1,423 of the
10,659 complaints filed about the Chrysler Pacifica
are about the transmission —
13% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2017.
1,423
Complaints
13%
Share of all complaints
23
Crashes
5
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
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 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.
While driving, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off without warning. The engine stalled while the vehicle was in motion, causing an immediate loss of acceleration and power and creating a serious safety hazard in traffic. This vehicle previously received the Safety Recall U01 repair in January 2018, but the same engine stall condition has returned. The recall remedy does not appear to have permanently corrected the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11753606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off without warning. The engine stalled while the vehicle was in motion, causing an immediate loss of acceleration and power. This created a serious safety hazard in traffic. The issue is consistent with the condition described in Safety Recall U01 for 2017 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles involving the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). However, this vehicle's VIN is not included in the recall despite exhibiting the same symptoms.
NHTSA complaint #11753607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, shuddered, and then stalled. The message to "Stop - Pull Over Safely" was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that there was an intermittent drive motor position sensor failure inside the transmission, and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2024 Chrysler Pacifica completely shutdown during a left turn. Engine died all electrical stopped functioning. Had to restart the vehicle to move the vehicle. This condition happened twice last week, but has not happened since. Fortunately it was a low speed situation rather than at highway speeds. Highway speed could have been a very serious situation with the potential of being rear-ended from high speed traffic. Vehicle has 27,500 miles on the odometer and was driving normally prior to the shutdowns. Chrysler dealer has been notified of the situation, but an appointment is 7-10 days out. No warning lights or messages were noticed.
NHTSA complaint #11751524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle repeatedly entered limp mode / lost power at highway speed a few days after the dealer performing the remedy for NHTSA Recall 23V- 010 (FCA Recall 03A, transmission internal wiring connector short). The recall remedy did not correct the defect. Prior to the recall work, the van entered limp mode on 2 other occasions. Timeline: On 7/10/26, Park Chrysler Jeep in Burnsville, MN performed the open recall remedy (Recall 03A / NHTSA 23V-010) on our vehicle. We informed the dealer we were departing on a multi-week interstate family road trip, and the dealer released the vehicle as repaired. On [XXX], about 40 minutes into our trip, the vehicle entered limp mode with a severe loss of motive power while driving at highway speed on [XXX] between Northfield, MN and [XXX]. We were able to reach the shoulder safely. After multiple restart attempts, the vehicle resumed operation. On [XXX], the vehicle entered limp mode 2 additional times under the same conditions on [XXX] in IL, and on [XXX] in IN, again at highway speed and with heavy traffic present. In one case there was barely enough shoulder to pull over safely. Each event created a sudden, significant speed differential with surrounding traffic. On 7/16/26 the vehicle was taken to Bob Chandler Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Columbus, OH. The dealer's diagnosis is that the transmission must be replaced. The repair order ID is [XXX]. The vehicle is at that dealership awaiting parts. Safety concern: The vehicle lost motive power at highway speeds 3 times in two days after the recall remedy was performed and the vehicle was returned to us as repaired. Occupants at the time included 2 adults and 3 children. No crash, injury, or fire occurred, but each event presented a serious collision risk from sudden deceleration in traffic. This experience is consistent with the concern in NHTSA's reopened investigation that the software-only recall remedy does not address the underlying hardware defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(
NHTSA complaint #11751002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.