.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size rear-wheel-drive sedan built from 2011 through 2023, offered with V6 and HEMI V8 power and available all-wheel drive. It pairs traditional body-on-ladder-style comfort with modern Uconnect electronics, and most routine service can be done in a driveway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_novo_reviewed":"1","_novo_make_slug":"chrysler","_novo_model_name":"300","_novo_years":"","_novo_spec_engine":"3.6L V6 \/ 5.7L V8 HEMI (limited 6.4L V8)","_novo_spec_transmission":"5-speed automatic (2011-2012 V6) \/ 8-speed automatic","_novo_spec_drivetrain":"RWD \/ AWD (V6 only)","_novo_spec_mpg":"17-23 combined","_novo_spec_seats":"5","_novo_spec_body":"Full-size sedan","_novo_rating":4.5,"_novo_rating_label":"","_novo_year_ratings":[],"_novo_owner_reviews":[],"_novo_comparisons":[],"_novo_intro_heading":"","_novo_features":["Rear-wheel drive with available all-wheel drive on V6 models","3.6L Pentastar V6 or 5.7L HEMI V8 engine options","Eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic with rotary shift dial (2013 and later)","Uconnect touchscreen with available navigation and SiriusXM","Available panoramic dual-pane sunroof","Heated and ventilated front seats with heated steering wheel","Available Nappa or quilted leather interior on 300C and Platinum trims","Available adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and forward collision warning"],"_novo_faqs":[{"q":"How often should I change the oil in a Chrysler 300?","a":"Both the V6 and V8 use full synthetic oil, and the car tracks its own interval through the oil life monitor in the instrument cluster. Follow that display and reset it after each change. If the car does mostly short trips, heavy idling, or towing, change it earlier than the monitor suggests."},{"q":"Is the 5.7L HEMI V8 expensive to maintain compared to the V6?","a":"Routine maintenance is similar in type but larger in scope. The HEMI uses sixteen spark plugs instead of eight, holds more oil, and goes through brakes faster because of the extra power and weight. Fuel use is also higher. The V6 is the simpler car to own day to day."},{"q":"Where is the battery on a Chrysler 300?","a":"On most second-generation 300s the battery is in the trunk, typically under the floor panel on the passenger side. There are remote positive and negative jump posts under the hood for jump-starting so you do not need to open the trunk in an emergency."},{"q":"Does the eight-speed transmission need fluid service?","a":"The factory describes the fluid as filled for life under normal use, but a drain and fill at regular intervals is sound preventive maintenance, especially on cars driven in heavy traffic, in hot climates, or with a trailer. The unit requires a specific fluid type and a fill procedure done at a set fluid temperature, so it is not a job for generic ATF."},{"q":"Can a mobile mechanic work on a Chrysler 300 at my house?","a":"Yes, for most common jobs. Oil changes, brakes, batteries, alternators and starters, coils and spark plugs, sensors, and full diagnostic scans are all driveway work. Internal transmission repair, major cooling system jobs, and anything needing a wheel alignment still require a shop, and you will be told that before work begins."},{"q":"Is the all-wheel-drive version worth having?","a":"If you drive in snow regularly, yes. The system disconnects the front axle when it is not needed, so the fuel economy penalty is modest. It adds a transfer case, front driveshaft, and an axle disconnect actuator to the list of parts that can eventually need service, and it is only offered with the V6."}],"_novo_target_keyword":"","_novo_meta_title":"","_novo_meta_description":"","footnotes":""},"novo-vehicle-kinds":[34],"novo-makes":[64],"novo-problems":[],"novo-body-types":[231],"novo-fuel-types":[212],"class_list":["post-1865","novo_vehicle","type-novo_vehicle","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-vehicles\/1865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-vehicles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/novo_vehicle"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-vehicles\/1865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1876,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-vehicles\/1865\/revisions\/1876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novo_vehicle_kind","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-vehicle-kinds?post=1865"},{"taxonomy":"novo_make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-makes?post=1865"},{"taxonomy":"novo_problem","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-problems?post=1865"},{"taxonomy":"novo_body_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-body-types?post=1865"},{"taxonomy":"novo_fuel_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.novorepairs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novo-fuel-types?post=1865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}