10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 8 / 7
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 6 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 9,737 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
On 4 separate occasions the vehicle while in motion will flash an alert that states -??vehicle shutting down, stop safely-?? and the van will proceed to completely shut down- all electrical components do not work, including the sliding doors. After 30-45 minutes, the can will start back up without issue. Has been evaluated by a Chrysler dealership mechanic, as well as 2 private mechanics. They have been unable to replicate the issue. The main and auxillary batteries have been replaced twice each. Each incident we were able to pull over safely and there have not been any injuries or crashes, but we are concerned if it happens and we can-??t pull over, we could easily crash.
- Leland, NC, USA
I was driving with my family on the interstate and was exiting when the car shuddered and I lost propulsion. Interior electrical power was still functional. This occurred as the car was switching to gas mode as I had been been driving about 30-35 miles on electric at that point. The gas motor never came on. I was able to roll into a gas station since we were on a bit of a downhill. Shut off car and waited a beat then started car again, battery showed 1% and was able to pull 2 more feet into gas station and off to side before it completely died again (battery at 0%). I feel extremely fortunate that this didn't happen a moment earlier when I was on the expressway and that were able to get off of a busy road. I had the vehicle towed to nearest Chrysler dealer and had a friend drive me and my family to a nearby car rental place. After two weeks at the dealer, we were informed that the issue was likely the Power Inverter Module. We are still without car and waiting for updates from service department.
- Concord, MA, USA
In March of this year (2024), while driving down the road at 45 mph, my Pacifica's dashboard suddenly lit up and flashed all kinds of warnings including ABS off, the check engine light, the parking brake, the service electronic throttle control, electronic stability control off, collision off, warning parking brake, and other lights that I'm not sure what they mean. It seemed like every warning light in the panel lit up. The van slowed down and wouldn't let me accelerate and it felt like the power steering wasn't active. I pulled into a parking lot and shut the engine off. After restarting, the check engine light was lit, but the van let me proceed. I took it to my auto shop that said the codes were all electronic/ software related and I had to take it to a dealership. The dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong and that the codes didn't save. On June 9, the lights started flashing again while I was parked in a parking lot while I was on a road trip. I was able to capture the end of it on my camera. I again turned the engine off and on again, and the van "reset" with only the check engine light on. I was able to proceed through the rest of the weekend and the check engine light actually turned off after a day. Then on June 22, the warning lights started flashing again. My son was driving this time (along with my husband and 2 other sons). He pulled into a parking lot to return the van home, but it wouldn't go into a gear. Slowly, they toggled through the gears until it would allow them to drive the van home. He also said that it felt like he lost power steering. Losing steering, the ability to accelerate, the ability to put the vehicle in gear while driving, and losing the ABS system and the electronic stability system definitely puts my family and others at risk of an accident. I am prepared to take it to my dealer if asked. It has not been inspected by anyone else accept a local car shop and the dealership.
- Oxford, OH, USA
Back in January While driving and stopping at a red light the warning light appeared that the stop/start function was unavailable. The warning "electronic service" appeared and went away. While stopped at a red light the vehicle turned off with no other warning. This put me at serious risk with my children in the car for an accident. After a minute I was able to turn my car back on get hhome. I had my vehicle serviced and had a new main battery put in. Now in June the same warning came on again. I have to pay hundreds of dollars just to get a diagnostic report. This is the second time in less than 6 months. This is putting my safety and the safety of my family at risk.
- Webster , NY, USA
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a failure with the START/STOP system. The contact stated that on several occasions the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the START/STOP engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
- Senatobia, MS, USA
Head gasket is blown with not that many miles, it's blowing fuses on a daily bases, start stop function won't work. Coolant leaks. Coils damaged, and lastly ac unit won't close properly and keeps making noise.
- Portland , TN, USA
While driving a message came across the dash to "service charging system" and then a second message appeared that said "speeds limited" and the vehicle slowed to 44mph entirely out of my control.
- Charles Town, WV, USA
There is a loud clicking and popping noise from the front drivers side suspension when turning or going over bumpy ground. The car also pulls to one side unexpectedly when going around corners Sometimes while driving the car will shut down and restart as if rebooting a computer.
- Phoenixville , PA, USA
My Vehicle suddenly stops while the car is in motion, it shuts completely off. I had an instance where my car shut off coming off the freeway off-ramp. This has happened on numerous occasions and we have been trying to call the dealership to see if there is any recall. We are never given a straight answer and we feel unsafe to drive our vehicle
- Helendale , CA, USA
The van auto shutoff during a stop in an intersection. The van did not turn back on when the pressure was released from the pedal. The engine was off and I was in the middle of the intersection. The gear shifter knob was unable to move to a different gear. After multiple attempts to restart the car were unsuccessful, the car finally restarted after cycling through the att, run, start menus without the brake being depressed and then pressing the break and pushing the start button. This vehicle has had the recall work performed related to this issue and the repair is insufficient. The stall is intermittent and difficult to repeat.
- Hamilton, OH, USA
The vehicle display reads "Service Charging System" and switches into limp mode where the vehicle is prevented from driving faster than 15 mph. After leaving the van sit for a time, it drives ok. I took the van to a Chrysler dealership twice after this happened, and the dealership could not resolve the issue. After the second time this happened, the dealership contacted an engineer at Chrysler to try and resolve the problem, but they could not. Chrysler says the problem stems from the charger that is being used, but the error/limp mode occurs not after using a charger. I am concerned that the vehicle will switch over to limp mode at any time presenting a safety risk.
- Elizabethtown, PA, USA
The #5 cylinder keeps having a misfire sometimes causing failure of the vehicle to get up and move when needed in an emergency Situation this being a family van make even putting children in danger at times. After inspection by myself a Mechanic that even taught College Automotive repair, I have also taught Jet engine repair I find this concerning. Is what is happening is the head gasket is leaking coolant into the #5 Cylinder and we all know water will not admit a spark. Rust can be seen on the Valves and top of Piston cylinder upon inspection. This is a well know issue across the United States and Chrysler Dealers and manufacturers, their mechanics, parts and service departments also know this. This is poor workmanship inferior parts. But the most concerning is not being able to get a response out of the vehicle to get out of the way in an emergency situation and that the owners of Chrysler Corporation do not care. With the cost the consumers paid for these Vehicles it should not have to fall on them due to the inferior parts and workmanship of the manufacturing Company. The Average Consumer cannot afford to fix this issue, and some are still paying for their Pacifica's Immediate action should be taken with this problem as many Babies, Children and adult lives are being put at risk. I would recommend to stop driving these vehicles immediately until the problem is resolved. Accident waiting to happen possibly causing bodily harm.
- Haughton, LA, USA
Tried to start car. When start button was pressed the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. Multiple error messages. FCW unavailable, power steering unavailable, fuel door open, park brake unavailable, park sense unavailable, Service hybrid electric system, power steering unavailable. The gear indication, both on dash and by shifter was flashing. The car would not turn off. I had to open hood and disconnect 12v battery for the car to power off. Waited 10 seconds and connected 12v and it power on, but the check engine light is still active
- Pearland, TX, USA
The check engine light came on and the vehicle experienced a slight loss of power. Later the Start/Stop indicator light cam on with a message saying it has malfunctioned. Upon driving the van continues to have issues going up hills and accelerating from a stopped position. The check engine light remains steady without blinking.
- Peebles, OH, USA
Initial Symptoms: Auto-start/stop failed/tripped, plus excessive white exhaust smoke continuously exits (will not stop). Stopped driving vehicle ~26Nov2023. Problem 1: P0303 Solution 1: Ignition coil and spark plug replacements @ $905.17 (15Dec2023) Not Fixed: Error code is gone but white smoke persists. Problem 2: Chrysler tech found low coolant, traced to EGR cooler. Solution 2: Replaced EGR cooler @ $1,319 (05Jan2024) Not Fixed: Excessive white smoke still exits tailpipe and does not stop. Neither solution fixed the root cause. There is also an engine smoke smell in the cabin (we don't smoke). Potential Root Cause: Failed head gasket forcing coolant into the engine then burning out as white exhaust.
- Owens Cross Roads, AL, USA
oticed that the CEL had come on, and after reading the codes, I found out that there was a cylinder 5 misfire. To fix the issue, I decided to replace all the spark plugs and ignition coils, and after putting everything back together, I erased the codes. However, the following day, the same code appeared again, and I realized that the coolant level in the reservoir was low. I performed a pressure test on the system and ran it to temperature, but there were no coolant leaks. While the car was running, I observed bubbles in the reservoir, and these signs pointed towards a blown head gasket. After checking online for Pacifica common issues, I found out that head gasket failure is one of the main complaints. As a mechanic with 13 years of experience, I know that these symptoms indicate a blown head gasket. Unfortunately, due to this issue, I had to leave work twice as my wife and four kids were stranded 30 minutes away from the house. This is not acceptable, and I've never had a vehicle blow a head gasket before.
- Rialto, CA, USA
After radiator was replaced by the dealership, our car has been experiencing coolant leaks that we have -??repaired-?? twice, however the issue keeps coming back within the week. We are also experiencing stalled engine will driving, where the car just slows down instantly or stops.
- Columbia, SC, USA
On Sunday, November 5, 2023, our 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid caught fire in our garage. Please refer to the attached PDF which details the incident. I have pictures and videos of the incident as well as a report from the fire department is being prepared. We have placed home and auto claims with our insurance provider, and we are also working with a disaster recovery company who is compiling a report on the damages and losses. - What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" My educated guess from what I witnessed and discussions with the firefighters is it was the car-??s electric battery. - How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Refer to PDF; further would this have happened at night and as discussed with the fire department, the toxic smoke, heat, and fire/explosion would very likely have caused the situation to have a much more catastrophic outcome. - Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I do not know specifically; however, please note PDF related to NHTSA Recall # 20V-334 we had completed in September 2023. - Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Refer to PDF; after the fire was extinguished and at the directive of the fire department, the car was taken to a local salvage yard for safety/risk of reigniting. - Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" Refer to PDF; no, there were no warning signs other than the smell that morning and the service charging system notification after I unplugged the vehicle. We had driven the van the previous day with no issues, and when my wife left the house around 930 that morning through the garage, she did not notice a smell or anything unusual.
- Chesterfield, MO, USA
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the main battery and the auxiliary battery had been replaced on multiple occasions. The dealer had not yet determined the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the frequent battery failures caused the vehicle to stall while driving at various speeds with the battery and check engine warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed with a cylinder #3 misfire. Also, the contact mentioned that the vehicle would jerk forward upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
- De Berry, TX, USA
- Apple Valley, CA, USA