YearToAvoid

2011 Chrysler 300 Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 26 engine-area complaints for the 2011 Chrysler 300, 13% of its 200 total complaints for the year. Median mileage at failure was 47,000. No related recalls are listed for this engine cluster, though one owner references a separate electrical-system campaign.

Engine complaints
26
13% of 200
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
47,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Some owners report sudden unintended engine surge or stall at low speed, in a few cases leading to a crash.
  • Several complaints describe the alternator overheating, smelling burnt, or catching fire, often paired with a battery-saver warning light.
  • Owners report the engine stalling at highway or city speed while a battery-saver indicator illuminated and smoke was seen or smelled from the vents.
  • A cluster of complaints describes the check engine light staying on, in one case tied to a cylinder head replacement on the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.
  • One owner reported an early fuel-delivery failure caused by a faulty engine management computer dumping excess fuel into the cylinders.
  • Multiple owners describe the vehicle shutting down completely at a stop with a 'system error' message, later attributed to the alternator.

When 2011 Chrysler 300 engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 29, 2011, latest Aug 12, 2023.

2011 Chrysler 300 engine complaints: complaints filed per month3Jun 2011Mar 2013Jul 2014Jan 2015May 2015Sep 2017Feb 2020Aug 2023
26 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2011 to Aug 2023; peak Dec 2014 (3).

Engine recalls for the 2011 Chrysler 300

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by 300 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005116 (14%)
  2. 2006236 (24%)
  3. 200767 (13%)
  4. 200889 (12%)
  5. 200913 (16%)
  6. 201020 (16%)
  7. 201126 (13%)
  8. 201276 (18%)
  9. 201350 (16%)
  10. 201440 (17%)
  11. 201514 (14%)
  12. 20168 (11%)
  13. 20174 (5%)
  14. 20187 (5%)
  15. 20194 (7%)
  16. 20200 (0%)
  17. 20214 (20%)
  18. 20220 (0%)
  19. 20230 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2011 Chrysler 300?
NHTSA lists 26 engine-area complaints for the 2011 Chrysler 300, which is 13% of the 200 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2011 Chrysler 300 engine?
No recalls are listed specifically for this engine complaint cluster, though one sample complaint references a separate electrical-system recall (campaign 14V634000).
At what mileage do 2011 Chrysler 300 engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for engine-area complaints on the 2011 Chrysler 300 is 47,000 miles.
Are the engine problems on the 2011 Chrysler 300 dangerous?
NHTSA data shows 3 crashes and 2 fires tied to this complaint cluster, with no reported injuries.
Is the 2011 Chrysler 300 worse than other years for engine complaints?
The 2011 model's 13% share of complaints tied to the engine area is lower than 2010 (16%), 2012 (18%), 2013 (16%), and 2014 (17%), based on NHTSA data.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.