1,429 of the
10,755 complaints filed about the Chrysler Pacifica
are about the transmission —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
1,429
Complaints
100%
Share of all complaints
23
Crashes
5
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
Vehicle suffered sudden loss of motive power due to Diagnostic Trouble Code P0A43 (Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit Intermittent). The failure is caused by thermal and chemical degradation of the internal transmission wiring harness, resulting in an internal electrical short submerged in transmission fluid. The vehicle is able to be powered on again and driving can be continued however certain speeds trigger the issue. The check engine light appears and remains for a short period. The vehicle was purchased through CarMax of Naperville, IL [XXX]. The vehicle began to experience the defined issue the last week of May 2026. The vehicle was brought to CarMax [XXX]. CarMax transferred the repair of the vehicle to Castle Chrysler of Naperville/Stellantis IL, and they conducted the initial repair. Stellantis attempted to mask this hardware failure via software recalibrations under NHTSA Recall 03A (23V-010) rather than replacing physical parts. The vehicle was returned and appeared to be repaired. [XXX] the same issue occurred while on a cross country road trip. The vehicle was able to be driven but under specific speed conditions as not to activate the transmission failure. [XXX] the vehicle was brought to an independent technician at Stephens Automotive in Palatine, IL and they were able to verify the issue and documented it. The vehicle was then brought to Castle Chrysler on [XXX], and the vehicle has been there since. Stellantis later acknowledged the true physical failure via Warranty Extension XE1 and TSB 21-014-26, requiring Electric Rebuild Kit #68729719AB. The vehicle has been continuously grounded at Castle Chrysler since [XXX] (>30 cumulative days) because Part #68729719AB is on indefinite backorder. Stellantis's failure to supply hardware repairs leaves the vehicle inoperable and creates a severe safety hazard on public roads. Stellantis Case #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11762669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 7/16/26 vehicle would not start; high-pitched noise heard near engine during no-start diagnosis. Towed to Goldy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Huntington WV. Per dealer invoice #27136: blown 500-amp main battery fuse found; after jumping past fuse, white smoke from exhaust and no coolant in system, diagnosed as blown head gasket. Repair: both-side head gasket replacement plus fuse assembly. Vehicle in shop 7+ weeks, returned 9/4/26 with new unresolved issue: strong smell of burned electronics and antifreeze in cabin. All failed components available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: head gasket failure/coolant intrusion caused engine hydrolock, a sudden uncommanded loss of engine power that can occur without warning, including while driving in traffic. Burned-electronics smell raises electrical/fire risk; antifreeze odor raises cabin fume exposure and window-fogging visibility concerns. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. Goldy diagnosed and documented the fuse failure, coolant loss, and head gasket failure in writing, and performed the repair. Manufacturer/police/insurance inspection: Not by police or insurance. Spoke by phone with a Chrysler HQ rep 5 times (8/13-9/1/26) who was informed; no confirmed independent physical inspection by manufacturer beyond dealer's own diagnosis. Warning signs: P0304 misfire on cylinder 3 appeared first, progressing to complete no-start with high-pitched noise, prompting the tow-in and hydrolock diagnosis.
NHTSA complaint #11762335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving on freeway the vehicle overheated and engine warning light flashed and had to come to stop at side of freeway. The vehicle had lost its coolant from a rear heater hose connection. The car was towed to dealer and the repair comment was that a part was deformed from mis-assembly (or words to that effect) - rear heater core fitting clip distorted causing hose come of the core. This was an early life failure.
NHTSA complaint #11761848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
All relevant recalls on the vehicle have been previously performed. On 8/25/2026, after starting the vehicle it displayed a warning message to "Stop Safely - Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon." That message was able to be cleared after four cycles of turning the engine off and re-starting. After driving the vehicle for approximately 5 miles, while the car was in motion, the message returned to "Stop Safely - Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon." The van was pulled over and turned off and cycled back on in an attempt to clear the warning as it was less than 2 miles to go until home. The message cleared and was able to be driven the rest of the way home. It currently has a yellow, illuminated powertrain malfunction light. Plan is to have the vehicle towed to Chrysler for diagnosis and repair.
NHTSA complaint #11759567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L Plus is experiencing coolant leaking into a cylinder, diagnosed by. This has rendered the vehicle undrivable. The Pentastar 3.6L V6 engine used in this vehicle has a well-documented pattern of coolant intrusion into cylinders due to head gasket failure across the 2017–2019 Chrysler Pacifica model years, based on extensive owner complaints already on file with NHTSA and reported by consumer advocacy organizations. Despite this known pattern, no recall currently exists covering this specific defect for 2019 model year vehicles. This is a safety concern because coolant intrusion into a cylinder can cause sudden misfires, rough running, loss of power, and potential stalling while driving — creating a hazard in traffic, particularly at highway speeds or during turns/merges. I contacted Chrysler Case Management regarding this issue. The manufacturer has attempted to attribute responsibility to the dealership rather than acknowledging this as a manufacturer defect in the engine design/manufacturing, despite the well-documented pattern across multiple model years of the same engine. I have also not been provided a rental vehicle despite my vehicle being undrivable.
NHTSA complaint #11758412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle on a slight incline and exiting the vehicle, the vehicle started rolling backwards while the driver’s side door was still open. The contact attempted to activate the parking brake; however, the parking brake failed to function. The contact attempted to press the START/STOP button to turn off the vehicle but was knocked down by the door and was ran over by the front driver’s side wheel. The contact sustained several fractured ribs, punctured lungs, internal bleeding, bruises to the right shoulder, a wound to the right ankle, and carpal tunnel to both wrists, and cervical disk displacement. Medical attention was provided for the injuries. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the Auto Park feature was inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11758632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car rapidly came to a stop as I was starting to press the brake lightly. The check engine light came on, the car made a grinding noise, and the screen said it was turning off cruise control when it had not been engaged.
NHTSA complaint #11758322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver, and the vehicle stalled. The message "Power Train" was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the auxiliary battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #11758035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a red light, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, shifted into park, and shifted back into drive, and the vehicle returned to normal operation. The message "Shift into Park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The contact researched and became aware of a recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
NHTSA complaint #11757668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
As I pulled up to stop, in electric mode, at a stop light, the display screen pulled up a message to pull over safely because the engine would stop soon, within about 10 seconds the screen showed the engine stopped. I was still at the light. I tried restarting the vehicle, moving the shifter from drive to park and back, pressing the park button several times with no success. With cars honking behind me, I got out of the car, told them my car had died and asked them to drive around me. I got back in the car, repeated the actions a few times and the car started in electric mode. I drove home (about 5 miles) without incident. Check engine light was on. I pulled 2 codes U0412 and U029a. I have had the U0412 code a few times before with only the check engine light coming on. It would go away in a day or two (no check engine light and no code). U029a is new.
NHTSA complaint #11756324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of motive power while driving in active traffic due to a severe hybrid powertrain malfunction. Immediately prior to the failure, the dashboard displayed a critical warning message: "Stop Safely – Vehicle will shut off soon." The vehicle then lost all propulsion, leaving it completely disabled and forcing an emergency maneuver to the shoulder. This dangerous stalling event occurred twice. The safety of my family was put at extreme risk as we were trapped in a dead vehicle in active traffic lanes, creating a severe rear-end collision hazard. The malfunctioning system involves the hybrid propulsion system, specifically the Hybrid Control Module (HCPM) or internal transaxle wiring. This issue began immediately after a dealership performed the mandatory 44D Emissions Recall software flash repair. The vehicle is currently with Dealership for more than a week for diagnosis. The problem has not yet been permanently repaired by the manufacturer, but diagnostic trouble codes should be stored in the vehicle's computer modules.
NHTSA complaint #11755509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle was purchased used on 8/5/26 with no problems or recalls. I was driving home from the dealership on the highway about 1.5 hours and the vehicle had a warning light come on telling me to pull over safely and the vehicle would shut off. I did so. The vehicle would not restart. I called for a tow truck and was stranded for 2 hours. I had the vehicle towed to my local dealership service center because I was closer to home versus the dealer I bought it from. The vehicle is still under warranty and will get looked at. This is a huge frustrating situation.
NHTSA complaint #11755398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While I was driving to drop my kids to school My Chrysler Pacifica PHEV dashboard chimed, the check engine light made an appearance, and the screen in my gauge cluster showed a large warning message. “Stop Safely, Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon.” I kept my foot in it and guided the Pacifica Hybrid through the off-ramp and into the rest stop’s parking lot And turned off the ignition and engine for 5 minutes and I started the engine and car allowed me to drive back home . The power tram warning got away that evening when I started my engine . The same problem came back again many times since then. I googled it and found that this is very serious problem which may lead fire .i would like to report this issue now.
NHTSA complaint #11755549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car is a part of NHTSA Campaign No. 26V362 / Manufacturer Recall 52D and on July 30th, 2026 it suffered a fatal transmission error and stopped on the highway. I am unable to drive it and it officially needs its entire transmission rebuilt. My wife was driving back from work and the car shutdown in the middle of the highway and she had to risk her life to get it to an emergency zone. The turtle symbol came on the dash and the dealer confirmed the transmission needs to be rebuilt because of a manufacturer defect.
NHTSA complaint #11755362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car is a part of NHTSA Campaign No. 26V362 / Manufacturer Recall 52D and on July 30th, 2026 it suffered a fatal transmission error and stopped on the highway. I am unable to drive it and it officially needs its entire transmission rebuilt. My wife was driving back from work and the car shutdown in the middle of the highway and she had to risk her life to get it to an emergency zone. The turtle symbol came on the dash and the dealer confirmed the transmission needs to be rebuilt because of a manufacturer defect.
NHTSA complaint #11755362 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving the vehicle the minivan will lose all acceleration. There is usually a preceding error displayed on the dashboard to pull over immediately. The dealership has thus far been unable to fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11754802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
On Saturday July 25th, while driving at 70 mph on the highway, my van lost the ability to accelerate or maintain velocity. There was no warning or indication that this was going to happen. There was a beep and the screen flashed to a screen that said to pull over immediately and safely. Surprised and scared, I had to cut across 3 lanes of traffic while losing velocity cutting off a tractor trailer because my velocity dropped quickly. After restarting, the vehicle ran normally. I drove in the slow lane for a mile an it happened again. I was able to get the vehicle off the highway and drive slowly and safely on backroads to get the van to a Ourisman Chrysler in Clarksville, MD. The check engine light was on when I arrived at the dealer. Immediately upon arrival I was told by a service representative that it will most likely need a new transmission. On Tuesday he told me a tech verified it needs a new transmission. He told me the vehicle was classified as VOR (Vehicle Off Road) meaning it was unsafe or unable to be driven on the road and that parts were ordered and expedited. I did not hear back from the dealership until Friday at which point they surprisingly told me my vehicle was ready to pick up. In an email I was told: "what was found was a stored fault code P0A43-00 Drive motor "A" position sensor circuit intermittent. There is a TSB 21-037-26 for that fault code and vehicle going into limp mode and the repair is a rebuild kit for the transmission. " Despite this they also said in an email: "cleared codes and perform test drive. Code never came back and it states in the procedure you must verify the problem meaning it happened or is happening via active fault code which it is not." They refuse to fix the problem, despite acknowledging it happened. I was told to take the vehicle back and drive it as normal until it happens again, which I refused due to safety concerns. The vehicle currently has a bumper-to-bumper warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11754164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.