Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light – Cause, Meaning, & How To Reset

by Conner Mckay

Have you started experiencing the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light on the cluster and you want to learn more about what this light is, what is causing it, and how to sort it out? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because, in this article, there will be quite a bit to cover on this topic.

Doing research on a problem is always a smart idea to do. We are saying this because being aware that you have an issue and what this issue represents is always a good thing to do. Mainly because this problem can sometimes be a serious issue and sometimes it isn’t.

Like in this case with the ESP BAS light, every light on the dash represents information. And your task is to learn more about this information and learn how to process this data and determine more about your next steps.

By this, we mean going online and reading as much as you can on the problem in order to come to a conclusion about what should you do next. And since you are here, then you are in the right spot to figure things out.

First, we are going to learn what is the Chrysler 300 and see which of the models has this ESP BAS light. Then we will cover the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light and see whether this problem is serious or not.

After that, we will cover the symptoms, as well as the causes of this problem. Lastly, we will learn how to sort it out and how to tackle the problem in no time. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.

Chrysler 300

Now before we dive into the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light, let’s discuss more about what is the Chrysler 300. Why do we think that this is essential? Well, mainly because there are a lot of people facing similar issues and do not know what this model is. So, let’s cover this in detail and learn more about the 300 model.

What is the Chrysler 300? Well, the 300 is a legendary model from Chrysler that was introduced in the 50s and produced through the 70s when it was discontinued.

And in the early 00s, Chrysler saw the chance to revive this model. So, they created a new model in 2004 that implemented a retro-futuristic design language. As an homage to the American auto industry. This was trendy in those times.

So, a lot of legendary models popped up, like the Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang. All of them with retro vibes. And the 300 was no exception.

Even though, the Chrysler 300 was in a class of itself since this model implemented a classy look and aimed at the luxury full-size sedan market.

During these times, Chrysler was owned by Daimler, the same owner as Mercedes. And they borrowed a lot from other Mercedes cars in order to build the Chrysler 300. So, the rear suspension was borrowed from the E-Class, and the front suspension from the S-Class.

As well as the chassis, ESP & ABS systems. And shortly, we will learn why this is important. Nevertheless, there are two generations of this model. The first one was produced between 2004 and 2010. And the second one was produced from 2011 to 2023.

The model is expected to be discontinued in 2023. But what about the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light? More on that, we will cover next.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light

Now let’s move on to the problem and learn more about what is the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light. Let’s elaborate on this issue and see what is the meaning behind this light on your cluster.

If you don’t know this light appears in a situation where two systems malfunction. Namely, the ESP and the BAS system. ESP stands for electronic stability control. So, what is electronic stability control? Well, this is basically traction control. Traction control is a system that is included in most modern cars.

This ESP system is a safety system that keeps the car on the road. For example, if you start to lose traction, the ESP will activate and will readjust for the vehicle to regain traction on the road. In order for the car not to slide and end up in a ditch.

And especially with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) cars like the Chrysler 300, this is more than necessary. Since rear-wheel-drive cars often can lose the rear end and start sliding. The BAS system on the other hand is the Brake Assist System. This is basically the ABS system.

If you don’t know what ABS is, we can say that this is the Anti Lock Braking System. The ABS system simply prevents the wheels from locking up under heavy braking. This is a really smart system because when you press on the brakes hard if you don’t have ABS, the wheels will slide and the car will not brake effectively.

But when you have ABS, the brake caliper will apply pressure then release the pressure and then reapply the pressure and again release. And all this happens in milliseconds. Causing the car to stop far more quickly. Now let’s cover the seriousness of the Chrysler ESP BAS light.

Is The Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light Serious

Another topic that we would like to discuss before we cover the symptoms of the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is whether this problem is serious or not. The level of concern is really important when it comes to learning more about whether the problem is serious or not.

And when it comes to the ESP BAS light, we can say that this is a serious problem. This indicates a malfunction in both the ABS and traction control systems (for more insight, check out our guide on how to turn off traction control). So, why both of the systems are affected? Well, mainly because both of the systems share the same sensors.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light

This is why whenever one of the sensors connected to these systems has failed or is performing poorly, you will be greeted with the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light on the cluster.

And is really important in this situation that you react quickly and uncover the problem. There can be a few issues that are common causes for this light. And we are going to cover them later on in this article.

What is also worth noting is that this is a common problem on these early Chrysler 300 models for the ESP BAS light to turn on even if you decide to change the battery on your Chrysler. So, you shouldn’t panic when it comes to this problem as well.

Just drive more carefully until you solve the problem because these two systems are crucial when it comes to keeping your car on the road and your life out of danger. If you don’t drive carefully, these systems, namely, the ABS and traction control could not kick in and you could crash your vehicle.

That’s why awareness is key in this situation. Now let’s move on and cover the symptoms associated with the problem.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light Symptoms

Now that we cleared the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light and learned that this is a problem caused by the safety systems of your car like the traction control and the ABS system.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light

So, once we cleared that out of our way, let’s now move on and cover the symptoms of the ESP BAS light on your car. As you can probably assume, there could be a few symptoms that are worth covering and in the following chapters, we will cover them in detail.

Once we clear that out of our way, we will move on and learn more about the causes of this problem appearing on your vehicle. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the symptoms of this problem with the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light.

1. ESP BAS Light On

Now let’s dive into the symptoms of the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light. And the first in our list of symptoms is this BAS light itself.

This is basically the main problem. So, if you have a problem with the ESP BAS, you will have this warning light illuminated.

So, this is the key, as we noted, when the ESP BAS light is on all the time, this means that you have a defective safety system.

If the light is flashing and turning on while you drive for example on a wet road or in mud, this is a completely normal thing.

This means that the ESP BAS is active and is working to help you tackle this situation. But only when the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is on all the time, it means that you have a serious problem that needs to be addressed. And how you can do it, we are going to learn more in one of the following chapters more in-depth.

2. No ABS

The second most common symptom when you have a Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the situation when you have no ABS.

So, let’s say that a deer walks in front of your car and you quickly slam on the brakes, in this situation you will not only hit the deer but will also heavily damage your car. So, why is this the case? Well, because the ABS didn’t kick in, and when you brake in this case, the tires simply slide and the car slides forward until eventually stops.

But this stopping distance will be a lot greater in this case when you don’t have ABS on. Also, the tires will get flat spots. As such, you have to act quickly if you see the ABS light turned on. It might take a bit of diagnosis to find out the meaning of the ABS light and learn why is my ABS light on.

In these situations, you might have to consider doing repairs to your ABS system. Or, at least give it a good check-up to ensure that you’re not getting a P0500 error code. Or, be driving around with a faulty ABS sensor. Otherwise, you could check out our guide on how to bleed the ABS module with a scan tool to learn more.

This is why you need to make sure that your ABS system is on and the car stops like intended from the factory. There could be some causes for this problem on your ABS and more about them we are going to cover later when we will dive into the causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light.

3. Traction Control Is Deactivated

And the last symptom that will often be present when you have a Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the situation when your traction control is deactivated. If so, you might notice a traction control light turning on. Though there are benefits of turning off the traction control, a problematic traction control system can be dangerous.

If the system is faulty, you will highly likely lose the ability to use this system. So, if you get yourself in some situation when there is driving through the mud, driving in the wet, or driving on snow, or you lose the rear wheels because you slammed the gas pedal too hard, the traction system will not be there to help you out.

And if the traction system is not there to help you out, you could crash. That’s why these systems were invented in the first place, to protect you and the people around you while you drive. But what are the causes for this Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light? More about that, we are going to cover more in the following chapters.

Causes For The ESP BAS Light

Now let’s cover the causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light and see why this light appears in the first place.

Knowing the common causes of a problem will help you understand better where the problem might come from. So, let’s cover them in detail in the following chapters and see where you should look.

1. Bad Wiring

The first cause for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light on our list is the bad wiring. Bad wiring can be a problem for most cars to develop issues.

Especially when you have connectors for the wheel speed sensors literally behind the wheel. And these connectors can crack and get loose causing problems like the issue with this BAS light to appear. Also, rodents could chew up the wires and cause the system to short out.

So, it’s good to find out which cars have soy-based wiring. Overall, wiring, especially around the speed sensors should be one of the first things that you want to check. And if you have a multimeter, you can basically check each wire. Now let’s move on to the next probable cause for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light.

2. Low Battery

The next cause on our list of causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the low battery. Believe it or not, a low battery can literally confuse your system and make the ESP BAS light malfunction.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light

Also, if you changed your battery recently can also be a case for an ESP BAS light since the computer has been reset. So, you have to recalibrate the wheel speed sensor on your car in order for this light to disappear from the cluster.

So, beware of this if you have changed your battery recently or your battery is in desperate need of replacement. Now let’s move on to the next Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light cause.

3. Bad Wheel Speed Sensor

Next on our list of causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the bad wheel speed sensor. So, what is a wheel speed sensor?

Well, this is a sensor that is located on each wheel. So, in total, there are four sensors on your 300. And as with every other electrical component, these sensors can malfunction and cause many problems for the owner. Including the ESP BAS light.

At first glance, you will not be able to tell if your sensor is bad since you simply don’t know what is going on behind the curtain. For this purpose, you will need an OBD2 scanner to scan the car for codes and then replace the faulty sensor. It’s crucial that you’re cognizant of the symptoms of a bad speed sensor.

These sensors are monitoring the wheel momentum while spinning and when they notice abnormalities, they report to the computer and then activate the ESP or ABS system. So, you understand why they are so crucial.

Vehicle sedan reliability

4. Bad Tone Ring

The next probable cause for this problem with the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the bad tone ring. So, what is a tone ring?

Well, the speed sensor that we listed previously has to collect the readings from somewhere in order to work. And the sensor cannot read a flat surface.

This is why there are special rings with grooves that are mounted on each of the wheels. So, the sensor collects the data from these rings as they rotate.

And what can happen over long use, these grooves can decay, rust, or smoothen up. So, the sensor will simply stop working as it should. Consequently, it will cause the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light to appear on the cluster.

Which is a really bad situation. And more on how you can overcome the problem we will elaborate in the following chapters.

5. Bad Steering Angle Sensor

The next common cause for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light that we are going to cover is the bad steering angle sensor. So, what is a steering angle sensor?

Well, this special sensor helps a lot of systems like the power steering on some cars, and the safety systems such as the ESP and the ABS.

It has a lot of roles in general and we can say that it is really important. So, once this sensor breaks, you will experience problems. Specifically with the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light.

The sensor is found in the steering rack, just behind the steering wheel in the clock spring assembly. More in detail on how this is done, you can check in the video.

6. Broken Brake Switch

And the last on our list of possible causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light is the broken brake light switch. But what is a brake light switch?

Well, the brake light switch is like a sensor that records every time you press on the brake, it helps in activating the brake lights in the rear.

But it also helps in the work of other systems like in our case, the ESP and ABS systems. So, when it fails, you will come across the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light. But how to solve this problem? Let’s see more next.

How To Fix The Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light

Now let’s take a look at how to fix ESP BAS and traction control on. What you can do in this situation?

The first thing you want to do is to try to recalibrate the steering angle sensor. You can do this by starting the car and while parked, turning the wheel right as far as it goes, then doing the same process to the left. And this should sort the problem out if it’s a bug.

If the problem is something else, you will have to do computer diagnostics with an OBD2 scanner and scan the car for codes. Then replace the faulty sensors or brake switch if this is the problem that is reported.

Chrysler 300 ESP BAS Light: In Conclusion…

In this article, we covered the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light. First, we learned what is this light all about and whether or not this problem is serious or no. Then we covered the symptoms that are present when you have this light on the cluster, as well as the common causes for the Chrysler 300 ESP BAS light.

Lastly, we learned how you can sort this problem out. Since you’re done, you might find our detailed coverage on the common Chrysler 300 problems, the 2015 Chrysler 200 problems, as well as whether the Chrysler 200 are good cars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

What Is ESP In A Car

The ESP is a safety system invented by Mercedes Benz. This system stands for Electronic Stability Program. This system identifies the lack of traction and helps your car to stay on the road.

What Does ESP Stand For

ESP stands for Electronic Stability Program. This is a safety system that was invented by Mercedes Benz in the 90s. In general, this system is a traction control system that helps the driver to regain traction if the system notices that the car starts to lose its grip.

What Causes The ESP Light To Come On

The ESP BAS light will turn on if the car loses traction. But it will immediately disappear once it disengages. If the light is on permanently, it means that you have a serious problem with some of the sensors in this system.

What Does BAS Stand For

BAS stands for Brake Assist System. And this is a name only used by Mercedes Benz, as well as Chrysler when it was owned by Daimler. The BAS acronym simply refers to the ABS

How To Reset ESP BAS Light

You can do this by resetting the steering angle sensor. Just start the engine, then turn the wheel completely right, and then turn the wheel completely left. This will recalibrate the sensor and the BAS light will be removed.

How To Reset ESP BAS Light On Chrysler 300

There is one way to reset this light. And this is by starting the engine. Then as the car is stationary, turn the wheel completely right and then turn the wheel completely left. This should recalibrate the steering wheel sensor on your car.

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