2018 Chrysler Pacifica Complaint Log

I purchased this vehicle used in 2022. A few months after purchase, I began to notice that while I was going through a sweeping curve in the road and traveling faster than approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel would stick at approximately 1 o'clock or 11 o'clock depending on which way I was turning while attempting to straighten the wheel back out after completing the turn. To get the steering wheel to return to center, it takes forcible action. If not careful, this forcible action can cause you to overcorrect from the turn. This becomes quite dangerous especially on narrow one lane roads. This problem has been discussed with multiple service centers, but has not been able to be diagnosed. No warning lamps are present in the vehicle and all other systems seem to be working fine.

Reverse camera screen remained on after reversing and during a ~30 minute drive. Stopped vehicle, shutoff engine, opened door to trigger interior electronic shutoff. Restarted vehicle and backup camera still remained during drive until eventually changing to full blue screen with "Camera System Unavailable" message at the top. (photo available) The event occurred during extreme winter weather in Oklahoma 1/30/2023 and is an obvious safety issue. The constant rearview display while driving is very distracting and disorienting. Additionally, the vehicle climate control settings for defog, heat, and other settings are unavailable for determining and adjusting to external environmental conditions, as experienced during the winter weather event leading to full interior fogging and reduced visibility (another mechanical safety issue prevalent to this vehicle series). This issue is found under NHTSA Campaign 19V886000 for 2018-2019 year models however, our VIN is not included. I contacted the original dealer service department, and they informed me of no related recall for our specific VIN as well. I contacted FCA/Chrysler Customer Service in reference to recall VE2 as indicated in NHTSA recall 19V886000 and informed no recall as well and no other assistance or direction. Our vehicle VIN should be included in the recall.

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with starter failure. The contact was informed that the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was persistent and had been ongoing for several years. The contact stated that an unknown recall was performed previously, and the battery was replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Car was on cruise control. While approaching traffic, attempt was made to release cruise control by braking. Brake system was locked, vehicle started accelerating and revving. Brakes would not work, had to swerve to avoid collision. Managed to fidget with the gear knob. Finally managed to gain control of vehicle. I figured I gained control because I must have shifted the gear into Neutral somehow. I had my entire family of SIX in the car. Without having gained control, the vehicle would have accelerated until I crashed it. It accelerated past 80mph before I could gain control

Check engine light appeared 01/26 out of nowhere. Engine started to idle rough onbstartup but cleared after a few seconds, checked code with OBD2 and it hit P0305. Took to dealership for repairs 01/27. We live in the middle of nowhere and having this vehicle fail in the middle of the no-cell-service drive could have caused us to be stranded in the snow, especially with the winter we've had it could have been a catastrophy. Dealer originally flagged fuel injector as the reason. Picked up vehicle on 01/31, check engine light returned on 02/01 and we immediately contacted the dealership again. Returned vehicle again on 02/02 and it has remained in the shop even as of today 03/10. Reported back to us that there are cracks in the Engine block are causing coolant to leak into cylinder 5. Dealership confirmed they have seen multiple 2017 and 2018 Pacificas have this same issue. Even went as far to say that those with a perfect maintence done on the vehicle were subject to this same issue. 3rd party inspectors have also checked the vehicle for extended warranty purposes. Many reports of the Pentastar 3.6L V-6 seem to show a commonality with what the dealership reported about the 2017 - 2018 Pacificas engine problems. Chrysler has not responded to outreach for assistance and as the cost to repair sent to warranty company is thousands of dollars over what the current value of the vehicle is worth. Chrysler seems to be dodging responsibilty for this blatent issue.

Leaking coolant in cylinder 5 leading to a misfire and check engine light. Dealer reports this is a known issue and only replacing the engine will fix, but Chrysler isn’t doing anything to fix it.

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while utilizing the cargo area, he noticed water inside the vehicle behind the third-row seats. There was an abnormal moldy odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and inspected. The mechanic located water in the bottom of the seam under the third-row seat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was provided a case number. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.

Began with a misfire in cylinder 1 that would chug on startup, the smooth out. Had a check engine light come one, which showed the misfire in cylinder one. Brought it to the dealer, they noted low coolant levels and possible blown head gasket. Had only 108,000 miles. They could not get to further review of the motor for two more weeks, so we were told we could pick it up and bring it back. One hour after leaving the dealer, the motor overheated. There was no coolant whatsoever in the vehicle. After calling the dealer, we were told they forgot to put coolant back into the vehicle before were could pick it up. The next day, the van is no longer usable. It began stuttering continually.

Blown Head Gasket at 77K miles

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-75 MPH, the steering wheel partially locked up. The contact used extra force to correct the failure. The failure had occurred while the steering was turned at a certain angle. The steering wheel was sticking while turning at the 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock positions. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact located an article regarding NHTSA Action Number: PE25009 (Steering). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

Rear seat anchor broke out of floor board when a child sat in the seat. This is a major anchor point for the seat system. If there had been any sort of accident, the seat and occupant could have easily broken free from the vehicle. I took the vehicle to my local dealer, who took pictures and sent information to their area manager. The recommended repair was to take it to body shop and that they wouldn’t be responsible for the repairs. This is clearly a manufacturing defect that the weld on the anchor did not penetrate into the floor board. I can be contacted for more information and inspection.

Steering control loss due to the lower right control arm knuckle pinch bolt failure causing the lower control arm to separate from the steering knuckle. This problem had been identified by Chrysler and repaired in May of 2018 under Recall V15, but has occurred again. Due to the inability to having any directional control of the vehicle could have resulted in a serious accident had I been operating the vehicle at a higher rate of speed or in a more populated traffic area. The vehicle was towed to a Chrysler dealership and has been repaired. I also contacted Chrysler directly to report the problem but I don't feel they take the matter as serious. There were no vehicle warning lamps or message except at the time of failure. As I lost control of the vehicle a brief message appeared saying "Electronic Steering Component Failure"

Check engine light on. Number 3 cylinder misfire. Losing coolant. Head gasket replacement.

Check engine light and start/stop light

Ticking noise began out of nowhere, 2 days later accelerated from a stop light felt a jolt and then lost power and check engine light flashing. Took to closest dealer to have looked at. Dealer determination new engine needed, or have cams, headers, rockers, and lifters repaired. Engine has 68,000 miles on it.

Last year, a head gasket failed causing coolant to leak into the cylinder head that resulted in misfires and overheating. This resulted in engine block failure and a required a total engine replacement.

Bought my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica used on December 8, 2022, with 70,649 miles on it. I have had issues with a hard shift in my power train. It doesn't do it when transmission is cold and it doesn't do it all the time. My engine light comes on, but it doesn't show any codes for the hard knock. It has been to 2 different dealers including Chrysler on several occasions without the issue being resolved.

When making slow but sharp turns (ex: turning into a parking spot) the vehicle shudders.

I am aware of the recall on this vehicle. In addition, I received a phone call and email from Chrysler stating the following: "Hello Mr./Mrs. I have attempted to get ahold of you to schedule your Z11 Recall appointment for your Pacifica PHEV. You should have recently received an important recall notice from FCA detailing the steps needed to repair your vehicle and ensure the safety of you and your passengers. If you would like me to continue to assist you with the appointment, please give me a call at 8009921997. We encourage you to schedule this service appointment as soon as possible. If you prefer to schedule the appointment by yourself, ask for the Z11 point of contact at the dealership, and be mindful that the repair takes 2 days to complete. Please be advised that I have closed your case. Thank you for being a valued Chrysler customer. Chrysler specialist [XXX]" I called two local dealerships who both said they cannot schedule because they do not have the equipment to do this repair. They said they are unaware of this central Chrysler communication. I emailed a reply to the address above to reopen the case, but they have not replied. Please help! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

At 63000 miles engine misfire occuered needing to replace the head gasket causing leaking coolant into the combustion chamber causing a misfire. Very concerning considering relevtivly low milleage and potential ongoing engine concerns. Wife and children were driving when check engine light went on, resulting in misfire causing car to shutter and stiring wheel shake. Car is curently being serviced at the dealer. There were no early indicators prior to this incident.

In November 2022, roughly 2 weeks before Thanksgiving our 2018 pacifica showed an engine code on the way home, it read to be a misfire. We were already enroute and near home so we cotinued driving. The low coolant light came on briefly as we were pulling into the driveway and the engine became hot. When I looked under hood I could hear a gurgling noise and noted th coolant resovoir to be empty. The next morning I added coolant and used a Gasket leak detection kit to confirm a blown head gasket. Vehicle was dropped off on a Monday and was in the shop for nearly a month waiting on parts. We were very fortunate to be so close to home. Failure occured under warranty but upon research found that the issue was fairly common among vehicles with this engine, some failures as low as 40k on the engine.

On three recent, separate occasions, the vehicle has lost acceleration while making a left hand turn from a stop (date listed for this incident is most recent). No visual or aural warning indications have displayed on the dash during or proximate to these incidents, but the car felt like it went out of gear while making a normal left turn. Pushing or releasing the throttle only affected engine RPM, not any acceleration, so it felt like we were only coasting. It lasts longer than a normal shift, more than a few seconds, before power is sent to the wheels again. On two of the occasions there was oncoming traffic approaching the intersection. If the power had died any sooner in the turn I'm not sure I would have cleared the intersection in time with what little speed I had gained, increasing the risk of collision. I am taking the car to the local Chrysler dealership tomorrow for inspection and hopeful diagnosis/repair. I can't replicate the issue on demand, but after 3 separate occasions, it is an unmistakable feeling. Based on the clunky, jerking shifting into gear that sometimes occurs with the vehicle outside the above-described incidents, I believe it might be transmission related, but I can't be sure.

I was driving my Pacifica 2018 on the road when suddenly I heard a beep, I looked at the dashboard, it had a red light indicating that my car is overheated, my kids were panicking, hoping it shouldn't start burning. I couldn't stop on the highway because of passing cars. it was towed in to the dealer, I got a phone call that I need a new engine... I had no prior indications of any problem.

Radiator coolant leaked in cylinder 3 engine (3.6L)has 64K miles after searching online the Pacifica has this issue and Chrysler has not did anything to fix this in recalls

When I pushed the button on the handle to close the back sliding door, my 2 year old suddenly stuck his hand in front of where the door was shutting and the door did not stop. Thankfully I was able to push the button back open almost immediately but his hand bruised immediately. We applied ice and the swelling went down but it could have been much worse hadn't I opened the door back up right away. There should be a sensor that stops the door if something is in its way.

My Air Conditioning stopped working at 50k miles. The dealership, Sarasota Dodge, charged me $409 to look at the car and wanted $3300 to repair it. I don't have that kind of money and the car is still under warranty. I brought my brand new car to a local garage and they diagnosed the issue for free and charged me a 1/4 of the cost Chrysler did to repair it. The issue is the material used for the evaporator core is aluminum and does not interact well with the air conditioning chemicals so the chemicals eat away at the core and the chemicals escape into the cabin. This had been going on for a long time and I did not know what the smell was.

Check engine light p0303 cylinder 3 misfire. Dealership mechanic diagnosed as blown head gasket.

Power Steering is unavailable Stop/start is unavailable Wasn’t able to avoid an accident this morning from deer. Steering went out.

We were involved in a small fender bender accident, and the car caught on fire. It started with the dashboard, and it spread to the rest of the vehicle. The car ended up burnt to a crisp. Nothing salvageable.

While driving home with my pregnant wife and kids, our van seemed to cut off and coast. I got no response from the accelerator pedal, and there was a message on the dash saying "Shift to P to Start". The check engine light also illuminated. Luckily, we were able to coast and pull over in a neighborhood. I was able to shift to Park and restart the van and finish the drive home. However, the same issue and message appeared while I was parked in my driveway. The van is currently at a local Chrysler dealer for further inspection and diagnosis.

The automatic start/stop has consistently been an issue. The car auto stopped while I was at a light in the middle of a busy intersection and caused the entire car to shut off instantly with no warning, the whole car except the radio went black. There was no light on the dashboard until after it shut off and was jump-started. Both aux battery, regular battery and 2 relays have already had to be replaced previously to fix the issue, and it has become and issue for a second time after all those repairs.

2018 Pacifica Wheelchair Accessible Van has on several occasions without warning, decelerated and stalled. Displays Place into Park and restart. Van starts sputtering & decelerates. After pulling over, waiting a few minutes it does start again. We've had the van over a year without any issues until now. We did have it at a dealership for a week. They were unable to find anything wrong with it. Very frustrating as we use this van to transport our disabled daughter. Recently we received notice of Class Action Lawsuit for this problem. Doesn't help me right now.

Dear Sir or Madam, There was a recall on our vehicle for the Battery Cables. It was supposed to fix the Stop/Start on our car. Prior to getting the Recall done, our car didn't restart at a stop light/sign causing us to put it back in park and restart the car. We went to have the Recall done and were told that that would not fix the problem, we needed to buy the second battery. We did - costing us over $200. I can ask for the bill for this if it is needed. I could not find it in my files. A couple of months later it started again at the stop light/signs. We took the vehicle back and they said a code was coming up under the hood and that would be no charge. They called us on 10/4/22 and said we need to purchase a switch - labor over $200 plus parts. What are we required to do to have this fixed as part of a Recall? Thank you for your time. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed onto the expressway and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle suddenly lost power and would not increase speed. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on two separate occasions at the same location. The local dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Van started running slightly rough in the mornings if the engine was cold. CEL eventually came on with a P0304 DTC. I replaced the igntion coils and spark plugs since the van was right at 80,000 miles. Seem to run fine for a day after, then issues came back. Took it to the dealership for more in-depth troubleshooting and repair. They failed to do anything after almost two weeks except that now my van wouldn't start. Took the van to a non-dealership affiliated repair shop and they said the starter had failed, but the engine passed the pressure check of the head. Waited almost another two weeks for a new starter, mechanic got it back together, found some coolant coming out of the exhaust manifold and recommended adding leak stop that there might be a small casting issue with the engine. They added leak stop and returned the van to me stating they think there was a small hole in the engine from casting and that coolant was getting by and causing the misfire. Subsequently, the coolant would then travel to the catalytic converter where it would burn off but caused the cat to be much hotter than normal and that was in-turn frying the starter which is pressed up right next to the cat. The van continued to run rough for a couple days before it finally wouldn't start again and now i'm having to have it towed back to the shop. I suspect the issue may a issue with a warped head or something even worse. A cursory search of both online forums and NHTSA reports that this is not a one off or new issue and only seems to be getting worse and more prolific as the average age of the fleet pushes towards 80-100K+ miles. Modern vehicles should be able to go 150-200k miles before head gasket issues become a serious concern.

Sept. 12, 2022 - Ever since we have owned this vehicle, we have experienced this issue with the cruise control. Speed increases while driving downhill highways and sometimes on pretty level highways. When I decrease the speed on the controller, it sometimes maintains the speed for several seconds (slow to respond) in order to slow down while coming up behind another vehicle. I therefore need to break or turn off the cruise control. Very unpredictable. Also, speed changes a lot which sounds like shifting gears back and forth while going uphill. I had contacted the dealer originally and was told this is normal. This is ongoing. Happens every time when driving on the highway. Safety concern. The other issue we had experienced while driving on a city street, we got some odd sounds, what sounded like it was coming for the transmission. Like shifting sounds. and on another couple of occasions, we got a kind of (clunk) noise. Not sure…hard to explain. Only happened a few times over the last several months. and was brief. This in not ongoing, but a concern for failure and or safety. No warning lamps or messages

The car battery system has failed over 5x when driving. All of a sudden the car battery lights start coming on & stearing shuts down and car stops. The last time it completely shut down. No power to even run hazard lights. No power to lock the car or rollup the windows. It has been 2 weeks and dealership mechanic can not figure out what is wrong.

CAR STEERING, GET STUCK VERY OFTEN, AND THEN CONTINUES TO WORK PROPERLY.

Vehicle began to idle rough, then the check engine light came on with the code P303 (misfire in cylinder 3). Vehicle diagnosed as having a bad head gasket. This appears to be a VERY common occurrence on this vehicle based on posts made by owners here: https://www.pacificaforums.com/

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The van stalls, the wheels lock up, the transmission shifter becomes unusable, and of the warning light start flashing on the dashboard. Yes, it’s available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It stalled in the middle of the road blocking traffic from both ways and was unable to be moved for over half an hour. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, by an independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, not until the day it stalled on 8/30/2022z

At Approx 92,000 miles, the head gaskets failed and allowed coolant into the cylinder heads causing the engine to overheat and the cylinder to be damaged and need replacing. The repairs would have cost me $3386, but thankfully extended warranty covered $1900.

The engine overheated while driving and required immediate attention, leaving me and my family stranded on the highway. The original code that tripped the check engine light was for a misfire in Cylinder #3, upon further inspection at the dealership it was concluded that the issue was a blown head gasket, causing the engine to overheat and fail. This was confirmed by the dealer. I have sent the issue to the manufacturer as well. There are a number of these issues in public forums. It is apparently a well known defect.

Steering is sticking. While turning the wheel at speed the steering sticks and does not automatically straighten out requiring the driver to manual straighten out of the turn. Very dangerous.

Three times since this past summer, while driving approx. 30-40 mph the van's power shut down. We were able to steer and brake which allowed us to coast to a spot to stop. All three incidents occurred with children in the van during rush hour. We were forced to pull over on a dangerous section of road. The first incident the car did not restart for about 45 minutes. The second time it restarted in about 5 minutes and the third attempt it took about 1 minute to restart. In each incident it appeared as if something in the electronics of the van shut down and eventually reset on its own. The "check engine" light came on after each of these incidents, but no indication prior that there was an issue. After multiple times in the dealership service center and with support from FCA Customer Care it was eventually decided that the transmission needed to be replaced which occurred in November. Since then there have been a few incidents where the van simply would not start. After some time and opening/closing doors, plugging/unplugging it, and pressing the start button, it eventually restarted. The check engine light came on again but would then turn off a few days later. We were told by the dealership that if the light was not on there was little they could. Then a few weeks ago (December) a similar incident occurred again where the car shut off, this time while driving about 10 mph. We brought the van to the dealership and again they investigated with support from FCA. We were told they investigated "connections" within the van but they were unable to find a definitive problem. Additionally they took the car for an extended test drive during which the van did not do the shut down problem. We have now been informed by the dealership that FCA is closing our case and we need to pick up the van. Because no problem was identified and fixed, we do not feel safe driving the van for fear that this problem will occur again which puts the people in the van at significant risk.

I was driving and pulled up to a stop light. The car all of a sudden turned off. I had to place the car in park, and reset. The error light said to service the auto start stop feature. This is the third time the car has turned off in the middle of driving.

The vehicle jerks or hesitates to shift into gear when I get near 35 mph. It is forceful and loud. Somewhat like initial jerk pulling off from a roller coaster. My safety and the safety of my children have been at risk because slow moving vehicles are a hinderance to the flow of traffic. I have almost been rear-ended several times as the speed limit has increased in an area and I can't increase my speed as quickly as others behind me. Also, the delayed acceleration with the force of the jerk causes me to move forward too fast. This seems to be a transmission problem that all of the dealers in the area try to ignore. They claim they cannot reproduce the error but it happens each time I drive it. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, nor insurance representatives as I have not YET had an accident from this safety issue. There were no warning signs when the issue first appeared. I first noticed it the day after purchasing it from Westgate Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM, 6421 Old Westgate Rd, Raleigh, NC 27617. I reported the issue to them within days of noticing and brought the vehicle in several times for troubleshooting. I have since switched servicing over to Crossroads Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Henderson. They recognized that my batteries were both dying and replaced both of those. That never stopped the jerking/hesitating, it just made it less intense. I brought it into that dealership as well for this issue several times and they cannot reproduce the issue either. I have searched online for solutions and on a Pacifica forum online, many other owners note this issue with low mileage on their vehicle. This is indeed a manufacturer issue that it seems the manufacturer wants to cover up and dealers have no solution for it because of this.

Honestly it’s been one thing after another, including engine, power train and electric issues

The transmission shifts hard when traveling around 14 mph then will jerk (like being rear ended), slows down then accelerates on its own. I'm afraid it will cause an accident. Chrysler said it is supposed to work like that and nothing is wrong with it. I have had 3 diagnostic tests done it and it shows nothing is wrong.

Van showed the message "Stop safely the vehicle will shut off" and stopped on the road. It was immobile for close to 30 mins. I was able to start and drive back home. It again stopped on the road on the way to the dealer. I have seen number of complaints on this van on the internet. My van is still with the dealer and they could not fix the problem in the past 15days

Automatic right passenger sliding door will not operate with the outside door handle or inside pillar switch making it a safety concern.