MajorCommonTransmission

Chrysler 300C: W5A580 (NAG1) Auto — Fluid Degradation, Shudder and Torque Converter Faults

W5A580 (NAG1) Auto — Fluid Degradation, Shudder and Torque Converter Faults is a common transmission fault on the Chrysler 300C on the 2005–2012 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $500 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 15 documented faults on the Chrysler 300C.

Vehicle: Chrysler 300C
Years: 2005–2012
Gearbox: auto
System: Transmission

This page covers the Chrysler 300C as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Chrysler 300C faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

A cutaway automatic transmission torque converter showing the internal turbine and stator. — A torque converter, sectioned. The lock-up clutch inside is what shudders.
No machine-readable author provided. BerndB~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 300C runs the Mercedes-sourced W5A580 five-speed auto behind petrol and diesel engines alike. It is durable when its fluid is right, but extremely sensitive to fluid condition: even trace water contamination causes shudder, and old fluid brings harsh shifts, torque converter lock-up faults and valve-body trouble. Many cars never had the fluid changed because it was marketed as sealed-for-life. A proper service with the correct fluid often rescues an early case; a neglected one ends in a rebuild.

What you would notice

Shudder or vibration at light throttle around 60-100 km/h
Harsh or delayed shifts, especially 2nd-3rd
Transmission warning or limp mode
Fluid on the driveway under the middle of the car

How to check it

Where to look. Transmission — five-speed automatic behind the engine

On the test drive hold light, steady throttle at open-road speed and feel for a shudder like driving over rumble strips — that is the classic fluid/converter symptom. Work through all gears and note any harshness or delay. Ask for evidence of a transmission fluid service with the correct spec fluid. If a workshop inspection is possible: check the fluid's colour and smell via the dealer dipstick procedure and read shift-adaptation values.

Parts involved: Torque converter.

What it costs to put right

$500 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the transmission fluid ever been changed, and with what fluid?”
“Any shudder or harsh shifting?”
“Has the torque converter or valve body ever been worked on?”

Now check the Chrysler 300C you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Chrysler 300C buyer questions

Is w5a580 (nag1) auto — fluid degradation, shudder and torque converter faults serious on a Chrysler 300C?

We rate it major and common on the Chrysler 300C. The 300C runs the Mercedes-sourced W5A580 five-speed auto behind petrol and diesel engines alike. It is durable when its fluid is right, but extremely sensitive to fluid condition: even trace water contamination causes shudder, and old fluid brings harsh shifts, torque converter lock-up faults and valve-body trouble. Many cars never had the fluid changed because it was marketed as sealed-for-life. A proper service with the correct fluid often rescues an early case; a neglected one ends in a rebuild.

How much does it cost to fix on a Chrysler 300C?

$500 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Chrysler 300C years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2012 Chrysler 300C. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.