general problems of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica - part 1

Description of incident: on February 15, 2026, my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid experienced three distinct and severe safety system failures involving the electrical system, power seats, and the power sliding door. Power sliding door sensor failure: while my minor son was entering the vehicle, the power sliding door closed on his leg. The pinch sensor failed to detect the obstruction and did not reverse. This resulted in physical bruising and marks on the limb (photographic evidence maintained). Unintended passenger seat motion: while the vehicle was stationary, the front passenger power seat moved forward to its maximum limit without user input. I was seated in the chair at the time and was pinned against the dashboard before I could intervene. Electrical shock: my minor daughter received a perceptible electric shock upon touching the exterior door-handle button to open the sliding door. Components involved: electrical system seats (power) sliding door (power) injuries: yes (soft tissue bruising/marks to minor’s leg). Risk to safety: had the driver's seat moved forward without input while the vehicle was in motion, this absolutely could result in loss of control of the vehicle and an accident. Had the sliding side door continued to close on my son's leg, it could have caused severe injury. Had the electrical shock been worse, it could have resulted in burn or injury. The vehicle is available for inspection. It has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance. The issues have not repeated at this point, although the vehicle was not used the last 12 days. I do not have confidence in its electrical components. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other indications of any problem with the vehicle.

After purchasing a used 2017 Chrysler Pacifica from massey Cadillac of orlando, a warning light appeared during the initial drive indicating a malfunction in the auto start/stop system (capital letter “a” inside a circle with an exclamation point). The system was disabled and indicated service was required. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Chrysler dealership, which confirmed that the auxiliary ess (engine stop/start) battery was missing, not failed. Installation of the auxiliary battery and associated mounting hardware was required, indicating the component was not present in the vehicle at the time of inspection. The auxiliary ess battery is part of a safety-related system. The servicing dealership advised that operating the vehicle without this battery can result in intermittent loss of power steering assist and potential loss of motive power without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. The condition was confirmed by an authorized dealer and is available for inspection upon request. The warning indicator appeared immediately upon operation of the vehicle following purchase. No collision occurred, but vehicle occupants, including children, were placed at risk due to the missing safety component.

We purchased the vehicle in 2020 with appx 33,000 miles. In fall 2023- winter 2024 it began having electrical glitches when the weather was cold. The car will start, but will not shift into gear. It throws alarms such as service parking brake, shifter, engine, traction control and that you must put it in park. Although it obviously is in park or it wouldn't have started. The dealership kept it for a month Nov-Dec 2023 and could not get it to recreate the problem, but replaced the battery since it "failed". We went on vacation for christmas and had issues with it not shifting after it sat all night in the cold. However, the problem is intermittent. But the cold seems to be the consistent factor. Once the weather warms up, it does fine. Although 1 time in sumer 2024 with very high temps 100+ it threw the same alarms and would not shift into gear upon starting the car. We continued to have issues in fall 2024/winter 2025. It did great throughout spring and summer, began issues again in fall 2025 into this winter 2026. It has left us stranded, unable to get the car to shift sometimes for 10-15 minutes while we "warm up the car" but sometimes it takes 30-60 minutes. We've began putting a space heater nearby it for a couple of hours each morning before we need to drive it, but that doesn't always work either. While extremely frustrating, it hasn't been considered dangerous until a week ago. We came out of church and it was chilly, so I expected it would not shift into gear. It surprised me when it started and shifted. However, as soon as I got on the main road up to 40mph, the engine completely lost power and threw all the same alarms. The stretch of county road had no shoulders and deep ditches, so barely made it coasting to a neighborhood to pull over. Searching on the internet, we narrowed it down to the can bus star connector, replaced it, and it drove better than ever! until it was cold that night! likely needs soldered, can't reach it behind glovebox.

We bought this vehicle from a local dealer in March (9months ago) in the time we’ve had it… it’s been in the shop for about 6 of them. 1- about 3 weeks after the purchase it shut off while I was driving on the highway. We then took it to the dealership in jasper, GA bc the error code said the pcm needed to be reset. They couldn’t get it to reset so they embarked on a diagnostic that took 3 months to discover the fuel pump was “too small”. The dealership repair guy assured us this was a solve to the issue, they’re tech put 200 miles on it an had no issues. 2- the day we got it back the check engine light came on and while going around a curve to the right, the wheel locked up on me and almost drove me into a mailbox. We turned around and went right back to the dealership. They had it for another couple weeks and told us we needed a new rack and pinion. We couldn’t afford the $6000 they wanted to fix that. So we then called the guy we bought it from and he had a local repair shop take a look and they replaced some parts on the rack and said it was good to go. 3- got it back and the check engine came on again, they code said pcm needed to be reset. We couldn’t get the dealership to call us back so we went to the local shop o’reileys recommended and they deducted some gauges needed to be replaced. 4- within a couple weeks the van was sputtering and cutting off again, we took it back to the local shop and the only thing they could think to do was change the auxiliary battery. 5- we’ve had it for about 2 weeks… 2 days again I went to start it up and it cut off. I had to wait a few minutes to try again and it started. Then yesterday while driving we stopped a red light and something popped and the dash lit up with errors and a grinding noise started. We went to accelerate to turn and started rolling backwards while in drive. We slammed on the brakes, turned the cautions on and put it in park and still rolled backwards. We had to get a tow back to the local shop.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or right before the vehicle stalled. The steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over and restart and driven to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. Prior to the failures, the vehicle was difficult to start while cold-starting. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v348000 (electrical system); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

It loses power alot especially uphill. It smells like burnt oil all the time. Smokes out exhaust. Hesitates anytime you put the gas down. And then clunks around sometimes too.

I have been driving, usually at lower speeds and the entire electrical system shuts down. This has left me and my children in the middle of a busy road without brake lights. It has happened multiple times. The battery will be dead and charge multiple times, but then I end up having the electrical failure. It is terrifying. I had the battery checked and it is not the issue. I have not contacted the dealership, but plan on it tomorrow.

Around October/November 2025, the vehicle began having intermittent steering issues that have progressively worsened. The steering wheel becomes stiff or feels stuck, and at times it jerks on its own before correcting. Other times I must pull harder to get it to respond, causing over?correction and difficulty maintaining my lane. This has happened at various speeds, including 65–70 mph on the interstate, and I nearly collided with another vehicle due to sudden loss of steering control. The vehicle also has ongoing electrical malfunctions. The center screen glitches, causing the heat/air settings to scroll on their own, the radio to constantly scan, and the touchscreen and knobs to stop responding. The navigation system shows incorrect locations, sometimes placing the vehicle in another state or in the ocean. The system has also made random phone calls on its own and has added a second call during an active call without input. During one incident while turning at an intersection, the vehicle lost power and shut off mid?turn. I coasted to the side of the road and restarted. At the same time, the screen blacked out and flickered, and the ignition button malfunctioned. No warning lights appeared. The battery has died multiple times and has been replaced several times, and software resets have not resolved the issues. These problems were intermittent at first, making it difficult to take the vehicle to a dealer, but they have recently become more frequent and severe. While researching possible causes, I discovered that NHTSA has an open investigation involving similar steering and electrical failures in this model. The combination of steering malfunction, electrical instability, uncommanded inputs, and an engine shutdown presents a significant safety risk.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica touring-l has suffered repeated and dangerous electrical failures since purchase. Shortly after buying it from autonation Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram in valencia, CA, I had to return it twice for electrical repairs that kept it in service several weeks under warranty. About two years later, while still under extended warranty, the engine underwent a complete rebuild for multiple-cylinder misfire codes that were likely caused by intermittent can-bus voltage loss rather than a mechanical defect. Over the past nine months, the vehicle has again developed severe electrical faults while driving: sudden loss of power steering assist, all dashboard lights illuminating, windshield wipers activating spontaneously, and the engine failing to shut off using the start/stop button. The vehicle has also stalled without warning while driving in traffic or idling at red lights, restarting only after 5–10 minutes and blocking traffic lanes, placing me and surrounding drivers at significant risk. Two major repairs in the last two weeks failed to resolve the defects: (1) repair of the can-bus system after the vehicle would not start and acted erratically while driving, and a week later (2) replacement of the brake-booster vacuum pump, which was shorted internally and caused can-bus shutdown, complete steering loss, sudden braking, and no engine power. The vehicle is currently at dependable Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram, canoga park, CA, awaiting further diagnosis despite repeated repair attempts. These symptoms match Chrysler tsbs 08-007-17 and 08-033-21 concerning body control module water intrusion and communication faults. This ongoing electrical defect has caused steering loss, random stalling, ignition failure, and unpredictable vehicle behavior—issues widely reported by Pacifica owners. It poses a serious safety hazard and warrants immediate investigation and recall.

I had the recall for 73b performed in mid October to my 2017 ev/hybrid Pacifica- 2017 and only 67k miles. No issues before. Since the recall service I’ve brought it in twice with the same problems stating hybrid battery needs conditioning/service. I suspect it’s the recall update that has caused all types of issues. I did go to auto zone before I brought the vehicle in just this Monday to get the codes. U0412, p1a29, p0a7f- invalid data received from battery energy control module a - lost communication with hybrid battery pack sensor module- a deterioration. If you google 73b recall service problems on Chrysler Pacifica - the following appears: failure to charge and engine light: some owners have reported that the vehicle no longer charges after the recall service and has a check engine light, with error codes like p0a0a (high voltage system interlock circuit) and p0a7f (hybrid/ev battery pack deterioration), says reddit users. Intermittent check engine light: other owners have noted the check engine light comes on intermittently after the recall service, sometimes disappearing on its own. Battery concerns: some owners who already had issues with the battery before the recall now report that the recall service did not resolve their problems, and a new, more significant battery issue may have developed. It appears that the issue with the hybrid battery is not being resolved and the service recall for 73b amplifies issues for the hybrid Pacifica models. It may be a ploy from Chrysler for owners to get “rid,” of our vans. I’m contacting the lawyers of the class action lawsuit with this information. It’s so unreasonable for Chrysler to do this and not offer further support. The time, stress, anxiety and loss of a proper running vehicle has really impacted my family.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is shutting off while driving need to be repaired.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica shuts down while in driving.

I am reporting a serious safety issue with my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, purchased in February 2024. The vehicle experiences repeated drivetrain shutdowns and unsafe operation due to confirmed failures in the transmission control module and valve body, diagnosed by Chrysler Dodge Jeep in north las vegas, nevada. These malfunctions prevent proper gear engagement while driving, creating a significant risk to myself, my five children, and others on the road. Multiple dashboard warnings—including “service electronic stability control,” “park sense unavailable,” “park brake temporarily unavailable,” “blindspot alert temporarily unavailable,” “service trance stop safety shut off engine to engage park,” and “accessible cruise control unavailable”—have appeared intermittently since purchase. Dealer inspections and diagnostic reports confirm the problem, but repair costs exceed the vehicle’s value, leaving the issue unresolved. This ongoing safety hazard requires immediate investigation to prevent potential harm to passengers and other drivers.

This is a complaint regarding an inadequate recall remedy for recall z75 (NHTSA 24v-538). The manufacturer's software update rendered my 2017 Pacifica hybrid inoperable due to dtc p0c77. While the battery was ultimately replaced under warranty, the manufacturer is refusing to reimburse $1,948. 74 in rental expenses despite a prior verbal commitment to do so. This constitutes a failure to provide a 'free and effective remedy' as required by federal law for safety recalls.

Despite repairing multiple things on the vehicle, the automatic engine start/stop continues to malfunction.

When turning to the right, around 35-45mph on a sharp turn, the steering will stick. Yesterday the sticking was so bad it almost caused me to lose control in the middle of the curb. It does not stick when taking sharp turns to the left. The mechanic has not been able to locate the issue.

My car keeps draining my battery. Just bought brand new batteries from less schwab and they are both failed! the auto shop did a draw test and says the car isn't drawing power. But it's drawing power somewhere. I found 2 videos saying there's issues with the sliding door wiring corroding? still working snd causing issues. So I'm going to test it out myself. Super frustrating. Had to buy new batteries as soon as I bought from the dealership last year and now those batteries are dead!.

The vehicle will randomly shut itself off while it is operating causing the dashboard to flicker on and off before shutting down fully. The steering wheel gets stuck at the 1:00 position.

After the latest 73b recall, the engine light sporadically turn on. In one occasion, while cruising at low speed ~25mph in the electric mode, the vehicle switched to gas engine mode even there was 16 electric miles on the battery. This issue was not there prior to the recall. Need investigation on the software reliability and the underlying battery issue.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle stalled with the message "service now” flashing on the instrument panel. After waiting for approximately 15-30 minutes, the vehicle was restarted and resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was discovered that the oil filter adapter was cracked, contributing to the failure. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v049000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

While stopped in traffic, the car started shifting from drive to neutral and parking, the lights of the shifting wheel started blinking, and it was not possible to turn off the engine. After ~20 minutes, it stopped doing that and I was able to turn it off. 10 minutes later I started the engine and I was able to drive home but the steering wheel was very hard to move and the check engine light and there was a message in the cluster to take the power steering assist and the electronic stability control system to service, but while stopped in the driveway with the engine on, it did exactly the same and I wasn't able to power off the engine. I wasn't able to start the engine again after that, the lights of the shifting whell kept blinking. I took the car to an independent mechanic and he was able to start the engine, but power steering is so hard to move.

The electric steering has a stiff jerk at random positions when taking a turn. It seems to happen at the 11 o clock and the 1 o clock positions on the wheel. It causes a stiffness when driving on a turn that causes myself to have to jerk the wheel to get it out of the stuck position, which causes the vehicle to jerk and causes panic. It seems to happen every time I drive the van, several times during a trip, basically every time I take a basic turn. The safety of my family is put at risk because it causes me to have to jerk the wheel to get the steering under control. This is a current on going investigation. There are no warning messages or lights on for this. Please investigate this and get this issue fixed. It’s scary and dangerous to my family and others on the road.

I own a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid that is currently under active recall and within the 8-year federal hybrid warranty. My vehicle is covered under recall 20v334 (w46). The high-voltage (hv) battery has failed, rendering the vehicle undriveable. The dealership confirmed the battery needs to be replaced and opened a warranty claim, but they do not have parts available. Despite this, Chrysler has refused to provide me with a rental or loaner vehicle while the car is awaiting repair — citing that my vehicle is “not a 2019 or newer. ” I was also denied escalation to a supervisor by Chrysler’s customer care team, even after I requested further review. This leaves me and my family without safe, reliable transportation. Chrysler’s refusal to provide a rental violates the intent of the recall process, which is to protect drivers and passengers from unsafe conditions. The car cannot be driven, and there is no known repair date. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Chrysler’s refusal to support owners affected by this recall — especially those with vehicles built before 2019 who are still within the hybrid warranty period. I am concerned that Chrysler is selectively denying recall support to 2017 and 2018 model years despite the recall applying to 2017–2020 Pacifica hybrids.

The van have issues with a head gasket, Chrysler is aware yet the dealers keep selling the van with this known problems, I reached out to Chrysler and they said they cannot help. I had the van less than a year and I had the van serviced multiple times. Im attaching this link to show you guys that there IA a lot of people having the same problem, everything starts with the smell of the coolant then the misfire po201, po301, then after taking it it was po305 and po205, https://youtu. Be/suftxnbkrlu?si=joll29t6ybhziivg they speak on the video how they replaced the apparently bad part then the codes come back. I had this vehicle less than a year and I had so many issues, in my search I found this happening to multiple Pacifica owners. Vehicle starts misfiring creating a real possibility of having an accident as the car speed had to be reduced, specially if we are on the highway.

After driving, I can to a stop to park the van. The van would not shift to park and instead would go to neutral. I then could not turn the van off. It would only stay in accessory mode. Upon looking at this issue online, many Chrysler Pacifica owners have the same issue. Some people are able to fix the issue easily, while others needed to replace the transmission valve body. This is an incredibly expensive repair. There were no warning lights ahead of this problem happening, it happened out of the blue. No codes are shown when reading for codes in the van. The message that pops up when the van would not shift to park was “service trans press brake when stopped key off engine to engage park”. But the van will not turn off completely. To get the van to shut off, the battery needs to be disconnected. Safety is put at risk as I am not able to park the van or turn it off completely which would result in a dead battery.

- digital display not working when in reverse; yes it is available upon request - unable to see behind the vehicle properly impacting safety of everyone in vehicle. - dealership confirmed there is a recall for this issue but our VIN is not included yet. - no inspection yet. - no; 6/6/2025.

On Thursday may 30th was the first incident of the vehicle shutting down we were able to start it back up almost immediately within seconds on the 2nd occasion I was on a street with cars behind me going down to make a turn the stop start did not engage but we were still a ways away from the stoplight and suddenly the engine stopped no signs other than just stopping I could not start it back up I look down there was no indication of any issue other than a stalling so put it in part turned it off turn it back on no start try it again didn't work could not turn it over to neutral to get off the road police came while I had somebody disconnect battery and reconnect it to try to get it started again there was no less battery power on the engine it took 15 minutes or more to get it started once able to get started we brought it back home it was Sunday the 1st of June 2025 so there were no mechanics available still unknown as to what caused the malfunction no indicator lights other than during the issue with a lightning bolt and during the outage the check engine light was on no lights currently on. The danger was to myself and two children in the vehicle and too many other vehicles behind me that could have crashed into me or cause incident being in the road working on the vehicle having to go around us waiting for green lights or a miss trying to get around us and avoid other traffic.

The can bus connector (found in the glove box area) fails periodically and without warning. It affects everything on the vehicle; it stops the car from shifting, car won't start up, windows stop working, all of the warning lights turn on, etc. The issue seems to be a manufacturing defect; the soldering cracks after a while, so the low voltage applications malfunction. Many people have noticed the problem, but the dealerships refuse to do a recall or address the issue properly. The vehicle has been in and out of the dealership probably 10 times in the last 7 months or so. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This problem is unsafe because it can occur while driving on a freeway which can cause an accident. Every warning light comes on when the malfunction happens.

Power steering module malfunctioned when taking kids to school. Auto repair shop confirmed.

Hi! this vehicle stopped twice in the middle of a road on its own. Vehicle was driving fine and the next second it slowed down and wouldn’t accelerate as I would push the gas pedal. It’s as if the engine shut down due to the car signals not transmitting correctly. The screen started blinking on and off giving me warnings and one of them said “service shifter!” my safety and my children’s safety was put at risk because anyone could’ve hit us from behind as the car started decelerating on the road with oncoming traffic. I towed the car to a mechanic as the car does not run properly while being driven, and the mechanic said it has multiple electrical issues and multiple leaks. The vehicle was inspected by my own mechanic, as the dealer also inspected it and they tried to connect the scanner to turn off the engine light and get me to drive off. They have refused help and I truly believe they knew this car was a safety hazard. After leaving the dealer, 4 minutes into driving the car started slowing down and I was able to make it into the parking lot, but got stranded in the middle of the street where opposite traffic comes into. I bought the car 03/01/2025. The check engine light turned on 2 weeks in. The battery seemed to be drained 2 weeks in but it did not need cables or recharge, it’s as if the battery loses connection. Then at the one month mark it started having those issues, no warning until it completely stopped on the road. When it stopped on the road, that’s when the screen started going off with multiple warnings.

Grille shudder broke.

I am writing to report another incident related to my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Today, while driving on a major highway, my vehicle unexpectedly shut off and braked violently multiple times without warning, creating a serious safety hazard. Fortunately, there was no accident, but due to the sudden and forceful braking, I am now experiencing pain in my head, neck, upper back, and shoulders. I previously reported electrical issues with this vehicle on January 22, 2024. Given the recurring nature of these problems, I am extremely concerned about the ongoing safety risks. Please advise on the next steps to formally document this incident and any updates regarding similar reports or investigations into this issue. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the crank shaft position sensor needed to be replaced, and the engine control software needed to be updated. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 18v049000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling); and linked the failure to the recall; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,700.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 35-40 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was able to be restarted after 30 minutes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for an oil change and tune-up. The dealer determined that the failure could be related to the motor mounts. The dealer replaced the motor mounts; however, the failure recurred within an hour while the contact was driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that a wiring underneath the front passenger's seat had failed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Unknown, engine light came on flashing while driving. Car has been repaired by the dealership a few weeks ago and replaced the fuel pump.