10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
16,339 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.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica steering problems

steering problem

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2017 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Comments (Page 2 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #125

Jul 212023

Pacifica

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

the steering wheel on the vehicle sticks periodically when you are executing a slow turn or adjustment of the vehicle. This is particularly the case on the highway, when you are engaged in a slow turn of the steering wheel when changing lanes or when adjusting your position within a lane. The wheel will stick and then jump into the position that you wish the wheel to be in. This particularly happens in the 11 to 1 position of a turn or adjustment. This is not particularly noticeable in lower speed driving or around town. This issue has been ongoing over a year. We have had it in 4 times and no one can find anything. Upon researching online there have several complaints of this exact issue. See other complaints here. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Olmsted Falls, OH, USA

problem #124

May 032023

Pacifica

  • miles
The vehicles steering wheel is binding intermittently, the power steering seems to come on and off. It can happen at any speed.

- Littleton, MA, USA

problem #123

Jul 112023

Pacifica

  • miles
As has been reported by a number of other owners of this vehicle, the steering wheel on the vehicle sticks periodically when you are executing a slow turn or adjustment of the vehicle. This is particularly the case on the highway, when you are engaged in a slow turn of the steering wheel when changing lanes or when adjusting your position within a lane. The wheel will stick and then jump into the position that you wish the wheel to be in. This particularly happens in the 11 to 1 position of a turn or adjustment. This is not particularly noticeable in lower speed driving or around town. This has been happening on this 2017 Pacifica for about 12 months now. I feel that this puts the safety of occupants at risk. I have had this checked out by my regular service station.

- Burlington , VT, USA

problem #122

Jun 212023

Pacifica

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This happens every single time we drive our Pacifica: Per many other complaints available online, the current gen Pacifica (2017-present), when equipped with ADAS such as lane keep assist, has a steering issue as follows: -under varying conditions, the vehicle's steering wheel will "stick." This issue typically follows a small steering input of 10-25 degrees in either direction. -When the steering wheel sticks, it presents 2 major safety issues: 1) the vehicle maintains its course and could collide with objects or veer off the road and 2) the sticking of the wheel is so severe at times that the counter-steering required to correct the "stick" presents a danger of driving into oncoming traffic. -Yes, Dodge of Boerne, TX, and it was "fixed" by securing a ground wire on the vehicle, but the problem continues to persist -Just dealership listed above -No Here are selections of other reports on this issue: https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/2017-steering-problems.48061/ https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/2017-steering-issue.50528/ https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/the-steering-wheel-tries-to-turn-by-itself-when-driving-on-uneven-roads.23538/ https://I am guessing this issue is what was addressed at our service appointment, but it did not solve our specific issue: https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/05/fca-recalls-198k-pacifica-minivans-due-to-potential-issue-with-power-steering.html

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #121

May 192023

Pacifica

  • miles
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.

- Jackson, GA, USA

problem #120

Feb 132023

Pacifica

  • miles
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

- Suffern, NY, USA

problem #119

Sep 282022

Pacifica 6-cyl

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Our vehicle has the same issue that has been reported many many times on Chrysler Pacifica forums and to the NHTSA as well. After operating the vehicle for usually a couple of hours, the steering will stick, or fight you a little when you're trying to straighten out during a sweeping turn. When we were in the mountains that had numerous switch backs, it would happen just about continuously. After shutting off the vehicle and hiking, shopping, or whatever for a couple hours, the problem would go away for some time, but then after driving the vehicle for a while the problem would recur.

- The Villages, FL, USA

problem #118

Dec 252022

Pacifica

  • miles
The steering wheel sticks when making a turn in either direction. (like getting on or off a ramp) It's requires me to use some force to move it and it can be felt by all in the car. This is not an isolated incident. It happens DAILY when driving this car. Additionally hundreds, if not thousands, of these EXACT same reports can be read on Pacifica owner forums and car review sites. This happens when going over 35mph. But will happen at highway speeds and has been going on for over a year.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #117

May 152022

Pacifica

  • miles
Intermittent steering failure when travelling at high speeds At speeds above 40 mph on long sweeping curves, after initiating a turn, the steering wheel exhibits a "notchy" or "catching" resistance to input when returning the wheel to the neutral (straight-ahead) position. This feedback impacts steering wheel movement resulting in a dangerous over- or under-correction to steering. The vehicle was brought to 2 different Chrysler dealers to diagnose the issue. The second dealer replaced the steering rack and pinion assembly at the owner's cost. Various internet sources show numerous customer complaints about the same steering issue for this year/make/model, so this serious safety problem is not unique to this particular vehicle.

- Iowa City, IA, USA

problem #116

Nov 102022

Pacifica

  • miles
Steering wheel sticks in the middle of a turn. Also steering vibrates at slower speeds. The inconsistent steering makes it dangerous going around corners.

- Waukon, IA, USA

problem #115

Jun 012022

Pacifica

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Our Pacifica's steering will "stick" when coming out of a curve. So far mostly right hand curves but is starting to stick going left slightly. This happens after driving a short amount of time and will continue the entire trip once it starts to malfunciton. It typically happens when doing normal back highway speeds in curves, i.e. 30-65 MPH. I have video evidence of these issues and have shown multiple Chrysler Service techs who say "nothing is wrong, steering is normal." The steering will continue to turn into the direction it was in even after letting go of steering wheel. Steering is supposed to return to center but instead requires an unsafe counter-directional tug of the steering wheel to get it to function properly again until the next curve. The steering wheel does this often when the curve requires the wheel to be held between the 10 o'clock positon and the 2 o'clock position. Multiple complaints online from the 2017 year group of this vehicle also. Chrysler does NOT want to fix the issues so I am resorting to reporting here. I have lost over $2000 in towing, 5 garage trips, and rental vehicle costs due to Chrysler's incompetence. 2 garages were home town type garages who also felt same issue as we did, but said since the steering is electrical, that they could not doing the work but recommended repairs from Chrysler certified garage. Why is it that Chrysler tech's see no wrongs with my vehicle" When someone is injured or dead, will Chrysler then listen"

- Buchanan, VA, USA

problem #114

Oct 232022

Pacifica

  • miles
I was driving for about 10 minutes going 40mph when the car dinged, the accelerator stopped working and the steering wheel became stiff and almost impossible to move. The screen said -??shift to P to start-??. I was able to pull to steering wheel just enough to pull over, and barely missed being in an accident. I put the car in park turned it off and turned it back on and it started again. 1 week prior I took the car to the dealer because the transmission seemed to be jerky and then it wouldn-??t start. I got it towed to the dealer and they couldn-??t replicate the jerky-ness and said it was because they battery was low and it was a connection issue. I got a new battery and a week later the car shut off while I was driving!

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #113

Oct 152022

Pacifica

  • miles
Steering "sticks" going around long turns like ramps at or above around 30 miles per hour. Requires force to get it to return to center.

- South Riding, VA, USA

problem #112

Oct 122022

Pacifica

  • miles
Steering "sticks". When going around a slight curve the steering seems to get stuck in a certain position (usually approximately the 10:30 and 1:30 position depending on if curve is to the right or left). When straightening out the direction of the car, one has to "unstick" the position the steering wheel is stuck in by applying addition force to the steering wheel. This additional force could easily lead to an accident possibly causing one to cross over the line and hit an oncoming vehicle, crash into a car in the lane beside them, or go off the road. The problem is intermittent and mechanics have not be able to reproduce while testing. There are no warning lamps, messages or other indicators that this is going to happen or something needs tended to. This issue seems to be right in line with what many others have shared regarding their steering wheel "sticking" when navigating a curve.

- Sarasota, FL, USA

problem #111

Oct 112022

Pacifica

  • miles
My vehicle stalled without warning while driving. I lost power steering and everything shut down. I had to put it in park which wasn-??t registering and shut off my vehicle and restart it for it to correct itself.

- Liberty, MO, USA

problem #110

Sep 282022

Pacifica

  • miles
The steering frequently sticks when driving around curves. In order to get the steering unstuck, it requires a slight counter-steer. This counter-steer is very dangerous especially at higher rates of speed. At times, I am forced to counter-steer which results in crossing a double yellow line. I fear that if this problem persists or gets worse, a head on collision will result. No warning lamps have been observed. The problem was noted during the last insurance claim. Left and right strut mounts have been replace and the problem persists.

- Westminster, MD, USA

problem #109

May 182022

Pacifica

  • miles
My Pacifica has random moments where the steering wheel feels really stiff while in motion. So stiff, It-??s on the verge of me not being able to steer! It also has random moments where the engine will stall while I am in motion. Sometimes when I press the gas to accelerate it will have a moment of lagging then it will abruptly shift into a higher gear. I-??m wondering if there is something seriously wrong and if I should stop driving it. I have four small children and I need reassurance that this vehicle is in fact safe. I-??ve been hearing and reading stories of other Pacifica owners dealing with the same problems with severe consequences.

- Warren, AR, USA

problem #108

Jun 012022

Pacifica

  • miles
Steering wheel sticks when trying to come out of a turn to a straight position. Steering wheel doesn't return to center position without a forced jerk to center. This occurs at all levels of speed and is a hazard on all roads and highways. This is very concerning, because of the possibility of over corrections that could cause an accident or road departure. Chrysler has had a recall for certain models with auto stop installed, but the problem obviously goes beyond those models. A total recall should be published for the faulty steering angle sensor, code C2205-96.

- Radcliff, KY, USA

problem #107

Sep 062022

Pacifica

  • miles
When driving above 25-30 mph, the steering often "sticks" when coming out of a turn. This occurs when the steering wheel is at approximately the 10:30 position during left hand turns and the 1:30 position during right hand turns. The steering wheel "sticks" in these positions and will not return to center on its own, but requires considerable additional effort by the driver to overcome this stickiness when coming out of the turn. This problem has been reported numerous times on the Chrysler Pacifica forum on the Internet with no adequate explanation coming from Chrysler or others. This problem reportedly occurs on both gas and hybrid versions of the minivan, and is considered by all who report it as a significant safety risk to drivers and passengers alike. There are no warning messages. The dealer has no recommendations other than "possibly" an extremely expensive fix involving replacement of the rack and pinion mechanism and/or steering column replacement, but with no guarantees that this would solve the problem. The minivan has over 88,000 miles on it currently but this has been occurring since approximately the 50,000 mile point.

- Ithaca, NY, USA

problem #106

Sep 052022

Pacifica

  • miles
My Pacifica suddenly will not start. I ended up jump-starting the van. Then whenever I stopped, it needed a jump start. This whole ordeal is from a single day. Driving back on the high-way, suddenly van acted weird, all electronics going haywire, various instrument "unavailable" messages started coming, and on the highway Van all systems failed, power steering locked, I pulled over and battery icon (red) came on as well. Car died. I re-jump started it and then drove again with seeing the battery fluctuating between 10.2 v to 16v. Then when we exited the highway, this time, the van stalled right in the middle of the road. No warning, nothing. I feel this is a single point of failure that if the battery is having an issue, (though it seems alternator) was charging it, it could have caused two crashes. I am really concerned. I have had dead batteries in my other cars but nothing like that where all instruments start acting weird. Also few other weird things happening during this time: passenger windows will come down automatically again and again and again while driving. All different security features sporadically say unavailable, airbag, esc, ACC, FCW etc.. This needs to be looked at as a "Single Point of Failure" issue.

- Sun Prairie, WI, USA

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