Is the 2013 Chrysler 300 a bad year?
305 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 58, 5.8× a quiet 300 year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 5.8× the complaints of a quiet 300 year, spread over 8k–70k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2013 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 40,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 130 (43%) | 29k–71k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 58 (19%) | 8k–70k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 37 (12%) | 30k–85k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Air bags | 32 (10%) | 27k–97k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 17 (6%) | 4k–42k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 15 (5%) | 37k–72k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Speed control | 13 (4%) | 16k–68k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Steering | 13 (4%) | 38k–97k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Stability control | 17 (6%) | 41k–79k miles · ahead | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 5 (2%) | 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 40,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 305 complaints: 19 mention a crash · 16 mention a fire · 13 report an injury · 24 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Jul 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Had entered a side-street off bedford st in lexington ma (Ma 4/225) at about 10 a.m. And was stopped, with the engine running and in drive, by a line of traffic ahead of me.
My vehicle keeps shifting into park on it's on while I'm driving after a gear recall was performed. I was advised by marty cancila Dodge st.
Upon exiting vehicle (While placing rocker gear shift in park position), vehicle rolled away in reverse down inclined driveway.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 40,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2013 Chrysler 300: 6
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.
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.
In the affected vehicles, the transmission output shaft may fracture. The transmission output shaft fracture could result in a loss of power, increasing the risk of a 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: 145
Repair instructions Chrysler sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 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
2012 300: 426 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2014 300: 236 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 2013 Chrysler 300 a bad year?
305 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 58, 5.8× a quiet 300 year. At 40,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 5.8× the complaints of a quiet 300 year, spread over 8k–70k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Chrysler 300?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (130), transmission and drivetrain (58), engine (37), air bags (32), exterior lighting (17). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 8k–70k miles.
How many recalls does the 2013 Chrysler 300 have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 19V-018), Air bags (NHTSA 18V-021), Electrical system (NHTSA 17V-435), Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 16V-240) 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.