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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
376 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.

2021 Chrysler Pacifica engine problems

engine problem

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2021 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Comments (Page 5 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #27

Apr 302022

Pacifica

  • miles

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

Driving on the interstate at 70-75 mph and lost all forward drive. Car said service charging system and would not recover. Got towed to dealer and troubleshot and replaced the transmission

- Harrington, DE, USA

problem #26

Jun 052022

Pacifica

  • miles
Vehicle has completely lost power multiple times while driving on the freeway at 65 approximately MPH and displays "Service Charging System" message on dash. Accelerator pedal was completely non-responsive. Have had to quickly try to get to side of freeway and stop. Each time the van had remaining fuel. Each time we have been able to get the van started again by putting the vehicle in Park and pressing the start button 3 times in a row without pressing the brake pedal. It is very concerning and has happened to us several times this month with about 14.000 miles on the vehicle.

- Solana Beach, CA, USA

problem #25

Apr 192022

Pacifica

  • miles
I was driving on the interstate in the middle of morning rush hour traffic at approx. 65 mph and approximately 1/4 mile before a tunnel my van completely shut off and I was not able to accelerate or maintain speed. I was in the far left lane when this happened and immediately crossed the 3 lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder on the right side. I then tried to turn off and restart the van 3 or 4 times after periods ranging from 5-20 minutes apart and the van would only allow me to go a foot and shut off again. After waiting for over an hour in the 30 degree weather with no heat, I was finally towed back to the dealership. Due to many fortunate circumstances (i.e. none of my 3 children [ages 4, 2, and 9 months] were in the van, I was not yet in the tunnel, no cars were immediately behind me, and I was able to get across all 3 lanes before I lost speed) nobody was injured. However if any of these variables were different, the situation could have been devastating. My van has now been in the shop for over 3 months waiting for a part (engine coolant heater pump) and I still do not have a working vehicle. The issue with the engine coolant heater pump is a known issue to Chrylser, resulting in vans shutting down in the middle of driving, yet Chrysler has not issued a recall or notified owners of these dangers. After waiting on the part for 2 months, I called Chrysler Customer Support and was assigned a case manager, however they have to this point, one month later, still not helped at all and within the last 10 days not returned any of my voicemails or emails. My car is available for inspection and this issue was inspected/documented at the service department of my dealership. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership as well as the tow truck driver. About 10 days prior to the incident, my check engine light went on. I immediately scheduled the next available service appointment at my dealership, but the problem occurred 2 days before my appointment.

- Sewickley, PA, USA

problem #24

Jul 132022

Pacifica

  • miles

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

Car stalled out while driving at 35 mph. Lost all propulsive power. Indicated -??service hybrid system-?? and -??shift to park-?? error on multi function display. Was able to safely coast to side shoulder and stop. Car would not move again after this reading the same errors even after shifting to part and attempting to restart car. If this had occurred on a multi lane highway it would have been extremely dangerous.

- Rochester, NY, USA

problem #23

Jun 122022

Pacifica

  • miles
When driving on the highway after 1-2 hours, message pops up "Stop safely. Vehicle will shut off soon." Car engine immediately turns off and driver must navigate to shoulder with unresponsive vehicle. Once stopped, "Service charging system" message appears on screen. This has happened twice to my family, almost causing multiple crashes as we navigate across traffic with a rapidly decelerating car and children in the back seat, subsequently stranded on the side of a major highway. The only precursor to total shutdown is the air conditioning goes from cold to warm. Have had it at 2 dealerships 4 times and they say they cannot reproduce the issue because they do not have anyone who can drive it for 2 hours.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #22

Jun 012022

Pacifica

  • miles
Driving on the freeway without any noticeable trigger, the engine stalls. A message comes up saying shift to P to start. Pressing the accelerator doesn't do anything. Only think I can do is coast to the shoulder. After turning off the car and turning the car back on, the car worked fine. This has happened to me 3 times in the last month all going highway speeds.

- Menlo Park, CA, USA

problem #21

May 292022

Pacifica

  • miles

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

On freeway, running on gas - the vehicle gave an error -??service charging system-?? and vehicle shutdown and de accelerated rapidly - forward momentum only We are on freeway and no shoulder and narrow escaped an collision trying to get a safe stop at speed of 20-25 miles and slowing down from initial of 70 mph This is serious safety concern and how was this released for sale is certified by NTSB is a surprise and shock Multiple owners have complained of this

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #20

Apr 112022

Pacifica

  • 14,800 miles
The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle started to stall. The accelerator pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The contact stated that the brake pedal was shaking while depressed. The check engine warning light and the warning "Service Charging Systems" and "Shift to Park to Start" was illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that the drive(D) warning light was flashing on the gear shifter knob. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. Upon restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 14,800.

- Laguna Hills, CA, USA

problem #19

Feb 212022

Pacifica

  • miles
The vehicle accelerator fails while driving, with a message on dashboard '''service charging system''. If your car have enough momentum, you can pull to safe spot or shoulder, but I think it's dangerous. I had this issue multiple times and many of other owners has reported similar issue. I made a video on the issue which you can checkout here https://youtu.be/xFFSJG6j3qM Date I entered below is the last time I had the issue on freeway.

- Hyattsville, MD, USA

problem #18

Mar 032022

Pacifica

  • miles
Malfunction light indicator (MIL) light turned on which caused vehicle EV only mode to be disabled and now the vehicle only runs under engine power poorly with the battery is always fully charged (MPG is cut in half since battery is never used). Manufacture service center found error code P0E15 on 3/3/2022, which indicated the EV battery coolant heater failed and needs to be replaced. Part is on backorder and no ETA is available, they indicated they have a few in their service center alone that have the same issue.

- Arlington Heights, IL, USA

problem #17

Feb 042022

Pacifica

  • miles

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

While driving, the vehicle shut off. Steering and brakes were still working, it's already happened 2 times and I was able to coast off the highway. After turning off and on the with the starter button the car starts normally with only the engine light on. There are several other posts on forums of others owners having the same problem.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

problem #16

Feb 022022

Pacifica

  • miles
While driving, the vehicle shut off. Steering and brakes were still working, so I was able to coast off the highway. The check engine light, a battery fault indicator, and a service charging system warning all displayed on the dash. This is the second time this has happened, and a Chrysler dealer service center installed software updates they claimed fixed the issue. It is now back at the dealer. The first time this occurred, it was on a busy road with no shoulder near a dangerous turn. I was stopped in the road for several minutes before I got it to restart and was able to limp to a safe parking spot. There are several other posts on web forums and YouTube of other owners having the same problem.

- Salem, CT, USA

problem #15

Dec 102021

Pacifica

  • miles
Check engine light illuminated and there was a warning message on the dash screen that I was not able to capture. This model of van is a plug-in hybrid. With this failure the engine systems are NOT utilizing the hybrid traction battery portion of the system. I have driven many small trips up to about 65 miles, but no drive has yet used the battery capacity. So the vehicle is running 100% on the gas engine, and is not able to function in hybrid or electrical only drive mode. The dealership is unable to tell me if driving the vehicle in this state will cause further damage to the van, therefore I am stuck unable to drive the vehicle for fear of causing even more damage. Error code pulled from personal obd2 reader: P0E15 - Hybrid/EV Battery Pack Coolant Heater A Control Performance On 1/4/2022 the dealer service advisor called and confirmed that the issue is the expected part failure/replacement, and that there are no parts available in the US for this repair. The last instance that my dealer repaired took 4 weeks to secure the needed parts for repair. Still no confirmation the van would be safe to drive in the interim. Therefore I am without my new 2021 vehicle purchased 5/10/2021, while it only has 1608miles... for what seems like will be at least another month. The dealer SA also mentioned to me that Chrysler currently had another ~450 instances of this same failure happening right now, all which going to be significantly impacted by the lack of parts availability. This is unacceptable.

- Maple Valley, WA, USA

problem #14

Dec 022021

Pacifica

  • miles
While driving vehicle went into full lock down. Vehicle remained running with all systems on except completely unable to engage drive, shut vehicle down or even power it off. Towed to dealer. Dealer stating codes stating hybrid error and transmission errors. Vehicle has 7021 miles and was purchased March 2021. My wife and 2 children were stranded on the road in a vehicle that would not move. Terrifying for me.

- Vista, CA, USA

problem #13

Nov 202021

Pacifica

  • miles
We have now had two incidences where the vehicle is being driven both on the highway and in the city. The vehicle malfunctions without any indication or warning. While driving the vehicle beeps and the check engine light comes on, you lose all control or ability to accelerate. You still have steering. The screen on the dash in front of the driver flashes and continues to flash and says there is an issue, while saying to move the drive to park. The drive options (park, drive, reverse, etc) flashes on and off but will not move anyways. You are essentially forced to cruise to a stop hopefully in a safe place or emergently braking. The only way to get the vehicle to reset is once completely stopped. To push the ignition off button. Which does not fully turn it off. You then have to open the driver door hopefully safely. And allow the vehicle to completely shut off. Then get back in and it will usually start at this point with the check engine light still on. We have video and pictures of this happening to us both times and am have seen others experience this extremely dangerous situation. I am going to report to the dealer and the customer service for Chrysler as well. Then the news.

- Kalamazoo, MI, USA

problem #12

Nov 042021

Pacifica

  • miles
I purchased a pre-owned 2021 Pacifica Hybrid on November 4th 2021. After driving it off the lot, the vehicle stalled (essentially loses power and gas pedal does not work) while driving at a high rate of speed on the highway. Symptom: While driving at a high rate of speed (65MPH, 60MPH, 50MPH, 70MPH), van loses power and gas pedal will not work. Van is on <1% battery and running off gasoline power. After coasting to a stop on the side of the road, a message pops up that says "Service Charging System" and the check engine light comes on. Then it says "Shift to P to Start". Check engine light is on. Frequency: Occurrences happened immediately after taking ownership of vehicle and were 11/4/21, 11/6/21, 11/7/21, 11/9/21. After that we stopped driving the vehicle and took it back to the dealer because of safety concerns. Workaround: Shifting to P to start (starting like you would normally start the car) does not start the vehicle. We have been able to figure out a workaround to get it to start however. If you push the start button without your foot on the brake so it is in the "accessory" power mode, then put your foot on the brake, then push the start button again, it starts. The check engine light stays on for a period of time (less than 24hrs) after each event, but then goes off. I see this has been reported by several people with at least 4 NHTSA IDs filed with the exact same issue. This is a serious safety concern and is not only reported with these IDs, but also is prevalent on other online forums such as pacificaforums.com and Facebook group "Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid 2017 and beyond." Symptoms match these NHTSA IDs. NHTSA ID Number: 11439920 NHTSA ID Number: 11432866 NHTSA ID Number: 11430933 NHTSA ID Number: 11418815

- Pittsboro, NC, USA

problem #11

Nov 052021

Pacifica

  • miles
I wanted to write to you and let you know about our recent and scary experience with our new 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Limited. We purchased our van on Labor Day, September 6, 2021. Since then, we have had 2 out of town family funerals and a family vacation so we have right at 5k miles on the vehicle. On 11/5/2021, at approximately 1:15pm, I was driving our van on a 6-lane major thoroughfare with my two small children with me. We had 43% of our EV battery remaining and so we were driving on EV power (and had a half tank of fuel also). Suddenly, the engine power stopped, I had no acceleration, and a -??Service Charging System-?? message popped up on the instrument info panel along with a check engine light, a red battery light near the compass, and a red plug symbol just below the fuel gauge. I was not able to get the van to do anything but roll with whatever forward momentum we had toward the side of the highway. In nothing short of a miracle, we avoided multiple collisions and safely made it to the shoulder. We had electric power to run the radio and climate fan only but the car engine was completely inoperable and could not start or shift into gear after multiple attempts to restart it. I contacted roadside assistance and waited for a tow while trying to keep my small children calm and safe sitting in a dangerous location on the side of a highway. After about 30 minutes, the car engine fan shut off and so I attempted to restart the car and it finally worked. I immediately headed toward the closest dealership by taking the side roads and hoping that we wouldn-??t have another incident and be a sitting duck on the highway again. This vehicle malfunction could have, and realistically still could, cause a traumatic and horrific fatal motor vehicle collision. This is not just a routine and minor malfunction like a door sensor issue, or check engine light, etc. This issue can lead to a severe safety issue that will, and did, render the vehicle a target with no escape.

- The Colony, TX, USA

problem #10

Oct 102021

Pacifica

  • miles
I was in the garage near the car when it started spontaneously. I had the key fob in my pants pocket. It turned off when I sat inside and pushed the ignition off button. Did not notice any warnings/lights at the time. There were no safety consequences. My Concerns: What else could happen spontaneously" Could it shift into gear? Carbon monoxide in the closed garage" Has not recurred. The only recent auto malfunction was the Information display (UConnect) had locked up a couple of weeks prior after a routine software download to the car. No problem with vehicle operation with that episode. Checked by the dealer and felt to be OK. No recurrence. I attempted to notify MOPAR. Their web page email didn-??t work for a several tries. I was unable to get past their customer service robot who got stuck on -??other-?? when I couldn-??t pick one of their menu options. I wanted NHTSA to be aware in case of other similar reports.

- Horsham, PA, USA

problem #9

Sep 012021

Pacifica

  • miles
While driving our 2021 Chrysler Pacifica PHEV in EV on the highway, at speed of 65 mph, the vehicle lost power and the accelerator pedal became unresponsive. This has occurred on three occassions, each on different days. The dashboard signaled these issues: Shift to P to Start, Service Charging System, and the check engine light indicator. This is a very serious safety issue. The Engine and Power failed while driving at highway speed, this has occurred 3 times in the past few weeks. After losing power, the vehicle can only coast using it's own momentum. The steering and braking functions remained operable, so the driver was able to steer the car to change lanes (while losing speed) to get to the shoulder. This UNSAFE for my family because vehicle is at risk of being rear ended while on the highway. This is unsafe for anyone in the vehicle directly behind my vehicle. After the 2nd incident of losing power while on highway, I made an appointment with local Chrysler Dealer's service department. They inspected the vehicle and, as I understand it, they found a message or fault indicator that was somewhat concerning in relation to the electrical system. The service provided a solution by adjusting or tuning something. They did not replace any parts. Three days after the service was done, the problem occurred again; again, my vehicle lost power while going ~65mph on the highway. I called local chrysler service and left message with them today, requesting another service appointment. When they call me back I will request Chrysler to report this as a safety issue.

- Afton, MN, USA

problem #8

Sep 112021

Pacifica

  • miles
After unplugging from the charging station, the vehicle would not start. I pressed the start button several times, to no avail. Had to turn off the vehicle, wait 5 minutes, then try again to get it to start. This is the second time this has happened - with two separate charging stations.

- Rockville, MD, USA

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