NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Cylinder 6 began misfiring causing my vehicle to shake violently and losing any acceleration. I was on a busy hwy during rush hour and was unsafe in a 55 mph zone where I was only able to coast. 4 months later, cylinder 5 began misfiring, causing jerking during start up with my 5 year old in the vehicle and I'm pregnant at 4 months. Now one week after cylinder 5 being fixed, the Pacifica bas a blown head gasket. Tons of smoke, tons of shaking and jerking. A super unreliable and unsafe vehicle for myself, my child, and my unborn child.
The steering wheel is consistently sticking. I have had tires replaced alignments done the rack check however the problem persists. The steering sticking can cause my vehicle to enter oncoming traffic if it sticks to ard and i jerk it it could also cause an accident. There is currently no recalls in affect for my vehicle. It has been inspected by 3 independent shops. No warning lights or other problems have been noticed.
Since buying our Pacifica it would shift really hard and shake the car. Upon taking it into the dealer they said it was a common problem and there’s nothing they could do for it. Now, with only 64,000 we have a broken head gasket. There are many complaints of this online right around this mileage and it should definitely be recalled.
Engine temperature suddenly rose to the point where an alarm appeared on the display (no prior warning or prior instance of this). Allowed temperature to cool, drove vehicle home gently. Subsequent examination showed coolant level in reservoir below minimum with no physical evidence of leakage. Obtained correct manufacturer-specified coolant, topped up and continued to monitor. Pattern developed where the coolant level would be at minimum after approximately 200 miles of driving, vehicle appeared to be operating normally otherwise. Continued to top up coolant level as necessary, still no sign of any physical leak. Vehicle then began to produce error codes for misfire on either Cylinder 1 or Cylinder 3 - no discernible “pattern” to the codes appearing or clearing. Vehicle was subsequently examined by an independent repair facility who determined that the cylinder head for cylinders 1, 3 and 5 is warped.
Our 2017 Chrysler Pacifica's check engine light came on. We took it in and the dealer replaced the spark plugs. Two days later the light came back on. They are telling us its a cylinder misfire and cylinder 5 is filling with coolant. They are charging us thousands of dollars to fix this issue. The car is not safe to drive until this is fixed. We have researched and found that this is a very common issue with these vans. Chrysler needs to be held accountable. They could have fixed this issue with a recall instead of waiting for our safety to be compromised and then spending thousands of dollars for the repair.
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,215.
The vehicles steering wheel is binding intermittently, the power steering seems to come on and off. It can happen at any speed.
The van began to run rough in the mornings when I first started up. I initially thought a tire was flat. But all tires were fine. It did this several mornings but then would begin driving smoothly as normal about 2-3 minutes after the drive started. A little less than two weeks later the check engine light came on for the first time. It ran roughly but lasted a little longer; maybe 5 minutes. The check engine light would go off. It did this a couple of times. The third time, the check engine light came on and started blinking. Then maybe 20 minutes into the drive the van began to overheat. I turned on the heat and the gauge went down to normal right away and drove as usual. The check engine light stopped blinking but stayed on. No problems for the rest of the hour-long drive. The next day, the same thing happened while i was on the highway. It started overheating, but the overheating lasted longer and intensified at higher speeds, so I had to drive about 24-35 on an expressway. I took it to a Fiat Chrysler Auto/Mopar Service repair shop immediately. The manager suspected that there was a crack in the cylinder and coolant was leaking into possibly the engine or somewhere else. They said they've seen this same crack, in the same location on many other Chrysler Pacificas. They took pictures (see attached) and sent it to FCA/Mopar. It took several weeks for an FCA/Mopar Inspector to come out. But once they did, they confirmed a crack and the van required a new engine. I'm told this engine is on backorder and it will take months before I can get a new one. I've read many stories online of other people having similar issues. The fact that this engine is on backorder for months is telling. The company Chrysler Customer Care/Mopar/Stellantis has not been helpful in providing useful timelines throughout this repair process. In addition to the above issue, I've also had to replace both main (2x) & aux batteries and experienced problems with sliding doors failing to open.
Car was serviced for a gas leak at a Chrysler Dealership the previous day. The next morning, I was driving at a low speed (<20 mph) when an error message appeared "Car must be in P (park) to place in drive." I switched to P and tried to restart the engine. It turned over several times but never restarted. A police officer had to manually disengage the transmission and emergency brake to put the car in neutral and roll it to a turn lane (rather than in heavy traffic). The car was towed to a dealership and is still being diagnosed. We had no driving issues prior to the car stalling this morning, even with the previous gas leak mentioned above.
During driving an orange check engine warning light is turned on. In 5 minutes from then, a red warning message "engine is overheating" turned on, I stopped immediately in the middle of the road and this warning message turned off. I checked for coolant and saw an empty container. No engine coolant warning light were turned on previously warning me of the coolant issue. I didn't use the car and added coolant Later that day I tried to use the car and it was operating normally. My car was sitting in the garage for a couple of days while I was waiting for the appointment to do the diagnostic. In two days the check engine warning lamp turned off. On the day of my appointment the car didn't start and was towed to the dealership for the check up. After series of diagnostics I was told engine is locked up and needs to be replaced. My car had only 75000 miles at that moment and just 3000 miles from the last oil change.
The driver-side sliding door will continue to open when trying to close it. When we activate the auto-shut, it will close all the way, beep, and then open back up. Nothing obstructs the sensors or the door. Shutting the door multiple times will eventually shut on its own. We have found the vehicle with this door open overnight and at various other times. It opens on its own without pressing any button.
While turning to the intersection the van stop suddenly. On the dashboard there's a flashing "shift to P to start" message. There were no signs and warnings before it happened and there were no symptoms as well. This incident is very scary especially my three kids are with me as I just picked them up from the school. It also cause traffic in the intersection and frustration from the other drivers because everyone was accelerating and had to make a sudden stop. I believe that this is an electrical problem and it is a total safety hazard. It could be a major accident if this happen while driving in the freeway. Now I am scared to drive this van and very worried for the safety of my family.
Driving the car and the engine shuts off. Car then says to shift into park. No error readout occurs
I bought the 2017 Pacifica Limited new from Mt. Ephraim Chrysler, Dodge, Ram in Mt. Ephraim, New Jersey. Within a few months of owning the car, I encountered multiple problems which kept the car off the road and raised concerns about the reliability of the car. I kept taking it back to the dealership for servicing, but never felt like they fully addressed the issues that I had explained. I then took it to Turnersville Chrysler, Jeep, Ram for help. Since then, they have been servicing the vehicle. I had the car three weeks ago because it was running sluggish. They kept it for a day and made some changes to see what was going on with the car. I brought it home, drove it a little more and then had to have it towed back into the dealership. I was then told that they would have to tear down the engine to diagnose the issue. They determined that there was an internal coolant leak and that I would need to replace the engine. I realize that there are 114,000 miles on the car HOWEVER- the car has been meticulously maintained and the issue that I now face is not due to lack of care. This is an issue that I feel Chrysler should be held accountable for and take responsibility for the repairs. I have already reached out to your customer service department and am disappointed that my inquiry for goodwill assistance has been declined. This is unacceptable. I shared that I was not satisfied with that response especially since there are many others who have reported this issue as well and it is not an isolated issue.
Our driver side sliding door can only be opened with the fob and overhead button located in the front of the vehicle. If the driver becomes unconscious or the vehicle is on fire the back passengers have no way to get out of the van. It cannot be manually opened from the outside or the inside. It is a very serious safety issue!!
-stalling out in the middle of driving (on 270 with the kids in the car, forced me to put it in park and turn it off and back on) - unable to start car initially, error message stating that the power brake is on (it's not) an unable to switch gears to get car to start (this took 10 minutes to fix with kids in car in parking lot) - car will not accelerate at appropriate speed, leaving me stuck at a stop sign or when the light turns green (again, kids in car) - power doors not opening/shutting, needing to manually open and close - heating/AC blowing out at random intervals, inconsistent air flow - random dashboard buttons lighting up indicating there are problems, but then the buttons diminish
I purchased 2017 Chrysler Pacifica in 2021, I started having issues my vehicle after my 30 day warranty expired it seemed on and off at times now more noticealbe the START/STOP feature failed to work properly. The vehicle stalled when the brake pedal was released I had to restart the vehicle. The contact disabled the START/STOP feature. Additionally, while driving at night in the rain the vehicle acted up or started to blow hot air from the AC unit at 75 degrees with out the option to change it only way to restart was to turn on and off the vehicle. I also had problems with the coolant being low, and coolant was added. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the check engine and coolant lights were illuminated. The battery was faulty, and the START/STOP feature was inoperable. A pressure test was performed however, the mechanic was unable to locate a coolant leak. The vehicle was taken to two mechanics EGR cooler valve was cracked and my engine was damaged as well as the pistons. The vehicle had to have the whole engine replaced which was an expensive expense I had to pay out of pocket, the dealer did not cover the damage. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 104, 000 or so. I still do not feel safe using this vehicle it is my family vehicle, please advised. I have invoices but not at the moment I had to replace the engine, the battery, the coolant container, and the radiator for a total amount of about $5000
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle inadvertently downshifted and lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised the contact that the failure was known to the manufacturer and that an update was required for the transmission control module. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provide no assistance. The failure mileage was 181,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to CarMax where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the oil needed to be changed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was determined that either the fuel filler, filler neck, or filler tube failed and could not be repaired or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,054.
Our van did not have any prior issues but last week the head gasket went bad and the engine would not start. we purchased this vehicle brand new and barely had any issues with it. If this would have happened on the road my wife and kids would of been stranded. The vehicle is at a Chrysler Dealership and at first they thought it was the starter, but determined that it was the head gasket because there was fluid in the oil. the Engine light came on right before the car wouldn't start. I did see there is a class action suit for this type of van and year.
I bought this Pacifica used 2 months ago and was told there were no issues with it by Carvana. During this time frame I have taken it to 2 mechanics to have it looked at for running rough. Was told it was my fuel sensor needing replaced. We tried replacing that and less than a week later my transmission is now saying Gear 2 incorrect ratio. I have put approximately 6000 miles on it in a 2 month period. The vehicle only has 61050 miles on it. The transmission acts like it is slipping when I’m trying to drive it or other times it will jerk really bad which was mentioned to both mechanics when they looked at it.
Purchased from Mt. Ephraim Dodge in Mt Ephraim NJ on Dec 14, 2021. Have try to get them to look at engine/transmission problem at least 7 times always with a can't find the problem, No updates , No help today , Transmission guy out sick, transmission guy Quit.!!! Car bucks and jolts with NO warning engine races , Tach goes up to 3-4 K RPM. This saturday was the worst ever . The ar violently bucked and banged the engine reved up and Stoped moving in traffic. I let it coast to the sde of the road and shut it off. After about 5 mins i restarted the car and the check engine light came on but the engine only raced in Drive not moving forward. I manually swiched the control to (L ) low and was able to get it home at about 5 MPH
Top portion of fuel filler neck broke off vehicle during normal refueling process. Top of capless system fractured from filler neck and came off with gas pump nozzle as it was removed from vehicle. Capless fuel system no longer has a seal mechanism to contain fuel vapors. Fuel vapors will potentially leak from vehicle during normal driving as well as parked conditions. This leakage will worsen as weather begins to warm up. Potential to trigger OBDII malfunction when vehicle runs diagnostics for leakage.
First showed up as a misfire in cylinder #3 check engine light. Found out it was coolant leaking in to combustion chamber due to warped head/head gasket leak on rear side of the engine (cylinders 1,3,5). We have 85K miles on it and had to pay $5400 to repair and ~$1000 in rental car fees while in the shop for two weeks.
Unbeknownst to me, there was water pump leak which led to overheating, and eventually coolant being dumped into the engine. Originally diagnosed as a P0305 cylinder 5 misfire. Teardown revealed that the water pump had been leaking for quite some time, causing subsequent follow on damage. Engine needs to be replaced and AUL Corp will not cover the damages. We are a family of four, and would regularly transport other family and friends. Luckily we were without any incidents however, this is a safety issue that needs to be addressed in regards to these faulty Chrysler engines. I have read enough claims and horror stories in regards to the Chrysler Pacificas and am in shock that there was never a recall or a extended warranty for owners like myself who is now stuck with unsafe van, that doesn't work, and requires too much money to fix. We loved the van however, this experience has told me to steer clear from AUL Corp, and any Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep vehicles for forever.
This van has had a problem with shifting at low speeds since it was new but has been getting worse. When accelerating and especially under a load or heavy acceleration 4th into 5th??, it will suddenly jerk. I had recently experienced a heavy jerk and it felt like I lost my rear axle. I also experience heavier jerks when going down hilI and coasting. In all instances it occurs when starting from stop. It started around once/twice a week and now it happens 15-20 times a week. I currently have 96k miles on it. I am fearful this may end up being a catastrophic failure so I am no longer ignoring it and have scheduled a service appointment. I've asked at previous service trips about there being a recall but there have been none. I also do not see any indicator lights when this occurs.
When having to press hard on brakes my vehicle does not stop right away. I have to pump them to get my van to stop. When at a light with vehicle stopped by pressing on break the brake pedal will push back up with force and start moving forward.
Was at my house and opened my door like normal. Door fell off the rear hinge and stayed connected on the front, but with the door now open. The van won't drive because the parking brake will just keep turning on.
I was driving about 2Omph and all of a sudden the van slowed down and I had a message on the car to shift to P to Park.it was weird because I was driving and it basically stopped on me and I had to shift the gear to P and press the start button to restart.
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, the turn signals activated independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the key fob would deactivate the horn. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,454.
My car unexpectedly stalls while being driven.
Unknown. Vehicle jerks when shifting gears
Intermittently the van when turned on has all error lights come on and will not shift into reverse. The sliding door will not close or open. Then the engine will loose power when finally getting the van to start and drive. All error lights go off after the van runs for a little while.
Continue issue with stop/start system failure that drains batteries to the point of total power loss, even at high rate of speed. An audible ticking sound, engine misfires resulting in bucking and surging, decreased engine performance, hesitation, loss of power. Start/stop system has been investigated by dealership multiple times. Power loss and engine misfire were reported as the result of the start/stop system failure. However it has been a reoccurring problem with continued worsening symptoms. The safety of myself, my passengers and other travelers is at risk due to the unexpected bucking, surging, hesitation and power loss that occurs during traveling. Problem has not been reproduced at service center as it has been “solved” by replacing batteries and not investing further. Vehicle has been inspected by qualified mechanics. Warning lamps have recently alerted but the problem of engine bucking, power loss, surging, hesitancy have preceded the warning lamp. It has been at least 8 months of engine concerns and 2 years of power concerns that were reported to dealership and only 1 month of the warning light indicating a problem.
HELLO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD SET OF TIRES THAT ARE WORN IN A WAVEY PATERN. THE STEARING STICKS WHEN TURNING AT AROUND 40MPH AND THE WHEELE DOESNT RETURN ON ITS OWN ALSO AT LOW PARKING LOT SPEEDS IT SLIPS. I WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE IN THE 2018 BUT I AM TOULD THIS DOESNT AFFECT THE 2017 BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THANK YOU
The component that failed was the engine. Blown Head Gasket. Had engine light turn on, too to dealership They found error code P0305, cylinder 5 misfire. upon more investigation, spark plug clean, found coolant on cylinder 5. Technician at the dealership found a warper right cylinder head warped and the engine cracked. The vehicle was inspected by the warranty company AUL Corp. They found that the car overheated. There were never any warning lights, lamps, or messages of a hot overheating engine. All of a sudden one morning I turned on the car and the engine ight turn on. The car was shaking and waned to stall. immediately took into dealership. This engine blown head gasket issue in these engines are a known issue to Chrysler We have to pay $13,000 to get it fixed. AUL Corp inspected the vehicle but they did not want to give us a report of their finding, they just told us the claim was denied because supposedly we drove the car while overheating. We did not drive it, there were no warnings of a hot engine
My car was stalling out during the automatic on off system. It had completely died on me in the middle of the road and I had to have it towed to a dealership. They spent a week fixing it. The day after I got it back it died again. I dropped it off and its been 3 days and no word on why this is happening. I picked it up on the 3rd and it died on the 4th. I dropped it off on the 6th at 8Am. Its still currently in the shop 10:40 pm on Wednesday.
For over a year now my van has been shutting down while sitting. The last few times now its been when I decelerate to turn it shuts off stops and goes into park. I used to be able to restart. The last 2 times while in the drive-thru it has shut off. I can't even put into neutral to push it. This is dangerous if this happens while driving it will be a fatality. I see other 2017 Pacificas had the same problem yet mine is not covered under the recall.
As we drive this vehicle at a slower speed, it seems to almost cut off and then it will jerk (a very hard jerk) back into motion. We have had it serviced, both batteries replaced, and a diagnostic done on it and it continues to act up. It makes us afraid to drive it. Do you have any suggestions on how to move forward? Thank you - [XXX]- [XXX]Industries- [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled at an intersection. The vehicle was able to be restarted. While the contact was driving, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under warranty. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V049000 (Electrical System, Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was 50,000.
I was driving and my car went in to on/off system and didnt turn back on. Got my car into park and it still would not turn on. I couldn't even get my car into neutral. The check engine light came on but my engine was not making any noise. It said it was on but was not actually on. This has happened a few times in the past couple weeks but the car always turned back on when put in park and started. When I called the dealership they would not be able to get me in till February 7th. That would have been 3 weeks waiting. So I called another one and I got an appointment for the following week ( date of appointment 1/26/23). I have documented these incidents on here. I saw yesterday that there is a recall on my car for this happening but my vin numberis not included on it. This was so unsafe for me and my children. Cars die while driving yes, but the fact that I couldn't even get it into neutral to get it pushed out of the middle of the road. It was a very busy road and it was morning traffic. I dont even feel safe in this car anymore.
Started the vehicle, no prior issues. The check engine light came on, code was P0306. Cylinder 6 misfire. Found out the head gasket blew causing coolant to get into the cylinder. I had literally ZERO issues, no overheating, etc...I bought the car brand new in '17 and has around 85k miles. This is insane for the head gasket to fail this early.
P0303 error code for misfire in the engine, 3rd Cylinder. Repair was completed by the dealer. It was 13,000 miles outside of drivetrain warranty. Now, the second failure is 3 months outside the 2year, unlimited mileage service warranty from when the head gasket and seat was replaced on the #3 cylinder. I just learned there was a class action ruling related to my model car and engine due to a faulty crankshaft. I have no idea if this could result in my current engine problems as I continue to have difficulty reaching the appropriate Chrysler representative to ask. I read in another class action lawsuit (which has been filed I believe by a law group on the East Coast, and then postponed due to COVID) for specific defects inside the engine resulting in misfires, hesitation during automatic shifting, and sudden increases in speed (which I have experienced during freeway driving). One of the symptoms of this issue is a ticking sound when the engine is turned off, which my car has always done, though I was told some years ago this is normal for this car. It took 3 weeks and about half a dozen calls to the dealer service department before I got a call back to schedule a diagnostic which is another 6 weeks out.
Jerks when switching in low gears. This has now started after my car turns off while in idel mode. And my car is having trouble starting. I have no idea when islt might not want to start. I dont hear the engine wanting to trun over or any clicking. There is no noise comming from the car. Then when i try again it will start on the second time. This does not happen evey time I go to start it. I did have the battery tested and it was fine.
Vehicle unexpectedly bucks and jerks when accelerating either from a complete stop or just keeping speed. This happens with no brake warning lights to those around you. It is a common issue experienced by many 2017 Pacifica van owners and has nearly caused an accident many times. Especially when trying to merge onto highways because the vehicle unexpectedly slows and bucks like your riding a bull and it is trying to throw you off. There is no way to predict exactly when this will happen in order to avoid a potential accident. Chrysler knows about the issue but refuses to acknowledge it.
I was driving my children to school and my car went into on off mode while ideling. When I tried to press the gass is did not go anywhere. I had to put it in park and then restart the car to continue driving. This is happening just like the 2018 recall on my car.
I was at a stop light and my car went in to Idle mode and when I went to press the gas it would not go anywhere. I had to turn the car off completely and restart it. I then needed to get gas and when I went to turn the car back on it would not start.
Vehicle on several occasions has slowly rolled forward when at a complete stop with brake fully engaged. Brake needed to be released and depressed again to stop vehicle. Multiple incidents have occurred while being fully stopped for traffic control devices. Latest incident occurred today, January 15, 2023.
Unknown. Electronic sliding doors open from the outside when vehicle is locked and no key present. Creates a safety issue as anyone can approach the vehicle and open the door. Vehicle alarm will sound, however doors still open. Issues have occurred multiple times, date listed is most recent occurrence.
05JAN and 07JAN 2023, similar instances of significant vehicle systems malfunctioning which affected operability/safety. Both times, the vehicle operated without issue earlier in the day. Occurred at 11:30pm on 05JAN2023 while being driven and at 5:30pm on 07JAN2023 upon starting the van. On 07JAN, the van had difficulty starting when the start button was pressed. After more attempts to start, it eventually did. Both times the dashboard had multiple warnings: Check Engine, Stability Control, Airbag Warning, and Electric Park Brake Trouble. Worded messages also displayed regarding transmission and gear positions trouble. While operating, the "D" above the digital speedometer would regularly change to "--" and back to "D," accompanied by an audible tone. The red "BRAKE" light would quickly blink once every 2-3 minutes. Van would accelerated very slowly from low speeds or stopped position, would jolt forward or back aggressively, and could not overcome a moderate grade incline from being stopped. The odometer jumped quickly between 1k-4k rpm, but the engine did not appear to actually do so. When stopped and switching from D to R, reverse functioned similar to being in Neutral. The blue shifter gear knob lights would also blink. When turned off and back on, R would engage faster than normal. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request Driven with 3 family members in the vehicle when the malfunction occurred. My spouse verbally stated that she did not feel safe. With extreme caution, operated the van back home and chose lower speed roads. Would be hazardous to operate in a parking area or near pedestrians. The Airbag malfunction was also very concerning, especially with regard to the jerking movement of the van when accelerating. The problem has reproduced, but not confirmed by a third party. The component has not been inspected by a third party. No other warning lights we illuminated. Codes found: U1110, U1120, U11BC, P0440, P456.