NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 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
When driving at 60-70 mph steering wheel feels like it is sticking. It won't return back to center. It is a very uncomfortable feeling, like the steering wheel is going to get stuck turning. I see that there has been another complaint filed. - NHTSA ID # 11578790
On [XXX] I brought my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica to Matt Bowers for some warranty work and to check a front end creaking noise that was most prominent and unstable feeling while in reverse with the wheel turned. They performed the warranty work and notified me that the noise I was hearing was from the cv axles and that they didn't need to be replaced immediately but would need replacement if they got worse and noted that it was very low mileage for this issue. (Around 40,000 miles) The noise continued but has gotten worse lately and has felt much more unsettling in reverse so I brought it to a local mechanic to confirm it was in fact the cv axles. He confirmed the axles need to be replaced and also told me he thought there was a recall relating to cv axles on the Pacifica. I looked it up and found Safety Recall U80 / NHTSA 18V-493 front halfshaft which covers Chrysler Pacificas manufactured between 2/22/2018 to 6/11/2018 with MDH of [XXX] My Pacifica's manufacture date is June of 2018 and has a MDH of [XXX] which falls within the scope of the recall. I called the FCA recall center on [XXX] at 1-800-853-1403 and was told I wasn't covered under the recall. I have no service lights on but have cv axles that are severely prematurely worn on my vehicle which only has about 60,000 miles affecting the overall safety and performance. My vehicle falls under the listed recall and Chrysler has failed to make this issue right. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The transmission gives out and loses power to the wheels. This is very unsafe!! Was taking a left turn and lost all power and was almost hit. This happens all the time but the other day was almost my last……
Piston Number 3 is misfiring which is the from an error code. Replaced the piston 3 twice and now coolant is leaking into the engine which cause the coolant to leak into the engine. This is a safety risk since the car does not give a warning until there is no more coolant in the car which can cause a fire while driving. The issue was shown twice and confirmed by 2 independent mechanics and the dealership. The vehicle has been inspected and checked out by 2 independent mechanics and the dealership. It first appeared Feb 16 2024 when the check engine light came on and the next Monday the car lost coolant. The car also shook violently when it was started.
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.
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle was shuddering and there was a lot of exhaust and a burning odor. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant in the compartment where the spark plug was located, and that the head gasket was fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
Received message that Start/Stop component was not working. A few weeks later, check engine light came on. Brought to mechanic, was told to replace main and auxiliary battery. Paid to replace those and two days later, got both the start/stop message and the check engine light again. Brought back to mechanic who, upon finding countless other consumers who have had the same issue, found a blown head gasket with coolant leaking into the engine. Our vehicle has only 44k miles on it and is at risk of overheating while driving and the engine may be damaged.
I keep getting a check engine light that reads as cylinder 5 misfire. I have replaced the spark plug and coil pack and it still will read as a cylinder 5 misfire. Often times when we start the van, it acts as if it has engine problems. I know this is very common in 2017-2018 Pacifica's and seems very unsafe. Something is wrong with the engines in those years of Pacifica's. I have had this check engine light read 4 times and 2 mechanics looked at it and replaced some parts to success.
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.
I am writing to formally report ongoing and unresolved electrical issues with my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. Despite replacing both the main and auxiliary batteries, several components continue to fail, including: •The third-row power seats, which do not function at all or operate intermittently, rendering them impossible to stow or adjust. There is no manual override, which is a serious design flaw for families. •The rear liftgate, which starts to open and then immediately closes without completing its cycle. •The passenger-side rear entertainment screen, which is completely non-functional while the driver’s side screen works normally. These issues have severely impacted the usability and reliability of the vehicle. The third-row seat and tailgate problems, in particular, compromise safety and convenience—especially for families with children. The third-row power seat design lacks a manual fallback, which could leave passengers stuck in emergency situations. The liftgate’s failure to open fully and the battery system’s unreliability and constant need for replacement (around every 1.5/2 years) has left my stranded countless times. These electrical issues need recalls and solutions.
Driving along and the power steering stops and you can’t turn then it releases and then a little bit later it’ll do it again so the power steering comes back-and-forth but I feel it’s a hazard
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the steering wheel seized and was unable to be turned. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering failure message was displayed, and the power steering function was not available. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 74,780.
Misfire on engine that was cause stall and later on could caused over heating. This is a known issue for this manufacture and needs be resolved before someone is hurt or killed Code was p303 and now I need 1000's in repairs out of my pocket Right now believe to be head gasket but damage could be worse. Yall need to google this issue for yourselves and help protect lives
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.
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.
My vehicle lost the ability to accelerate when driving on a busy two-lane street. I was able to coast to the side of the road, but the vehicle would not move forward or backward even though the engine was running. This was the fifth time this condition has occurred, and I had the 03A Loss of Motive Power recall service performed during Summer 2023. The vehicle had to be towed - luckily nobody was directly behind us so an accident did not occur. The vehicle is currently being evaluated by the dealership for further repair. The check engine light is illuminated, but no other warning lights are illuminated at this time.
When traveling 65 - 75 mph, steering wheel sticks/gets stuck when making right turn. Steering does not auto-correct itself like it should. After researching issue, it’s related to an issue with the power steering rack and pinion. It needs to be replaced. The part itself is over $2,000.
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.
The van continues to accelerate when I'm braking. This has happened 4 times after an hour or two of driving the freeway. As we were exiting the car continued to Rev up as we applied the brakes. Thank God the light was green. Another time I tried to park and as I was braking the car was accelerating. I had to quickly put it in park position. The van is in the shop, Hunter Dodge, now and they ran a diagnostic test and failed to find a problem.
Steering feels like it sticks when going around curves. Has been happening since we bought the van
In Oct 2023 we purchased this van from a used dealership. Well now it sits at a Dodge dealership torn apart waiting on a new engine. It all started when my wife and kids were driving down the road in the middle of winter with no heat (safety issue especially in Wisconsin this time of year) so I took a look at coolant and noticed the coolant reservoir was empty. (Usually a leak somewhere obviously) nothing was on the ground, so time to assume internal leak. Well same day I get a cylinder 5 miss fire code. So I take vehicle into Dodge and they originally diagnosed as head gasket but when they took it apart they found the crack in the block. Now the vehicle had never overheated while we owned it we made sure of it. The story gets deep at this point there is evidence that someone before Dodge had this engine apart as they used RTV and reused the old gaskets ( probably cause they found the crack in the block) but now my wife and I sit with out the vehicle we bought 3 months earlier for 20k being told it's going to cost us 12k to replace engine. Now my complaint is why did this engine fail at 100,000? This is ridiculous. This is supposably a family vehicle and you are putting my family in danger. Dodge should let ok at this complaint seriously as I was reading hundreds of similar statements from other customers with 2018 Chrysler Pacifica 3.6L engine. There are most likely thousands of vehicles with this same issue as I'm on a waiting list to get an engine. So not only do I have to pay thousands to get my 3 month of ownership van back running but now I have to wait possibly months for a new engine.
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 @ $1,319.00 (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.
We were traveling at approximately 45 miles per hour, slowed down around a bend in the road and hit an ice patch. The vehicle spun towards a truck stopped at a stop sign. We hit the driver's side of the truck with the driver's side of my vehicle. We continued to spin and hit the truck again with a side impact. and spun again after the second impact. The front airbags deployed but the over head side impact airbags did NOT deploy. My wife was driving and hit her head on the drivers side window resulting in a large contusion on her forehead. The only safety notice or recall information we had for this vehicle was concerning the electric start and ignition components with the batteries that left our vehicle stranded at one point, until we had that repaired. We never had any notice or alerts of any air bag deficiencies in the vehicle. The driver's side and driver's passenger side airbags should have deployed upon the impact. We had our two little girls 2yr and 9mo old, 12 yr old, myself, my wife and grandma in the vehicle. No one else was injured in the vehicle except my wife the driver, hitting her head on the side window.
Wiring for Air-Pump/Power Brake Booster caught fire, see attached image
Blown head casket at only 64000 miles. Engine light on and antifreeze I’m told is leaking now. No warranty or recall with the 2018 Pacifica but there is for the same issue with the 2017.
I have had transmission problems with this van since I bought it. Had it in the shop several times. It jumps or pops and throws vehicle forward. I also have had to replace the large battery and the accessory battery multiple times. This has left me stranded many times bc it will shut off while driving. Last time was today 11/01/2023. Large battery and alternator was good. Accessory battery dead completely and replaced for free since it was in warranty still. But they say it has caused my van to misfire in cyclinder 3. Car has only been maintenance through Elliot Chrysler Dodge in Carthage Tx
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.
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.
Suddenly our Pacifica would not start and started cycling through over a dozen error messages. We were finally able to get the vehicle to start and took it to the dealership. They confirmed that the star connector needs to be replaced. After looking at many forums, this appears to be a fairly common issue among the early hybrid pacificas, to the point that I felt I should report here, especially given the recalls that have already happened due to the electrical system in the car. We just got the last recall done in August and already we now have a ~$1000 bill to repair the electrical system again. Please have someone look into how many of the pacificas need this particular connector replaced given the prevelance of people with the same issue online.
When driving slow or even coasting, between 5 to 20 MPH, the transmission SLAMS, KICKS, CLUNKS with speed up little bet . You don't even have to have your foot on the gas, it just does it. It's also happened when accelerating from a low speed, like from 10 Mph to 30 mph. And happen at the freeway when leaving the gas to lower the speed will kicks and Speed up a little and one time in Crossroads my foot over the break the engine was off then i released my foot the engine start I couldn't take left because the light came red so i put it on reverse didn't move then forward same the transmission doesn't respond then i put it on parking and wait then put it reverse and moved that's i was blocking one line of my left to right side.(( Its look like with all Incident the transmission shut off and on or shift it self to N then return back D ))
Failed cylinder head (misfire p0304). Need to have engine rebuilt or replaced. Also had oil cooler failure, losing coolant and oil. 71k miles, just over the 60k power train warranty. Need dealer to help fix but they are booked for next 3 months. Car initially cut out on the road in traffic after auto start stop, was scary and safety risk with family including kids onboard. Confirmed with independent mechanic, but also going to dealer as it is specialty work for that engine.
Occasional loss of power steering and or locking up of the steering wheel resulting in excessive force to overcome the locked or "catched" position. Dealer has inspected and says that the electric steering gear is faulty.
Power Steering seems to have outages.
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the sliding doors failed to close as intended and unintendedly open after being closed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there was a related software update available to correct the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
At 34k miles I’m being told the head gasket needs to be replaced and the car is out of warranty. This is unacceptable and refuse to pay the amount to fix for a vehicle that has that low of mileage. Coolant leaking with no visible leakage. Engine overheated on freeway with no explanation.
We could not locate an active coolant leak for almost two months (brought to several mechanics.) Added dye to the coolant and it showed in the oil. Waited over a month for an appointment with the dealership and was finally told that it was a bad Head/Head Gasket, Oil pump and would also need a new catalytic converter etc.... It is apparent from the chrysler forums that this is a VERY common problem. #5 cylinder, bad coolant channel design leading to engine failure. Even the mechanic at the dealership said (ON VIDEO) that this was a common issue. Chrysler is WELL aware of the issue but refuses to redesign or assist customers when the failure occurs. This is CLEARLY a safety issue that begs for a recall.
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine temperature gauge displayed that the engine was overheating. The contact drove the vehicle to a safe location and waited for the engine to cool down. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was currently being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and agreed to supply the parts needed for the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 83,538.
Driving through a parking lot when the van said shift to park and completely shut off while moving. Lost power steering and acceleration. Car then would not restart. Husband came and we hooked to his battery and somehow it cranked and we got it home.
While I was driving the right control arm seperated from the car. I was fortunate that I wasn't on the highway, also that I did not cause a collision with another car/person. With no warning the car felt as if it dropped on to the ground. Soon after I received an error message saying to service the brakes which i assume was also damaged when the control arm fell... I had to have the car towed to a repair shop and received a list of repairs. The car is avaliable for inspection. I had no clue how something like that could even happen. Ive been trying to find answers when i saw a recall on another car by the same maker that perfectly summed up what happened to me. Chrysler's number for this recall is V15.
Several near-accidents yesterday and today. Steering wheel randomly locks up when driving. This is an extremely dangerous situation for my wife and 4 children riding in the van. You have to physically force the steering wheel back over, which can easily result in over correction which could also cause a crash. No warning lights on at the time, and has happened 4 times yesterday and once today already. How is this not a recall?!
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacific. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and making slight turns in either direction, the steering wheel became sticky while attempting to return the steering wheel to center. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the steering rack, but approximately two years late,r the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Our engine has stalled while driving the vehicle at least four times since July 1. The engine begins to shudder, and the car will not accelerate, and then the engine completely dies. After it happened today, it was not possible to restart the engine or put it in gear. My and my family's safety was put at risk because the vehicle was inoperable. Three times this happened on major interstates with traffic moving at high speeds. I had to move my children and their car seats into another vehicle while traffic passed. We have had the vehicle in for service at least three times, at least twice at Chrysler dealers. The problem has not been reproduced (yet) but this latest time it completely disabled the vehicle so expect they will see more of the problem now. After the engine cuts out, we get an electrical warning light that flashes briefly, plus a check engine light, and a message that instructs to move the gear shift to P to start the vehicle and another that warns that the Start/Stop system needs service. We have had these all serviced, the fuel pump and battery replaced, and have been told the problem is resolved and yet it keeps happening.
At around 84000 miles the engine light came on and the van started spattering and when you start it. The first place I took it to said it was cylinder 6 was misfiring and they replaced the coil and spark plug. The van check engine light came back on and it started to overheat so we took it back in and the coolant was empty. They refilled it and I got it into the dealership and they found that it was the head gasket so they placed it. Upon picking it up the check engine light came back on and they replaced a cam shaft sensor.
62000 miles on the vehicle. Bought used from Chrysler dealership with 55K miles. Check engine light came on after starting in morning, rough idling. Brought it to dealership and was diagnosed as cylinder-4 misfire. Dealership replaced spark plug and coil, switched fuel injectors. Drove away from dealership, week later engine light came on again. Went to the dealership, they performed a block test, confirmed 4th cylinder head needed to be replaced. This is an extremely common problem in 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacificas. This is a travesty and needs to be rectified.
Vehicle is 5 years old and at 90,000 miles. Head gasket blew causing several thousand dollars in damage. This seemed very early to have to do this to the engine. I wanted to report in case this is a persistent issue with this particular model of car. If it is a consistent issue I would like to see. A recall issued.
Engine sputtering, engine light came on P0303 cylinder 3 misfire. Light would come on and off every couple of days. Diagnosed with a blown head gasket at ~51,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact stated that she shifted to park(P) and turned off the vehicle and the vehicle failed to restart. A local mechanic met the contact at the scene and assisted in restarting the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure started to occur after the head gasket was replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the dealer had not performed a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Loss of power, multiple times, most serious @ 70mph freeway, baby on board, 500 miles away from home. No tow, no rental, no way to get home. Previously reported to dealerships, won’t fix issue, quotes for $7k of service, issue still persist.
My van experienced sudden misfiring when I tried to start it. To address the issue, I took the van to the Chrysler dealership in Buford, GA. After their assessment, they informed me that cylinder 3 had a crack, and it necessitated the replacement of the entire engine. They provided a quote for this repair, which amounted to $13,000. I've been diligent in maintaining my van, regularly checking the oil levels, and there were no warning signs or indicator lights until the check engine light came on when the misfiring issue began. It's worth noting that my van only has 81,000 miles on it. While researching this problem, I came across a forum where numerous individuals shared similar experiences, indicating that this kind of catastrophic engine failure shouldn't be so common. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
A blown head gasket (and possibly warped head) were causing a cylinder 3 misfire. The vehicle has only 70,000 miles and has had regular maintenance performed. It appears the motor design is faulty, likely causing a build up of heat in the engine compartment or internal to the motor resulting in blown head gaskets. This is apparently a common problem and Chrysler should develop a solution to handle the issue.