Chrysler 300 Won't Start but Has Power - What's Wrong?

Your Chrysler 300 is a pretty reliable vehicle that can withstand all kinds of problems and still be reliable to start and go. The car is almost bulletproof if you compare it to many modern vehicles. But still, you can experience problems that are not always connected to the overall car's reliability. The no-start issue is one of them and we need to clarify the most common reasons.

No-start problems highlights

• Level of urgency:High
• Can you drive?Obviously, no
• DIY inspection:Possible but complicated
• DIY repair:Mostly,impossible
• Price for repair:$250 - $850
• Common Reasons:Fuel or air supply, compression, spark, electronics
• Ways to fix:Check each system that may cause no-start, check electronics

Chrysler 300 - engines and common issues

The Chrysler 300 was first released in 2005 and in 2011 it changed to the second generation that is still in production but is going to be discontinued soon. The vehicle traditionally sold up to 100,000 cars a year in the US but in recent years, only about 20K cars yearly are purchased. The 300 is equipped with bug Pentastar and Hemi engines (V6 and V8) that are considered extremely reliable and non-problematic.

But still, these engines have some common issues that are very likely to take place in your life with this car. We won't focus on all common problems but will only tell you about the ones that can cause no-start issues in your Chrysler 300.

Here they are:

• hesitation and misfire in V6 Pentastar engines are pretty common and are the sign of worse issues that are coming soon;
• also, the V6 engine may tick and then fail - it will still crank but you will not start it after this;
• both V6 and V8 engines are prone to sudden loss of power because of numerous minor issues, the engine may not start because of ECU limitations;
• common VCT problems (Variable Camshaft Timing) in Hemi engines may lead to different consequences;
• cylinder heads may go bad and the engine will go out of balance which may cause all kinds of other issues;
• dropped valve seats are not uncommon for Hemi engines - this may cause a whole range of other problems;
• the Hemi engine offers an MDS or Multi-Displacement System which fails at high mileage and may be the cause of no-start problems.

Cranking and not starting is not uncommon for all types of engines that you can find under the hood of the Chrysler 300. It doesn't mean that all these problems happen because of some special issues we've listed above. This is just the list of common problems you are likely to have with these engines. But the no-start problem may also come from different issues.

We still think that Hemi and Pentastar engines that power the Chrysler 300 model are really good and reliable. They can be repaired even after bad breakdowns and they are overall very reliable and durable. Most problems start to show up after 200,000 miles. But anyway, let's look at some other reasons why your vehicle may not start.

The Chrysler 300 won't start but has power - why?

First of all, you need to make sure that the vehicle has power. When you just see some lights turning up when you turn on the ignition, this doesn't mean that this power is completely enough for starting the big engine. You need to check whether the vehicle has some other obvious problems that may stop it from cranking or starting the engine.

We can come up with several most common issues that are worth checking:

1. 12V Battery is half dead

When you just see the radio working and some lights going on, this doesn't mean that there is enough juice in the 12V battery to start the engine. Checking it is not that easy. The most straightforward way is to connect a multimeter to the battery and ask someone to try and start the engine. If the voltage drops to 7-8V or even lower, the battery may be dead or there may also be a problem with connections.

Replacing a battery is also one of the ways to check the problem. Alternatively, you may use a power booster or jump-start the battery with the help of another vehicle. If this doesn't help, let's just move on.

2. Timing system is broken

These engines have timing chains to drive the camshafts and crankshafts. The chains are very durable and almost never need replacement. But if you overload the engine, the chain may eventually stretch. At first, the engine will just rattle. If the problem is not addressed properly, the chain may jump a tooth or two and dramatically change timing.

It means that the valves will open and close at the wrong time and starting your engine will be almost impossible. It may still crank but won't start. Also, the valves may eventually hit the pistons and bend a little. This will cause complete engine failure and lead to very expensive repairs.

3. Ignition issues

Problems with the ignition system are not that rare in Hemi and Pentastar engines. In most cases, it's all about spark plugs or coils. But sometimes, wiring and other problems are also possible. But the no-start problem may develop in that case only if lots of coils fail at once. If one or two coils or plugs fail, the vehicle will basically start but just work with low power and lots of vibration.

So, the ECU may also be the reason why coils don't send impulses to spark plugs and plugs don't produce a spark to ignite the fuel.

4. Fuel supply issues

It's not uncommon for these engines to develop fuel supply issues. The pump may go bad and fail to develop the needed fuel pressure. Also, poor maintenance may lead to clogged filters that don't allow the pump to build up the needed pressure. Filter change and fuel pump checks are two of the obvious ways to solve this problem. Unfortunately, fuel pumps are pretty expensive. But if you found out that yours is malfunctioning, there is no reason to try and repair it - the pump is not going to work, anyway.

5. Engine head issues

Both engines have two heads and they are not problem free. Problems with valves may lead to poor compression. So, when some of the valves just don't close properly, you will not have enough compression in a certain cylinder to start the engine. The problem is especially common for older engines that have contaminated heads and poorly working valves. At first, the engine may start but misfire and work poorly, but after some time, it won't even start because other valves will also develop the same problem.

When should you go to professionals?

We don't recommend any DIY repairs with Hemi and Pentastar engines in your Chrysler 300. While these engines are pretty straightforward and simple in their design, they have many special features in their construction that may make it too complicated to diagnose the problem and fix it in your own garage.

We recommend always going to a specialist for locating and fixing the problem. Of course, you can still find out the list of symptoms your vehicle shows and google to see if you can locate the problem yourself. If this is, for example, a 12V battery, you can change it by yourself with no problems.

But in most cases, it makes sense to go to the repair shop and have your vehicle properly inspected. If you don't do this, the problem may develop even more and lead to complete engine failure. After this, the repair costs will skyrocket and it may take more than a week to get your Chrysler 300 back on the road.

So, it's always better to pay a hundred or two for a good diagnosis and to know for sure what exactly is going on with your car.

Final thoughts

If you are the owner of the Chrysler 300, you may be lucky enough to drive your vehicle up to 200,000 miles without many problems. Just some minor issues with the 12V battery or alternator may spoil your mood from time to time. But after the car hits some decent mileage mark, you may find it much less reliable.

If you experience the no-start problem even though your Chrysler 300 has power, check the battery and then pay attention to some of the most common engine problems. If you can't locate the issue by yourself, let your car be inspected by professionals. This is the best strategy to avoid extra damage from bad repair.