Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights failed. As a result, the road was difficult to view. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
2013 Chrysler 200 lighting problems
severe 23 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250 · see lighting across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
23
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$250
3crashes
What stands out
Among the 5 model years of Chrysler 200 in our records for lighting problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA lighting complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2013 Chrysler 200's lighting system has widespread design defects: low-beam headlights cut off sharply at 30-50 feet instead of illuminating safely for highway speeds, and intermittent complete light failures occur unpredictably. Chrysler acknowledges the poor low-beam design but refuses to fix it, making this vehicle unsafe for night driving.
The 2013 Chrysler 200 has systemic lighting problems that appear early and persist throughout ownership. The dominant complaint is a defective low-beam design: the headlights illuminate only 30–50 feet ahead with an abrupt cutoff described as a wall of darkness, making highway driving at night extremely hazardous. Owners report the cutoff happens regardless of aim adjustments and affects the vehicle across multiple model variants. High beams offer minimal improvement and don't point down the road effectively. One owner hit a deer at 70 mph because of this limitation; another nearly struck a parked car.
Several owners report intermittent complete failure of headlights, tail lights, hazards, and turn signals for hours at a time, with dashboard warnings but no fault codes. Bulb replacement and electrical testing at auto parts stores don't resolve these failures. A third group documents extremely dim low-beam output requiring high beams for adequate visibility.
One owner observed a black shadow at 75 feet in the driver-side headlight beam, creating a blind spot. Dealers have adjusted aim multiple times without success. Chrysler has explicitly told owners the poor low-beam design is intentional and cannot be repaired, and one dealer has printout confirmation of this position. Another mention notes a turn signal bulb overheating and fusing into the lamp, requiring full assembly replacement.
Same Chrysler 200 lighting reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Severely limited low-beam illumination distance
Low-beam headlights illuminate only 30-50 feet ahead, with an abrupt cutoff described as a 'wall' that stops light suddenly. This design defect makes night driving unsafe at speeds above 30-35 mph. Owners report difficulty seeing the road, road signs, and oncoming hazards. The issue is not resolved by dealer headlight aiming adjustments.
When: Present from early ownership (300-2300 miles reported); affects vehicles across the model generation
Symptoms owners cite: Light cuts off abruptly like a wall rather than falling off gradually; Low-beam visibility limited to 30-50 feet; Unsafe for highway speeds or rural roads at night; High-beam does not provide adequate improvement; Oncoming traffic unaware when high beams are activated
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer aiming adjustments do not resolve the issue. Owners report dealers acknowledge the design flaw but state nothing can be done. One narrative mentions drop-down lens adjustment attempted without success.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler confirmed to owners that the design is intentional and cannot be fixed. No recalls mentioned in narratives.
Headlight and tail light intermittent failure
Complete loss of headlight and tail light function, sometimes accompanied by dashboard warnings indicating which lights are out. Failures may persist for hours, then resolve spontaneously. Bulb replacement does not prevent recurrence. No fault codes retrieved during diagnosis.
When: Reported at 51,000 miles and repeatedly over 2+ years in another case; also early in ownership (implicit from context)
Symptoms owners cite: Complete headlight and tail light loss; Lights may flicker on briefly before turning off again; Parking lights may operate while headlights do not; Hazard lights and turn signals may also fail; Dashboard displays which lights are not working; Spontaneous recovery after hours without repair
Repairs/costs cited: Bulb replacement attempted but failures recurred. One owner was unable to obtain dealer diagnosis due to cost concerns. Another dealership could not retrieve fault codes.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in one case; no resolution documented in narratives.
Extremely dim or inadequate low-beam illumination
Low-beam output is extremely dim, making night driving difficult or impossible. Differs from abrupt cutoff issues; owners activate high beams to see the road. Bulb replacement attempted multiple times without resolving the recurring problem.
When: As early as 300 miles; persists through ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Extremely dim low-beam output; Insufficient illumination for safe night driving; Requires high beams to see adequately; Bulb replacement does not resolve recurring dimness
Repairs/costs cited: Bulbs replaced multiple times at dealer; failure recurred.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in narratives; no recalls or fixes documented.
Black shadow or dark spot in driver-side headlight field
A black shadow or dark spot appears in the headlight beam at approximately 75 feet, leaving a blind spot when driving at night. Prevents safe visibility on streets and hillsides.
When: Reported in ongoing use
Symptoms owners cite: Black shadow in driver-side headlight beam at ~75 feet; Creates blind spot during night driving; Hazardous at highway speeds with no stopping distance
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer confirmed the issue and stated Chrysler considers this normal design behavior and will not repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler stated this is normal and will not fix. Owner has printout from Chrysler confirming this stance.
Turn signal bulb overheating and fusing into lamp
Turn signal bulb overheated, causing the bulb to fuse into the lamp assembly. Entire light assembly requires replacement.
When: Occurrence not dated in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: Turn signal bulb overheats; Bulb fuses into lamp housing
Repairs/costs cited: Entire light assembly replacement required. Replaced at dealer (DARCARS, Auth Way, Temple Hills, MD 20744).
Synthesized from 23 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had lighting trouble with your 2013 Chrysler 200?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2013 Chrysler 200?
It's a meaningful issue. 23 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $250.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Across the 13 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most lighting failures cluster between 3,000 and 60,000 miles, with the median around 38,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 3,000; a quarter make it past 60,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Chrysler/200.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.