Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

2016 Chrysler 300 pre-purchase inspection checklist

What to check before you buy, built from NHTSA recall data, owner-reported failures, and mechanic intel. Print it or bring it to your mechanic.

Pre-purchase inspection · 2016 Chrysler 300
Check another vehicle
2016 Chrysler 300
300 / 300S / 300C / 300C Platinum (2nd gen LD, 2011–2022)
Low Risk

The 2nd-gen Chrysler 300 is one of the best value large luxury sedans available — premium presence, rear-wheel-drive or AWD, and the 3.6L Pentastar V6 is well-proven. The HEMI V8 with MDS cylinder deactivation carries lifter failure risk at 80k+ miles (same as Ram/Durango). Main checks: HEMI lifter tick, Uconnect version for infotainment, and transmission fluid service. Outstanding highway car at a fraction of German competitor pricing.

Items to check
10
Open recalls
1
NHTSA complaints
260
Top concern
Engine (HEMI MDS) / Electrical

HEMI V8 (if equipped)

5.7L HEMI MDS lifter failure

High Risk on HEMI at 80k+
MDS cylinder deactivation causes accelerated lifter wear. Symptoms: persistent tick at warm idle.
Warm engine completely. Listen at idle for tick. Ask if MDS has been disabled.
Est. cost: $2,500–$5,000 lifter service Source: Stellantis HEMI MDS pattern

Powertrain (3.6L V6)

3.6L Pentastar V6 — reliable choice

Low Risk
The Pentastar is well-refined by this generation. Minor tick at cold start is normal. No widespread failure modes.
Cold-start check. Smooth idle within 30 seconds.
Est. cost: Routine maintenance Source: Stellantis Pentastar reliability data

8-speed ZF automatic — excellent

Low Risk
ZF 8HP is one of the best automatics available. Smooth shifts. Change fluid every 40–50k miles.
Test all gears including kickdown. No hesitation expected.
Est. cost: $200–$350 fluid service Source: ZF 8HP reliability standard

Recall

Open recalls — check VIN (Takata scope stops at the 2015 car)

Monitor
FCA's active airbag-inflator campaign list runs 2005–2015 for the Chrysler 300. A 2016 is one model year outside it. This is worth knowing in both directions: if you are cross-shopping an older 300, a 2015-or-earlier car with an unrepaired inflator is under FCA's stop-drive advisory and should not be driven home.
Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you go and see the car. Any campaign that comes back open = do not purchase until the dealer has closed it. Recall work is always free, and completion is logged against the VIN, so a seller's word is not evidence.
Est. cost: Free under recall Source: FCA Takata affected-model list (mopar.com), verified 2026-08-09

Documentation

Service records — HEMI owners especially

High Risk on HEMI without
HEMI oil change frequency predicts lifter health. V6 is more forgiving.
Request all records. HEMI without records = $3,000 risk premium.
Est. cost: n/a Source: AutoVetting editorial

NHTSA Recalls (verify completion via VIN)

VIN check
Severity: Informational
FCA's airbag-inflator campaign covers the 2005–2015 Chrysler 300; a 2016 is outside it. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the campaigns that do apply — and note that an unrepaired 2015-or-earlier car is under FCA's stop-drive advisory. Remedy: Any open campaign is repaired free by a dealer.

What the VIN tells you

The 2nd-gen 300 (LX, 2011-2023) came with two V engines that share an LX platform but inspect very differently. 3.6L Pentastar V6 (292hp, 8-speed automatic, RWD or AWD) — fitted to base 300 Limited, 300 Touring, 300S V6. The Pentastar is one of FCA's most-proven engines but has a documented oil-cooler housing leak pattern (a known $500-800 service at 80-120k miles) and a rocker-arm-bearing issue on 2011-2013 cars largely resolved by 2016. 5.7L HEMI V8 (363hp, 8-speed automatic, RWD only) — fitted to 300S V8 and 300C variants. The HEMI carries the same MDS lifter failure pattern as the Ram 1500 and Charger/Challenger: lifters can fail at 60-120k miles on neglected oil schedules ($3,000-6,500 repair). Service record showing 5,000-mile or shorter oil intervals is the buyer's protection. Both engines pair with the ZF 8HP70 8-speed, which is exceptionally reliable. Tell engines apart by the trunk badge ('V8' or 'HEMI' is explicit) and exhaust outlet count (single vs dual). Run the VIN for open recalls regardless of engine — the Takata inflator campaign covers the 2005–2015 300, not this one. Full VIN decode at autovetting.com/inspect.
After you buy: common DIY repair guides
Planning the upkeep this car will need? Our step-by-step guides cover oil changes, brake pads & rotors, battery replacement, transmission fluid, coolant flushes, and spark plugs — each with the tools, parts, torque specs, and common mistakes that matter. Browse all repair guides →

More Chrysler checklists

2017 Pacifica
Want this exact car professionally vetted?
Independent pre-purchase inspection — we arrange it and walk you through the findings.

Send us the listing and we reply within 1 business day. Nothing due until we confirm a mechanic and a time. Piloting in Phoenix; other US metros by arrangement.

Get an inspection quote Get the full Vetting Report
The Vetting Report: this VIN’s full recall status, known-failure cost ranges, negotiation talking points, and inspection priorities — delivered within 24 hours.