2016 Chrysler 200 Problems: 9 Known Issues

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir I4, the 2.4L Tigershark MultiAir four-cylinder consumes excessive oil, with owners reporting roughly one quart every 1,000 miles. Class-action plaintiffs blamed piston rings that wear and fail to seal, allowing oil to be burned in the combustion chamber; FCA's warranty-extension bulletin lists the cause as the interactive deceleration fuel shut-off calibration. Because the low-oil warning may not illuminate until oil is critically low, the engine can stall or suffer accelerated wear, which led to a class-action settlement covering 2.4L FCA engines.

On the 2011-2017 Chrysler 200, the Chrysler 200 experiences intermittent engine stalling at idle, particularly when decelerating to a stop or sitting at traffic lights. On 2011 models with the 3.6L V6, NHTSA investigation PE12-016 found the PCM could run an evaporative-emissions purge monitor check at idle, creating an overly rich vapor condition that stalls the engine; carbon buildup in the electronic throttle body is a further common cause of low idle and stalling on both the 2.4L and 3.6L as the cars age. The stall often occurs without a check engine light, making diagnosis frustrating.

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200 3.6L Pentastar V6, the oil filter housing and integrated oil cooler on the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine develops leaks from the housing gasket and the oil cooler O-rings. Oil seeps from the housing located in the engine valley under the intake manifold, dripping onto the exhaust and creating a burning oil smell. The leak worsens over time and can cause significant oil loss between changes. This issue is shared across many FCA vehicles using the 3.6L Pentastar engine.

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, the ZF 9HP48 9-speed automatic transmission suffers from harsh shifting, delayed engagement, lurching forward, and unexpectedly shifting into neutral while driving. A terminal crimping issue in sensor cluster harness assemblies caused wiring defects. 2015 models are the worst affected. Recall S55 (NHTSA 16V529000) covers 2015 models.

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, beyond the recall-level neutral defect, owners broadly report poor driveability from the 9-speed automatic: hard or clunky shifts, lurching, hesitation off the line, slow first-gear engagement, and a tendency to hang in lower gears. The transmission was new and software-immature when introduced, and FCA issued multiple PCM/TCM reflashes to improve shift quality. Many owners still describe the shift behavior as rough even after updates.

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, recall 18V332 (FCA campaign U59 for the 200) includes selected 2015–2017 Chrysler 200 vehicles with Adaptive Cruise Control built November 15, 2013–October 26, 2016 with affected controller software. Controller software can retain a torque request if a short interrupts CAN-C communication while cruise control requests acceleration. Cancellation can then fail, causing continued speed or acceleration.

On the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, the second-generation 200 suffers from parasitic battery drain caused by modules not going to sleep properly. The Body Control Module and UConnect system are common culprits. Battery can die in 2-3 days of sitting.

On the 2011-2017 Chrysler 200, the active (deployable) head restraints in the front seats can deploy randomly without any rear-end collision, sometimes striking the back of the occupant's head and causing minor injuries or concussions. NHTSA's investigation (PE19-014) found the most common cause is environmental stress cracking of the plastic (PC-ABS) sled that holds the latch retention pin, caused by hydrocarbon-oil contamination; once the sled cracks, the pin pulls free and the spring-loaded restraint releases. Complaints span both generations of the 200.

On the 2011-2017 Chrysler 200, the A/C evaporator core develops pinhole leaks from corrosion, causing a gradual loss of refrigerant and diminished cooling performance. The evaporator is located inside the HVAC housing behind the dashboard, making it a labor-intensive repair. Moisture and debris accumulation on the evaporator surface accelerate corrosion. The refrigerant leak rate is often slow enough that the A/C loses effectiveness over weeks to months rather than failing suddenly.