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 #417

Mar 042024

Pacifica

  • miles
Engine locked up. Had it to run hot one day. When cooled off put fluid in and drive for four days after went to get in to go out and wouldn-??t start. Fluids was still good that day. Had to haul to garage and that-??s when said it was locked up. Has 104,000 miles. Had had the plugs changed as what the codes said it needed. March 4th is day it quit

- Corbin, KY, USA

problem #416

Mar 152024

Pacifica

  • miles
of all the issues, I want to bring attention to 2 very serious ones. 1) Engine has transmission issue. Auto Shifting of gears give constant jerks and this was never resolved. Chrysler has always avoided this as it's a very expensive fix. Have taken to several different dealerships in 2 different states. (NJ & TX) 2) Coolant leaking. This ends up becoming an engine problem that they don't fix.

- Richmond, TX, USA

problem #415

Sep 292022

Pacifica

  • miles
My Pacifica head gaskets failed causing severe engine damage.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #414

Mar 132024

Pacifica

  • miles
I purchased this Chrysler Pacifica from advantage auto sales in new Kensington pa. Making payments obviously but I have had nothing but issues since we got it. Now it-??s up at #1 Cochran and they did a exam and they sent me a video and the transmission is bad, (which when I got the vehicle I been saying something is wrong with the transmission, took it to the garage they kept telling me to take to for now 3rd gear to be grinded out. Head gaskets went in it as well they kept it for over 2 months to not even put parts back together properly, axle is bad. Leaking oil somewhere where still, this fan flapper thingy in the front is bad and been since day 1 there is a bad sensor on it which they told me they fixed and clearly didn-??t. I have had nothing but issues on this vehicle since I got it. It sees more garages than it does outside. I have 4 kids. Making a lot of trips to doctor appointments and such.. so I need a vehicle, they don-??t care. I went to the dealer yesterday and they just told me to take it to another place to get the transmission rebuild or whatever but I feel that isn-??t going to fix it and I-??m just gonna have more issues in the long run. Can you guys help me at all ?! I need something done. My warrenty is up soon and they only cover 8,000 of the tranny and it-??s a 10,000 tranny.

- Arnold, PA, USA

problem #413

Feb 202024

Pacifica

  • miles
Head gasket blown at 79,000 miles. This is a known issue on this model but Chrysler won-??t admit fault.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #412

Feb 022024

Pacifica

  • miles
My van experienced a cylinder 3 misfire and coolant leak which I now understand is due to a known manufacturing defect in the 2017+ Pacifica engine. I have already spent north of $1700 over multiple trips to my mechanic to replace spark plugs, ignition coils, and coolant flush. Even now, the check engine light continues to come back on when I start the vehicle. This continued malfunction of an engine that overheats and becomes inoperable is indeed a safety defect, especially in a vehicle advertised for families with kids.

- Takoma Park, MD, USA

problem #411

Feb 142024

Pacifica

  • miles
2017 Pacifica Head Gasket 68000

- Campbell, CA, USA

problem #410

Feb 052024

Pacifica

  • miles
The van shuts off while driving. This has happened several times now. Stuck in the middle of road where van stalled. Need to stop and restart. No warning or indicator lights.

- Saratoga Springs, UT, USA

problem #409

Jan 052024

Pacifica

  • miles
Engine misfire, spark plug issue, blown head gasket

- New Boston, MI, USA

problem #408

Jan 262024

Pacifica

  • miles
This car has a blown head gasket at 123,000 miles. It seems this is a VERY common problem with this car and something that is clearly a factory defect. I have heard of this problem with many of these cars and a lot of them occur at less than 100,000 miles.

- Sioux Falls, SD, USA

problem #407

Jan 122024

Pacifica

  • miles
After smelling a burning smell when driving, an independent service center diagnosed that the engine oil cooler had failed causing the engine oil and antifreeze coolant levels to drop low enough that continued driving could seize the engine. The sparkplugs were damaged and a head gasket could be required as well. If not for the burning smell, the van could have stopped suddenly in busy traffic on the highway with my kids inside. The vehicle can be inspected anytime. I have not yet contacted the manufacturer. No warning lights went on. The only indication was a burning smell that I first thought was the new rear brakes I had installed.

- Boulder, CO, USA

problem #406

Jan 012023

Pacifica

  • miles
I am experiencing an issue where the air conditioner blows hot air intermittently and now just blowing hot air. It seems to be a known issue with the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica but there doesn-??t seem to be a recall for my van. I also noticed that there seems to be an issue with the coolant leaking which after some google searching also seems to be a known issue. Please advise.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #405

Dec 162023

Pacifica

  • miles
The vehicle first malfunctioned 09/2022. All the signals on the dashboard came on including the wipers. Then the vehicle wouldn-??t accelerate and stopped while driving in the middle of the road. I got it towed to a Chrysler dealership and they had it for 4 four months and couldn-??t maintain power within the van. After 4 fours I received the van back and it was driving good. Recently, while out of town on 12/16/2023 the van began to run hot for the first time and I parked it. The next day it wouldn-??t start and I got it towed to a nearby shop on 12/18/23 and I was told it was my starter. I replaced the starter and the shop said it was something with my engine due to white smoke coming out the exhaust pipes. I got it towed again to a nearby Chrysler dealership on 12/19/23 and they confirmed after doing the diagnostic, the service shop said I needed a new engine because the coolant leaked into the cylinder heads blowing the gaskets. I asked what caused this issue and they stated overheating. The vehicle has never shown signs of overheating such as smoking or the gauges going up until that night which was a brief 5 minutes because I parked the van. I have researched and seen multiple cases like mine in both circumstances with this same kind of vehicle and not1 recall has been placed. I maintenance the vehicle as required and believe this is a manufacturing issue.

- Allen, TX, USA

problem #404

Dec 232023

Pacifica

  • miles
2017 Chrysler pacifica has had multiple major engine failures. First was 2021 head gasket failure which lead to a new engine. Now 2023 the exact same thing has happened again. Engine temperature warning light came on got car towed. Head gasket failure again. This van is unsafe engine design is horribly flawed leading to multiple engine failures

- Marengo, IL, USA

problem #403

Dec 292023

Pacifica

  • miles
When going to accelerate, the car will not shift into gear. It g Jerks and it takes a few seconds to physically move foward. There are times when turning onto a road or highway it will not accelerate as it should.

- La Crosse , WI, USA

problem #402

Nov 232023

Pacifica

  • miles
Head gasket and Rear valve cover gasket replaced. Still smelling burning oil. Started with check engine light for misfire on cylinder 5. 75K miles on vehicle. There is a rough idle and loss of power at interstate speeds.

- Mechanicsburg, PA, USA

problem #401

Dec 132023

Pacifica

  • miles
There was a flashing check engine light and shaking engine. Found out there was a misfire at cylinder 5. Dealership found coolant inside the cylinder.

- Grimes, IA, USA

problem #400

Dec 102023

Pacifica

  • miles
Head Gasket has failed on the engine which resulted in radiator blowing out in the middle of traffic stranding my wife and four kids on the side of the road for hours. Seems to be a common issue with the Chrysler 3.6 engine in 2017 models and possibly 2018 models.

- Solon, IA, USA

problem #399

Dec 122023

Pacifica

  • miles
Blown engine gasket

- Owings, MD, USA

problem #398

Nov 282023

Pacifica

  • miles
Head gasket failed, causing the engine to overheat and damage to occur. Luckily, my wife was able to move safely off of the roadway. The vehicle was taken to LaFontaine CDJR in Walled Lake, Michigan, for repair. They confirmed that it was indeed a head gasket failure and the repair total would be around $6000. Research shows that this is a frequent problem with these vehicles, with numerous reports online.

- West Bloomfield, MI, USA

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