2017 Chrysler Pacifica Complaint Log

The check engine would blink and the engine would shutter for a few minutes when the van would start. It would drive around normal. A few days later the van would not start at all. We checked both batteries and they were not the issue. We then towed the van to a Chrysler dealer who checked the starter and alternator, those were both good. They stated the engine was seized and quoted $15,000 for a new motor.. the van has 120,000 miles on it. The van is worth less than the quote we received.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission slammed into gear while shifting. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel pulled to the left while the contact was attempting to go to the right. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

The electric steering has a stiff jerk at random positions when taking a turn. It seems to happen at the 11 o clock and the 1 o clock positions on the wheel. It causes a stiffness when driving on a turn that causes myself to have to jerk the wheel to get it out of the stuck position, which causes the vehicle to jerk and causes panic. It seems to happen every time I drive the van, several times during a trip, basically every time I take a basic turn. The safety of my family is put at risk because it causes me to have to jerk the wheel to get the steering under control. This is a current on going investigation. There are no warning messages or lights on for this. Please investigate this and get this issue fixed. It’s scary and dangerous to my family and others on the road.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and making a slight right turn, the steering wheel became sticky and failed to return to center as designed. The driver had to forcefully turn the steering wheel back to center. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,000.

I own a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid that is currently under active recall and within the 8-year federal hybrid warranty. My vehicle is covered under Recall 20V334 (W46). The high-voltage (HV) battery has failed, rendering the vehicle undriveable. The dealership confirmed the battery needs to be replaced and opened a warranty claim, but they do not have parts available. Despite this, Chrysler has refused to provide me with a rental or loaner vehicle while the car is awaiting repair — citing that my vehicle is “not a 2019 or newer.” I was also denied escalation to a supervisor by Chrysler’s customer care team, even after I requested further review. This leaves me and my family without safe, reliable transportation. Chrysler’s refusal to provide a rental violates the intent of the recall process, which is to protect drivers and passengers from unsafe conditions. The car cannot be driven, and there is no known repair date. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Chrysler’s refusal to support owners affected by this recall — especially those with vehicles built before 2019 who are still within the hybrid warranty period. I am concerned that Chrysler is selectively denying recall support to 2017 and 2018 model years despite the recall applying to 2017–2020 Pacifica Hybrids.

Parksense Unavailable. While reversing we backed into another vehicle. Normally, the parking brakes if we get to close or at least a warning that we are approaching a potential hazard.

The van have issues with a head gasket, Chrysler is aware yet the dealers keep selling the van with this known problems, I reached out to Chrysler and they said they cannot help. I had the van less than a year and I had the van serviced multiple times. Im attaching this link to show you guys that there ia a lot of people having the same problem, everything starts with the smell of the coolant then the misfire PO201, po301, then after taking it it was po305 and po205, https://youtu.be/sUfTxNBkRLU?si=JoLL29t6YbHZIiVg they speak on the video how they replaced the apparently bad part then the codes come back. I had this vehicle less than a year and I had so many issues, in my search I found this happening to multiple pacifica owners. vehicle starts misfiring creating a real possibility of having an accident as the car speed had to be reduced, specially if we are on the highway.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal clanking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the valve gasket covers, the intake manifold gasket kit, oil filter housing, front brake pad and rotors, all the motor mounts, and the front sway bar links needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

After driving, I can to a stop to park the van. The van would not shift to park and instead would go to neutral. I then could not turn the van off. It would only stay in accessory mode. Upon looking at this issue online, many Chrysler Pacifica owners have the same issue. Some people are able to fix the issue easily, while others needed to replace the transmission valve body. This is an incredibly expensive repair. There were no warning lights ahead of this problem happening, it happened out of the blue. No codes are shown when reading for codes in the van. The message that pops up when the van would not shift to park was “service trans press brake when stopped key off engine to engage park”. But the van will not turn off completely. To get the van to shut off, the battery needs to be disconnected. Safety is put at risk as I am not able to park the van or turn it off completely which would result in a dead battery.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel failed to return to center after a turn to the left or the right. No warning light was illuminated. The contact scanned the vehicle; however, no error codes were retrieved. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

My steering has become sticky. It started slowly but has become very dangerous. I can no longer drive it safely. I have to jiggle the wheel to pull it out of a lock up during long turn in which causes the rear tires to sway. It recently started to do it while even going straight . Took it dealership but they say they can not duplicate the problem. I have talk to other Pacifica owners with the same common problem. They told me to report it. I think the dealership is waiting for me to crash my Pacifica. Thank you.

- digital display not working when in reverse; yes it is available upon request - unable to see behind the vehicle properly impacting safety of everyone in vehicle. - dealership confirmed there is a recall for this issue but our VIN is not included yet. - no inspection yet. - no; 6/6/2025

The steering is sticking after car returns to original position from the curve road.

On Thursday May 30th was the first incident of the vehicle shutting down we were able to start it back up almost immediately within seconds on the 2nd occasion I was on a street with cars behind me going down to make a turn the stop start did not engage but we were still a ways away from the stoplight and suddenly the engine stopped no signs other than just stopping I could not start it back up I look down there was no indication of any issue other than a stalling so put it in part turned it off turn it back on no start try it again didn't work could not turn it over to neutral to get off the road police came while I had somebody disconnect battery and reconnect it to try to get it started again there was no less battery power on the engine it took 15 minutes or more to get it started once able to get started we brought it back home it was Sunday the 1st of June 2025 so there were no mechanics available still unknown as to what caused the malfunction no indicator lights other than during the issue with a lightning bolt and during the outage the check engine light was on no lights currently on. The Danger was to myself and two children in the vehicle and too many other vehicles behind me that could have crashed into me or cause incident being in the road working on the vehicle having to go around us waiting for green lights or a miss trying to get around us and avoid other traffic

Brake pedal loses assist, vehicle continues rolling while pedal fully depressed. Known issue in newer Pacifica models but 2017 excluded despite same symptoms and parts.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V536000 (Hybrid Propulsion System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it remained for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Although no active recalls are on the now. While driving the transmission changes hard. It makes a loud noise and jerks randomly. I’m concerned it wasn’t fixed during recall. I recently purchased this vehicle used. Do I have any recourse?

The power steering sticks when making a gradual turn which makes it feel like it's not going to straighten back up so overcorrecting is easy if you're not careful. It happens intermittently and the dealer said they were unable to reproduce it but it happens on a regular basis.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the engine seized. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle started. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road and the failure reoccurred. The contact's husband started the vehicle, and the vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that while attempting to leave the independent mechanic, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer where the vehicle was purchased, was made aware of the failure. The contact was advised to have the vehicle towed to the dealer and was provided a diagnostic fee. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

The coolant leaked into the engine and blown the headgasket. This has been confirmed by Pepboys who work on my car. It has not been inspected by manufacturer or others. It started by causing the ignition coil to fail and the engine would start rough and check engine light would come on. started around 5/1/2025

When turning right, changing lanes, or taking a circuar exit the steering wheel will feel stuck. You have to move the steering wheel in the opposite direction before continuing your turn. Once I let go of the steering wheel and it was locked in place duing a turn. Not as frequently, but I also experienced this while turning slight left to pass a vehicle in a passing zone on a 2 lane road. The delaership has been unable to resolve this issue. This started happening in 2024, but it wasn't until spring 2025 that is became a consistent problem that wasn't resolved by new tires, front end alignment, new brakes, or new struts.

The CAN BUS connector (found in the glove box area) fails periodically and without warning. It affects everything on the vehicle; it stops the car from shifting, car won't start up, windows stop working, all of the warning lights turn on, etc. The issue seems to be a manufacturing defect; the soldering cracks after a while, so the low voltage applications malfunction. Many people have noticed the problem, but the dealerships refuse to do a recall or address the issue properly. The vehicle has been in and out of the dealership probably 10 times in the last 7 months or so. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This problem is unsafe because it can occur while driving on a freeway which can cause an accident. Every warning light comes on when the malfunction happens.

Power steering module malfunctioned when taking kids to school. Auto repair shop confirmed.

Pacifica has been at Hillsborough Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for recall repair since April 28, 2025. We have called an emailed Chrylser/Stellantis and the Dealership repeatedly and have only been told they are working on it. This is long past a "reasonable" time for this repair.

Hi! This vehicle stopped twice in the middle of a road on its own. Vehicle was driving fine and the next second it slowed down and wouldn’t accelerate as I would push the gas pedal. It’s as if the engine shut down due to the car signals not transmitting correctly. The screen started blinking on and off giving me warnings and one of them said “Service Shifter!” My safety and my children’s safety was put at risk because anyone could’ve hit us from behind as the car started decelerating on the road with oncoming traffic. I towed the car to a mechanic as the car does not run properly while being driven, and the mechanic said it has multiple electrical issues and multiple leaks. The vehicle was inspected by my own mechanic, as the dealer also inspected it and they tried to connect the scanner to turn off the engine light and get me to drive off. They have refused help and I truly believe they knew this car was a safety hazard. After leaving the dealer, 4 minutes into driving the car started slowing down and I was able to make it into the parking lot, but got stranded in the middle of the street where opposite traffic comes into. I bought the car 03/01/2025. The check engine light turned on 2 weeks in. The battery seemed to be drained 2 weeks in but it did not need cables or recharge, it’s as if the battery loses connection. Then at the one month mark it started having those issues, no warning until it completely stopped on the road. When it stopped on the road, that’s when the screen started going off with multiple warnings.

We are the original owners of this vehicle, which has been consistently and properly maintained. Recently, the vehicle stalled unexpectedly in the middle of the highway and would not restart, creating a significant safety hazard. The check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle could not be shifted into neutral, preventing it from being safely moved out of traffic. After the vehicle was towed to the dealership, we were informed that the starter had failed due to coolant leakage from a compromised head gasket. This coolant intrusion damaged the starter, rendering it inoperable. The dealership advised that while the starter could be replaced, it would likely fail again unless the underlying head gasket issue is addressed. We have since learned that this is a known and recurring issue with certain Chrysler models. Unfortunately, Chrysler has not issued a recall, nor have they provided vehicle owners with any formal notification or long-term solution to this potentially dangerous defect.

grille shudder broke

clock spring in the steering column broke.

Sliding doors open when you open either front door.

I am writing to report another incident related to my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Today, while driving on a major highway, my vehicle unexpectedly shut off and braked violently multiple times without warning, creating a serious safety hazard. Fortunately, there was no accident, but due to the sudden and forceful braking, I am now experiencing pain in my head, neck, upper back, and shoulders. I previously reported electrical issues with this vehicle on January 22, 2024. Given the recurring nature of these problems, I am extremely concerned about the ongoing safety risks. Please advise on the next steps to formally document this incident and any updates regarding similar reports or investigations into this issue. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Hard shifts when accelerating. Constantly having issues where if I press on gas the vehicle hesitates and RPM jumps and jerks my children and I very bad.The vehicle Constantly stalls out to were we can be killed one day! I would like this reported due to the scary situation i have been having on the road with accelerating the vehicle and the car starts smelling like it's going to catch fire one day! I keep smelling oil burning and no one acts like they know about the thousands of recalls about the transmission failure that is not covered for my vin. This is a waste of money to be investigating my vehicle issue. This vehicle was poorly made to kill someone. No check engine lights have ever been displayed since I bought this vehicle

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving and making a right turn on several occasions, the steering wheel was sticking and failed to automatically return to center after the turn. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Action Number: PE25009 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

The contact owned a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while attempting to enter the garage from a stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed and it traveled to the floorboard, causing the vehicle to violently accelerate 7 feet and crash into the garage. The vehicle crashed into the garage, through a wall, garden box, fence, and a mud ground where the vehicle came to a stop. No warning light illuminated prior to the failure. None of the air bags deployed. There was property damage to the garage and walls. No injuries were sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. The insurance company deemed it a total loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,828.

The steering wheel sticks when driving at speeds 50-70mph. When I am on a turning roadway, the steering wheel will stick in place, and will stay in that position unless forced to rotate.

Driver side seat belt locks when I first put it on but as I'm driving down the road, sometimes it will come unlocked by itself

Had to have PLASTIC oil filter housing and Oil cooler replaced due to warping from the engine heat and leaking into engine bay causing a burning oil smell throughout the entire vehicle. Was replaced by Meineke car care with an aftermarket Aluminum constructed part. Constantly having transmission issues since the vehicle hit 70,000 miles. Now at 139,000. Fluid flush and fill done and transmission fluid was ridiculously thin and dirty despite it being known as a SEALED transmission and being told by Chrysler that no fluid changes should ever need to be done for the transmission. Seems as though the transmission may be slipping, and is shifting very hard after having the fluid changed.

When turning right, changing lanes, or taking a circuar exit the steering wheel will feel stuck. You have to move the steering wheel in the opposite direction before continuing your turn. Once I let go of the steering wheel and it was locked in place duing a turn. Not as frequently, but I also experienced this while turning slight left to pass a vehicle in a passing zone on a 2 lane road. The delaership has been unable to resolve this issue after having new tires, 3 front end alignments, new breaks, and new struts.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an engine misfire with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in cylinder #3. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer declined to release the vehicle without repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,600.

This van has a factory defect of the engine. These engines have known issues with blowing head gaskets and Chrysler doesn't seem to care. There are hundreds and hundreds of reports of this issue and these are just the people online talking about it. I am sure there are thousands more. https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/2017-pacifica-engine-failure-owners-list.52928/page-19?post_id723158&nested_view1#post-723158

Unknown

Front right stabilizer broke while driving down street and caused loss of control of vehicle. Vehicle spun to right and crashed into parked vehicle.

-Stalled while driving -Loud clanking upon start -No diagnostic info was accessible -Replaced Cadillac converter, was glowing red -Once replaced still hot, 10,000-20,000 degrees -

The check engine light came on. Upon using a code reader, a code for a misfire in cylinder 3 populated. The ignition coil was replaced for cylinder 3. About a month later, the check engine light came back on and all 6 spark plugs were replaced. My vehicle had some rough starts periodically. As time went on, the rough starts turned into serious shaking. The check engine would come on and be gone in a day or so. Every time the code reader read cylinder 3. After months of trying to trouble shoot and do what we could, we took it to a mechanic where they informed us that my vehicle had a blown head gasket. They revealed to us that this is a very common problem with the particular engine, 3.6L Pentastar. This is a problem that they have seen for years in this particular engine. The mechanic had to send part of my engine out to a machine shop to be re-drilled properly in order to fix the issue which was very costly. The safety of my family was put at risk as the gasket blew while we were driving down the freeway unsure if we were going to make it home. My vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than ourselves, the mechanic and the machine shop.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the crank shaft position sensor needed to be replaced, and the engine control software needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V049000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); and linked the failure to the recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,700.

2017 Chrysler Pacific diagnosed with leaking head gasket at ~65000 miles. Initially diagnosed from a check engine light code for a cylinder misfire. My private mechanic said that he has done 4 of these in the past month (Jan 2025). He said this is a costly repair that should not happen with this low of mileage. In exploring the problem, it appears that it is a known issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to be restarted after 30 minutes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and tune-up. The dealer determined that the failure could be related to the motor mounts. The dealer replaced the motor mounts; however, the failure recurred within an hour while the contact was driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wiring underneath the front passenger's seat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and making a slight turn in either direction, the steering wheel had become sticky and failed to return to center. During the failure, the driver forcefully turned the steering wheel back to center. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Unknown, engine light came on flashing while driving. Car has been repaired by the dealership a few weeks ago and replaced the fuel pump.

Sometimes when the car starts, the lights on the gear shift won’t light up, and you cannot put the car into drive or any other gear. Seems to be related to the electrical box inside of the glove compartment. Have seen videos of other drivers that have noticed the same issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard the vehicle failed to stop as intended. As a result, the contact had to go through a stop sign eventually coasting to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the brakes had seized. The contact was also informed that the front end struts needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 140,000.