general problems of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica - part 2

Blown head gasket and oil cooler leak.

My car shut down on highway and the dealership said it was the terminals on the battery being dirty it happened agin so I had the battery changed then it did it again and the dealership changed one spark plug , one coil pack then it happened again changed all spark plugs and coil packs my car did it again and now I’m being told I’m probably going to need a new engine I notified Chrysler telling them this has happened several times and they said there was nothing they could do.

This vehicle has been totaled about a week ago. I meant to report this earlier but since we're moving (military) I never had the chance. Around April 2023, I noticed my Pacifica had a misfire. I assumed it was plugs and wires so I replaced them - check engine for misfire went away. A few weeks later same thing happened. This time, I was loosing coolant. Took it to a Chrysler dealer top have it properly diagnosed fearing the worst - they told me without even looking at it that this particular year of pentastar on the Pacifica has blown head gaskets and that they change them all the time. I decided to repair the head gasket myself and I did so and drove the vehicle up until last week when it was totaled. There are many others experiencing this same issue with the Pacifica and Chrysler needs to do something about it as it typically happens around 75-85k miles. Mine was no different.

2017 through 2024 Pacificas with the 3. 6 pentastar engines have problems that in case of coolant leaks in the system, it leads to a engine coolant reservoir low level which allows air to enter the system and causes unrepairable damage to the engine that needs it to be replaced. Root cause is fac / stellantis / Chrysler failed to install a simple and cheap engine coolant reservoir low level warning sensor which would save the majority of the people with blown head gaskets all this grief and expense. The 3. 6 pentastar engine uses aluminum heads with an open skirt design which means that the cylinder heads are weak and prone to warping under any overheat condition.

The incident first occurred in our 2017 Chrysler Pacifica while my wife was driving our kindergartener to school. The vehicle stalled in high flow traffic almost causing her to get rear ended. Dash said to shift to park and turn van off. Was unable to get it restarted and had traffic blocked in the left lane for almost an hour waiting on a tow truck. Took it to the dealership and they told her it was a bad battery. Paid almost $400 to replace the battery, and today (11/16/2024) it just did it again while pulling into a gas station, still halfway in the road. Van said “shift to park to start engine. ” shifted and engine shut off but was able to restart it this time. Was unable to move shifter dial and sudden loss of power almost caused 2 wrecks so far within 2 months of each incident. Each time we were told there’s nothing wrong and that the recall that was causing this issue was already fixed. This needs to get dealt with before someone gets seriously injured.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a burning odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact was informed that the engine was operating on five cylinders instead of six. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that previously the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle had been taken to an independent mechanic several times. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a plastic piece that was missing from the engine. The contact stated that the independent mechanic reset the vehicle and the check engine warning light was off. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica touring l with 3. 6l engine. Odometer 78623 miles. Noted rough idling of engine for a few seconds when started. Later in day, at low speeds, check engine light came on solidly (no flashing) for a few seconds and then turned off. Early next morning took van to reputable local mechanic who has maintained the vehicle according to Chrysler recommendations. They pulled error code p0305 cylinder misfire. They removed and inspected spark plug which showed minor deposits. Looked in cylinder with bore scope which showed orange-redish discoloration on piston. Put new spark plug on #5 and swapped coil #5 with coil #3. Coolant was low but no coolant leak was discovered. Van never had an overheating episode. All maintenance was performed according to Chrysler recommended schedule, first by local Chrysler dealership, and then by this same mechanic shop. Diagnosis, warped or fractured cylinder head resulting in coolant leak into cylinder. Pictures were taken by shop and available on request.

Our vehicle started to shudder when we started. We took it to the dealership, who initially was unable to identify an issue. They then, a day later, identified that the head gaskets needed replaced. This required a significant repair. Reviewing online, there appear to be hundreds, if not thousands, of similar issues when this type of vehicle reaches approximately 70,000 miles. Our vehicle is a little beyond 70,000 miles. We have also had some other issues, including about 1. 5 years ago where the vehicle would randomly turn off while driving. We did take this in for a repair.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 168,854.

Numerous issues: 1. Multiple misfire codes, check engine 2. Loss of coolant, no indication of leaks 3. Faulty thermostat. Loss of a/c and heat 4. Bottom of both sliding door panels corroded, with paint loss 5. Uconnect system malfunctioned, not working at all **repairs have costs thousands already. And based on the other complaints, probably much, much more. Something is obviously wrong here, but Chrysler is not doing much about it unfortunately.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica with 103,000 miles experienced a blown head gasket.

Engine coolant leaks inside the engine cylinder #5 without warning and cracked the engine block cylinder head #5. This has happened 2 times on this vehicle replacing the engine once. Vehicle has been maintained in accordance with manufacture recommendations.

The vehicle is available for inspection. At an intersection the vehicle abruptly turned off, while the engine was running and in drive. Children were in the vehicle and I was very scared and in shock when it happened. My car just randomly turned off, while I was sitting in the middle of an intersection and the vehicle was in drive (obviously). I was able to turn it back on, but it was very dangerous and could have killed us if a car had come through the [xxx] intersection while we were stuck there. Safety of other drivers on the road at risk, my life and children’s lives were at risk. Could have caused death had our van been stuck in the middle of this busy intersection a few feet more forward. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

44,000 miles- engine shake and check engine light on. Dealership changed spark plugs as the issue. Spark plugs not even recommended to change till 100k miles spring 2024- active shutter grill replaced fall 2024 92,000 miles- code misfire cyl 3 replaced spark plug and coil. Code came back a few days later. Took to dealership and head (cyl 1,3,5) replaced. Dealership advised that they repair many engine heads.

Check engine light. Cylinoid misfire reported, #3. Replaced. Check engine light reappeared. Coolant leak. Coolant checked with die solution to check combustion mixture. Tested positive. Head gasket leaks diagnosed. Possible head gasket crack. Vehicle was unsafe to family driving as failure could occur on highway. Family member had to pull over on side of road to prevent overheating.

The check engine light indicated a misfire is cylinder 1 and the car was running roughly. After changing the injector, spark plug and coil wire, the problem continued. The mechanic finally determined there was radiator coolant in the exhaust indicating a failure of the head gasket. A leak in the engine block, and improper combustion can lead to a myriad of safety issues. A check online revealed this to be a common problem in this Chrysler engine in 2017 in the 1-3-5 cylinders with some contributors suggesting an improper casting of the engine block during manufacture. It commonly appears around 60,000-75,000 miles, generally after the power train warranty has expired. My van was at 75,729 miles. The cost to repair the vehicle was $3488. 48. The repair was done by my trusted mechanic as I am sure that the Chrysler dealer would be far more expensive. This is due to a manufacturers defect, not normal wear and tear. This expense should not be borne by the consumer.

Engine has a blown head gasket at 80k miles. Number 3 cylinder keeps misfiring due to the engine coolant being injected into the cylinder due to the blown head gasket. Poor engineering with this engine and I’ve read several others have experienced this same issue. Please do a recall for this issue due to the warranty not wanting to cover this!.

Head gasket failure and warped cilinder @ 73k miles. Sounds like this is an extremly common problem and wanted to report it here. Vehicle is currently awaiting repairs at dealership. I was quoted $6,000 for repairs.

Engine ticking,blind spot not working.

Engine light came on. Independent service operator noted leaking coolant and oil. Sent camera into cylinder from misfiring spark plug and discovered broken head gasket. The car is available for inspection on request.

The vehicle presents almost all warning lights then acts very radically . The engine will stall, won’t go in gear . It will happen while vehicle is in motion. Super dangerous. I’ve had it to the dealer 3 times . They can’t seem to find a fix.

Minivan was performing normally, then at a signal light after 14 min of driving on the hwy, the car stalled at a major intersection. Multiple attempts were made to restart but gear selector was locked in drive. The knob would not turn (locked). Multiple error messages were displayed on central gauges and tow truck had to be called, since car was blocking freeway lane crossing. The car did restart eventually but gear selector still locked and minivan is not operational.

Blown head gasket had vehicle less than 6 months.

Head gasket leak at 69k , crowley chrystler replaced head and now at 101 k leaking again.

Head gasket failed, flooding #5 cylinder with engine coolant. A warning lamp came on just prior to the failure signaling the #5 plug was misfiring. The engine stopped running and could not start the vehicle. The engine is the Chrysler pentastar v6 with 63,763 miles.

The engine failed at 57,400 miles. My wife was driving with our kids and engine locked up. I took to the dealership and they said that the engine block and head is warped and cracked. The engine needed to be completely replaced. My warranty period was over and company did not want to stand behind the product and help with any repairs. They said the vehicle overheated but that never happened during this time.

Check engine light on. P0303 cylinder 3 misfire detected, my maintenance history : coil is good, only been 27,000 mile since I replaced 6xspark plugs, replaced 1 fuel injector just a week a go, still got engine light on. I took my van to Chrysler dealer found coolant leaking into cylinder head or gasket. I searched online seems Pacifica has many cylinder manufacturers issue.

P0302 code triggered the cel. Spark plug showed signs of coolant spark plug, and leak down pressure test presented a leaking cylinder head gasket. Disassembly of the air intake manifold revealed the oil cooler was leaking oil and mixing oil with coolant.

Cylinder 5 was misfiring causing driveability problems. If the engine were to fail completely, then the vehicle could become uncontrollable and cause an accident. The manufacturer knows about the problem but has not issued a recall. The vehicle was repaired by the local car dealer. The problem occured around 57000 miles on the odometer. A check engine light did come on.

I have researched this and it seems to be a problem that is very common to the Pacificas. Some examples can be found here, but there are hundreds of reports of this across the internet. [xxx] the problem is twofold. 1. The plastic oil cooler that Chrysler uses on these vehicles is substandard and will fail. Typically this happens just outside of warranty. These parts were made to fail which induces a very expensive repair. 2. There is a very common issue with the head gaskets on these vans. So much so, that when I had one of them replaced on my van the service advisor suggested I do them both because he said the other one would fail soon. He said it happens all the time on these vans. I spent almost $4000 to have one replaced, there is no way I could afford to have more done. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

1. Engine power failure 2. Put in extreme danger-I lost all power going through a tunnel under water (mm bridge tunnel). I completely stalleddead center in the middle. Only by the grace of god did no one hit me. I also have severe neck issues. A couple of my neck discs need to be replaced. If I were hit I could have been paralyzed. This has created emotional and financial anxiety as well as poor sleep due to tense muscles and body aches. 3. It has almost cut off twice since then. A mechanic did a deep check of all electrical systems, they are fine. He said it was an engine power drain issue. He said according to research it was a known engine problem. 4. Dealer said my VIN # is not on the list (even though it's a known problem) and stated I would have to pay for check and repairs. I saw there was a case settlement and am hoping that will cover the cost. The was no police report even though they pulled up to protect me. The van eventually started again and I moved to a safe location. Dodd's auto shop did evaluation. 5. I noticed an engine light before stall. I'm not sure how long it had been on. My van has a security video but I'm not sure how to get it. My husband is out of town caring for his 96yr old father so he couldn't get it for me.

Purchased 2017 Pacifica limited in [xxx] from carmax. 38k miles. Purchased carmax 100k warranty. Within 90 day carmax dealer repair warranty, misfire cylinder 3 check engine light came on. Carmax replaced coil, injector etc. Cleared check engine light. June 24 misfire cylinder 5 check engine light came on. Vehicle never over heated. Took the vehicle to independent repair shop that performs maxcare warranty work. Diagnosis: blown head gaskets. 950/? in coolant when tested. 3 week parts b/o. That would indicate many problems. Chrysler Pacifica forums have hundreds of blown head gasket entries for years 2017-18. The blown head gaskets were causing rough starts, rough idling, and stalls. Additionally, I don't know why this has not been addressed as a safety issue. When this started occurring, my wife would have to hit the start button 2-3-4 times to get it to start and then it ran rough for a few minutes. Some times stall. The start/stop feature is affected when the engine does not rapidly start when the pedal is pushed. This is a big safety issue when on the road and in traffic. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

At 76,000 miles, the engine started to misfire and smoke while driving. Loud pop heard. Took it in and dealership said it was a known engine problem with this 3. 6 liter engine on cylinder #5 due to the lack of heat dissipation in the rear of the engine compartment. Thank goodness we had just started the car when we heard the pop. The service engine light cam on immediately after the rough start and now if started, it smokes from the tailpipe. Likely head gasket, warped head due to lack of cooling. Car always serviced at dealership. This is a common and known problem at this mileage for this vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the failure recurred while driving, and the vehicle independently shifted to park(p). The immobilizer warning light was illuminated. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign numbers: 23v010000 (electrical system, hybrid propulsion system) and 18v049000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling) that were previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Failed head gasket. Faulty manufacturing. All maintenance done as recommended by manufacturer by the dealership who sold the vehicle.