general problems of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica - part 1

For several months I have been having problems off and on with my vehicle not shifting into drive, neutral, or reverse. It runs fine but becomes undrivable. Until this last time, I was always able to keep trying, let it sit overnight, etc. . . And it would eventually shift into gear. Currently it does not, I had to have it towed to a shop to be repaired. This is a problem, the vehicle has left me stranded on several occasions. My daughter was recently home from collage and I could not let her use my car for fear she would get stranded somewhere. It was towed to a local shop, who was able to confirm that the transmission has an internal short. This is a very common occurrence with this vehicle. The transmission can not be repaired and it needs a new one. Each time the transmission would fail a dash light would come on with a p in a circle with an explanation mark next to it and an engine light. This happened several times, in the past I was able to clear the light and drive the car, but this time it would not clear. The transmission is shoot and needs to be replaced. I purchased the car new in February of 2017, and have always properly maintained the vehicle. It has approximately 79,800 miles on it. I have researched this issue and it is very common, this is a known problem with the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. I have attached a warranty bulletin that seems like it should cover my vehicle, but I called the Chrysler customer hotline and they are telling me my vehicle is not covered. I have taken care of this vehicle, I drive it very gentle, there is no way this transmission should have gone bad. I am going to get this repaired at the shop, they have ordered me a new transmission. The Chrysler case id # is [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Vehicle “slams” into gear and goes into “limp” mode. Rpm’s increase dramatically and speed accelerate ration is very low. Check engine light on and several u codes show. And p0301.

The vehicle is experiencing multiple serious mechanical failures affecting the brake system, powertrain, and steering/wheel components. The brake system produces a constant hissing sound and appears to have lost braking assist. When the brake pedal is depressed the vehicle continues to roll forward and requires excessive force to stop. The vehicle has rolled forward while braking at intersections, creating a significant safety hazard for both the driver and surrounding traffic. These symptoms were first reported on February 4, 2026. Shortly afterward the vehicle was inspected by a Chrysler dealership, which documented a brake vacuum leak in the braking system. Despite that inspection and documentation, the braking condition has continued to worsen and the vehicle no longer feels safe to operate. The braking performance is inconsistent and stopping distance appears to be increasing. In addition to the braking failure, the vehicle experiences powertrain issues including transmission hesitation, delayed shifting, and loss of power during acceleration and when driving uphill. The vehicle also has severe vibration and instability originating from the front driver-side wheel or steering area while driving, which affects vehicle stability and control. These combined mechanical failures involving braking, drivetrain operation, and steering/wheel stability create a serious safety risk during normal operation, particularly while braking in traffic or attempting to maintain control of the vehicle. The vehicle currently feels unsafe to operate due to these worsening conditions and unresolved mechanical defects.

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.

This car has had so many issues in the 2 years that I have had it. Blown head gaskets, hard shifting, cruise control getting stuck in a high gear and not shifting. When fixing the head gasket it was apparent that it wasnt the first time being fixed. For such a nice vehicle it has way too many problems for the amount I purchased it for. There needs to be some sort of compensation for this. Upon looking into these issues there are thousands among thousands of people with the same head gasket issues and transmission issues as well.

I keep getting the same codes every few weeks. P0732.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the message “service rack and pinion gears” was displayed. The contact stated that it was difficult to turn the steering wheel to the left or right. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and replaced the rack and pinion gears and the steering module. The vehicle was repaired; however, after the repair to the steering, the contact experienced a failure with the transmission. The contact stated that while stopped at traffic signals, after depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the engine was running but was vibrating roughly, and then the vehicle jolted forward. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent at first but had become a recurring failure. The contact stated that during another failure, while the engine was running, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission control module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the shifter module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred, and the contact had the vehicle towed to the same dealer. The dealer had the vehicle for several days and called the contact to pick up the vehicle, and informed the contact that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed again, and the vehicle was no longer able to start the vehicle. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 184,136.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter independently shifted into park, and the service shifter error message was displayed. In addition, the contact stated that the odometer reading was incorrect. The contact stated that the odometer reading showed more mileage than the actual trip mileage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the contact stated that the failure almost caused a crash while children were seated in the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Backup camera - blue screen or black screen. This has been reported several times and was recalled for the 2021-2023 Pacifica. This is dangerous. The transmission jerks really hard between 2-3 great which has also been reported as a normal occurrence that Chrysler has not addresses.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the steering wheel seized. The message “no letter d” or “p for park”, was displayed and flashing on the instrument panel. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. After several minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the nhsta hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while his wife was attempting to park the vehicle with the brake pedal depressed, the engine unexpectedly began to rev. The vehicle then accelerated inadvertently, resulting in a collision with a pole in front of the parking space. There was no damage to the pole. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to a collision center, and the insurance company declared it a total loss. No police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 76,000. The VIN was not available.

Transmission will have a very severe jerk when starting out, usually at low speeds, causing the driver to temporarily lose control and distract them from driving. This appears to be a very common issue on the recent model Pacifica that uses the zf transmission. There is a serious disagreement about the servicing interval of the oil in the transmissions. Chrysler states that it is a "lifetime" oil and does not require changing. The transmission manufacturer zf, states on their website that it must be changed at 100,000 km. Some Chrysler dealers say it needs periodic changing, while others say it never needs changing. The impact of this is that a significant number of transmissions are failing. When these are in warranty, they are replaced by the dealer, but those out of warranty result in a major expense to the owners, even though the owners are following the auto manufacturer's recommendations. Owners need clarification of this, and if the servicing recommendations for the zf transmissions are in error and result in a transmission failure, the auto manufacturer should bear some responsibility. A quick scan of the Chrysler Pacifica online groups will show numerous cases such as this,.

When driving van will jerk or bang like slipping in gear, feels like possible being hit from behind, we have tried the adaptive learning reset several times, we had just purchased this less than 2 months ago with about 4800 miles in it. Feels dangerous to drive, especially with kids. We are scared to even try the cruise control. We heard and read online many whey same issues, with warranty and having there vans in dealership on several events, having reset in software upgrades, transmission replacement with only the problem to return. Please fix this, this one of my vehicles that unfortunately I have to drive because it's my only vehicle. This problem happens at lest everytime I'm driving daily, it started maybe a few weeks ago from the time this has been written.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission slammed into gear while shifting. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel pulled to the left while the contact was attempting to go to the right. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

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.

Although no active recalls are on the now. While driving the transmission changes hard. It makes a loud noise and jerks randomly. I’m concerned it wasn’t fixed during recall. I recently purchased this vehicle used. Do I have any recourse?.

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.

We are the original owners of this vehicle, which has been consistently and properly maintained. Recently, the vehicle stalled unexpectedly in the middle of the highway and would not restart, creating a significant safety hazard. The check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle could not be shifted into neutral, preventing it from being safely moved out of traffic. After the vehicle was towed to the dealership, we were informed that the starter had failed due to coolant leakage from a compromised head gasket. This coolant intrusion damaged the starter, rendering it inoperable. The dealership advised that while the starter could be replaced, it would likely fail again unless the underlying head gasket issue is addressed. We have since learned that this is a known and recurring issue with certain Chrysler models. Unfortunately, Chrysler has not issued a recall, nor have they provided vehicle owners with any formal notification or long-term solution to this potentially dangerous defect.

Had to have plastic oil filter housing and oil cooler replaced due to warping from the engine heat and leaking into engine bay causing a burning oil smell throughout the entire vehicle. Was replaced by meineke car care with an aftermarket aluminum constructed part. Constantly having transmission issues since the vehicle hit 70,000 miles. Now at 139,000. Fluid flush and fill done and transmission fluid was ridiculously thin and dirty despite it being known as a sealed transmission and being told by Chrysler that no fluid changes should ever need to be done for the transmission. Seems as though the transmission may be slipping, and is shifting very hard after having the fluid changed.

This van has a factory defect of the engine. These engines have known issues with blowing head gaskets and Chrysler doesn't seem to care. There are hundreds and hundreds of reports of this issue and these are just the people online talking about it. I am sure there are thousands more. . Read more...

Unknown.

-stalled while driving -loud clanking upon start -no diagnostic info was accessible -replaced Cadillac converter, was glowing red -once replaced still hot, 10,000-20,000 degrees -.

The transmission shifts very hard, it causes the vehicle to jump forward and feels like you have been hit by another car. There is not one specific incident it happens frequently.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid has been at the Chrysler dealership since December 5th of 2024 for recall 73b and dtc p0c78 the dealership attempted to perform recall 73b but unfortunately were not able to because the hybrid battery would not accept a charge. (during the recall you have to fully charge the battery and then discharge it to test the battery) the dealership has gone back and forth with the recall team and a Chrysler engineer they finally gave me the news today that they will not be covering the battery, even though the battery is to be replaced if the battery is seen to be faulty they want to charge me $24,000 to replace the battery, I truly feel like Chrysler is not wanting to honor the recall and do what they should by replacing the battery I have spent thousands of dollars on this vehicle with parts that Chrysler had said the vehicle needed and bill luke Chrysler dealership installed. The last contact I had with the bill luke was they said that the regional rep will not approve a battery replacement, I feel the vehicle should get a hybrid battery replaced under the recall due to the circumstances. The vehicle does not run or drive or start. I have attached all the emails that I have and receipts are in the emails for the module that they told me I needed to replace before they could complete the recall.

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 the gear shift was in reverse however the vehicle went forward independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

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.

Misfire cylinder 3 caused by head gasket failure. Known issue in Chrysler penstar engines and they are not taking responsibility. Could have been stranded in middle of highway if I didn't get off the road.