The Chrysler 200 was a mid-size sedan that was produced by the manufacturer from 2010 to its discontinuation in 2017.
Compared to its full-size counterpart, the Chrysler 300, the 200 model was a relatively new addition to Chrysler’s lineup when it was first unveiled more than a decade ago.
Despite its short production run, it still underwent a considerable amount of changes, one such change being its bolt pattern.
If you happen to own a Chrysler 200 yourself and plan on changing its wheels, then knowing its bolt pattern along with other relevant specifications will definitely prove beneficial.
What is the bolt pattern of a Chrysler 200?
Chrysler 200 models that were produced from 2015 to 2017 were equipped with a bolt pattern of 5×4.33 inches (5x110mm).
Earlier Chrysler 200 models manufactured from 2010 to 2014 had a bolt pattern that measured 5×4.5 inches (5×114.3mm).
The Chrysler 200 only came with two different bolt patterns in its entire production run, which actually line up perfectly with the model’s two different generations.
Models produced from 2010 to 2014 were the 1st-generation Chrysler 200s, while the ones from 2015 until the nameplate’s discontinuation in 2017 were the 2nd-generation models.
With that said, the bolt pattern isn’t the only thing that differs between the two generations.
As we’ve mentioned before, we’ll also be providing other relevant specifications that can help paint a clearer picture for you if the wheels that you want will fit or not.
Wheel and Bolt Specifications of the Chrysler 200
Just like its bolt pattern, knowing the wheel and bolt specifications of the Chrysler 200 will ensure that you don’t run into any wheel fitment issues.
Based on our research, there are both similarities and differences between the two Chrysler 200 generations’ wheel and bolt specifications, and we’ll be highlighting them in this part for you.
The wheel specifications will refer to each generation’s set of tire sizes and rim sizes that come as factory standards.
These sizes are commonly dependent on the specific trim level or engine size of the vehicle model, and this is also true in the Chrysler 200’s case.
The bolt pattern, however, will include the center bore diameter, type of wheel fastener, thread size, and torque tightening specification (torque spec) used.
As a general rule, these bolt specifications will remain consistent for every single model within a generation, regardless of the trim level.
2nd-Generation Chrysler 200 (2015 to 2017)
The 2nd-generation Chrysler 200 was unveiled in 2014 for the 2015 model year, and it only came in a 4-door sedan body style.
Compared to the 1st generation, the 2nd-generation model welcomed a slightly more sleek exterior design that was actually based on the Fiat Compact platform.
The Chrysler 200’s production run was rather short-lived and even marked the end of the entire nameplate itself in 2017.
Despite only being produced for a few years, it somewhat makes up for it by having pretty straightforward wheel and bolt specifications.
When looking at the bolt specifications of the two Chrysler 200 generations side by side, the 2nd generation had the slightly smaller center bore diameter of the two.
Other than that, the rest of the specifications remain exactly the same for both of them, as you’ll see further down.
Center Bore Diameter: 2.56 inches (65.1mm)
Wheel Fastener: Lug Nut (5)
Thread Size: M12x1.25
Torque Spec: 100lb-ft (135Nm)
As with its bolt specifications, the 2nd-generation Chrysler 200’s wheel specifications were also pretty straightforward.
One of the factors that can be attributed to this was that the 2nd-generation model only had two trim levels as far as the engine option was concerned.
A 2.4-liter inline-4 (I4) engine was fitted in the base trim, and this trim actually had a selection of two tire sizes and two rim sizes.
During the 2nd-generation 2.4-liter trim’s production run, you could fit it with either 215mm tires paired with 17-inch rims, or wider 235mm tires paired with bigger 18-inch rims from the factory.
The only other engine option was a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, which was actually the same engine used in other vehicles at that time, like the Dodge Journey.
However, this V6 engine trim only received one set of wheel specifications, which included Z-rated 235mm tires and the same 18-inch rim size used for one of the 2.4-liter trim’s wheels.
1st-Generation Chrysler 200 (2010 to 2014)
The Chrysler 200 nameplate first debuted in 2010 and continued production until the 2nd-generation model came in 2014.
Unlike the newer generation, the 1st-generation Chrysler was offered in both 4-door sedan and convertible body styles.
The overall design of the 1st-generation model was derived from the 3rd-generation Chrysler Sebring, which in turn, was also derived from Mitsubishi’s GS platform.
But as we’ve mentioned earlier, the bolt specifications of the 1st-generation model were almost identical to the ones on the 2nd generation, regardless of the 1st generation’s origins.
The only difference was that its center bore diameter was bigger by 2mm (67.1mm) compared to that of the 2nd generation (65.1mm).
Center Bore Diameter: 2.64 inches (67.1mm)
Wheel Fastener: Lug Nut (5)
Thread Size: M12x1.25
Torque Spec: 100lb-ft (135Nm)
The 1st-generation Chrysler 200 used the same engine options found in the 2nd generation for its trim levels, albeit older versions of them.
But when it came to the wheel specifications that the trim levels were paired with, they varied quite a bit from the 2nd-generation ones.
Both the 2.4-liter and 3.6-liter trims during this time period were equipped with 225mm tires, but they had different tire aspect ratios (second number on the tire size) and rim sizes.
How to Tighten the Bolts on the Chrysler 200
Now that you’ve hopefully got the Chrysler 200’s wheel and bolt specifications down, it’s a good time to talk about properly tightening the bolts (or lug nuts) themselves.
When it comes to tightening the bolts on any vehicle’s wheels, you need to keep in mind the number of bolts they use and how much torque is needed to tighten them.
As we’ve discussed above, both the 1st and 2nd-generation Chrysler 200 models use a total of 5 lug nuts for their wheels, so we can refer to them as having a “5-lug pattern”.
With that said, we’ve provided you with the proper tightening order that should be used for wheels with a 5-lug pattern below.
If you’ve been checking out our other automobile articles, then you might be already familiar with the star-shaped tightening order above.
This tightening order is used in a lot of passenger cars out there, which makes the 5-lug pattern pretty common to find in a lot of wheels made today.
Just make sure to tighten the lug nuts to about halfway or “hand-tight” only when you’ve got the car jacked up.
You can then fully tighten the lug nuts to the recommended torque specification (100lb-ft for the Chrysler 200) with a torque wrench after lowering the car back down.
Drive the car for about 50 miles then recheck the torque value of the lug nuts afterward. Retighten them immediately if you notice any changes.
If the loosening persists, then you may need to either recalibrate your torque wrench, clean between the wheels’ mating surfaces, or swap the wheels for new ones entirely.
When to Change the Tires on the Chrysler 200
Your Chrysler 200’s tires are an important component of its wheels when it comes to maintaining safe and predictable handling as you’re driving along.
Because of their importance, we’ve dedicated this part of the article to make sure that you know how much life you have on your tires.
We’ve even thrown a few tips below on how to measure your tires’ tread depth.
But for starters, it’s essential to know just how long or how many miles you can expect your Chrysler 200’s tires to last.
The exact answer to that question may vary depending on your driving style, the type of terrain you usually drive on, or even the tire manufacturer itself.
But generally speaking, the average set of tires should last you a good 60,000 to 75,000 miles (97,000 to 121,000km).
Additionally, you should also consider changing your tires if they’re over the 5-year mark since the rubber compound still degrades throughout the years regardless of the miles driven.
As promised, if you’re not sure how many miles you’ve driven on your tires, then you can use either of the two ways to measure tire tread depth below.
The picture above shows a tire’s “tread wear indicator bars”. These will sit deep between the treads on new tires and would gradually get exposed as the tires wear out.
By the time the bars are at the same height as the treads, then your tires are already too worn out and it’s definitely time for a fresh set.
Alternatively, you can also do the classic “penny test”, which measures how thick the tire treads are based on how much of Abe Lincoln’s head is exposed.
Half of his head would remain hidden on newer tires (right image) but will be fully exposed on treads that are less than 1/16 of an inch thick already.
Not only is it unsafe, but it’s also illegal to run tires with treads less than 1/16 of an inch thick. So you should absolutely change your tires once you’re past that point.
How and When to Rotate the Tires on the Chrysler 200
Tire rotations on your Chrysler 200 will come around as more of a “regular maintenance” thing compared to a complete tire change.
This is because tire rotations are performed for the purpose of prolonging your tires long enough before they reach the end of their tread life.
As far as the type of tire rotation and frequency is concerned, it’s going to depend on each vehicle’s possible drivetrain layouts and the type of tires used.
As a general rule, when you’re running non-directional tires on any car, then the correct tire rotation pattern will rely on the car’s drivetrain.
The Chrysler 200 was offered in front-wheel drive (FWD) for all 1st-generation trims and 2nd-generation 2.4-liter I4 trims.
On the other hand, only the 2nd-generation 3.5-liter V6 trims had an all-wheel drive system as an additional drivetrain option.
With these designations kept in mind, we can now focus our attention on the actual tire rotation patterns for FWD and AWD Chrysler 200 models below.
The first photo demonstrates the “forward cross” pattern that’s appropriate for vehicles with FWD drivetrains.
Tire rotation frequency for FWD vehicles should be every 5,000 to 7,500 miles (8,000 to 12,000 kilometers) while using the forward cross pattern.
In comparison, the second photo is actually just the exact opposite of the first one, which the tire industry calls the “rearward cross” pattern.
The rearward cross pattern is used in AWD and RWD (rear-wheel drive) vehicles, and it should be performed a bit sooner at 3,000 to 5,000 miles (4,800 to 8,000km) for AWD ones specifically.
AWD cars like the 2nd-generation Chrysler 200 V6 model have their engines distribute power to all four wheels.
For this reason, their tires undergo more wear and consequently more frequent tire rotations compared to FWD or RWD cars.
Now, if you’re going to be or are running directional or unidirectional tires on your Chrysler 200, then it’ll be a completely different story pattern-wise.
When it comes to rotating directional tires, which are actually commonly used in performance applications, neither the drivetrain nor the vehicle itself is relevant.
All vehicles equipped with directional tires should only be rotated from front to back and vice versa (straight rotation), as demonstrated above.
This is because their treads are designed to perform optimally in one direction only, so implementing either of the two “cross” rotation patterns above will defeat that purpose.
