2003 Chrysler 300M tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2003 Chrysler 300M, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 245/45R18 OEM | R18 | 5x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 225/60R16 OEM | 7x16 | 5x114.3 | 43mm | 96 | H |
| 225/55R17 OEM | 7x17 | 5x114.3 | 43mm | 96 | H |
| 225/50R18 | 7.5x18 | 5x114.3 | 43mm | 95 | V |
| 235/45R19 | 8x19 | 5x114.3 | 41mm | 95 | V |
| 245/45R18 | 8x18 | 5x114.3 | 41mm | 95 | W |
| 245/40R19 | 8x19 | 5x114.3 | 38mm | 93 | W |
| 225/55R17 OEM | R17 | 5x114.3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
2003 Chrysler 300M wheel bolt pattern & specs
| Bolt pattern (PCD) | 5x114.3 |
|---|---|
| Wheel thread / lug size | M12x1.5 |
| Center bore | 71.6 mm |
| Source | bolt-pattern.com |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Goodyear
Assurance MaxLife
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 820
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
68 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Chrysler 300M, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Chrysler 300M →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Chrysler 300M factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 245/45R18
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
275/40R18 |
-0.07% | wider | Safe |
245/40R19 |
0.13% | plus 1 | Safe |
245/50R17 |
-0.13% | alternative | Safe |
225/60R16 |
-0.19% | alternative | Safe |
225/55R17 |
0.24% | winter narrower | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 245/45R18 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 245/45R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 245/40R19; one rim size up, 0.13% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 245/35R20; two rim sizes up, 0.27% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2003 chrysler 300M
The 2003 Chrysler 300M ships from the factory on 245/45R18 tires mounted on R18 wheels. 6 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Chrysler 300M comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2003 Chrysler 300M owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2003 Chrysler 300M, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2003 chrysler 300M
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (36) · TPMS (3) · Sidewall (3) · Tread / Belt (2) · Bead (1)
Reported across: 1999 – 2004 (5 years)
What owners described
Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 16% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 38 reports covering every model year of the Chrysler 300M that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidewall failure | 16% | 15% | 1.1× |
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 13% | 20% | 0.7× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 11% | 6% | 1.8× |
| Cracking or dry rot | 11% | 9% | 1.1× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 8% | 8% | 0.9× |
| Premature or uneven wear | 5% | 1% | 4.0× |
Mileage at failure
13 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 31,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 7,000 and 128,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chrysler 300M. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHRYSLER 300M EQUIPPED WITH TOYO PROXES T1R TIRES (NA), SIZE: 245/45ZR16 94W (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING FROM ALL FOUR TIRES AND THERE WERE CRACKS IN EACH TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE STORE, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPLACED. THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE TIRES TO A TIRE STORE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE DOT NUMBER AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
THE LEFT FRONT TIRE OF THIS VEHICLE FAILED ON THE DATE INDICATED. LESS THAN 4 HOURS LATER, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE OF THE SAME VEHICLE FAILED. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE A SIDEWALL DEFECT. THERE ARE NO APPARENT PUNCTURES. THE TIRES EXHIBIT A TEAR, FROM INSIDE OUT, IN THE SIDEWALL. UNSUBSTANTIATED RUNMOR FROM A TIRE INSTALLER IS THAT HE "SEES THIS PROBELM ON THIS TIRE ALL OF THE TIME". *AK (TIRESIZE: P225/55R17)
CONSUMER HAS A CHRYSLER VEHICLE. 2 ORIGINAL FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WOBBLED/VIBRATED & PULLED TO RIGHT. EVERY 3,000 MILES OUTSIDES WORE OUT, 7 HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEY ALL SHOWED SIGNS DIFFERENTLY. CHRYSLER WAS AWARE OF TIRES. ORIGINALS HAD PREMATURE BALDING & HYDROPLAINED. SIZE P225/55R17, DOT#M600BMWR3400. *AK WEAR OF TIRES COULD BE RELATED TO A SUSPENSION PROBLEM, TIRES ARE GOODYEAR EAGLE. *SLC
GOODYEAR EAGLE LS TIRES ON 1999,CHRYSLER 300M. AT 18,000 MILES, VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING VIBRATION WHICH WAS DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION ON FRONT RIGHT TIRE. THEN, AT 22,000 MILES, THERE WAS A BULGE FORMING ON SIDEWALL OF FRONT LEFT TIRE THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2-3" IN DIAMETER. TIRE SIZE IS P225/55R17. *AK WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE THIRD TIRE ON REAR RIGHT BLEW OUT SIDEWALL AT 29,000 MILES.
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2003 Chrysler 300M?
What is the bolt pattern of a 2003 Chrysler 300M?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2003 Chrysler 300M?
Where can I buy tires for my 2003 Chrysler 300M?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2003 Chrysler 300M?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2003 Chrysler 300M?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2003 Chrysler 300M?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Chrysler 300M is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2003 Chrysler 300M.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-10-07.