Chrysler 200 UF
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
The UF-generation Chrysler 200 was Chrysler's shot at the cutthroat mid-size segment against the Camry, Accord and Fusion — and it stayed a short-lived chapter. Built only from 2015 to 2017, Stellantis quickly axed the sedan as Chrysler retreated from the passenger-car market. Sharp-looking, decently built and boldly styled, the 200 suffered from a cramped cabin, poor visibility and, above all, a powertrain that wrecked its reputation. As a used car it's cheap today — for good reason.
On engines, there's no getting around a clear warning. The 2.4L Tigershark with MultiAir valvetrain looks modern on paper but is an oil-consumption scandal in practice: the piston rings don't seal properly, with up to a quart of oil vanishing every 1,000 miles — the subject of a class-action suit. If the oil level drops unnoticed, you risk sudden engine shutdown while driving, with no warning. Add MultiAir actuator failures, a poorly sealing cylinder head with coolant loss, and misfires as knock-on damage. The saner choice is the 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 305 hp — FCA's durable workhorse without the oil issue, with only harmless age items like the Pentastar tick and minor filter-housing weeps.
Regardless of engine, the 200 shares two serious trouble spots. The ZF 9-speed automatic is notorious for baffling shift behavior and mechanical problems, the target of its own class action. And there was a recall for an engine stalling while driving on 2015 models — a safety matter that must be documented as fixed.
Bottom line: the 200 is only worth considering at all with the Pentastar V6, and even then the 9-speed needs its software update and the recall closed out. Stay away from the 2.4 Tigershark without a documented engine rebuild or oil-consumption test — the risk of engine failure is real. If you can grab a clean Pentastar 200 cheap you're fine, but factor in the brief model history and weak resale value.
Engine Overview
The Chrysler 200 UF is available with 2 engine variants — from 177 to 232 hp.
2.4-liter Tigershark with MultiAir valve train. Modern on paper, in practice an oil consumption scandal: piston rings don't seal properly, up to 1 quart per 1,000 miles disappears. $8M class action settlement. Primarily 2014-2018. Oil warning comes too late — engine can stall without notice.
- !! Excessive oil consumption from piston ring defect (class action) from 80,000 km
The oil control rings fail to seal the pistons properly, letting oil pass into the combustion chamber where it burns. Affected engines consume up to a quart every 1,000 miles. FCA paid an 8M USD settlement.
Symptoms: Rapidly dropping oil level, frequent top-ups needed, blue smoke, oil warning light, in severe cases engine damage with scored cylinders. - !! Sudden engine stall at low oil without warning from 70,000 km
If the oil level drops below about 3.5 quarts, the MultiAir system can no longer maintain oil pressure for valve control and the engine stalls. The oil warning light often only comes on after the stall — a safety risk.
Symptoms: Engine dies suddenly, even at highway speed; oil warning light comes on late or only after the stall. - !! MultiAir actuator (brick / solenoid) failure from 90,000 km
The MultiAir actuator unit houses non-serviceable solenoids controlling hydraulic valve lift. Dirty or low oil and outdated software trigger faults; the entire brick must be replaced.
Symptoms: Rough idle, misfires, loss of power, check engine light with codes P1066/P1062/P1067.
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
FCA's workhorse V6, 305 hp, DOHC 24-valve — same Pentastar in half the Stellantis lineup. No MDS, no lifter lottery. Rocker arm tick around 60k miles. Plastic oil filter housing cracks — Dorman 926-959 metal replacement is the permanent fix. A small sleeper community runs ProCharger ($6,349) or RIPP ($6,799) kits pushing 400-450 whp on stock internals, bolt-on. Whether $12k all-in on a boosted V6 beats buying a used R/T is the question nobody agrees on.
- !! Left cylinder head valve-seat wear (early build) from 110,000 km
Early 3.6 Pentastar (2011–2013) suffer valve-seat/guide wear in the left head (Bank 2), notably cylinder 2. Result: lost compression and misfires. Chrysler extended warranty to 10yr/150k miles on the left head.
Symptoms: Engine ticking, misfires, rough running, check-engine light with codes P0300/P0302/P0304/P0306, loss of power. - !! Pentastar tick – worn rocker arms/rollers from 90,000 km
On 2014–2020 3.6 Pentastar the rocker-arm rollers wear, loosen and drop, shifting the rocker out of alignment, creating metal debris and risking camshaft damage. Design was revised by 2019.
Symptoms: Metallic tick, often on cold start and around 1500–2000 rpm, later constant; can progress to misfires, surging and power loss. - !! Timing chain stretch (higher mileage) from 190,000 km
At high mileage (from ~120,000 miles) the timing chains stretch and cam-to-crank correlation drifts. Extended oil intervals or low oil accelerate wear because the tensioners are oil-fed.
Symptoms: Chain rattle on cold start (first seconds), tick from the top end, check-engine light with P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019, sometimes misfires.
+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| ZF 9-Speed Transmission Class Action — Death Rattle ZF 948TE in the 2015 Chrysler 200 is the most notorious victim. Hard jerking, hesitation, slipping into neutral, sudden loss of drive. NHTSA recall 2016 for 400,000+ vehicles. Class action Granillo v. FCA: warranty extended to 6 years/100,000 miles plus cash compensation. Symptoms: Shuddering from stops, hard gear engagement feel, unexpected neutral drop between gears, sudden power loss from 39,000 km | High |
Top Reported Issues
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Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 13 weaknesses have been documented for the Chrysler 200 UF (2015–2017) — 11 engine-related and 2 vehicle-related. One problem engine: ED6 (2.4L Tigershark). Typical issues affect Gearbox, Other.
200 (Pentastar-3.6-LC, 2015–2017) — Be Careful: Left cylinder head valve-seat wear (early build), Pentastar tick – worn rocker arms/rollers, Timing chain stretch (higher mileage). Power: 232 PS.
200 (ED6, 2015–2017) — Stay Away!: Excessive oil consumption from piston ring defect (class action), Sudden engine stall at low oil without warning, MultiAir actuator (brick / solenoid) failure. Power: 177 PS.
What to watch out for with the Chrysler 200? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee