Back to search

2012 CHRYSLER 300 SRT8

6.1L V8 SRT•RWD•AUTOMATIC•gas
Be the first sponsor for this vehicle

For $99, we generate the full set of step-by-step repair procedures for this exact vehicle. Free for everyone, forever, with your name on every one.

Sponsor — $99
Dead battery / stuck in Park? Emergency neutral procedure for this 300 SRT8 →
5-Year Cost of Ownership
$38,655 maintenance + known platform issues
~$7,731/yr · 640¢/mile equivalent · $7,197 maintenance + $8,708 expected platform issues
Compare this engine
vs
6.4L V8 Hemi SRT
vs
6.1L V8 Hemi SRT
Common Problems & Known Issues

The 2012 300 SRT8 with its 6.4L 392 HEMI is a beast when maintained, but suffers from transmission cooling issues, valve train wear, and aging driveline mounts that can turn expensive fast. This is a high-performance platform that demands attention and doesn't tolerate deferred maintenance.

Transmission Oil Cooler Failure Leading to Fluid Cross-Contamination

Common · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Milky or strawberry-colored transmission fluid indicating coolant intrusion, Transmission slipping or harsh shifts after cooler fails, Overheating transmission temps on display, Engine coolant level dropping without external leaks
Fix: Replace transmission oil cooler, flush both cooling system and transmission completely, often requires transmission teardown if contamination spread. 6-10 hours labor if caught early, 15-25 hours if transmission internals damaged. This is THE killer for these W5A580 transmissions.
Estimated cost: $1,200-$5,500

Valve Seal Deterioration and Oil Consumption

Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Blue smoke on cold start that clears after warmup, Oil consumption 1 quart per 1,000-2,000 miles, Carbon buildup on spark plugs, Rough idle when cold
Fix: Valve seal replacement requires cylinder head removal. 18-24 hours labor. While heads are off, smart money replaces timing components and inspects cam lobes. Can be done without full rebuild if caught before severe guide wear.
Estimated cost: $3,500-$5,500

Timing Chain Guide Wear and Tensioner Failure

Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling noise from front of engine on cold start for 2-5 seconds, Metallic scraping sound at idle, Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes P0016 or P0017, Plastic debris in oil during changes
Fix: Full timing chain, guides, tensioners, and gears replacement. 12-16 hours labor. This is preventive maintenance territory—if you hear the rattle, you're on borrowed time. Failure destroys the engine. Do water pump and front seals while you're in there.
Estimated cost: $2,800-$4,200

Transmission Mount Collapse

Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Severe clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Vibration through chassis at idle in gear, Driveline shudder during acceleration, Visible sagging or torn rubber on mount inspection
Fix: Replace transmission mount and inspect engine mounts while accessible. The SRT8 torque eats these mounts. 2-3 hours labor. Often accompanied by rear differential mount wear—check both.
Estimated cost: $400-$700

Output Shaft Bearing Failure in W5A580 Transmission

Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 100,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Grinding or growling noise that changes with vehicle speed, not engine RPM, Noise present in neutral while rolling, Metal shavings in transmission fluid, Transmission whine under load
Fix: Requires transmission removal and partial teardown to replace output shaft bearing and seal. 8-12 hours labor. Often damages other internal components if driven too long—check all bearings and clutch packs during repair.
Estimated cost: $2,000-$3,500

Piston Ring Land Failure and Cylinder Scoring

Rare · high severity
Typical onset: 120,000+ mi or on abused/modified engines
Symptoms: Excessive blow-by visible at oil cap, Loss of compression in one or more cylinders, Severe oil consumption beyond valve seal issues, Misfires under load with good ignition components
Fix: Requires engine rebuild or replacement. If only one piston is damaged and cylinder wall is salvageable, single piston replacement is 20-25 hours. Full rebuild is 35-45 hours. Almost always found on engines run low on oil or tuned aggressively without proper fueling.
Estimated cost: $4,500-$9,000

Fuel Filter Clogging and Pump Module Failure

Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 80,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Hard starts after sitting, especially when hot, Loss of power under wide-open throttle, Fuel pressure dropping below spec (58 psi at idle), Sputtering or hesitation during acceleration
Fix: In-tank fuel pump module and filter replacement. Tank must be dropped. 3-4 hours labor. The 392 is sensitive to fuel pressure—don't ignore this one or risk lean conditions damaging pistons.
Estimated cost: $800-$1,400
Owner tips
  • Change transmission fluid every 40,000-50,000 miles without exception—this transmission runs hot and the cooler is a weak link
  • Run quality 5W-20 synthetic and change at 5,000 miles if you see any oil consumption—valve seals don't give much warning
  • Inspect timing chain at 90,000 miles with a borescope through oil fill, or just budget for replacement at 100k as preventive
  • Check transmission and engine mounts annually—the torque and weight destroy rubber faster than lesser 300s
  • These engines need to GET HOT regularly; short trips and babying create carbon buildup that accelerates valve seal failure
Buy one only if maintenance records show religious fluid changes and timing components have been addressed—otherwise budget $5k-8k immediately for catch-up work, because this platform punishes neglect with catastrophic failures.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
548 jobs across 18 categories
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Lexus & Toyota Mechanic · 20+ years.
Stuck on a repair? Take it to The Diag Desk — ask a master tech about this exact car → real human answer within 24h, never AI
Building an app?
Free API access to all this data — 50 requests/day, no card required.
Get an API key →
Run a shop?
Manage repairs, estimates, and customers with ShopBase — $249/mo, all features included. Built by the same team.
Try ShopBase →