2017 Chrysler Pacifica Complaint Log

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!!

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.

The steering tends to stick in the 11 o clock or the 1 o clock position when driving on the highway. I feel it and luckily I’m able steer it straight without much force. Seems to be getting worse.

Multiple events (over 5) have occured from December 2023 thru March 2024 involving the transmission clunk/jerk/bang with near total loss of speed when accelerating from a stop or low speed. Also several events with loss of acceleration (no reponse from the gas pedel). This happened with me turning left at a light and trying to clear an intersection. Van is available for inspection. Safety was put at risk by van stopping in moving traffic, and with being nearly rear ended several times. Also nearly being hit head on by not being able to complete the left hand turn thru the interesction timely. Vehicle has not been inspected by any dealer or law enforcement. There have never been any warning light given during these events. Dealer said by phone that without warning lights they would have nothing to trace the problem with. I have listed only the last event time below in Additional Details.

This vehicle’s UConnect “infotainment” system began to malfunction after only 20,000 miles or so. At first it was only intermittent resets but they progressed over the last two years or so until now it is constantly auto-selecting every feature in the system while driving. I have experienced random selection of the heating/cooling system, auto parking brake, random nav selections, radio/audio changes, display units, language, seat heater, and more. Basically every selection available through the touchscreen it does randomly while driving. It is hugely distracting and even uncomfortable. I have had it in twice seeking a fix but the dealer seems unable to address it.

When driving and turning wheel to the right it gets " stuck" and uses more effort to straighten wheel back. Sometimes it's "stuck" to the right longer than the turn in the road and about run off the side of road. Speed does not matter happens at any speed. Happens more often than before. Happening for year and half . Have took it to 3 different mechanics and they couldn't determine for sure the reason. Said electronic power steering should not fail.

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

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the vehicle shuddered and experienced low idling. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed. The dealer determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V740000 (Hybrid Propulsion System, Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Engine lost power and shut down and would not restart. Engine has had continued issues for close to a year.

Head gasket blown at 79,000 miles. This is a known issue on this model but Chrysler won’t admit fault.

The contact owns a 2013 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited for the engine to cool down, restarted the vehicle, and continued driving. The failure became a recurring failure however, after the last failure the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed and determined that there was a leak in the cooling system that caused coolant to leak into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer by the mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 97,000.

2017 Pacifica Head Gasket 68000

UNKNOWN while driving, the electrical system seemed to malfunction causing the lights to flash on/off, the rear windshield wiper to activate, the horn was blaring (quick repeated beeps, with occasional blaring), the dash indicated that the parking brake could not be used, indicated that the airbag system was not working, indicated that the driver’s side seatbelt was not connected, amongst other warnings that I cannot recall. The ABS brakes were not working, nor was the power steering. The car indicated that it needed to be put into park, and allowed for the turning of the dial; however, the dash indicated that the vehicle was moving too quickly to shift into park. We were able to make a turn onto a street with an uphill incline from the road we were driving on; and the brakes stopped the car - using a lot of force as the ABS braking system was still malfunctioning. The vehicle was put into park and the parking brake indicated that it was active; but of course could not be trusted as the indicators on the dash had been so haywire just moments before. While the vehicle was “off” the horn was still blaring (both short beeps and intermittently long blares), the rear wiper was still active (while in the off position), and the interior lights were flickering. This continued until the red connector was disconnected from the battery. The black connector seemed to make no change, connected or not. When the red connector was reconnected, the electrical issues seemed to be replicated with the horn and rear wiper. The vehicle was towed and we have no current answers. This was extremely dangerous as we lost all power and control of the car. We were driving, on what is oftentimes, a very busy street.

While driving on the expressway the sunroof imploded. Nothing hit it.

Occasionally when we start the van the shifter lights don’t go on and while the he engine starts, the shifter won’t move so we are stuck. It can be a few minutes up to 30 minutes We tried to replace the batteries and the shifter. It was fine for a few weeks after but continues to be intermittent after that few weeks. Also sometimes only some of the shifter lights go one and several alarms go off on the consel including fcw unavailable and service shifter. I am concerned one day we will be stranded.

every time I drive my Crystler , the transmission slams while pulling hills or even on a straight stretch the transmission you can feel it almost wind up and then slam into position and it's getting more consistent as I own the vehicle.

My vehicle now 3 times just stops on me luckily 2 of the 3 times i was going maybe 10 mph. only once i was going 35 and it just slams shut i am being told they are no active recalls however this is a problem and going to cause an accident when this happens my drive light on the dash is flashing as well as on the knob to put it in to drive. this is just one of the many problems with the vehicle the transmission constantly jerks you around. the sliding doors have a mind of their own. i am a single mom of 4 and i purchased this car almost bran new and i only have 3000 left to pay on it and i can barely drive it i dont even like going around my neighborhood in the vehicle for fear it will just stop. it has also left me stranded when everything just stopped working in the car and that turned out to be a recall that i was notified about til a few weeks after it left me and my kids on the causeway bridge. and before that alot of time my car wouldnt even start it was something with the battery for starting the vehicle. Chrysler should be sued for making this vehicle it is horrible i got it to have a reliable car for me and my kids and now im paying almost 500 a month for my car to sit in my driveway because no one wants to ride in it.

I am reporting a serious and ongoing safety defect with my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica (VIN: [XXX] , current mileage 51,875). The vehicle stalls and shuts off unexpectedly while driving, including in intersections, creating a life-threatening hazard. I have reported this issue multiple times to CarMax and Prestige Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Las Vegas, NV, but it remains unresolved. Key points: • First reported to CarMax on 2/6/2024 (Invoice #[XXX]). • Battery health test passed on 3/1/2024 (Invoice [XXX]). • Dealership later misdiagnosed the problem as a dead battery and charged me $837.95 for a replacement on 10/11/2024 (Invoice #[XXX]), which did not fix the stalling issue. • I returned within 7 days with the same safety complaint. • Multiple service attempts have failed to permanently resolve the issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

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.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica LX (~85,000 miles with documented regular maintenance) FEB 2024 vehicle lost acceleration briefly when on highway, almost causing rear-end accident. Coolant and engine temp spiked around 235F (typically 212F-215F range) ambient outside temp (~19F). Took to Chrysler dealer in Walled Lake, MI. Oil leak detected, fixed right head gasket failure (common issue for this engine mechanic says). April 2024 coolant leak detected after coolant reservoir levels became low and smoke of burning coolant was noticed. Coolant leak possibly coming from water pump area after dyed antifreeze inspection. Taking to another Chrysler dealership for service. Complaint is that this is a safety hazard and after further research many owners of this vehicle/engine type complain of this issue, either for the head gasket issue or coolant leaks. (Reference: [XXX] ). I believe this not only a safety hazard but should be filed under a class action lawsuit. This is Chrysler's responsibility to cover when vehicle is outside the 5 year/60K mile warranty when these specific issues occur. Due to the fact that this is a known defect to a significant enough owners and some people either need to pay for costly repair bills or completely need to swap out the engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2017 Chrysler Pacifica experiencing engine misfiring / stalling due to blown head gasket and possible engine block cracking at 78000 miles. Happens at idle. Appears to be a common issue and part of a legal settlement in 2023. Have attempted to repair the issue once and vehicle is currently at the dealership service awaiting resolution with independent Arbitrator.

Uconnect infotainment systems SCREEN flashing.... there are recall notices all "over" internet but Chrysler denies any problem.

Driver side sliding door fell off onto my wife causing window to break and was hanging by just a cable on bottom track.

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.

From the date of purchase, the check engine light came on and was told it was a software/computer issue. 3 months into having the car it stalled on the freeway. ABS light came on, and engine repair, and several other lights. I was told it was the two batteries, the AUX and the car battery. Replaced both at the dealer. A year and a half later, the car stalled again pulling out of my garage. A-light with circle and exclamation point came on. Turned car off and the A light turned off. Now engine light comes on and off whenever. Had it looked at and it is showing a repair for fuel line kit, which was repaired last year and mechanic said it does not need to be repaired, another software/computer error. Engine light will stay on for a day and turn off for a week, then turn back on again. Car has been serviced so many times at the cost of $200 per visit to the dealer. I am afraid it will stall on me again and the issue is not repaired and falls under the recall for 2017 models that were stalling.

The auto opening passenger side door was only opening half way and stopping. Aware that there might be a component that prevented proper function we stopped the door by using electric eye and opened the door manually. This worked fine. We were traveling when this issue started. When we returned home I was unloading the van. It opened half way and started to close. I stood in the door to get it to stop closing. When it stopped I took the handle so I could close the Door this action triggered the motor. The door finished opening and fell off. I caught it. I was by myself and had no children with me. I had groceries near by that I used to prop the door. I was then able to assess the situation. There are two small rollers that run under the back window. They are hooked to a hing that folds and unfolds when door opens and closes. When the door malfunctioned the door fell out of the back window track and fell toward me. I am a strong adult and was able to catch the door. It twisted off the bottom too. After trying to get the door back on the body of the car I gave up and called an auto body shop. They were unable to come out at that time the temp was -8 degrees. I looked at the working door on the drivers side. I was able to get the rollers back in the track enough to get the car into the shed. I packed the door with towels and rugs to keep it on the car. The next day the auto body shop staff came out. It took two men to get the rollers back into the track. If they would not have been able to get it on the track I would have had to have it Towed into the dealership. 20 miles away. I am glad I was at home. I am glad I did not have children in the car. I am glad I was able to catch the door. The next morning body shop staff closed the double latched door and push it into the latches without triggering the motor that opened and shut the door. I drove it to the shop, they ran diagnostics. The top and middle roller hinges were broken.

Engine loose power because coolant is entering the cylinders due to a defective head gasket. Failed at 110,000 miles . Need engine replacement $6000 for a used engine

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.

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.

Noticed a wet spot on my driveway under my car that was not going away, the first mechanic that looked at it could not find the problem and initially thought it might have been condensation. A few weeks late the spot was becoming much larger and check engine light came on and the code indicated that there was an issue with the oil pressure. Upon taking it to be looked at by another mechanic it was found to be an issue with the oil filter housing resulting in a substantial oil leak. An oil leak can be dangerous both due to the slippery nature and the fire risk it presents, in addition it can cause further issues with the engine.

The vehicle was diagnosed with a short in the electrical steering cable. It started off with just a minor glitch when steering which caused the car to simply caused the car to shift into neutral but was quickly resolved by shifting the gear into park and then into drive. This resulted in a really major glitching in system while steering to where the car was shifted into neutral in the middle of driving and will not turn off the van or allow you to shift the vehicle into park. It also caused the windshield wipers to stay on without the ability to turn them off as well. This is an extremely dangerous issue for a commonly used family vehicle especially one travels the highway everyday. I’m just grateful we’re in our neighborhood going at a low speed with little to no cars traveling. On the highway this could have caused serious vehicular damage due to accidents and injury or fatalities for the person who has to push the car out of the road and the family riding in the car from impact. This Negligence of the manufacturer will cost my family $4521, which is just simply unfair. Im requesting thorough investigation on this matter with the a recall on all vehicles who can possibly have this issue as well.

Engine misfire, spark plug issue, blown head gasket

Hard shifting when stopping or driving at speeds under 30 mph

The steering of the vehicle has started intermittently grabbing when turning curves or changing lanes. Dealer kept it for 3 days and said they could not duplicate the issue. I experienced the issue several times on my way home and it is getting worse. I had new tires put on the vehicle and a wheel alignment done and still experiencing the issue. I have checked the internet and see that many others are having the same issue with the 2017 Chrysler Pacific but no one seems to have an answer. The vehicle was purchased new from a dealer program car and had about 3500 miles on it. The steering issue has just started recently, and the vehicle is out of factory warranty, but I do have Endurance extended warranty. The grabbing of the steering is getting worse and I am afraid it will lock up and cause an accident. Vehicle only has 60,065 miles on it and no accidents.

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.

Unknown

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

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.

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.

Blown engine gasket

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.

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.

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.

Check Engine light came on in October 2023. Code indicated misfire cylinder #5. Dealer could not reproduce problem in shop. Returned vehicle with instructions to drive until check engine light came back on. 800 miles later light came back on. Dealer reported code was misfire cylinder #5 again on Nov. 22, 2023. Also found coolant in cylinder indicating blown head gasket. Recommended repair was engine replacement as Chrysler did not recommend head gasket repair. Cost $11,500. Engine has 56,000 miles on it. Power train warranty was 5 years/60,000 miles, so just out of warranty for time but not mileage. Problem could result in total engine failure while driving, putting driver and passengers at risk of injury or worse. Problem was confirmed by dealer on November 22, 2023 and vehicle is currently at dealer service center awaiting repair decision. My research shows that there have been many reported failures of this vehicles' engines with the identical symptoms and repair recommendations. Many Owners who opted for head gasket repair often ended up having to have engines replaced anyway. My vehicle has been dealer-maintained on schedule since I purchased it, as I had an oil change and basic maintenance contract on it that expired September 2023. It gave no indication of any problems before the initial check engine light in October. Never overheated or any other warnings that it had a failing engine. A properly maintained engine should not fail at 56,000 miles.

I am writing to file a complaint regarding a safety issue with my Chrysler Pacifica 2017, which I purchased on November 21, 2023. Since acquiring the vehicle, I have encountered a persistent problem that poses significant safety concerns. 1. **Component/System Failure:** The vehicle experiences choking and emits a strong oil smell into the cabin. This odor is highly concerning as it leads to symptoms such as burning eyes, dry throat, red skin, coughing, nausea, and headaches. This indicates a potential failure or malfunction in the vehicle's ventilation or emissions system, possibly allowing oil or coolant fumes to enter the cabin. The component/system is available for inspection upon request. 2. **Risk to Safety:** The presence of these noxious fumes not only affects my health but also poses a serious safety risk to myself and passengers. The symptoms induced by the odor impair my ability to drive safely and could lead to accidents or injuries. Additionally, exposure to such fumes over time may have long-term health consequences. 3. **Confirmation:** While the problem was not confirmed by the dealer, multiple independent repair shops and the manufacturer have acknowledged the issue. Mechanics from these establishments have inspected the affected component/system and confirmed its malfunction. 4. **Inspections:** The component/system has been inspected by mechanics from various repair shops and by representatives from the manufacturer. Their assessments corroborate the presence of the malfunction and the associated safety risks. 5. **Warning Signs:** Prior to the failure, there were no warning lamps or messages indicating a problem. However, the symptoms, including the oil smell and associated health effects, manifested immediately upon driving the vehicle after purchase.

Van keeps shutting off while stopped at stop light and stop signs.

while driving down the highway the steering wheel locked up while making a slight turn on the highway.

Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well. I wanted to share an issue I've been facing with my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, which I bought brand new back in 2017. Unfortunately, I'm currently experiencing a lack of heat while driving, and it turns out that the engine head gasket is blown and leaking coolant. It's quite disappointing to learn that this seems to be a common problem, with an ongoing lawsuit related to it.

Transmission appears to not know what gear to go into, or misses a gear shift altogether. Creating a period of higher rpms with no power to the wheels. This is a safety concern as it has happened when pulling out into travel lanes.