general problems of the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica - part 2

At 48,445 miles, the vehicle's engine experienced a catastrophic internal failure involving cylinders 4 and 6. The failure resulted in a sudden loss of motive power and engine misfires while the vehicle was in operation, creating a severe safety hazard and risk of stalling in active traffic. A certified mechanic performed a cylinder leak-down and compression test, confirming internal engine failure consistent with the known 3. 6l pentastar cylinder head/gasket manufacturing defects. The vehicle is now unsafe to operate. This failure occurred well before the expected useful life of the powertrain and appears consistent with the defects alleged in the class action maugain et al. V. Fca us llc. No warning lights illuminated prior to the immediate failure.

On October 31, 2020 (before our purchase of the van) the previous owner had to take the van to Chrysler for hesitation in the transmission shifting. On June 14, 2021 (only two weeks after purchase), we had to drop it off for intermittent shifting issues with what seemed like skipped gears. No engine light came on, and the van was returned stating an inability to reproduce the issue. On February 7, 2022 we brought the van to Chrysler after taking it in a few times to carmax to resolve the the disabled "start/ stop" system. The light would intermittently come on indicating the system was unavailable, and shifting would be erratic. An inspection and recall work for the pcm was performed. In June of 2023, the uconnect system stopped working intermittently. The gears were still shifting roughly with the shift knob becoming increasingly more difficult to turn. An independent shop found no solution with an unknown timeframe on the delivery of a new transmission. In June of 2023 while driving, the van shut off completely while in motion. After a few minutes, it started up again and drove as if nothing was wrong. June 24, 2023, we took the van to Chrysler with the same issues. At the time there was still a back order of transmissions for the van. Upon contacting Chrysler, we found out that there was a recall effective on the new transmission and the company rush ordered the part to the shop. As well, the uconnect system was also addressed. The issue was fixed. After a few years of reliable service, the van functioned normally with rough shifting and start/stop system failures still an issue. In January of 2024, the van would not start at first try. Often my wife was able to get it started after sitting for awhile. In other cases, changing the key fob helped. Changing the aux battery repaired the issue temporarily. Now it won't start at all. The starter was misdiagnosed by an independent shop with Chrysler finding a failed transmission once again.

Electrical glitches, where speedometer screen will go out of focus, glitch. Also transmission is going. Loud hum, catching as it changes gears and hesitates when trying to accelerated into the highway.

Engine head gaskets replacement with less than 70k miles. I noticed than other owners are having the same issue. An expensive repair with a vehicle driven very little .

Blown head gasket.

Head gasket failure number two cylinder created hydro lock and destroyed motor 105k miles.

Engine fail with less than106000 miles. Replace brand new engine November 2025. Steering rack has intermittent power issues. It started having steering issue around July 2026. It makes the steering hard to turn during highway speeds.

Well driving down the interstate my van slammed on brakes stated safety mode engine will. Shut off soon. Now it will not start. It could have caused us to get in a serious wreck.

Head gasket blew due to defective engine block at 69,000 miles, confirmed by mechanic.

Original code displayed was for a misfire on cylinder 5. Vehicle wouldn’t start and we had it towed to a Chrysler dealership for a diagnostic. Dealership stated it had a cracked head gasket. Based on research this is a common problem among Chrysler Pacificas where it’s specifically happening on cylinder 5. Regular maintenance has been done and prior to the issue it idled roughly. The next morning the vehicle wouldn’t start.

On our 2018 Pacifica the head gasket is blown. This seems to be a very common issue with the 2018 model that Chrysler won't address. No one was harmed. The problem was confirmed by our independent mechanic. No it has not been inspected by anyone other than the independent mechanic. The check engine light came on after a rough start, coolant level started to go down, and white smoke from the exhaust. There are many complaints and many forums with Pacifica owners needing to foot the bill for these repairs. There is specifically something wrong with this engine from this time frame. Thank you.

The vehicle stalls while driving without any notice. This van has a start/stop function and it malfunctions. There are two separate batteries that control this function and both of them have been replaced. The entire steering rack and steering column have had to be replaced. The front suspension has also had to be replaced because the tires wear out very quickly. The alternator, radiator, and motor mounts have also had to be replaced. The van is available for inspection. At the moment the vehicle will not start and I have been advised that it needs a new starter. This vehicle is a safety risk and it puts others at risk as well. These problems have been diagnosed and confirmed by at least three different service centers including a Chrysler dealership. I generally do not get any warning lamps, messages, or symptoms when the van stalls.

While driving, the Pacifica lost all engine power in the middle of an intersection while traveling at 34 mph. All the dash lights blinked and sounded alerts. The car then showed u1267 and u0416 diagnostic codes.

Absolutely, jenna — here’s a more natural, human-sounding version of your NHTSA report draft: --- vehicle issue report: Chrysler Pacifica I’m reporting ongoing issues with my Chrysler Pacifica that I believe could be safety-related: clunking sound: the vehicle makes a clunking noise when shifting gears. Steering stickiness: the steering doesn’t always respond smoothly — it occasionally sticks when turning. This makes the car go wider than intended during turns and lane changes, which feels unsafe. I’m concerned they may point to a larger mechanical issue and could affect driver control. I’d appreciate it if NHTSA could look into whether this is part of a known defect or something that needs further investigation.

As of late of September 2025, our vehicle had approximately 59,000 on the odometer. Around that time, the check engine light turned on. A few days later, white smoke began emitting from the exhaust. On September 27, 2025, the vehicle failed to start entirely. We had the car towed to brooklyn Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram (cdjr) for inspection and repair. The dealership performed a diagnostic check and provided the report on October 13, 2025, indicating that the issue was due to a failed head gasket. The repair's cost is $8,711. 56.

The engine failed at 104,000 miles despite proper maintenance. The vehicle is used by my wife and three children, and the engine unexpectedly experienced a head gasket failure while on the highway, with no prior warning except for a known issue acknowledged by Chrysler. I am now faced with the costly repair of replacing the engine. As a family relying on this vehicle for daily needs, including school and work commitments, I am disappointed that such issues persist in this model despite widespread reports of similar problems.

I have written about repeated issues with auto start/stop on this vehicle. Prior dealers have not been able to isolate the problem. Some of the problems seem to mimic a much earlier issue that went to court but did not happen during the timeframe of the class action suit. The prior submission to NHTSA was with this tracking number: 11681967 . I am now submitting repair information that aligns with my complaint of the auto/start stop on this vehicle. I am submitting this because it helps to support my earlier submission. Thank you.

Blown head gasket (cylinder 3 misfire) after having 2018 Chrysler Pacifica touring l serviced at Chrysler dealership, technicians found small leak coming from oil/coolant filter housing unit. Part was replaced and few days later vehicle had a misfire and had flashing check engine light (cel). Car was towed to dealership, technicians said code seen was p0303 (cylinder 3 misfire). Tech, replaced ignition coil for cylinder 3 and cleared codes. Two days later on start up, p0303 (cylinder 3 misfire) came back with cel. Tech cleared codes and could not re-create cel again. Two days later p0303 came back. Technicians performed more diagnostics and confirmed blown head gasket. This seems to be a very prominent issue with 2017-2018 Pacificas, more notably cylinders 1, 3, & 5. The catalytic converter sits above the firewall cylinder bank and possibly is causing this possible engine failure due to excessive heat and poor heat dissipation capability over time. If not caught quickly, coolant can leak into cylinder affected and then overheat engine causing irreversible damage. This situation can also create a very hazardous situation if driving into speeding traffic from a turn and engine misfires, my vehicle could be rear ended if acceleration does not happen quickly enough.

While slowing to a stop at a traffic light, the engine stalled unexpectedly. The start/stop system did not restart the engine when I released the brake pedal. Accessories (radio, lights, etc. ) remained powered, but I could not shift the vehicle into neutral. After approximately 20 minutes, I was able to restart the engine; however, the transmission remained unresponsive and the engine could not be shut off using the ignition button. I was unable to shift to neutral or turn the steering wheel. Message on dash indicated shifter module required service, and indicated that the vehicle was not in park when attempting to turn off vehicle. The vehicle was only turned off by disconnecting the 12-volt battery. The vehicle was towed to a Chrysler dealership and diagnostics completed, showing error codes with the shift module. They were unable to recreate the problem and advised replacing the shift module. When inquiring about recall v53, the dealership service department indicated that this recall had been repaired on the vehicle in 2020. These symptoms match those described in Chrysler recall v53 (NHTSA campaign 19v-348) for 2017–2019 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles equipped with start/stop systems, which involves a loose battery ground connection. My VIN is not currently listed in the recall as it was reportedly corrected in 2020, but the issue created a hazardous situation by stalling in traffic, disabling shifting, and preventing engine shutdown. This could have resulted in a crash if traffic conditions were different. Please investigate whether additional 2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles not currently included in recall v53 should be covered or if this is a recurring safety issue with the engine start-stop (ess) on 2017-2019 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles.

Check engine light came on the day after the automatic start/stop light came on. Engine code read cylinder 4 misfire. We switched all the spark plugs and changed the cylinder 4. A couple days later check engine light came back on brought the vechile into bergstrum. They put in a name brand cylinder 4 plug and spark plug, 2 weeks later the light came back on, same exact issue. They are now claiming it’s an engine issue potentially. Sounds like this is a big problem for 2018 Chrysler Pacificas.

This vehicle experience is intermittent installing or fails to restart after the engine shut down I verified there are currently no open recalls and I believe this may be related to a known pcm or emissions related issue.

Auto start/stop alarm displays in dash. Have taken it to two different dealerships and they say they can find no problem. They car hesitates when stepping on the gas. There have been incidences when the car stalls all together. We have now noticed that the issue is more prominent when the weather temperature is hot like over 90 degrees but especially if the temperature is over 100 degrees. Also just recently within past few weeks the car will stall but keeps going though you cannot accelerate, however, you do not lose steering ability. You have to pull off the road and shut the car down and restart it and then all components work properly. Again this is happening when weather temperatures run high. This has been an issue last year as well. I called Chrysler and got a star case # 91330213 but then we stopped having the problem. Most likely because it got cooler but we are having issues again this year now. What is interesting is that the dealerships say they cannot find any code being set off because at times the auto start/stop alarm will reset and then they say they do not see an issue. Yet we know there has been an issue & continues to be an issue.

Head gasket failure at a 107,000 miles.

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that there was no coolant in the coolant reservoir. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who indicated that a coolant pressure test was needed. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the front and rear head gaskets needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 51,000.

On Thursday, July 3, we were on our way out of town and had just gotten on a highway when I smelled something burning, saw smoke (we thought was steam at the time) coming from the hood and heard the engine making a grinding, or rattling noise so we pulled over immediately. My husband got out of the car to start to take a look when another vehicle who had just passed us backed up and motioned frantically saying “your car is on fire!” so we got out and looked under the front of the car and sure enough, there was liquid spilling onto the ground and fire coming from underneath. So we quickly got away from the car and called 911. Another gentleman who had been going west also stopped to make sure everyone was okay and was also calling 911. Within 10-14 minutes the front of the car was totally engulfed in flames.

The transmission kicks into 2nd gear at times and it feels like I've been rear ended. Also sometimes when that happens the car will accelerate on it's own, I am surprised that I haven't hit anything or anybody when that happens. And other times it will cut out altogether and loses power. This is definitely a safety issue. I can't understand why Chrysler will not do anything about this issue. It can be very dangerous. This has been going on for the 4 years that I have had the van.

Coolant leak in cylinder 3 due to faulty head gasket. Based on the blogs, this is an issue with all Pacifica not just 2018. This requires a full engine replacement which most families cannot afford nor afford to replace the vehicle. If we keep driving it with this issue it becomes a safety issue. Quote is an $11,000 repair.

Vehicle engine shuts off while driving down the road. Will start up after a few minutes. Traction control light and auto start stop light will come on. Random right wheel noise will come and go. Have had multiple mechanic shops check vehicle with no findings. Vehicle loses all power when shuts down.

Recurrent intermittent power steering failure and intermittent engine stall. Steering wheel gets stuck when turning right while driving at speed on highway. Steering wheel gets very heavy and requires some force to get it back to center. If I let go of the steering wheel, it would stay in the same position until I move it back. When driving at slower speeds, usually when navigating around turns or roundabouts, the engine will stall and then drastically jolt into gear. Two different mechanics have not been able to identify the root cause. They have checked alignment, electrical codes, and other potential issues without any answers. After research, I believe I am experiencing similar issues as detailed in the safety recall v53 / NHTSA 19v-348 power steering assist. My VIN was not included in the recall , but I believe my car is showing similar concerns. I have requested a local Chrysler dealer look into this issue specifically and I have an upcoming appointment.

Check engine light and auto start/stop function stopped while vehicle began to run rough and slow approximately one week ago on my way home from work. Barely accelerated to 25 on my way home. Nearly got hit as it did happen in traffic. Took it to auto outlet service yard for diagnostic purposes. Mechanic stated blown head gasket and needs new motor estimate 4500 dollars only had vehicle 6 months get oil change regularly, drive to and from work and school only.

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was a misfire in cylinder #3. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 105,769.

The oil filter housing was poorly designed and leaks on virtually every one of these vehicles.   thus causing engine failure and breakdown which may lead to potential serious harm to travelers as our family suffered.   after more than a year of research talking to mechanics and Chrysler owners and service personnel, I have come to aa clear understanding:  this oil filter housing should have been recalled.   subsequently,  in later models engineers changed the oil housing manufacturing from a plastic to metal application, to a metal to metal application.   simply put, the expansion ratios of metal and plastic are measurably different,  thus the ofh leaks with time due to heat and cold temperature  fluctuations. Our breakdown happened on [xxx] and I have been talking to Chrysler and there personnel since that time, with no help. This is a dangerous over sight! there is much more to this story that I will disclose upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Head gasket needing replacement due to cylinder 5 misfire at 7 years/55,000 miles. This appears to be a defect in the engine for this year and 2019 year. I am willing to be a named defendant if there is an opportunity to go after Chrysler for this as they are offering no assistance for this known defective engine.

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, with a misfire coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the cam shaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

The oil filter housing adapter is made of plastic. They frequently break and mix the coolant and oil, leak oil out of the system and into the heads. This is a known problem and engineering solution of an aluminum housing has been made. They should recall this part and replace or reimburse for people who have had to do this already.