10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,778 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Comments (Page 1 of 6)

problem #110

Jun 232024

Pacifica

  • miles

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

I was driving with my family on the interstate and was exiting when the car shuddered and I lost propulsion. Interior electrical power was still functional. This occurred as the car was switching to gas mode as I had been been driving about 30-35 miles on electric at that point. The gas motor never came on. I was able to roll into a gas station since we were on a bit of a downhill. Shut off car and waited a beat then started car again, battery showed 1% and was able to pull 2 more feet into gas station and off to side before it completely died again (battery at 0%). I feel extremely fortunate that this didn't happen a moment earlier when I was on the expressway and that were able to get off of a busy road. I had the vehicle towed to nearest Chrysler dealer and had a friend drive me and my family to a nearby car rental place. After two weeks at the dealer, we were informed that the issue was likely the Power Inverter Module. We are still without car and waiting for updates from service department.

- Concord, MA, USA

problem #109

Jun 222024

Pacifica

  • miles
In March of this year (2024), while driving down the road at 45 mph, my Pacifica's dashboard suddenly lit up and flashed all kinds of warnings including ABS off, the check engine light, the parking brake, the service electronic throttle control, electronic stability control off, collision off, warning parking brake, and other lights that I'm not sure what they mean. It seemed like every warning light in the panel lit up. The van slowed down and wouldn't let me accelerate and it felt like the power steering wasn't active. I pulled into a parking lot and shut the engine off. After restarting, the check engine light was lit, but the van let me proceed. I took it to my auto shop that said the codes were all electronic/ software related and I had to take it to a dealership. The dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong and that the codes didn't save. On June 9, the lights started flashing again while I was parked in a parking lot while I was on a road trip. I was able to capture the end of it on my camera. I again turned the engine off and on again, and the van "reset" with only the check engine light on. I was able to proceed through the rest of the weekend and the check engine light actually turned off after a day. Then on June 22, the warning lights started flashing again. My son was driving this time (along with my husband and 2 other sons). He pulled into a parking lot to return the van home, but it wouldn't go into a gear. Slowly, they toggled through the gears until it would allow them to drive the van home. He also said that it felt like he lost power steering. Losing steering, the ability to accelerate, the ability to put the vehicle in gear while driving, and losing the ABS system and the electronic stability system definitely puts my family and others at risk of an accident. I am prepared to take it to my dealer if asked. It has not been inspected by anyone else accept a local car shop and the dealership.

- Oxford, OH, USA

problem #108

Mar 262024

Pacifica

  • miles
Purchased the car used in 2018. Worked fine. Always kept up with my oil changes. Car now over 72000 miles. Suddenly, noticed car would jerk while im driving. Was told engi e misfire. Had it fixed so i thought. After a while, happening again. Also, without any warning, suddenly coolant disappears somewhere in the car. Not coming out at all. And without warning, car overheats. Constantly filling with coolant. Engine light suddenly comes on. Blinking on and off. Now im in engine failure. Not in warranty. Checked several forums, tons of people with the SAME issue. Bad engine from Chrysler. My Supreme warranty is expired, i am single mother of three and cannot fix. Still financing this vehicle. Can anybody help me? I dont have thousands of dollars to fix this.

- East Orange, NJ, USA

problem #107

Mar 042024

Pacifica

  • miles

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

My Vehicle suddenly stops while the car is in motion, it shuts completely off. I had an instance where my car shut off coming off the freeway off-ramp. This has happened on numerous occasions and we have been trying to call the dealership to see if there is any recall. We are never given a straight answer and we feel unsafe to drive our vehicle

- Helendale , CA, USA

problem #106

Oct 232023

Pacifica

  • miles
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.

- Columbia, SC, USA

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problem #105

Nov 012023

Pacifica

  • miles
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

- De Berry, TX, USA

problem #104

Mar 222023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

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 #103

Jul 112023

Pacifica

  • miles
sliding door closed on my daughters hand even though the dealership claims the sensors work fine.

- Oak Park, MI, USA

problem #102

May 052022

Pacifica

  • miles
GPS does not show accurate location. GPS location is showing vehicle location is 100s of miles from the actual location. This makes GPS unusable, and other vehicle functions that require the vehicles location to be unusable as well. There are extensive documented reports of this incident online.

- Wadsworth, OH, USA

problem #101

Jun 022023

Pacifica

  • miles
On 5/31/22 I took my vehicle for service due @ error. The dealership Mac Hakil I-55 Jackson MS slept my vehicle until 6/2/23 telling me it was my battery charging $813. I feel this was a ripped off

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #100

May 292023

Pacifica

  • miles

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

@ error message vehicle sometimes stalls at red lights or 4 ways stops. I have to cut off the vehicle to restart.

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #99

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 #98

Apr 112023

Pacifica

  • miles
Auto on/off was working for a few days (which is not normal). When in the drop off line for school it turned off for that. When I let go of the gas to go, the car shut off completely. I restarted it and it said "service shifter" and the shifter lights did not come on. I did move it to park by counting the clicks of the turns. Drove home from the school. Same day and other days following, the auto on/off is back to not working. Randomly when I start the car it says the "service shifter" message and does not light up the shifter letters. Sometimes if I turn it off and then back on it will not appear. Other times, it does and I have to just go. This is a safety hazard if it shuts off and will not turn back on. This started roughly 1.5/2 weeks ago - the week after Easter.

- Columbia, PA, USA

problem #97

Oct 132020

Pacifica

  • miles
GPS not working. It shows that I am in the Pacific Ocean when I am in the mid west

- Grand Rapids , MI, USA

problem #96

Mar 202023

Pacifica

  • miles
Check engine light stays on and car does not charge. Both recalls were done at the dealership

- Brooks, GA, USA

problem #95

Mar 012023

Pacifica

  • miles
2018 Chrysler Pacifica T, Uconnect infotainment system shuts off and reboots every 2-3 minutes while driving. It is available for inspection upon request. When the Uconnect shuts down driver loses all features connected to the system to include: GPS/Navigation, blue tooth, in-cabin climate controls, and back up camera. This causes the driver to become distracted in order to re-synch phone, dvd player, navigation. Additionally, my wife almost backed over a 6 year old child because the back up camera shut off when backing up from a parking spot. There is an incredible risk of injury/death with this systems failure. The issue has not been reproduced by the manufacturer (FCA), dealer or independent service center. This issue is being addressed by class action lawsuit: Case 2:20-cv-11838-SFC-RSW ECF No. 1 filed 07/07/20 The vehicle was inspected by the state of Maryland. The vehicle is now at the dealership for diagnosis and I have to pay all expenses out-of-pocket. No warning indicators.

- Elkton, MD, USA

problem #94

Feb 202023

Pacifica

  • miles
While driving at a low speed in a neighborhood, received the message "Service Charging System" then within seconds car completely died. No engine power or electrical systems working, all lights and screens were black. Was able to pull over and park safely.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #93

Feb 032023

Pacifica

  • miles
The vehicle is hard shifting/jerking when accelerating from either a slow speed or from a complete stop. When it does this, it feels like I'm getting rear-ended with a jolt forward. It doesn't do this all the time and when it does it scares me. Please advise.

- El Dorado, AR, USA

problem #92

Jul 282022

Pacifica

  • miles
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.

- Edgewater, MD, USA

problem #91

Nov 162022

Pacifica

  • miles
I was driving on the highway when the check engine light came on and it started running rough. I pulled off the highway and into a parking lot. When I slowed down, I heard a clanging that sounded like metal on metal. After parking, smoke started pouring out from under the hood and it erupted in flames. The vehicle was destroyed.

- Midlothian, VA, USA

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