2000 Chrysler 300M

AFTER STARTING MY CAR BEFORE WORK IN THE MORNING, THE DRIVERS STEERING COLUMN/DASH AREA BURST INTO FLAMES THAT WERE BRIGHT BLUE/WHITE IN COLOR AND UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT STATED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE DRIVERS DASH AREA OR STEERING COLUMN. THIS FIRE ENGULFED MY ENTIRE CAR VERY QUICKLY, AND NEARLY BURNT DOWN MY HOUSE! THE CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT 6 FEET FROM MY HOME. AS IT WAS BURNING, I HEARD THE ENGINE KEEP RESTARTING ITSELF AS IF SOMETHING WAS GOING ON WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER OR SYSTEM. IT WAS STATIONARY. PLEASE HELP!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO EJECT FROM THE IGNITION PROPERLY. THE KEY WOULD ONLY EJECT FROM THE IGNITION AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,236.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER 300M. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING FAILED TO WORK AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HORN FAILED TO WORK AND THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V343000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER 300 M. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SEAT BEGAN EMITTING SMOKE FROM UNDERNEATH. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND PUT THE FIRE OUT BY POURING WATER ON IT AND DISCONNECTED THE SEAT MOTOR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS, RADIO AND COMPASS LIGHTS FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY OR BECOME VERY BRIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN BECOME VERY DIM FOR A FEW SECONDS. I HAVE ONLY NOTICED THIS OCCURRENCE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE. DURING THIS EVENT, THE HEADLIGHTS ALSO APPEAR TO BECOME BRIGHTER OR GO DIM AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER 300M. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY. ON ONE OCCASION, THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL FLICKERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT REPAIRS WERE MADE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,120.

(1) MY HEATER IN MY 2000 CHRYSLER 300M COMES ON EVERY 8 SECONDS AUTOMATICALLY. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND AFTER TWO DAYS, HE ADVISED THAT HE CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. WHAT HE THOUGHT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PART -- WASN'T. (2) MY DASHBOARD ON MY 2000 CHRYSLER 300M HAS TWO LONG CRACKS IN IT. THEY ARE APPROXIMATELY 10" (OR MORE) LONG. I AM AFRAID THAT THEY MAY AFFECT THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS, SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

THE DASHBOARD COVER IS CRACKING IN TWO PLACES WHICH ARE DIRECTLY ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG. THE AIR BAG APPEARS TO BE EXPANDING UNDERNEATH THE DASH COVER. THE AIR BAG MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY IF THERE IS A COLLISON. AUTO IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND CHRYSLER HAS REFUSED TO INSPECT OR REPAIR THIS SITUATION ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME VEHICLE WITH SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ASSEMBLY DATES. CHYRSLER OWNER'S MANUAL WARNS AGAINST ANY REPAIRS TO THE AIR BAG EXCEPT BY THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALERS. I HAVE SEEN THIS CONDITION IN THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR OF MANUFACTURE, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL REPORTS IN THE NHTSA DATA BASE. *AK