Chrysler 300: Engine Knock and Smoke While Accelerating

I experienced identical symptoms in my 2017 Chrysler 200 last season. The engine knock was unmistakable, especially during acceleration, and the knock sensor readings were off the charts when scanned. The root cause turned out to be severe carbon deposits in the combustion chamber, which created hot spots and disrupted normal combustion. These deposits were causing pre-ignition issues, leading to the knocking sound and power loss you describe. The repair required: Removal and cleaning of cylinder heads, Replacement of spark plugs, Decarbonization treatment, Reset of knock sensor parameters This was a serious issue that required immediate attention, as continued driving could have led to piston slap and eventual engine failure. After the repair, the engine returned to smooth operation with proper power delivery. Recommend getting the error code read immediately, as the symptoms strongly suggest combustion-related problems that should not be ignored. The mileage on your 300 is in the range where carbon buildup becomes common, particularly if regular maintenance intervals were missed. Using lower quality fuel or delayed oil changes can accelerate this issue. Consider switching to top-tier fuel and maintaining strict service intervals after repair.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Chrysler 200. My symptoms are very similar and having that ignition timing and knock sensor diagnosis helps a lot. The repair list you provided sounds thorough. Curious, do you remember roughly how much you paid for the full repair work? Also, have you had any recurring issues with engine knock or detonation since getting it fixed? Just want to budget properly and make sure this hopefully takes care of the problem completely.

After getting my 2017 Chrysler 200 repaired for the combustion chamber deposits, I havent experienced any knock sensor alerts or pre-ignition problems. The repair cost came to 425€ total, which included cleaning the carbon buildup and resetting all parameters. The investment was worth it since the engine now runs smoothly without any detonation issues. To prevent future problems, I switched to higher fuel octane grades and stick to the maintenance schedule. The piston slap and rough running completely disappeared after the repair work was completed. Its been over a year now with no recurring symptoms. Regular oil changes and quality fuel really make a difference in preventing new carbon deposits from forming in the combustion chamber.

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. Finally took my 300 to a new mechanic after researching several shops. The knock sensor diagnosis confirmed what you all suggested about combustion chamber deposits causing detonation. Total repair came to 480€ including: Full decarbonization treatment, New spark plugs, Knock sensor calibration, Fresh synthetic oil change The engine runs like new now, no more jerking or smoke during acceleration. The mechanic showed me the carbon buildup they cleaned out and it was pretty severe. Started using higher octane fuel and will keep up with maintenance to prevent it from happening again. Really glad I got it fixed before any major engine damage occurred. The shop did great work and even showed me exactly what they were doing during the repair. Much better experience than my previous mechanic.