Is the 2012 Chrysler 300 a bad year?
426 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 79, 7.9× a quiet 300 year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 43k–74k miles, where you are now.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 300 owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 59,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 212 (50%) | 50k–86k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 82 (19%) | 50k–89k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 79 (19%) | 43k–74k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 62 (15%) | 44k–83k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Brakes | 33 (8%) | 45k–76k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Steering | 28 (7%) | 39k–82k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Speed control | 17 (4%) | 16k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 24 (6%) | 60k–76k miles · ahead | — |
| Exterior lighting | 14 (3%) | 4k–50k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 12 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 59,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 426 complaints: 23 mention a crash · 34 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 44 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I was traveling down a busy street in atlanta. I came to a stop sign and when I tried to continue through the intersection, the car would not move.
Right side of the powertrain is having problems. The cylinder heads are not function as should be creating the car to misfire.
Transmission service warning & engine service lights come on with transmission going out of gear while the vehicle is at speed.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 59,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Chrysler 300: 9
Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these passenger air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail. If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) expanded the affected population to include 73,712 2005-2009 RAM 2500 trucks produced at the St. Louis North Assembly Plant. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
The affected vehicles, equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a monostable gear selector, may not adequately warn the driver when driver's door is opened and the vehicle is not in PARK, allowing them to exit the vehicle while the vehicle is still in gear. Drivers thinking that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.
In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail. If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may have improperly sized terminal crimps on the seat side-airbag wiring harness which may cause the seat side-airbags to malfunction and illuminate the airbag warning light. In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment the airbags may not operate as designed, increasing the risk of injury.
These vehicles may lose abs/esc system function due to an overheated power distribution center. This could lead to loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
As built, the TPMS does not warn the driver when a tire is 25 percent below the recommended pressure. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chrysler: 129
Repair instructions Chrysler sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Chrysler 300. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission
WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
ADAPTER, Engine Oil Filter (Pentastar V6) For all 2014MY replace the Oil Filter Adapter (OFA)
Ts may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Vehicle rollaway, engine on
Neighbouring years
2011 300: 200 complaints, keep it · 2013 300: 305 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Chrysler 300 year
2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · All 300 years side by side
Other Chrysler models: Chrysler 200 · Chrysler 300C · Chrysler 300M · Chrysler Aspen · Chrysler Concorde · Chrysler Crossfire · Chrysler Crossfire Roadster · Chrysler PT Cruiser · Chrysler Pacifica · Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid · Chrysler Sebring · Chrysler Sebring Conv · Chrysler Sebring Convertible · Chrysler Town and Country · Chrysler Voyager. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Chrysler 300 a bad year?
426 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 79, 7.9× a quiet 300 year. At 59,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 43k–74k miles, where you are now.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Chrysler 300?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (212), air bags (82), transmission and drivetrain (79), engine (62), brakes (33). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 43k–74k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Chrysler 300 have?
9 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 19V-018), Air bags (NHTSA 18V-021), Electrical system (NHTSA 17V-435), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-352) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.