Electrical issues in this 2016 Chrysler 300 cluster span fuel system connections, overall power delivery, and safety systems with no clear fixes. The most serious complaint involves fuel pump electrical connections that overheat and melt plastic inside the tank, with burnt contacts and arcing risk—owners replaced pumps at roadside and one owner needed the same repair twice. The manufacturer provided no guidance; owners found a workaround wiring harness only through online forums.
Several owners experienced complete electrical power loss while driving, with all dashboard lights illuminating and the vehicle stalling. Dealer diagnostics logged multiple trouble codes (68, 85, 63 DTC) and recommended full harness replacement, but repair follow-through remains unclear. One alternator failure at 30,000 miles shut down radio and instruments, though a recall exists for this model—allegedly excluding HEMI engines.
Airbag warnings appear and disappear randomly on at least one vehicle; the dealer acknowledged multiple known issues but issued no recalls and could not guarantee the bags would deploy when needed. A turn signal cross-wires with windshield wipers on one model, persisting over a year despite attempted workarounds. Several owners also report odometer discrepancies or prior tampering, suggesting title and warranty complications beyond the electrical failures.
Failure modes owners describe
Fuel pump electrical connection overheating and arcing
Overheated wiring and melted plastic inside fuel tank on OEM fuel pump electrical connections; burnt connections on outside of fuel tank. Owners report wiring harness fault with hot wire and ground too close together, causing arcing and fire risk.
When: Variable; one owner at 1000 miles reported stalling; occurs without warning
Symptoms owners cite: Loud humming sound at idle; Vehicle stalls randomly while driving; Fuel not sending to engine; Melted plastic inside fuel tank; Burnt connections on fuel pump electrical contact; Fuel leak from faulty electrical connection when refueling
Repairs/costs cited: Owners replaced entire fuel pump and wiring harness at roadside; one pump required second replacement for same issue. OEM replacement instructions did not address electrical connection replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No dealer TSB or recall mentioned; alternative wiring harness solution found only through public forums, not from manufacturer guidance.
Electrical system loss of communication and power loss
Complete loss of electrical module communication resulting in sudden power loss while driving. Multiple diagnostic trouble codes (68 DTC, 85 DTC, 63 DTC) logged. Dealer recommended replacing entire car harness.
When: Sudden, without warning; occurred twice to one owner
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of electrical power while driving; All dashboard warning lights illuminate; Radio shuts down; Instrument panel enters power saving mode; Vehicle stalls unexpectedly; Check engine light stays on after restart; Difficulty restarting vehicle
Codes mentioned: 68 DTC, 85 DTC, 63 DTC
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer advised replacing entire car electrical harness; repair status unknown. One owner noted prior Uconnect software update corrupted radio requiring replacement at manufacturer expense.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No specific recall or warranty program mentioned; dealer diagnosis only.
Alternator failure
Premature alternator failure on low-mileage vehicle. Owner reports existing recall for 2016 Chrysler 300 but states HEMI engines supposedly excluded.
When: At approximately 30,000 miles on 4-year-old vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Radio shuts down while driving; Instrument panel indicates power saving mode; Vehicle stalls at highway speed (50 mph); Vehicle will not restart after shutdown; Starter engages but no ignition
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanic diagnosed bad alternator; repair cost and details not provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall exists for 2016 Chrysler 300 but owner states HEMI-equipped vehicles were excluded from recall scope.
Random airbag system warning without confirmed root cause
Service air bag message and indicator light appear and disappear randomly while vehicle is running. Dealer acknowledged multiple known issues but could not diagnose specific cause or confirm airbag deployment reliability.
When: Occurs randomly while parked or in motion
Symptoms owners cite: Service air bag system message displays and disappears randomly; Service air bag indicator light illuminates randomly; No other electrical symptoms noted
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to perform diagnostic or repair; stated no recalls issued for potential safety issues.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer acknowledged multiple known issues exist but no recalls issued; dealer unable to guarantee airbag deployment when needed.
Turn signal to windshield wiper cross-wiring fault
Stalk-mounted combination switch (turn signal/wiper control) causes windshield wipers to engage unintentionally when turn signal is activated, particularly on left turns. Mechanical play in control lever. Chronic issue persisting over one year.
When: Over one year of ongoing occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield wipers engage when turn signal activated; Control lever has play in its range of motion; Temporary relief by wiggling lever or positioning to extremes; Issue recurs within few turn cycles; Occurs while vehicle in motion during turns
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; owner used temporary workarounds only.
Odometer tampering or malfunction
Multiple owners report odometer discrepancies. One owner's Carfax showed prior tampering in 2017 with mileage reset from 7,542 to 5,093. Another owner notes purchase odometer 85,453 but Carfax showed 86,960 in 2016 and 88,521 at dealer inspection, suggesting clock-backward history.
When: Detected at purchase or shortly after; one discrepancy noted for 2017 history
Symptoms owners cite: Odometer reading lower than Carfax reported history; Carfax indicates prior odometer tampering in 2017; Mileage discrepancies across multiple records
Repairs/costs cited: Not a mechanical repair issue; noted for warranty and title concerns.
Unexplained power loss while driving
Vehicle loses electrical power during acceleration and braking simultaneously at highway speed. Vehicle restarts but failure recurs several times. Dealer unable to reproduce or diagnose.
When: Early in ownership (around 1,000 miles); recurred multiple times
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of electrical power while accelerating and braking; Vehicle stalls; Successful restart but repeated recurrence
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to duplicate failure; vehicle not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified; no follow-up repair or diagnosis documented.
Warped front door panels causing structural and safety concerns
Both front door panels severely warped and cracked, causing door locks to bind. Owner expresses concern about potential airbag deployment failure due to deformation. Warranty coverage denied citing manufacturer defect.
When: Unspecified timing
Symptoms owners cite: Front door panels warped and cracked; Door locks bind; Potential risk of airbag deployment failure
Repairs/costs cited: Repair estimate over $2,000; warranty and extended warranty both denied claims.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty refusal on basis of manufacturer defect classification.
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.