Chrysler definitely knows how to make good-looking cars that pack in premium comfort and the Chrysler 200 carries all the necessary tech and features required for a midsize sedan. The Chrysler comes with a promising reliability level and that is further proven by the impressive sales figure of over 87,000 for 2011. The car does carry a total of 349 complaints along with 3 recalls but the user data shows that the majority of issues were revolving around a failed alternator, which caused the vehicle to shut completely down. This segment has gotten very competitive over time and Chrysler decided to tackle the issue by pricing the 200 lower than its competitors like the Nissan Altima, the Kia Optima, and the Ford Fusion.
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Alternator – Users noticed the instrument cluster flickering constantly and this led to the car completely dying while moving. The vehicle had to safely be directed to the shoulder of the road and the dealer had to be contacted. The car was towed and after diagnosing the issue, it was found that the alternator was faulty and needed a replacement.
- Air Conditioner – The contact stated that they were driving roughly at 30 mph when the AC failed to work. A few moments later, they noticed smoke coming out of the AC vents, and the car was shut off immediately. Dealers recommended getting the vehicle towed and upon inspection, the air conditioning unit was found to have burnt and they had to replace the whole unit.
Mechanical Problems
- Engine – The contact stated that the check engine lights engaged and the car completely stalled. After multiple tires, the contact was able to restart the car and immediately drove to the dealers, where the technicians found a leak in one of the PVC hoses. The vehicle was repaired by replacing the PVC hose and the car performed how it should.
- Transmission – The users found the transmission to make a noise while shifting gears and this was said to happen multiple times. The gears would shift late and this degraded the performance a lot. The vehicle was diagnosed and the mechanics had to re-flash the powertrain control module.
- Brakes – The users reported that when the brakes were depressed, the front porting of the car would shake and cause a loss of control. This was soon reported to the dealers, who were able to find out that the brake rotors were warped and needed replacement.
- Steering – The steering wheel was said to have a lot of vibrations and it was said that it made a noise that sounded like something was loose in the assembly. The user got a test report prepared and it was found that the steering rack and pinion were faulty and would have to be replaced.
Safety Problems
- Airbags/pretensioners – The users received a recall notification regarding a faulty occupant restraint control module that could fail to deploy the airbag or the seatbelt pretensioners during a crash. However, when the car was taken to the dealers, they stated that the necessary parts for the repair were not available yet and that the owners had to wait.
Exterior Problems
- Headlights – The users complained that the low beam headlight barely provided any nigh visibility and the car had to get rear close to the board in order for the user to be able to rear signs. Dealers claimed they could adjust the lights to cover more area but that really changed nothing at all and the users are left with a car that is unsafe to drive at night.
2011 Chrysler 200 recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
15th September 2016 |
16V668000 |
Airbags/seatbelt pretensioners may be disabled. |
The occupant restraint control module may short circuit, preventing the frontal airbag, seatbelt pretensioners, and side airbags from deploying. |
Dealers will replace the OCR. |
|
2. |
2nd July 2013 |
13V282000 |
Non-deployment of head restraints. |
Electrical over-stress of a resistor in the occupant restraint control module may lead to the non-deployment of the active head restraint during a rear impact collision. |
Dealers will flash the TIPM or replace the occupant restraint control module. |
|
3. |
8th June 2011 |
11V315000 |
Steering column. |
The affected vehicle may have been built with a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet, making the column unable to support the occupant load in the event of a frontal crash. |
The steering column pivot will be repaired after inspection. |
Should you buy the 2011 Chrysler 200?
The 2011 Chrysler 200 is undoubtedly one of the best options in the midsize sedan market and this car has proved itself to be reliable. Another aspect that helps Chrysler stand strong amongst the tough competition is the refreshing design and layout of this car. The Chrysler 200 does have a flaw with its headlight that can make nigh drives dangerous but there are easy after-market solutions available to resolve this issue. The buyers should get the brake rotors checked to avoid a rough ride and it is also advisable to get the PCM diagnosed. We strongly recommend going for the 2011 Chrysler 200 and this car would not age very soon unlike its competitors.
