Chrysler cars, known for their American heritage and robust design, were frequently sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. The FCA uncovered widespread mis-selling in motor finance agreements, leading many Chrysler owners to question whether their deals were fair or legal.
## How Chrysler Cars Were Financed
Chrysler vehicles could be financed through a variety of lenders, including
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. These lenders often offered PCP and HP finance agreements with terms that might seem attractive at the time but later turned out to be problematic due to hidden fees or excessive interest rates.
In a typical PCP agreement for a Chrysler car, customers would make monthly payments over an agreed period, usually 24 to 60 months. At the end of this term, they had the option to return the vehicle, purchase it outright at a predetermined balloon payment (the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value or GMFV), or trade it in towards another model.
Hire Purchase agreements were also common, where customers paid for the car over an extended period without any options at the end. These terms often included additional costs that might not have been fully explained to consumers.
## The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation revealed significant issues with
discretionary commission arrangements used by finance brokers and lenders during the sale of motor finance agreements from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. These commissions were paid on a discretionary basis, meaning they could be higher than necessary without transparent disclosure to consumers.
The FCA estimated that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) were affected by this mis-selling practice (FCA, March 2026). The total estimated value of the mis-selling claims is over £7.5 billion (FCA estimate), highlighting the widespread nature of the problem.
## How to Check Your Agreement If it falls within the FCA investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, there is a possibility that discretionary commissions may have been involved.
Look for any hidden fees or unusually high interest rates in your agreement. Discretionary commissions could mean you paid more than necessary for your Chrysler car finance deal.
## How to
Complain Directly to Your Lender for Free
If you believe your Chrysler finance agreement was affected, it is important to know that you can complain directly to your lender for free. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance all have dedicated teams to handle customer complaints.
To start the process:
1.
Gather Documentation: Collect any relevant documents related to your finance agreement.
2.
Contact Your Lender: Reach out to your lender’s customer service department via phone or email.
3.
Provide Details: Clearly explain your concerns and provide evidence if available.
4.
Follow Up: Keep records of all communications and follow up regularly.
You do not need a
claims management company; the process can be handled directly with your lender.
## Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), 2024
- Office for National Statistics Census, 2021
FCA Compensation: FCA Scheme Figures
The FCA confirmed on 30 March 2026 that 12.1 million motor finance agreements are covered by the FCA redress scheme. The FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per agreement, with a total of £7.5 billion set aside for consumers. The scheme covers PCP and HP agreements entered into between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
Two separate schemes apply: post-2014 agreements (implement by 30 June 2026) and pre-2014 agreements (implement by 31 August 2026). The final deadline to complain is 31 August 2027. You can complain to your lender directly for free. You do not need a claims management company.
Across 18,590 MOT tests in 2024, Chrysler vehicles have an overall pass rate of 72.7%. This is below the national average of 79.6%. DVSA data covers 13 Chrysler models with sufficient test volume.
- Overall pass rate: 72.7%
- Total MOT tests (2024): 18,590
- Models with data: 13
- National average: 79.6%
Best Chrysler models for MOT pass rate
- Chrysler 300 C: 77.1% pass rate (1,093 tests)
- Chrysler Crossfire: 75.4% pass rate (2,052 tests)
- Chrysler Ypsilon: 73.8% pass rate (5,476 tests)
- Chrysler Grand Voyager: 71.3% pass rate (4,962 tests)
- Chrysler Delta: 69.5% pass rate (538 tests)
Chrysler models with lowest MOT pass rate
- Chrysler Ypsilon: 73.8% pass rate (5,476 tests)
- Chrysler Grand Voyager: 71.3% pass rate (4,962 tests)
- Chrysler Delta: 69.5% pass rate (538 tests)
- Chrysler Pt Cruiser: 68.9% pass rate (1,872 tests)
- Chrysler Voyager: 65.9% pass rate (974 tests)
Chrysler MOT Reliability Trend (2022-2024)
Chrysler pass rates have remained stable: 72.5% in 2022, 72.3% in 2023, and 72.7% in 2024.
- 2022: 72.5% pass rate (27,996 tests)
- 2023: 72.3% pass rate (24,658 tests)
- 2024: 72.7% pass rate (18,590 tests)
Based on 71,244 MOT tests across three years (DVSA open data).
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, Open Government Licence v3.0.