What 638 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chrysler 200

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE FAR ENOUGH WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE ANY FARTHER THAT 20-25 FEET IN AHEAD. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHO ADJUSTED THE LIGHTS AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE LIGHTNING AND NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT IT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10489231

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE FROM THE SIDE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE FAILURE WOULD AFFECT THE CONTACT'S VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,000. UPDATED 01/30/13*LJ UPDATED 1/31/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10489033

HEAD LAMP PROJECTION ON THE 2012 CHRYSLER 200 IS VERY LIMITED ON LOW BEAM (50 FEET) WHICH IS UNSAFE AND IS GOING TO CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED BY THE DEALER FOR WHICH 2 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE. IN ADDITION, THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED FOR CORRECTION. THEY STATED THE HEAD LAMPS OPERATE AS INTENDED AND THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE. EITHER THE VEHICLE MUST BE DRIVEN VERY SLOWLY SO THAT THE DRIVER CAN REACT TO THE LIMITED PROJECTION FIELD OR HIGH BEAMS MUST BE USED WHICH BLINDS THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND IS ILLEGAL IN MOST CONDITIONS. THERE IS A LID WHICH COVERS THE BULB HALF WAY ON LOW BEAM AND RETRACTS FULLY ON HIGH BEAM. THE LID RESTRICTS ADEQUATE PROJECTION AND ALSO RESTRICTS BEAM PROJECTION TO THE SIDES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION FOR NIGHT TIME DRIVING AND SHOULD RECALLED FOR CORRECTION. THE DEALER HAS HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS MODEL, BUT SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS IN YOUR DATA BASE CONCERNING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER OWNERS WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT NIGHT OR DRIVING WITH HIGH BEAMS ON IS NOT THE ANSWER. PLEASE GET THE MANUFACTURER TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND FIX THE DESIGN DEFECT IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ODI 10488281

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE LIGHT WOULD ONLY PROJECT A FEW FEET AND THEN IT APPEARED THAT A CURTAIN CAME DOWN AS THE VISIBILITY BECAME LIMITED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT ENTERED A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE AND NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS PROJECTED AN IRREGULAR SHAPED LINE ON THE GARAGE WALL AND LIGHT ONLY APPEARED BELOW THE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 700. UPDATED 12/21/12*LJ UPDATED 1/9/2013 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10483712

THIS MODEL HAS A SUBSTANTIAL HEADLIGHT PROJECTION ISSUE. THE HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) DO NOT PROJECT FAR ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO MAINTAIN POSTED SPEED LIMITS. IN AREAS WHERE THERE IS NO STREET LIGHTING OR WHEN DRIVING IN RURAL OR UNFAMILIAR AREAS THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND YOU FIND YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO A CRAWL OR USE HIGH BEAMS - BOTH AN ISSUE WHEN OTHER CARS ARE PRESENT. I HAVE HAD OTHER PEOPLE DRIVE MY CAR TO VERIFY AND THE FIRST THING THEY SAY IS THAT IT'S DANGEROUS AND THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT AND THEY WERE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THE HEADLIGHTS PROJECTED TO THE POINT THEY THOUGHT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT FULLY ON. HAVE SEEN THIS ISSUE FROM OTHER OWNER BLOG ENTRIES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10479984

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE INEFFECTIVE, CAST A BEAM ONLY ABOUT 100 FEET ON DARK ROADS WITH RESTRICTIVE SIDE VISION. THE BEAM IS EVEN MORE INEFFECTIVE WHEN DRIVING DOWNHILL AND THE LIGHT BEAM IS ONLY ABOUT 50 FEET. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT IT IS A ONE BULB SYSTEM WITH A SHUTTER THAT COVERS THE BULB HALF WAY WHEN CHANGING FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS. CHRYSLER IS OFFERING NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WHICH HAS EXISTED SINCE ITS 2011 MODEL. THIS SYSTEM CAUSES THE OPERATOR TO CONTINUALLY USE HIGH BEAMS TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY EVEN AT LOW SPEEDS OF 25-35MPH ON RURAL ROADWAYS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR RETROFIT OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY TO A TWO BULB OR TWO ELEMENT BULB SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10473901

THE VERY FIRST TIME I USED MY HEADLIGHTS FOR NIGHT DRIVING I WAS TOTALLY AMAZED AT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE FIELD OF VISION. THERE IS ALMOST A CURTAIN LIKE AFFECT AND DEPENDING ON THE ROAD YOU ARE TRAVELING THERE IS SOMETIMES AS LITTLE AS 20 FEET OF VISION. IT IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT SAFELY WITH THIS VEHICLE. IF YOU LIVE ON BACK ROADS (AS I DO) IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THIS CAR IS JUST DAYS OLD AND I CAN ONLY DRIVE IT DURING THE DAY. TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER HAS NOT PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE. THE COMMENT THAT I GET IS THAT ITS JUST THE WAY THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED AND THAT'S HOW THE LIGHTS WILL WORK. THESE CARS ARE A HAZARD AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T SEE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHRYSLER PRODUCT AND I WILL TELL EVERYONE THAT WILL LISTEN ABOUT MY CONCERNS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471245

PROJECTOR TYPE HEAD LAMPS ARE AIMED TOO LOW AND CANNOT BE ADJUSTED AS DESIGNED. ON DARK ROADS PERIPHERAL LIGHTING FROM HEAD LAMPS IS NON EXISTENT. BRIGHTS ARE NEEDED BUT NOT PRACTICAL FOR CONSTANT USE AND IS ILLEGAL IN TOWN AS WELL. THIS IS A REAL DESIGN FLAW AND SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET HURT IN A NIGHT TIME ACCIDENT DUE TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM ON THIS MODEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10468900

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 200 TOURING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE THE ENTIRE ROAD AND DISTORTED THE VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE FOR THE PROBLEM. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE READJUSTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HEADLIGHT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

NHTSA ODI 10468491

I FEEL I AM DRIVING MY FUTURE CASKET. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN RURAL AREAS WITH NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING I HAVE VERY LIMITED VIEW WITH HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM. THE DESIGN OF HEADLIGHT IS CAUSING THIS I FEEL. THERE IS A FLIPPER LID THAT RAISES AND LOWERS WITH LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM. THE LID DESIGN IS CUTTING THE HIGH OF BEAM OFF AND WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A DEFINITE BLACK OUT VERTICALLY. SO LOW THAT ONE CANNOT SEE MUCH HIGHER THAN THE HOOD OF THE CAR. HIGH BEAM ELIMINATES THIS PROBLEM AS THE FLIPPER LID IS RAISED OUT OF VIEW. THE BULB IS SO FAR SET BACK IN A TUBE THAT ANY HORIZONTAL OR SIDE VIEW IS DIMINISHED GREATLY. CANNOT WATCH FOR DEER. GOING AROUND CURVES THE VIEW IS ALMOST NONE EXISTENT. I HAVE SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND SLID SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THIS AND I AM A VERY CAUTIOUS SLOWER DRIVER. THE ROAD SIGNS ARE CUT OFF FROM THIS BLACKOUT LINE AS WHEN YOU CAN GET WITHIN READING DISTANCE THEN THE SIGNAGE DISAPPEARS AND ALL YOU ARE LEFT WITH IS A VIEW OF BOTTOM OF POLE. GREAT/ SO YOUR ONLY OPTION IS TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAM ALL THE TIME AND THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW. ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE CONCERNING SAFETY DUE TO POOR HEADLIGHT DESIGN WITH CHRYSLER 200 2011. I ASKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AT THE DEALER CONCERNING BULLETINS ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THEY SAID NONE. I HAVE LITERALLY BEEN STUCK WITH A UNSAFE NEW VEHICLE AND GETTING MANY ADJUSTMENTS UPWARD THAT HAVE NOT HAD ANY SAFE RESULTS. I HAVE ON MORE TOMORROW. I LOVE ALL THE OTHER FEATURES OF THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP THE OTHER CUSTOMERS BY MAKING CHRYSLER HAVE A SAFETY RECALL. TO REPLACE THESE HEADLIGHTS IMMEDIATELY. I DO NO WANT TO HAVE A CRASH, FIRE, INJURY, OR FATALITY. I DO. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10467152

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHRYSLER 200. THE CONTACT STATED HAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINED PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DID HOWEVER ADJUST THE LIGHTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT IF THE DEALER DIAGNOSED NO FAILURES, THEN THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,300. UPDATED 08/28/12*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10466771