YearToAvoid

2005 Chrysler 300C Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2005 Chrysler 300C ranks 2nd worst out of 13 model years, with a complaint index of 92 and 288 complaints. Fuel system problems dominate at 48% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 77,000 miles, and one recall carries a do-not-drive order.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
92/100
#2 of 13 300C years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
288
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
1 Do Not Drive
Crashes
8
reported in complaints
Fires
2
Injuries
5
Top issue
Fuel System
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18
15 city / 22 hwy
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0

Top 2005 Chrysler 300C problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Fuel System138 (48%)
  2. Engine77 (27%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain49 (17%)
  4. Electrical System32 (11%)
  5. Airbags31 (11%)
  6. Steering20 (7%)
  7. Other15 (5%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (3%)
  9. Brakes9 (3%)
  10. Structure & Body8 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Vehicles stall right after refueling, sometimes making steering and braking very hard immediately afterward.
  • Fog lights on the front bumper overheat, melt the lens material, and in repeated cases ignite the bumper and spread to the engine bay.
  • The instrument panel has failed while driving, followed by burning smells and a fire that started in the trunk near the fuel tank.
  • Owners report the vehicle shifting into reverse unexpectedly while parked with the engine running, leading to a crash.
  • Steering wheels become hard to turn accompanied by clicking noises, with hazard lights flashing on and off intermittently.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in a crash despite a prior recall repair having been completed.
2005 Chrysler 300C complaints: complaints filed per quarter252010 Q22012 Q12013 Q42015 Q32017 Q22019 Q22022 Q12026 Q3
288 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (25).

2005 Chrysler 300C recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V313000May 26, 2015Airbags4,077,169 vehiclesDo Not Drive

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500, 2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 and Durango, 2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500, 2008-2010 Dodge Ram 4500 and 5500, 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen, 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, 300S, and SRT8, 2006-2010 Dodge Charger, 2005-2008 Magnum, 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota, and 2006-2009 Mitsubishi Raider vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicle until the recall repair is complete. Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler and Dodge owners and Mitsubishi will notify the affected Raider owners. Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began for Chrylser on June 8, 2015. The recall for Mitsubishi started on June 24, 2015. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Mitsubishi owners may call 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler's number for this recall is R25. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V817 in its entirety. Vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.

  2. NHTSA 14V770000Dec 3, 2014Airbags250,896 vehicles

    Air bags

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2004-2005 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, 2004-2005 Dodge Durango, 2005 Dodge Dakota, 2005 Dodge Magnum and 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C and 300 SRT8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in geographic locations associated with high absolute humidity. Specifically, vehicles sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa are addressed by this recall. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. For vehicles that were sold, or are currently registered, in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, owners were notified and the recall began on December 5, 2014. For all other vehicles, Chrysler notified owners and the recall began on February 3, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P40 Expanded. Note: This recall has been superseded by recall 16V-352. This recall superseded the passenger air bag portion of recall 14V-354.

2005 Chrysler 300C fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
18 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2005 compared with other 300C years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid922882 !18
2006Avoid1006981 !18
2007Avoid831121 !—

All Chrysler 300C years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2005 Chrysler 300C reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2005 300C ranks 2nd worst of 13 model years for this model, with a complaint index of 92 and an Avoid verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2005 Chrysler 300C?
Fuel system issues make up 48% of all complaints (138 of 288), including stalling after fueling, with a median failure mileage of 77,000 miles.
Does the 2005 Chrysler 300C have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for this year, both involving airbags. One of them, campaign 15V313000, is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2005 300C compare to other years?
The 2005 300C has a complaint index of 92, worse than the 2007 (83), 2008 (58), and 2012 (33) model years, but slightly better than 2006 (100), which is the worst year.
What is the fuel economy of the 2005 Chrysler 300C?
The 2005 300C is rated at 18 mpg combined (15 city / 22 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,600.

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.