CarComplaints.com Notes: Engine cradle rot is a serious problem in the 2004-05 Chrysler Pacifica. Chrysler admits they didn't apply enough coating to the vehicle's sub-frame during assembly, but only offered to cover a very small portion of the vehicles they messed up.
So what happens when your engine cradle rots? Well, the engine could fall out for starters. It could also cause problems with the suspension and other components but did I mention THE ENGINE CAN FALL OUT? The worst part is you might not know because there's no way to see the problem without getting under the car.
If you have a 2004-05 Pacifica, make sure to have your mechanic inspect your sub-frame for rust and corrosion.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,946 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My vehicle started making a clunk noise from the engine area and stopped shifting out of second gear. I took vehicle in to a repair shop for transmission service and was told by the repair shop that the vehicle is unsafe to drive because the engine cradle has corrosion and has rusted to the point that the engine is about to fall out the vehicle which most likely caused the transmission to fail. This was discovered while my vehicle was being lifted on the hoist. The repair shop said they are afraid to keep the vehicle on the hoist because someone could get injured while underneath it.
Engine cradle has rotted away on passenger side, well on it's way on the drivers. Cross member twists when steering and handling is dangerous with the motor and sub frame twisting when you hit a bump. We've stopped driving it as direction of mechanic for fear of motor falling out and it has in other cases! we noticed it last year after seeing a news report on the issue but it wasn't this bad then, now we won't drive it.
The entire underside is rusting and falling apart. The biggest problem being the cradle. It is so bad theres cracks all over and big rust holes. The mechanic shop told my wife not to drive because its to dangerous!! she drives several young kids around everyday. So now it sits rusting even faster till we can get it fixed. Chrysler accepts no responsibility. Of course this is a common issue and I'm glad there's a class action lawsuit on this! it has 120,000 miles and to think the engine could drop out while she's driving kids around. That could kill everyone including other drivers around her. This will be my last Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep vehicle and my kids will never own one. It's not my first, and I've had major issues with every single one. My Ford and Chevy's have never fallen apart like Chrysler/Dodge does.
Sub-frame broke on me. It is the exact part that was recalled for the 2004 Pacifica. However there is no recall for 2005" the sub frame broke while I was driving, with a children in car seats in the vehicle. This is a real safety concern, especially in the "salt belt" Chrysler's self admitted insufficient protective coating on the sub frame of these cars, should be enough proof, to raise eyebrows and remedy this safety issue. I cannot afford to repair all the damage this caused, and Pacifica's cannot hold a resell value, as selling this to another person, is just like handing them a ticking time bomb. Why is there no solution or help on this issue? I am not alone with these issues. I suppose it will take deaths from this faulty part before any real action is actually taken. Having a strong piece of metal to keep my motor from falling on the ground isn't to much to ask, or is it" the only option I have to keep my primary vehicle on the road, is to try welding the sub frame and hope for the best.
Dealer reported on 8/15/2017 that my car has an engine cradle problem. There are holes in the cradle now due to rusting. He also told me it is a safety problem.
Due to failure of the corrosion protection on the engine cradle rust has created holes in the cradle that supports the engine. Over certain rough roads there is a knocking sound.
Our vehicle has 88,000 miles and it just failed a safety inspection because the engine cradle is rotting/rusted and the engine is in jeopardy of falling out of the car. The dealer (good brothers Dodge) acknowledges the safety concern and that Chrysler has had problems with these. They supplied a $3,200 estimate to repair. According to the dealer, the engine could fall out while driving down the road and the vehicle shouldn't be driven. There appears to be a pending class-action lawsuit regarding this very issue and Chrysler unwillingness to acknowledge and take responsibility for the defect and safety hazard.
The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, the vehicle began to shake violently while the speedometer revved. The contact stated that an unknown code was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Subframe of the engine cradle. I was told during last inspection (April 2016) that the subframe of the engine cradle is rusted. The same was confirmed on 3/18/17 at Firestone service center, bensalem, pa. It's repair will cost a significant amount and it is not safe to drive as the the engine may fall out. It is a very high safety risk.
When I took our 2005 Pacifica in for its annual va state inspection on November 1, 2016 it did not pass. The primary cause for failure was the discovery of substantial rusting of the "sub K frame." It was rusted through on the right-hand side of the frame. I was advised that it was too dangerous to drive the car as the engine could fall and drop out of its cradle! the rusting was not visible 6 months ago when the car was last hoisted in the air for an oil change, so I can only assume that it rusted from the inside out. The mechanics stated they had never seen such rusting, and they were surprised to see it on a car that was otherwise well maintained and in such good condition for a car with almost 175,000 miles. I live in the northern neck area of va which is not an area of significant snowfall or an area where there is a heavy application of salt on the roads during the winter. I have 2 other cars - a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 crew cab and a 2002 Toyota Camry, neither of which demonstrate any signs of rusting of the frame.
The contact owns a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica. While undergoing routine maintenance, the certified mechanic diagnosed that the engine cradle was fractured and had severe rust. The cradle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000. Updated 01/05/16 updated 02/14/17.
I took my car into to have a suspension check O replaced the strurss when my mechanic called me and told my that the frame or engine cradle was rusted out. He took some pictures and there are holes in the cradle. He advised me not to put anymore money into this car.
Just got new tires no mention, they used floor jacks. Getting new front struts and rear wheel spindles (getting ready for winter) and my mechanic showed me the cradle rot and said he wouldn't touch it and explained the safety issues related. Cost potentially associated with repair. Cost to repair is more than the vehicle is worth.
The car under it is knocking and hitting against the car itself when you go over a bump in the road, the breaks slip unless the ABS light is on and the power steering compartment is constantly empty which causes the steering to whine until you fill it back up.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Saginaw, MI, USA