Chrysler 300 LD
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
The LD-generation Chrysler 300 is the kind of big American rear-drive sedan you barely see anymore. Built from 2011 and carried on essentially unchanged through 2023, it embodies affordable understatement with land-yacht presence: broad shoulders, plenty of room, a comfortable ride, and the option of serious V8 power. Positioned as full-size luxury at a mid-size price, it's an intriguing used buy today — provided you pick the right engine.
The sensible baseline is the 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 305 hp: durable, cheap, no MDS drama, with age items like the familiar Pentastar tick and minor oil weeps from the plastic filter housing. If you want this car's true character, you go for the 5.7L Hemi V8 with 375 hp and that unmistakable idle rumble. But that's exactly where the Achilles' heel hides: the MDS cylinder-deactivation system shuts down cylinders under light load, the lifters then run dry, and when they collapse they wipe out the camshaft. Add the HEMI tick, shearing exhaust-manifold bolts, elevated oil consumption, and the pricey job of replacing 16 spark plugs. The top dog is the 6.4L Hemi (392) with 485 hp in the 300 SRT — the biggest naturally aspirated production V8 of its era, with a forged steel crank where the 5.7 uses cast. It shares the same MDS and manifold-bolt issues, though, and drinks oil hard during track use.
On body and electrical, the TIPM is the main worry — on 2011 to 2014 cars it causes random electrical failures. Add window regulators with cable failures, clicking HVAC blend-door actuators in the dash, and a leaking heater core that's expensive to reach. There's also a 2023 recall for an improperly adjusted parking brake.
Bottom line: the 300 LD is one of the last real V8 sedans at a reasonable price. The Pentastar is the worry-free choice, the 5.7 Hemi the character pick that demands maintenance discipline, and the 6.4 SRT the enthusiast collectible. On any Hemi: check the MDS history, listen for lifter tick, and keep an eye on the TIPM model years.
470 PS
300 SRT8 · Benzin
Last true SRT8 300
Legendary!Generations
Engine Overview
The Chrysler 300 LD is available with 5 engine variants — from 300 to 470 hp.
392 cubic inches, 4.09-inch bore, 485 hp — the biggest factory NA V8 of the 2020s. Forged steel crankshaft where the 5.7 uses cast iron — the real upgrade. Powder metal rods, cracked-cap design. Pistons are hypereutectic, not forged — ring lands too thin for boost, supercharger kits crack them. Same MDS lifter failure on automatics — engine replacement $15,000. Manual 392s skip MDS. VVT and active intake give 45 lb-ft more than the old 6.1 SRT. On 0W-40 at 5k intervals, the rotating assembly outlasts the car.
- !! MDS roller lifter / camshaft failure (cylinder deactivation) from 95,000 km
MDS cylinder deactivation restricts oil flow to the roller lifters. The needle bearings seize, the roller drags across the hardened cam lobe, destroys it and circulates metal debris through the oil. Frequently ends in total engine loss.
Symptoms: Rhythmic metallic tick (louder when warm/hot restart), cylinder misfire (P0300/P0302), power loss at low rpm, metal filings on the oil filter screen or VCT solenoid. - !! Piston / ringland failure under forced induction (modified only) from 30,000 km
The stock cast pistons are considered a 'time bomb' under boost. Above roughly 6 psi or when running lean, ringlands/pistons crack. Stock cars are unaffected — only aftermarket supercharged 392 builds.
Symptoms: Knock/ping under full load, sudden power loss, cylinder misfire, smoke, compression loss after high boost or a lean condition. - !! High oil consumption (track and break-in use) from 13,000 km
The 6.4 uses a lot of oil during break-in and track use — sometimes over a quart per 1,200 miles. Repeated high-rpm downshifting worsens it. Checking the oil level before track days is important.
Symptoms: Dropping oil level between changes, blue smoke on load changes, low-oil warning, oil-fouled spark plugs. If ignored, oil starvation can cause bearing damage.
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
5.7L Hemi V8, cast iron block, pushrod two-valve — 375 hp and that unmistakable idle burble. MDS deactivates cylinders 1, 4, 6, 7 under light throttle — deactivated lifters run dry on cam lobes, metal debris destroys the camshaft. Class action: Petro v. FCA. Manual cars skip MDS entirely — no deactivation hardware, no lifter lottery. That is THE buying tip. Software delete via DiabloSport/HP Tuners: $400-650, prevents activation but lifters stay, voids warranty, costs 2-4 MPG. On 0W-40 at 5,000 mile intervals, the bottom end is solid.
- !! MDS lifter collapse and camshaft destruction from 172,000 km
The cylinder deactivation (MDS) starves individual lifters of oil at idle, and the undersized needle bearings fail. The lifter grinds into the camshaft, sending metal shavings through the engine up to total failure.
Symptoms: Ticking or tapping that rises with RPM, cylinder misfires (P0300/P0305), stumbling and power loss under acceleration, rough idle. Can progress to engine failure with little warning. - !! HEMI tick (valvetrain ticking) from 130,000 km
The famous HEMI tick from the valvetrain: early roller-bearing or lifter noise. Often harmless, but it can be the precursor to lifter/camshaft failure and should be monitored.
Symptoms: Metallic, rhythmic ticking that varies with engine speed, audible at idle and when warm. Unlike a manifold leak, it persists once the engine is hot. - !! Excessive oil consumption from 160,000 km
Many 5.7 HEMIs burn significant oil past 100,000 miles, sometimes over 1 quart per 1,000 miles. Causes include piston-ring and valve-stem-seal wear plus a clogged PCV/CCV breather.
Symptoms: Dropping oil level without visible leaks, low-oil warning, bluish smoke under acceleration, oil-fouled spark plugs.
+ 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| TIPM Failure — Random Electrical Malfunctions (2011-2014) Totally Integrated Power Module controls all electrical functions. Relay failures cause: fuel pump runs continuously, horn sounds randomly, vehicle won't start. Repair service $200-350, new module up to $1,000. Symptoms: Intermittent no-start, random horn honking, fuel pump keeps running after shutoff from 86,000 km | Medium |
Top Reported Issues
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Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 22 weaknesses have been documented for the Chrysler 300 LD (2011–2023) — 17 engine-related and 5 vehicle-related. Typical issues affect Electronics, Interior, HVAC, Cooling.
300 (Pentastar-3.6-LC, 2011–2023) — Be Careful: Left cylinder head valve-seat wear (early build), Pentastar tick – worn rocker arms/rollers, Timing chain stretch (higher mileage). Power: 300 PS.
300 (Hemi-5.7-LC, 2011–2023) — Be Careful: MDS lifter collapse and camshaft destruction, HEMI tick (valvetrain ticking), Excessive oil consumption. Power: 360 PS.
300 (Hemi-6.4-LC, 2011–2014) — Be Careful: MDS roller lifter / camshaft failure (cylinder deactivation), Piston / ringland failure under forced induction (modified only), High oil consumption (track and break-in use). Power: 470 PS.
What to watch out for with the Chrysler 300? 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