2019 Chrysler 300: What to check before buying

Most of these reports are about waiting on an air bag recall repair. Owners say they got a recall notice, then heard from dealers that replacement parts for the 2019 model are not available. Some say the wait has gone past a year. One owner was refused a loaner while waiting. Two crash reports are more serious. Both describe passenger-side impacts where no air bags deployed, and those crashes injured 2 people.

The Uconnect touchscreen freezes or goes dark, often after a failed update that shows error code 20. When that happens, owners lose the backup camera, radio, navigation, climate controls, and sometimes the auto-dimming mirror. The screen may stay lit after the car is shut off. Some owners say dealers waited weeks for parts. Other reports describe a flickering instrument panel, headlights that fail or shut off, a horn that sounds on its own, false door-open warnings, and sudden loss of power while driving. One of these ended in a crash.

Power steering cuts out without warning, usually as part of a wider electrical failure. Owners describe the engine shutting off and the dash lighting up with service power steering, ABS, and electronic stability control warnings. Brakes and air conditioning stop working too, and some cars will not restart afterward. In one crash report, the steering wheel locked at 55 mph on a curvy road. The car hit a road sign, the air bags did not deploy, and the driver was injured.

The main complaint is harsh, jerky shifting, with vibration and hesitation through the gears. It shows up as early as 7,100 miles, and dealers have told owners it is normal. Other reports describe the car suddenly shifting itself into park, losing gear engagement with code P0700 stored, and clunking from the rear when shifted from park to drive. In one case the clunk continued after the dealer replaced the rear end. Owners worry about sudden slowing and loss of control.

Cruise control fails in two ways, though there are only two reports. In one, the car keeps speeding up after the driver presses and releases the gas. Braking or canceling cruise does not stop it, and only shifting to neutral does. In the other, the car veers left at highway speed with cruise on, and lane departure warning does nothing. That happened at 12,000 miles. Both describe a real risk of losing control.

Water leaks into the cabin when it rains. One report says water comes in around the rear interior lights near the sunroof, and the owner says Chrysler blamed a gasket. Another describes water coming through the side panels on both sides. It soaks the seats, rusts the seat belts until they stick, and leaves an odor. Water around the interior lights also raises the chance of electrical trouble. One owner adds that the roof finish is fading.