10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
7,606 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.

2018 Chrysler Pacifica drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Comments (Page 2 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #100

Dec 302023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

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.

- Lakewood, OH, USA

problem #99

Jun 012023

Pacifica

  • miles
The check engine light came on after 2 weeks of owning the car. It threw a Code P0303. We replaced the coils on 1-3-5 and spark plugs on all cylinders and the check engine light came back on after 1 week. It finally would not start. Our mechanic has removed the head and gasket and discovered the cylinder 3 was full of water and water and oil in the oil pan creating a gooey sludge. This is apparently an ongoing problem with this engine to the point that gaskets to replace the head gasket are very hard to find.

- Greenfield, IN, USA

problem #98

Nov 182019

Pacifica

  • 46,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the main battery and the auxiliary battery had been replaced on multiple occasions. The dealer had not yet determined the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the frequent battery failures caused the vehicle to stall while driving at various speeds with the battery and check engine warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed with a cylinder #3 misfire. Also, the contact mentioned that the vehicle would jerk forward upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

- De Berry, TX, USA

problem #97

Oct 042023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

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.

- Whitehouse Ststion, NJ, USA

problem #96

Oct 022023

Pacifica

  • miles
Pull into garage with <1% hybrid battery. Pressed the power button and the Pacifica threw an error about servicing the transmission and it would not disconnect the power to shut off the vehicle. Opened the hood and disconnected the 12v battery to complete remove electric from the system. The van completed a shutdown. Reconnected the 12v battery and closed the hood. Car returned to working conditions.

- Snohomish, WA, USA

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problem #95

Mar 222023

Pacifica

  • miles
In March my van stalled as I was turning through a busy intersection with my child in the front seat. We narrowly avoided being t-boned. For a second the dash lit up with lights and then it said to shift to park to start vehicle but I couldn't shift. After finally getting it in neutral some good samaritans helped me push it out of the intersection and while I sat off to the side, after about 15 minutes of getting out and checking under the hood, the car started. We used our own code reader and it threw the PoA79 code. We brought it to Lewisville with an appointment, told them about the stall and they did the Z11 recall work for the fire risk with the battery but say there are no issues with the battery and no codes, but they have us ready for the recall work on Loss of Motive Power as soon as the recall work is available because loss of power is a known issue. They think my stall is related to the recall and needs a software update so hold off. Pick the van up after Easter. 3 months later it stalls again, this time with my child and husband on the freeway! After about 10 minutes of everything flashing, it starts again just as it did before, and the CEL clears. We call and are told that the Loss of Motive Power recall O3A process is now out for the 2018. We have never noticed an unexpected loss of charge. We were charging outside and far from our house, per the recall. No lobster popping up. Make an appointment for the O3A recall work and the van stalls on the way. This time it doesn't restart As I understand it, the transmission issue is that transmission case castings causes the high voltage wires to chafe and short out. We are told that we do not have a transmission or a battery issue, it is the On Board Charging Module has internal damage. They are unable to explain how a van that was at 95% charge and with a 12V that showed it wasn't depleted now has an internally damaged OBCM. And they don't know if that is the fundamental underlying problem with stalls.

- Coppell, TX, USA

problem #94

Jul 082023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

Engine Misfire was reported and did all the normal maintenance to correct from a certified mechanic. Misfire was still happening so I took it to a dealership and they couldn't find the issue. They wanted 2400 just to break the engine down to find the issue. A local mechanic did a coolant test and read the engine code to see that it was a coolant leak in the oil. Blown head gasket is the culprit. He suggest while you have it apart you should actually do both sides.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

problem #93

Aug 132023

Pacifica

  • miles
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.

- San Jose, CA, USA

problem #92

Jun 262023

Pacifica

  • miles
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request" - The dealer / manufacturer is unable to determine the root cause. The car shut down while I was driving on the highway. It does not start, meaning no engine turnover to operate / drive the vehicle. The only known issue was the recall for the electrical component failure. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - Yes, both myself and others on the highway were at great risk. As my car shut down, I lost control of the vehicle - no power steering or ability to use the accelerator. My vehicle slowed to 40mph in the right lane, while other vehicles including trucks were still traveling at high speeds and quickly approached my vehicle. They did not see the hazard lights until they were only 20 feet away. This was very close to a fatal accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - No. There is no solve to the issue. They claim, however, that they are replacing the *entire* transmission and think that this will fix the car. Yet, this seems to be an entirely separate, unrelated issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear" - Yes, I received an error message 1 day prior. See attachment photo of dashboard. I was instructed by the dealer to drive it into the dealership the very next day - the day the car shut down on the highway.

- Clarksburg, MD, USA

problem #91

Jul 262023

Pacifica

  • miles
Cylinder head inside the engine has a Crack with antifreeze leaking into the engine. I had been driving the car prior to being able to make an appointment at the dealership. Luckily there was not a crash due to this.

- Batavia, IL, USA

problem #90

Jul 022023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

- The car still has open recall Z11 ( RU PHEV hybrid traction battery fire). - The car had open recall XE1 RU PHEV transmission open. - The car became stranded refusing to put the transmission into gear. - Had to tow the car to the dealership. The dealer stated the traction battery fuse was blown. The dealer could not pinpoint the root cause of the issue, nor did chrysler have parts readily available to fix. The car still shows there's an open short. - The dealer could not complete diagnosis because of the Z11 recall. They stated that the traction battery can not complete self check procedure. - Chrysler is unresponsive in following up on the issue.

- Fort Lee, NJ, USA

problem #89

May 052023

Pacifica

  • miles
My Pacifica Hybrid van has been at a Chrysler dealership (Castle Rock in Colorado) for over six weeks now to have the Z11 recall addressed. It is clear that neither Chrysler nor their dealers know how to properly fix this (potentially lethal) issue with their vehicle batteries. Chrysler have failed to provide a loaner vehicle, even though it is stated in their recall letter that they would, and their "Customer Care" hotline have been unable to assist in any way. No one will call me back or otherwise inform me of next steps.

- Parker, CO, USA

problem #88

Jun 012023

Pacifica

  • miles
Rough idle when starting cold. Cylinder 3 misfire. Loss of coolant. Jolt when accelerating.

- West Nyack , NY, USA

problem #87

Jun 282022

Pacifica

  • miles
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.

- Erie, PA, USA

problem #86

May 192023

Pacifica

  • miles
Our car-??s battery ran out and left our car blocking both lanes of our traffic. We tried to shift into neutral but weren-??t able to. We found an online tutorial about a panel that contains a string to pull which would enable us to shift to neutral. When we opened the panel, we found the string was missing. Upon further research, I found this was a problem with other cars as well. When we brought it in to be serviced, they couldn-??t fix it. The owner-??s manual has no instructions for how to get the car into neutral.

- Sunnyvale, CA, USA

problem #85

May 172023

Pacifica

  • miles
Warped cylinder head (right side) causing cylinder misfires and loss of power; loss of coolant. Engine could have hydrolocked while driving. Check engine/P0303 code shown 17May2023 Dealer inspected 18May2023 and found warped cylinder head. Engine: 3.6L V6 24V VVT Engine with ESS; engine origin Mexico. 2018 vehicle with 69,000 miles odometer.

- Tempe, AZ, USA

problem #84

May 032023

Pacifica

  • miles
Van has been clunking/slipping through transmission when accelerating. Stop/Start function error relayed and had a rough idle noticeable when started cold. Car would shut down on occasion when coming to a stop. Battery was recently replaced, assuming due to start/stop battery(also been replaced) draining main battery. Technician indicated Misfire on cylinder, coil swapped, spark plugs replaced and 100,000 mileage maintenance completed per recommendation due to scope of work. Van returned then upon first start, extremely rough idle and exhaust smelled the worst I've ever smelled, choking even. Van taken under warranty at least 2 times for transmission and abrupt shutdowns due to safety concerns with vehicle. Never replicated at dealership.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #83

Apr 262023

Pacifica 6-cyl

  • miles
With Chrysler, recalls are never ending. Last year there was battery recall (Z11) that took 10 months to fix. Just after I got that fixed in Dec-2022, in Feb-2023, we have a new recall, where the vehicle is pretty much rendered useless as it can stop anytime on freeway. My friend who has the car had the vehicle suddenly lose traction and stop in freeway (this happened last week). Fortunately nothing happened as he was able to exit safely. Given it hit so close to home, I am scared to drive my Chrysler Pacifica car anymore. When i contact Chrysler for possible remedies like offering a rental assistance e.t.c they are adamant and refuse to help in anyway. I don't understand this ; I have brought a car in good faith and for no fault of mine, i need to spend on "rental car" now? In prior recalls, Chrysler did offer Rental assistance, but this time around they seem to refuse to entertain any such help. This is really a very precarious situation for me. My wife constantly uses this car to shuttle kids to/from school/activities and frequently needs to use it on freeway. I am really concerned for my family's safety and well being. I think this unfortunate stance by Chrysler is placing us in great danger. Pls help!!

- Fremont, CA, USA

problem #82

Mar 272023

Pacifica 6-cyl

  • miles
I have been contacted multiple times by dealerships and Chrysler that my vehicle needs the Z11 (NHTSA 22V-077) recall performed and that it is urgent for me and my family's safety. I have been trying to get the Z11 recall performed since February 2023. I have contacted 3 local dealerships to do the job but scheduling was difficult and there is no loaner cars available. The first dealer (Autonation CDJR of Katy Texas) who has done all my previous recalls just wanted me to bring the car in to sit for 3 days while not performing the recall. The second was inexperienced and unqualified. After a week delay, I took my car into the third dealer (Big Star Dodge in Webster Texas) on 3/13/2023, but after two days they told me they were having trouble with equipment and gave me the vehicle back on 3/15/2023. They rescheduled for 3/27/2023 and I took it in again. The first attempt to perform the recall procedure failed as a mistake was made. The recall procedure should take 2 days but it has been there for a week. The recall procedure was written poorly by Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis and confuses the technicians so the test is not performed as it should be and has to be repeated multiple times. The extra manipulation and time at the dealership increases the probability that my vehicle will be messed up or damaged. Chrysler/FCA/Stellantis bears the responsibility for the delays and poor performance of the recall causing the unnecessary loss of my vehicle's use and delays the recall performance, increasing my risk described by the recall. Performance of the recall has not been timely or done correctly yet.

- Friendswood, TX, USA

problem #81

Feb 262022

Pacifica 6-cyl

  • miles
I was driving with my family about 30mph and for no reason, the vehicle lost power and I coasted and braked to a stop on the side of the road. Nothing I did would bring any response from the vehicle while it was coasting. A short time later while stopped, I was able to turn the vehicle off and then was able to turn it back on. This happened about a year ago and I thought it was strange. It has not re-occurred. I did not seek out any resolution until I found out about the 03A recall (NHTSA 23V-010). That recall describes what happened to me. My vehicle is currently undergoing multiple attempts to perform the Z11 recall (NHTSA 22V-077) so I do not currently have access to my vehicle.

- Friendswood, TX, USA

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