2023 Chrysler Pacifica electrical problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The vehicle has experienced three separate incidents involving a sudden, unexpected loss of motive power at speed accompanied by a warning message ("Please pull off the road safely, vehicle will shut off soon") and a turtle icon ("Red Turtle of Death") on the instrument cluster. Two of these incidents occurred on major highways at speeds exceeding 60 mph. Incident History: February 2026 (Heavy Melting Snow, Boston, MA): Vehicle experienced complete loss of propulsion while driving on a city street. Dealership (McGovern Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram) held the vehicle for nearly a month under Diagnostic Trouble Code P167B ("Controlled System Shutdown"). Replaced occupant restraint module, which did not resolve the issue. Vehicle eventually resumed operating on its own. Recent Incident (Heavy Rain spray, Highway >60 MPH): Sudden loss of motive power on high-speed road. Instrument panel displayed turtle icon and forced an emergency pull-off. After cycling ignition, drive capability returned. OBD-II scanner returned code P0000 (generic placeholder concealing proprietary Chrysler hybrid/BPCM/PIM isolation fault codes). Two Days Later (Dry Conditions, Highway >60 MPH): Third sudden loss of motive power at 60+ mph, forcing an immediate pull-off into traffic shoulder. Check engine light remained on with code P0000. Safety Risk & Technical Context: Unexpected loss of motive power at highway speeds creates a critical safety hazard for vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. These symptoms closely align with high-voltage isolation faults and internal short-circuiting documented in NHTSA Recall 23V-010 / PE22-008 (eFlite transmission internal connector wiring harness short). The vehicle presents a recurring hazard where moisture or intermittent electrical shorts trigger a high-voltage system shutoff, leaving the driver with limited or no propulsion without warning.

NHTSA complaint #11754273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This is what I wrote to Stellantis. Dear Stellantis Customer Care, My vehicle has now stalled five separate times while I was making a left turn through an intersection. When this happens, the engine shuts off unexpectedly, the vehicle shifts into park and I must attempt to restart it while sitting in the roadway. During the most recent incident, the vehicle would not restart on the first attempt and required a second attempt before it would run again. This creates an extremely dangerous situation. Losing power in the middle of a left turn places me, my passengers and other motorist at risk of a serious accident. The vehicle has approximately 43,000 miles and has been taken to my Chrysler dealership for diagnosis. Unfortunately, I have repeatedly been told that they cannot duplicate the problem and therefore cannot repair it. Despite those visits, the dangerous condition continues to occur. I am requesting that Stellantis immediately: • Open a formal case regarding the safety issue. • Assign a regional field engineer, or star technical specialist to inspect and diagnose my vehicle. • Work directly with my dealership to determine the cause of this intermittent stalling condition. • Advise me whether the vehicle is safe to drive while this issue remains unresolved. I have been a responsible owner and have sought assistance through the dealership, but I cannot continue driving a vehicle that unexpectedly shuts off in the middle of an intersection. I am asking Stellantis to take this matter seriously, and provide a timely resolution before someone is seriously injured. Please contact me as soon as possible regarding the next steps. I would appreciate receiving a case number and the name of the representative assigned to assist with this matter. I intend to file a safety complaint with NHTSA regarding this matter. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent safety concern.

NHTSA complaint #11754028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On June 14, 2026, one day after purchase, while driving through the Mojave Desert on I-15 in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the check engine light illuminated and remained on through Southern California. The vehicle required a jump start after being parked in a covered multi-level parking structure for 5 days in Long Beach California after which the check engine light cleared. On June 19, 2026, six days after purchase, during the return trip the high voltage hybrid traction battery failed completely without warning in active Las Vegas highway traffic. The vehicle lost all motive power and coasted to the roadside. Three minor passengers were aboard, the youngest age 13. The occupants were stranded in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees for approximately two hours awaiting a tow truck. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Chrysler dealership where the high voltage traction battery was confirmed failed and replaced under warranty. A valley pan oil leak was also discovered and hybrid software update were also performed. An outstanding curtain airbag safety recall had never been remedied prior to the breakdown. The towing company reported they had been towing multiple Pacifica hybrids with similar failures during the same Las Vegas heat wave, suggesting a systemic issue with the high voltage battery thermal management system in extreme heat. The vehicle had been purchased six days prior with fewer than 1,000 miles of ownership at time of failure.

NHTSA complaint #11745819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The car keeps stating service shifter and jumps a gear. The time on the dashboard goes up an hour every time this occurs. The car was placed in park and the emergency park brake was applied and then popped into drive. This has occurred multiple times with the latest occurrence on today.

NHTSA complaint #11745018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Was having issues with the Van starting got an alert on the dashboard to service shifter after reading what the issue may be it states that the BUS can connector is a manufacturer default we replaced the battery in the key fob, replaced the main battery and the auxillary battery and still having the same issue, Van is hesitating when starting and now nothing on the dashboard where the speedometer is will come on.

NHTSA complaint #11743675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While stopped at a traffic light on a downhill slope, my 2023 Chrysler Pacifica suddenly applied the brakes by itself and shifted into Park as I began to accelerate through the intersection. I did not touch the shifter. The vehicle locked up abruptly in the middle of the intersection. There were no warning lights, alerts, or messages before or after the incident. I had no idea as to what was happening. I was scared the car behind me was going to run into me.I was fortunate that she didn't This behavior is extremely dangerous and could have caused a collision. I have since learned that the 2023 Pacifica has numerous electrical‑system Technical Service Bulletins, and this appears to be an unintended Auto‑Park activation caused by an electrical or sensor fault. Vehicle details: 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, VIN [XXX]. I am submitting this complaint so this issue can be investigated as a potential safety defect affecting other vehicles as well. This incident scared me badly, and I no longer feel confident that the vehicle will behave predictably in traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11742833 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Purchased vehicle through Carvana with approx. 21,504 miles on 4/1/2026. On 5/5/2026, with only 22,269 miles, the dashboard lights came on and informed us that vehicle will shut off soon and to stop safely. We were traveling 75 mph down the highway. We had it towed to a Chrysler dealer. They couldn’t find a problem after a week. The second time we experienced the same issue was on 5/19/2026 at 21,493 miles. Again, we had it towed to the Chrysler dealer. They told us the same thing and even implied it was the way we were driving that was the issue. The third time we experienced this problem was on 5/30/2026 with 22,636 miles on the odometer. We will be towing it back to a Chrysler dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11741015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

High voltage battery pack, Power Inverter Module (PIM), and HV charging system. PIM replaced twice (p/n 68381781AD, 8/4/25 and 8/18/25) after being found melted with arcing damage at HV connections. Battery pack has active BPCM fault codes and a recorded cell voltage excursion. Vehicle available for inspection. Vehicle lost all motive power without warning at highway speed on multiple occasions, requiring the driver to pull over. This occurred on a platform subject to recall 24V-536 (HV battery fire risk). A melted inverter and arcing at HV connections were found on a vehicle still being driven daily. BPCM data shows Cell 79 recorded a voltage excursion to 1,526 mV — less than half minimum safe operating voltage — stored in permanent memory. Yes. Lawless Inc. (Woburn, MA), authorized Chrysler dealer, confirmed fault codes PA121-00 and P0A43-00 on 8/4/25 and replaced the PIM. Vehicle returned 8/18/25 with same failure — dealer confirmed arcing damage and melted inverter. Three visits total; defect unresolved after two repair attempts on the same component. All three visits performed by authorized Chrysler dealer under 10-year/100,000-mile HV battery warranty. Stellantis warranty claim opened each visit. No police or insurance involvement. Red warning "Will Lose All Power" appeared on instrument cluster before each shutdown. Battery range has displayed erratically since 2/28/25 (~17,788 miles), when nonlinear discharge was first reported and dismissed. Active BPCM Level 2 safety fault (L2/L1 CELL MAX V CMP_FLT) remains present today.

NHTSA complaint #11740603 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving at 75 mph, my vehicle displayed warning to pull over because engine/vehicle would shut off. I was on the outside lane and had to pull over all the way to the right immediately. I had recently had my car inspected and no warning lights were on at the time of the incident, which put all 4 passengers in the vehicle at risk. This is the second Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid to display the same transmission failure. We took the van in for service and the issue was coded: POA43-00

NHTSA complaint #11739626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Driving home on our road at about 25 miles an hour. My foot was on the gas but it stopped providing acceleration. I hit the brake and the vehicle stopped. Being closed to home, I put the car in neutral and being on an incline was able to coast home. Once home, I put the car in drive and the power had returned. In checking the internet, I read that this car has had issues with the engine shutting down while in motion. I see that a software update will at least inform you ahead of the engine shutting down. I did not have that warning. I do not know if my vehicle had that software update(recall 03A). The car has 34,000 miles. Please keep me informed on any information on this issue.

NHTSA complaint #11738693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I received the recall notification for Campaign 25V-302 regarding the Curtain Airbag (CAB) defect, which per the manufacturer's notice may fail to retain sufficient pressure during deployment, increasing the risk of occupant ejection through a side window during a crash. The notification informed us that no parts were available at that time. Many months later we received another notification that parts were now available. Upon contacting the dealer, I was informed that parts were not available. I have been waiting for parts to become available for an extended period. Most recently, the dealer scheduled a repair appointment for Tuesday of this week. Approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled appointment, the dealer called to cancel, stating that the parts were still not available. A new appointment was scheduled for the following week. As of today, the dealer has confirmed parts are still not available. Throughout this period, I have been required to continue operating the vehicle, including with my family as passengers, with a known, unremedied ejection-mitigation defect. The manufacturer has not offered a loaner vehicle or any alternative transportation, and no firm parts availability date has been provided. Concurrent stranding failure: Separately, today (23rd April), the vehicle failed to start in my driveway. Symptoms included: interior electronics (infotainment, lights) powered on, but the start button produced no response, the brake pedal would not depress (electronic brake booster inoperative), and the steering wheel remained locked. No error message was displayed. The vehicle was ultimately determined to have a dead 12V battery, the second battery failure on this vehicle, with the previous battery having been replaced under warranty by the dealer in August 2025 (only 8 months prior to this failure). The dealer has declined to investigate whether a parasitic electrical draw or other underlying defect is causing repeat battery failures.

NHTSA complaint #11733424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, several other unknown warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that the hybrid system was inoperable and failed to function properly, and the charging system failed to fully charge the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V302000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with several electrical failures. The side curtain air bags failed to operate as needed, and the contact was informed that the side curtain air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 51,416.

NHTSA complaint #11728743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the accelerator pedal failed to respond as needed. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle, and the failure persisted. The vehicle was driven to the dealer to be diagnosed, and failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V010000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.

NHTSA complaint #11719494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Van is only 2 years old, maybe 30K miles on it, and it dies while in motion from "electrical issues" of some sort, that are not even battery related. Never seen this in a vehicle ever. Happened to my wife twice in one week while transporting children. They are very lucky to be alive still. This model should not be allowed on the market in this condition.

NHTSA complaint #11712847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Red Turtle symbol, vehicle going to shut down, indicates issue sensing power from the hybrid drivetrain

NHTSA complaint #11712199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle went into limp mode three times while driving on the highway, forcing us to pull over to the shoulder. Luckily there was a safe place to pull over but created a major safety concern. It triggered code P0A43-00. The dealer initially couldn't recreate the code on 12/18/25 at which point they cleared the code and returned the car to us. It happened again on 12/30/25 at which point the dealer followed Chrysler instructions to conduct pin drag test but no problem was found. Dealer drove 60 mile test and didn't recreate the fault and returned car to us. The same issue again occurred on 1/9/26 at which point Chrysler authorized invasive transmission repairs. This issue directly aligns with recall 23V-010 and NHTSA ODI investigation RQ24004

NHTSA complaint #11711592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the hybrid battery became inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and failed to exceed 30 MPH. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the hybrid battery had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that it would take months to obtain the replacement battery. The battery was later replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V302000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to complete the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure related to the recall. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11704683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving on highway, message appeared on dashboard display "Stop Safely, Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon". This has happened on 2 separate occasions without cause. First time was 3/11/2024 and most recent was 12/1/2024. Vehicle was leased new by me. No incidents since then.

NHTSA complaint #11696428 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Rear view camera will not come on in reverse. All fuses are good with no visible damage to wires. Head unit was factory reset with no resolve.

NHTSA complaint #11694749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Purchased new [XXX] from above. Towed/ driven to service over 3 attempts prior to 7/2023. Ongoing issue of vehicle FTS/intermittent FTS/vehicle cutting off while in gear. Multiple failed repairs, that would qualify for lemon. Parts replaced Summer 2023, minimal issues until 6/2025. 6/2025, FTS issues returned/dealer refused to run services; even with warranty. July 2025: van multiple FTS/error lights/eventually towed/loaner given. Constant claims issue could not be replicated at dealer. Go to p/u 8/8/25-would not start on lot, after being cleared. Chrysler tech sent out with no issues found per technician; although service manager reports he personally had multiple issues of FTS including AM of technician visit. Multiple conversations had with Mr. Sheets and Mr. Freeman. [XXX] FTS per “Red” at dealer prior to vehicle being returned to me; Foreman suggested ignition replacement/returned by dealer to residence that PM. RF Hub may need replaced, if issue reoccurred but shop refused to replace then. Van was taken to Pittsburgh, PA Labor Day weekend and FTS away from hotel on 9/2/25. Sheets provided loaner that PM at residence. RF hub replaced, van returned on 9/8/25. [XXX], van FTS at residence in late PM. 9/10/25, dealer contacted asking for service/loaner; no answers received. Drove after multiple FTS’s to dealer. Mr. Sheets stated “he can’t have me driving one of his cars for months” that dealer has “done all they can.” Also stated “Even though we’ve had issues from the start, there was a period where van functioned and ‘at least we got some use out of it.’ 9/19/25, Chrysler tech could not find issue and Mr. Freeman stated Mr. Sheets said “they will no longer pay for a rental going forward.” Multiple calls and media of vehicle failing to start. Vehicle unreliable/unsafe to operate on roadway. Vehicle not reliable to get to/from and cannot be relied upon in sudden event/ emergency; or if vehicle were to malfunction out of home area/in a dangerous environment. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFOR

NHTSA complaint #11688835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving in the carpool lane on the freeway, the vehicle displayed “Stop Safely. Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon” and lost all power. I am pregnant and had four children (ages [XXX] , [XXX] , [XXX] , and [XXX] ) in the vehicle. The outside temperature was over 100°F, and we were two hours from home. The car was completely disabled in heavy traffic, creating an extreme safety risk for my family. After waiting about 15–20 minutes, the vehicle restarted and we were able to continue. A code scan showed P0A78 – Drive Motor “A” Inverter Performance. This is a serious safety concern, and I am requesting immediate inspection and repair under warranty. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11684189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle often has a "system charging system" error that prevents it from turning on and driving. This happens when the system is not charging.

NHTSA complaint #11680946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On 8/12/2025, he vehicle displayed a warning that said "Stop Safely, Vehicle will shut off soon" shortly after it was parked. It also displayed a red turtle and the check engine light. There was no warning or check engine light prior to the message that the vehicle was going to shut off. Fortunately, we had already parked safely, but were on the freeway traveling and about an hour away from home. It was 100 degrees outside, and we were stranded with no help from Chrysler customer care other than to tow the vehicle, leaving our kids and dog in a parking lot with no car. We declined this option and had it checked by a diagnostic computer at Jiffy Lube, which returned no diagnostic code. Eventually, all of the warnings and check engine lights went off, and we were able to take it home. We took it to the dealership at the earliest opportunity on 08/14, and they confirmed that this is a known issue and would require a transmission replacement. There is no timeline on the repair or replacement, only that it will take "a while". They do not advise that we take the van back because the issue could come nback at any moment and the vehicle could shut off without warning.

NHTSA complaint #11680732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle Posted Message To; Pull Over and Park Safely As Vehicle Would Be Shutting Down

NHTSA complaint #11678335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While traveling on an interstate highway at highway speed (65-70 mph), a red turtle warning light came on with the message "Pull over Safely; vehicle will shut off soon." Almost immediately, we lost all power and glided into the right-hand shoulder. We narrowly missed being rear-ended. We got it to a local dealer, where the service department informed us we need a new transmission. The car has less than 13,000 miles on it.

NHTSA complaint #11677441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This is a PHEV and upon returning to my vehicle after being plugged into a Rivian public EV charge station I found that the charger handle overheated and smoking. When I left the vehicle 45 minutes earlier it was charging with no issues whatsoever. When I removed that handle, a large piece of the charge terminal came out of the handle a remained attached to my charge port. It was one of the connecting sleeves that melted out of the charger and somehow arc welded itself to the male end of my charge port. I still cannot remove it and so now I am unable to charge my vehicle. I notified the property officials and also notified Rivian, but neither is claiming any responsibility to the damage to my charge port. I took my car my local Chrysler dealer and explained what happened but they denied any fault as well. My vehicle has less than 13k miles and still covered by new car warranty so I thought they might know why that happened. In my judgment what had happened is the charge cable itself had a weak wire or a bad, loose connection to the copper terminal inside the handle that caused high resistance and heat to build, then broke away and bound itself to my charge port once I removed the charge handle. When I try to followup with Rivian, best I can do is communicate with their front line phone customer service (they never allow me to speak with anyone authorized to make decisions about the matter), however Rivian did fix their public charger after the incident, but they're seem uninterested in assisting a fix to my vehicle, which I feel they are at fault So have claimed Chrysler had had charge port issues but they are denying assistance. I have an estimate of around $980.00 to repair my charge port, but neither Rivian nor Chrysler warranty are willing to make repair. I feel victim here, used equipment as advertised but being denied product liability claims by both parties, Rivian and Chrysler.

NHTSA complaint #11673409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving on interstate, red turtle indicator came on and engine shut down.

NHTSA complaint #11673206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On [XXX] while traveling on the interstate the car issued a warning engine light and turtle image to pull off the road as the car would shut off, immediately it had no power, maybe could only go 30 mph. Took the car in on 5/10 which was the earliest appt. Said they did a software update, gave the car back. Took the car again on [XXX] when the same warning appeared again on the interstate, same situation disabled vehicle at high speeds on the interstate and no power. Said they changed a module related to the error and gave me the car back. Yesterday as I was driving on [XXX] 70 mph the car gave the same warning and shut off again, immediately I had no power, 30 mph. The dealer acknowledged my car is not the only one in his shop with this issue. They had my vehicle for nearly a month the time before. This vehicle is not safe to drive on the highways as it can shut off at any time. It's a known problem by Chrysler and their idea of fixing it, is issuing a warning which gives you almost no time to get off the highway before your speed is greatly reduced and even then you're stuck on the side of the highway with cars speeding by in an area with no shoulder or construction zone you'd be stuck in the middle of the road. Someone will wind up dead on the highway, I am lucky that in the 3 times this has happened I have not been hit and have been able to safely get to the shoulder, but I don't see Chrysler being able to fix this issue, the dealership did reach out to the manufacturer each time. I know my car is not the only one that has this issue and I'm concerned for the safety of anyone who owns one of these. A simple google search of this vehicle will show the problem is wide spread. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11672709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle displayed "stop safely, vehicle will shut off soon" followed by a complete lack of power. We managed to get to the side of the highway safely. Vehicle would not turn back on until about 45 minutes later. Before we turned off the vehicle it said service charge port. Check engine light is on, even after we managed to get it started. Currently at the shop, waiting for information on why.

NHTSA complaint #11668258 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

An electrical component failed while driving dangerously stranding us on the side of the road. The car has 20k miles on it and is 13 months old.

NHTSA complaint #11665780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.