10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,052 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #457

Sep 172024

Pacifica

  • miles
Engine light came on. Independent service operator noted leaking coolant and oil. Sent camera into cylinder from misfiring spark plug and discovered broken head gasket. The car is available for inspection on request.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #456

Sep 152024

Pacifica

  • miles
The vehicle presents almost all warning lights then acts very radically. The engine will stall, won-??t go in gear. It will happen while vehicle is in motion. Super dangerous. I-??ve had it to the dealer 3 times. They can-??t seem to find a fix

- Lombard, IL, USA

problem #455

Aug 312023

Pacifica

  • miles
We bought the van on 03/31/2022. On 08/31/2023 we went to get into the van, while it was parked outside of our home, and I tried to start it up but it wouldn't start. I had my mechanic look at it and he said it would need a new engine. I"m so glad that it happened in front of my house or else I would have been stranded somewhere with my kids- which would have been very dangerous. There were no symptoms or indicators of the problem before it happened. It happened out of nowhere. Our warranty on the vehicle expired 5 months prior to it breaking down so we haven't taken it to the dealer. We can't afford it. Before it broke down it went to every single service appointment and was up to date on every oil change/ service it needed.

- Napa, CA, USA

problem #454

Sep 262024

Pacifica

  • miles
Head gasket failure and warped cilinder @ 73K miles. Sounds like this is an extremly common problem and wanted to report it here. Vehicle is currently awaiting repairs at dealership. i was quoted $6,000 for repairs.

- Zeeland, MI, USA

problem #453

Sep 012024

Pacifica

  • miles
Blown Head Gasket Had vehicle less than 6 months

- Fairborn, OH, USA

problem #452

Jun 012024

Pacifica

  • miles
Intermittently my van will lose power, all dash lights will pop up, active parksense unavailable, service required, blind spot alert temporarily unavailable, service shifter, fcw unavailable service required, service electronic stability control will pop up on the dash and in the message center. Code p0420 has popped up on a reader. Several trips to the dealership purchased at, and they cannot figure out the issues. I have 2 kids, this is a major safety concern. I had it shutdown on a highway 3 weeks ago with my 9 month old in the van. Recall list says everything was repaired, but it seems there needs to be more recalls. These vans are not safe. Recall them all. Chrysler is going to end up with a lawsuit. I think this is a major defect on the electrical and computer systems. When driving the van it will show I'm doing 70 but really 35mph. The van will rough idle. Again these are all intermittent issues that happen all at once. It seems like the van will reset itself once it's sat overnight. We just bought the van in May 2024 and this started a few weeks later. Very frustrating. The dealership won't buy it back, they can't figure out what the issue is. I

- Cleves, OH, USA

problem #451

Jul 032024

Pacifica

  • miles
Purchased 2017 Pacifica Limited in [XXX] from Carmax. 38K miles. Purchased Carmax 100K warranty. Within 90 day Carmax dealer repair warranty, Misfire cylinder 3 check engine light came on. Carmax replaced coil, injector etc. Cleared check engine light. June 24 Misfire cylinder 5 check engine light came on. Vehicle never over heated. Took the vehicle to independent repair shop that performs MaxCare warranty work. Diagnosis: Blown head gaskets. 950/? in coolant when tested. 3 week parts B/O. That would indicate many problems. Chrysler Pacifica Forums have hundreds of blown head gasket entries for years 2017-18. The blown head gaskets were causing rough starts, rough idling, and stalls. Additionally, I don't know why this has not been addressed as a safety issue. When this started occurring, my wife would have to hit the START button 2-3-4 times to get it to start and then it ran rough for a few minutes. Some times stall. The Start/Stop feature is affected when the engine does not rapidly start when the pedal is pushed. This is a big safety issue when on the road and in traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Orangevale, CA, USA

problem #450

Sep 012024

Pacifica

  • miles
Minivan was performing normally, then at a signal light after 14 min of driving on the hwy, the car stalled at a major intersection. Multiple attempts were made to restart but gear selector was locked in drive. The knob would not turn (locked). Multiple Error messages were displayed on central gauges and tow truck had to be called, since car was blocking freeway lane crossing. The car did restart eventually but gear selector still locked and minivan is not operational.

- Pearland, TX, USA

problem #449

Jul 102024

Pacifica

  • miles
I have researched this and it seems to be a problem that is very common to the Pacificas. Some examples can be found here, but there are hundreds of reports of this across the Internet. [XXX] The problem is twofold. 1. The plastic oil cooler that Chrysler uses on these vehicles is substandard and will fail. Typically this happens just outside of warranty. These parts were made to fail which induces a very expensive repair. 2. There is a very common issue with the head gaskets on these vans. So much so, that when I had one of them replaced on my van the service advisor suggested I do them both because he said the other one would fail soon. He said it happens all the time on these vans. I spent almost $4000 to have one replaced, there is no way I could afford to have more done. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Hartselle, AL, USA

problem #448

Jul 302024

Pacifica

  • miles
Head gasket failed, flooding #5 cylinder with engine coolant. A warning lamp came on just prior to the failure signaling the #5 plug was misfiring. The engine stopped running and could not start the vehicle. The engine is the Chrysler Pentastar V6 with 63,763 miles.

- Massillon, OH, USA

problem #447

Jan 152024

Pacifica

  • miles
As I am driving down the street in the middle of traffic the van will cut off and all wheels will lock, I buy a new battery and wires and it continues to happen, not able to drive the expressway scared of causing an accident. The dash will start blinking and the electric will start flashing radio shuts down and the whole car is down for a few minutes like it need to reset.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #446

Jul 012024

Pacifica

  • miles
At 76,000 miles, the engine started to misfire and smoke while driving. Loud pop heard. Took it in and dealership said it was a known engine problem with this 3.6 liter engine on cylinder #5 due to the lack of heat dissipation in the rear of the engine compartment. Thank goodness we had just started the car when we heard the pop. The service engine light cam on immediately after the rough start and now if started, it smokes from the tailpipe. Likely head gasket, warped head due to lack of cooling. Car always serviced at dealership. This is a common and known problem at this mileage for this vehicle.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #445

Jul 102024

Pacifica

  • miles
1. Engine power failure 2. Put in extreme danger-I lost all power going through a tunnel under water (MM Bridge Tunnel). I completely stalleddead center in the middle. Only by the grace of God did no one hit me. I also have severe neck issues. A couple of my neck discs need to be replaced. If I were hit I could have been paralyzed. This has created emotional and financial anxiety as well as poor sleep due to tense muscles and body aches. 3. It has almost cut off twice since then. A mechanic did a deep check of all electrical systems, they are fine. He said it was an engine power drain issue. He said according to research it was a known engine problem. 4. Dealer said my vin # is not on the list (even though it's a known problem) and stated I would have to pay for check and repairs. I saw there was a case settlement and am hoping that will cover the cost. The was no police report even though they pulled up to protect me. The van eventually started again and I moved to a safe location. Dodd's Auto shop did evaluation. 5. I noticed an engine light before stall. I'm not sure how long it had been on. My van has a security video but I'm not sure how to get it. My husband is out of town caring for his 96yr old father so he couldn't get it for me.

- Portsmouth, VA, USA

problem #444

Jul 182024

Pacifica

  • miles
Check engine light on. P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected, My maintenance history : Coil is good, only been 27,000 mile since I replaced 6xspark plugs, replaced 1 fuel injector just a week a go, still got engine light on. I took my van to Chrysler Dealer found coolant leaking into cylinder head or gasket. I searched online seems pacifica has many cylinder manufacturers issue.

- Garland, TX, USA

problem #443

Mar 152024

Pacifica

  • miles
I purchased my 2017 in 2023. Within a few months, problems began. When we brought the van back to the Chrysler dealer to have it checked with their OBD2 code reader, multiple codes pulled up-?? First thing -??needing-?? to be replaced was the hood sensor because the display said the hood was open (even though I was simply stopped at a red light). The auto start/stop light was also coming on and staying on. The dealer said that would go away after replacing the sensor. That repair was done (I believe) in April of 2024 at the Chrysler dealer (and the auto start/stop light came back on a week later, both batteries testing fine independently of one another). Next thing -??needing-?? to be replaced was the accelerator pedal module because my van would start shaking, not accelerate, and go into (what I now know is) limp mode with all warning lights displaying on almost every right hand turn. This absolutely puts my safety and the safety of my four children at risk when it suddenly decides to not accelerate!! That repair was done in June 2024 at the Chrysler dealer. Next thing to happen is the check engine light illuminating. We checked the coolant and it was almost empty! This should NOT be happening! We filled with coolant, but have to do this every few days now. The check engine light has come back on and is still producing many codes, the worst of which is p0303. This code has pulled up every single time we-??ve had the van scanned at the dealer. The dealer has had my vehicle on MULTIPLE occasions for MULTIPLE days each time and NEVER ONCE told me the severity of this problem. Their words: We just go down the list, starting at the top. P0303 was not at the top, and now I have to pay the price for their incompetency! My van would not start and had to be towed to the dealer yesterday, 7.17.2024. I-??m waiting to hear from them, but I can guarantee this is a head gasket/engine failure issue. Who can afford to just replace an engine?! This is infuriating and beyond frustrating!!

- Palm Coast, FL, USA

problem #442

Oct 252023

Pacifica

  • miles
Before I purchased the vehicle the head gasket was replaced do to an misfire on cylinder 3 fault code. Misfire on cylinder 3 fault code consistently comes back on after replacing coil packs and spark plugs. Independant mechanic states he cannot solve the issue. Chrysler dealer states engine needs replacement as the block is cracked and leaking into cylinder 3. 120k miles on engine. Bought it with 112k.

- Rochelle, IL, USA

problem #441

Jun 202024

Pacifica

  • miles
92,000 miles engine failed and had to replace with a new one. Started with a rough idle at start up and code said misfire on #6, had a tune up done with replacing plug and coil packs. Next code was #5 misfiring, and then it started blowing white smoke. Head gasket blown but wouldn't guarantee repairs so I went with a new motor with a warranty

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #440

Jun 102024

Pacifica

  • miles
2017 Pacifica, front bank (also referred to as left side of 3.6 Pentastar engine) multiple cylinder misfire, due to failed head; 110,000 miles. Issues progressed exactly or very similarly as described by multiple (hundreds of owners) on Pacifica forums), most fail between 80,000 to 120,000 miles, with distribution between 50k and 150k. Suspect excessive heat in engine bay coupled with defective head manufacturing (Mexican built engines suspected to have higher failure rate) and faulty components leading to head failures (cracked heads, warped heads, faulty head gaskets) on 2017+ Pacificas. Rear head known to fail due to lack of sufficient cooling in position at back of engine bay. Vehicle also goes through one aux start/stop battery every 1-1.5 years (suspect early failures due to excessive heat, not overcharging issue that Chrysler recalled for). Vehicle also has history of faulty roller rockers and lifters, already had replaced once while in warranty period. Issue began as faulty cam phase sensor. When repairs made mechanic also noted that oil cooler was cracked. This is a faulty design remedied by Chrysler for 2022 models. Heat coupled with bad o-rings and/or overtightening of oil filter cap leads to crack in assembly allowing for oil and/or coolant loss. Chrysler has made no attempt to fix known issue on pre-2022 models. Repaired both at cost of $1033. Few days later P0300 code and loss of engine power. Diagnosed as faulty roller rockers, one of which had even broken off. Roller rockers, lifters, and cam replaced on left side of engine at cost of $2700. Mechanic pressure tested head and found no leakage. Drove home and multiple cylinder misfire occurred again with loss of power. Returned to mechanic. Suspect crack between intake and exhaust valve guides which opens as head heats (seems to occur once engine reaches 195 degrees F, which is just below normal operating range). Head replacement suggested but not recommended as I'll be upside down in vehicle.

- Dunkirk, Md, MD, USA

problem #439

Jun 212024

Pacifica

  • miles
Failed head gasket. Faulty manufacturing. All maintenance done as recommended by manufacturer by the dealership who sold the vehicle.

- Corbett , OR, USA

problem #438

Apr 042024

Pacifica

  • miles
I was driving the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica on [XXX] when the engine warning light came on and indicated that the engine was running hot. When I got home we checked and added engine coolant since it was low. Two days later the van was running hot again. I pulled over the engine coolant was empty. We refilled the engine coolant. Two days later the engine light came on and I took the van to our mechanic and he completed a partial tune up on the van and refilled the engine coolant. A few days later it began hesitating, jerking, and bouncing and the check engine light came back on. The temperature was reading okay. At home and when we opened the hood there was a very hot smell. When we opened the coolant and it began to bubble up then sucked all the liquid back into the van...somewhere. We left the engine cool completely overnight but the smell of burning coolant was seeping into our house all evening. In the morning we added more coolant because the tank was empty again. A few days it started all over again., loosing engine coolant, jerking, hesitating and bouncing. (I only drive the van 12 miles a day to work then 12 miles back.) This time I took it to our mechanic and he ran a diagnostic test and it found a cylinder misfired. He checked the coolant level and it was empty again. At this time he also checked the oil to be sure the coolant was not going into the oil tank but the oil was clear. He also double checked for recalls on the van and also on the spark plugs he had just replaced and but found nothing. He reset the engine light and we added 1/2 can of BG-44k fuel cleaner, part 208. The van ran smoothly for about five days. Then it began all over again. We then took it to a Chrysler dealership and was told the head gaskets were leaking coolant into the cylinder and the van needed a completely new engine! at a cost of $13,750! This seems to have been an ongoing issue with this model of van and Chrysler is doing nothing to fix it! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552

- Carlisle, PA, USA

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