2021 Chrysler Pacifica problems

SEATS

Both second-row seats in my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid have developed serious safety-related mechanical problems. While my children were seated in the second-row seats and the vehicle was being driven, the seat locking mechanism suddenly released. I heard a sudden release sound, the seat release lever moved, and the lower floor-locking mechanism disengaged, allowing the seat to become unsecured and move/slide while the vehicle was in motion. This problem affects both second-row seats. The seatbacks also do not remain securely locked in position. I am extremely concerned that if a second-row seat or seatback unexpectedly releases while a child is seated in it, the occupant may not be properly protected during normal driving, sudden braking, or a collision. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Chrysler dealership for inspection. The dealership provided an estimate of approximately $6,302 to repair the second-row seats. I was informed that because the vehicle has more than 100,000 miles, it was not eligible for Goodwill assistance. My concern is not simply the cost of an out-of-warranty repair. Both second-row seats have experienced locking/anchoring problems, including an actual incident in which the seat became unsecured while the vehicle was being driven with my children seated in the second row. I am asking NHTSA to investigate whether this represents a safety defect involving the second-row seat locking and anchoring mechanisms.

NHTSA complaint #11763682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My vehicle has open Safety Recall 66B. My radio, navigation, and touchscreen worked normally until a recent dealership service that included a 12-volt battery replacement and high-voltage battery recall service. Immediately after I picked up the vehicle, the touchscreen developed a “ghost-touch” issue and began operating by itself. The dealership stated in writing that Recall 66B may address the issue, but that they have previously experienced radios locking up and becoming unusable while performing the recall software update. They stated that this was the reason they intentionally did not perform Recall 66B during my initial service visit. I asked the dealership to confirm with Stellantis or management who would be responsible if the radio became unusable while performing the safety recall. The dealership later told me that they had spoken with their manager and confirmed that if the recall caused the radio to lock up, replacement would be my financial responsibility because the vehicle is out of warranty. I am NOT declining Recall 66B. I want the safety recall completed. However, I do not believe I should be required to assume the financial risk of the radio becoming unusable as a result of the recall procedure itself. I am asking NHTSA to review this situation and the dealership’s handling of Safety Recall 66B.

NHTSA complaint #11763677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am reporting a critical manufacturer-imposed restriction that prevents the completion of a life-saving safety campaign, Recall 52D (NHTSA ID: 24V362), which carries a strict "Park Outside and Do Not Charge" advisory.My vehicle has an active fault code P0E15 (Electric Coolant Heater control performance), which is a well-known, widespread factory defect in Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids. When I took the vehicle to an authorized Stellantis/Chrysler dealership to perform the urgent 52D safety flash, the dealer officially refused to perform the recall. They stated that the manufacturer's diagnostic software (wiTECH) completely blocks the 52D software update from being uploaded if the P0E15 fault is present.I contacted FCA US Customer Care (Case Number: 97720299), and they officially replied that they will not issue a corporate override for their diagnostic software. They are conditioning the execution of a critical fire-safety recall on me privately paying for the repair of a separate known manufacturer defect (P0E15 heater), due to the vehicle's export status.This is a severe threat to public safety and an unacceptable corporate practice. A manufacturer should not be allowed to design diagnostic tools that block critical, life-saving safety recalls due to other unrelated factory defects, effectively forcing owners to drive potential fire hazards unless they pay for commercial repairs. I request NHTSA to investigate FCA US's refusal to deploy safety updates on vehicles with active P0E15 codes.

NHTSA complaint #11762950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I am reporting a critical manufacturer-imposed restriction that prevents the completion of a life-saving safety campaign, Recall 52D (NHTSA ID: 24V362), which carries a strict "Park Outside and Do Not Charge" advisory.My vehicle has an active fault code P0E15 (Electric Coolant Heater control performance), which is a well-known, widespread factory defect in Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids. When I took the vehicle to an authorized Stellantis/Chrysler dealership to perform the urgent 52D safety flash, the dealer officially refused to perform the recall. They stated that the manufacturer's diagnostic software (wiTECH) completely blocks the 52D software update from being uploaded if the P0E15 fault is present.I contacted FCA US Customer Care (Case Number: 97720299), and they officially replied that they will not issue a corporate override for their diagnostic software. They are conditioning the execution of a critical fire-safety recall on me privately paying for the repair of a separate known manufacturer defect (P0E15 heater), due to the vehicle's export status.This is a severe threat to public safety and an unacceptable corporate practice. A manufacturer should not be allowed to design diagnostic tools that block critical, life-saving safety recalls due to other unrelated factory defects, effectively forcing owners to drive potential fire hazards unless they pay for commercial repairs. I request NHTSA to investigate FCA US's refusal to deploy safety updates on vehicles with active P0E15 codes.

NHTSA complaint #11762950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Rear view back -up camera fails to operate at least once a week. The computer screen does not come on. This problem was subject to a recall last year and supposedly fixed, but it seems to have failed again. This seems to be a radio interference software problem.This is a very serious problem that Chrysler needs to fix correctly. The dealer says unless the problem happens at his shop, they cannot fix it. But it happens occcaisionally so it would be difficult for me to reproduce this. I believe there is a recall on newer models from Chrysler.

NHTSA complaint #11762336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Nothing exciting happened. It was a really bad rain/storm and I was driving as normal and I guess the front crash detection glitched out. I tried all the simple fixes tried to get it code tested and nothing pops up. So my front breaking doesn’t work meaning I can’t even use cruise control either. Also this maybe the a two for one. But the car was recalled for the backup camera and I went to get the recall done TWICE and it still didn’t fix the issue and Chrysler refuses to fix the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11760201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am writing about a mechanical failure on my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Recently, I took my vehicle in for 2 recalls associated with this model. Recall #: 66B, pertaining to the rearview camera & 52D, which corresponds to the high voltage battery. Recall #: 52D could not be completed at the certified Chrysler dealership due to the failure of the Electric Coolant Heater, throwing diagnostic trouble code, (P0E15-00). Due to my vehicle being past its warranty period, at the time of service, by 9,190 miles, I had to pay $1356.70 for the Electric Coolant Heater to be replaced, before my No-charge Recall #52D could be completed. While my vehicle is technically past its warranty period by 10,387 miles], I am reaching out because this specific component, the Electric Coolant Heater, is a well-documented failure point across the Pacifica Hybrid community. The breakdown of this heater directly impacts the vehicle's cabin climate control and the proper thermal management of the hybrid battery system, creating a significant inconvenience and safety concern during cold weather. Section 6 of the NHTSA 26V362 manufacturer filing states that the required remedy includes a software flash to track the battery pack's thermal performance. Because the high-voltage coolant heater core regulates that thermal loop, it is functionally impossible to safely execute the software parameter updates while the module is malfunctioning or failing the dealership's "soak test".

NHTSA complaint #11760367 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Nothing exciting happened. It was a really bad rain/storm and I was driving as normal and I guess the front crash detection glitched out. I tried all the simple fixes tried to get it code tested and nothing pops up. So my front breaking doesn’t work meaning I can’t even use cruise control either. Also this maybe the a two for one. But the car was recalled for the backup camera and I went to get the recall done TWICE and it still didn’t fix the issue and Chrysler refuses to fix the issue.

NHTSA complaint #11760201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V436000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the part was no longer available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint #11759698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I brought my vehicle to the dealer for safety recall 52D more than three weeks ago. They will not return the vehicle to me because they say the battery can explode. They have not offered enough money to cover the base model rental car. (I have since rented a slightly better car at my own expense. The allowance would not have covered the cheapest car, though.) No parts have been ordered. The dealer is not returning phone calls to Chrysler customer care. The dealer claims Chrysler technicians won't return their calls. No timeline for repair has been made. I do not believe they intend to return or repair my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11758328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I brought my vehicle to the dealer for safety recall 52D more than three weeks ago. They will not return the vehicle to me because they say the battery can explode. They have not offered enough money to cover the base model rental car. (I have since rented a slightly better car at my own expense. The allowance would not have covered the cheapest car, though.) No parts have been ordered. The dealer is not returning phone calls to Chrysler customer care. The dealer claims Chrysler technicians won't return their calls. No timeline for repair has been made. I do not believe they intend to return or repair my vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11758328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds on several occasions, the steering wheel started sticking, making it difficult to steer turn the steering wheel to the left or the right, and the steering wheel overcorrected after making a turn. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic rack unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,507.

NHTSA complaint #11756891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V362000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle remained at the dealer for over 5 weeks, and the battery was disconnected. The manufacturer had not yet provided a battery for the replacement. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint #11755260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STEERING

The vehicle has had a suspension problem since purchasing the dealership has not been able to determine the issue after replacing the axle,struts, low arm control,motor mount now the state the steering wheel rack

NHTSA complaint #11754828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

The vehicle has had a suspension problem since purchasing the dealership has not been able to determine the issue after replacing the axle,struts, low arm control,motor mount now the state the steering wheel rack

NHTSA complaint #11754828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that several unknown software updates were completed. The failure reoccurred three months later. The contact stated that the failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11754728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

We took our 2021 Pacifica Hybrid to the dealership for Recall 52D. The first charge at home after the recall melted one of the charging "pins" in the car, and on our home Level 2 charger. Our dealership now says it's the fault of our charger, and we'll have to pay $2000+ for a repair. Our charger handle is still fine, no damage, only the "pin" is melted. For safety reasons, we can't charge the vehicle, and aren't driving it, as it's still at the dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11754395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

We took our 2021 Pacifica Hybrid to the dealership for Recall 52D. The first charge at home after the recall melted one of the charging "pins" in the car, and on our home Level 2 charger. Our dealership now says it's the fault of our charger, and we'll have to pay $2000+ for a repair. Our charger handle is still fine, no damage, only the "pin" is melted. For safety reasons, we can't charge the vehicle, and aren't driving it, as it's still at the dealership.

NHTSA complaint #11754395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the second-row seat failed to remain in the upright position, causing the seat to collapse forward or backward while the vehicle was being driven. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who confirmed the seat failure but stated that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V181000 (Seats). The contact received an estimate for the part; however, the part was on backorder. An independent mechanic later inspected the vehicle and suggested that the vehicle should be covered under the recall; however, inquiries to other dealers and the manufacturer resulted in consistent confirmation that the VIN was not under recall. A temporary repair was performed on the vehicle by the initial dealer; however, a permanent repair was not performed. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA complaint #11753981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The franchise dealer is refusing to safely ground a failed vehicle. My van failed the battery test and the dealership is refusing to comply with federal emergency safety recall guidelines for a documented fire hazard. They are refusing to provide a rental car with battery arrival date TBD.

NHTSA complaint #11753753 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Driving on the interstate at high speed, when check engine light comes on, warning message - Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off - and red turtle warning indicator (limp mode). After a short time, vehicle will no longer accelerate. I pulled over to the shoulder, stopped and shut off engine. Restarted after a few minutes and everything appeared to work fine, with check engine light on. About 15 minutes later, it happened again. The dealership serviced the vehicle. Found error code P0A78 for driver moteo "A" inverter performance. Used Stellantis Technical Service Bulletin 08-253-24 to diagnose (both modules were out of date) and complete the indicated updates. This is a known issue that has affected many vehicles (per internet forums and that Stellantis has created a TSB. It is an extremely dangerous situation causing the vehicle to enter "limp mode" and requiring the driver to stop in a matter of minutes. Stellantis should recall all potentially affected vehicles to update the modules proactively.

NHTSA complaint #11753704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Driving on the interstate at high speed, when check engine light comes on, warning message - Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off - and red turtle warning indicator (limp mode). After a short time, vehicle will no longer accelerate. I pulled over to the shoulder, stopped and shut off engine. Restarted after a few minutes and everything appeared to work fine, with check engine light on. About 15 minutes later, it happened again. The dealership serviced the vehicle. Found error code P0A78 for driver moteo "A" inverter performance. Used Stellantis Technical Service Bulletin 08-253-24 to diagnose (both modules were out of date) and complete the indicated updates. This is a known issue that has affected many vehicles (per internet forums and that Stellantis has created a TSB. It is an extremely dangerous situation causing the vehicle to enter "limp mode" and requiring the driver to stop in a matter of minutes. Stellantis should recall all potentially affected vehicles to update the modules proactively.

NHTSA complaint #11753704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

This 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a severe and recurring history of catastrophic high-voltage hybrid powertrain and transmission failures that cause a sudden loss of motive power while driving, presenting an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle has already required two full automatic transmission (eFlite EVT) replacements under factory warranty due to internal failures. It has experienced multiple high-voltage component repairs, including software modules for the power inverter. The vehicle is currently experiencing a recurring failure and is displaying active diagnostic trouble code P0A78 (Drive Motor "A" Inverter Performance), indicating a critical fault in the high-voltage hybrid propulsion system. Prior to the current failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced propulsion system degradation. This failure mode risks a sudden shutdown of the hybrid drive system at highway speeds, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions or being stranded in active traffic. The recurring nature of these transmission and inverter failures indicates a systemic safety defect in the hybrid propulsion system. The issue and the active P0A78 code have been pulled, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized dealership (Diehl Automotive of Robinson), where the vehicle is currently held and available for inspection. The manufacturer has been notified via an open corporate case (#97399722).

NHTSA complaint #11753330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a severe and recurring history of catastrophic high-voltage hybrid powertrain and transmission failures that cause a sudden loss of motive power while driving, presenting an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle has already required two full automatic transmission (eFlite EVT) replacements under factory warranty due to internal failures. It has experienced multiple high-voltage component repairs, including software modules for the power inverter. The vehicle is currently experiencing a recurring failure and is displaying active diagnostic trouble code P0A78 (Drive Motor "A" Inverter Performance), indicating a critical fault in the high-voltage hybrid propulsion system. Prior to the current failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced propulsion system degradation. This failure mode risks a sudden shutdown of the hybrid drive system at highway speeds, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions or being stranded in active traffic. The recurring nature of these transmission and inverter failures indicates a systemic safety defect in the hybrid propulsion system. The issue and the active P0A78 code have been pulled, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized dealership (Diehl Automotive of Robinson), where the vehicle is currently held and available for inspection. The manufacturer has been notified via an open corporate case (#97399722).

NHTSA complaint #11753330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

This 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a severe and recurring history of catastrophic high-voltage hybrid powertrain and transmission failures that cause a sudden loss of motive power while driving, presenting an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle has already required two full automatic transmission (eFlite EVT) replacements under factory warranty due to internal failures. It has experienced multiple high-voltage component repairs, including software modules for the power inverter. The vehicle is currently experiencing a recurring failure and is displaying active diagnostic trouble code P0A78 (Drive Motor "A" Inverter Performance), indicating a critical fault in the high-voltage hybrid propulsion system. Prior to the current failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced propulsion system degradation. This failure mode risks a sudden shutdown of the hybrid drive system at highway speeds, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions or being stranded in active traffic. The recurring nature of these transmission and inverter failures indicates a systemic safety defect in the hybrid propulsion system. The issue and the active P0A78 code have been pulled, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized dealership (Diehl Automotive of Robinson), where the vehicle is currently held and available for inspection. The manufacturer has been notified via an open corporate case (#97399722).

NHTSA complaint #11753330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.