Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Chrysler Pacifica - part 1

As I was leaving the gas station the check engine light flashed on and off then the car was like turning on and off fast and a loud clunk sound and the fuel pump module exploded gas sprayed all over the gas station. Huge fire hazard and the car began to smoke vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic fuel system failure involving fire risk and loss of propulsion. The incident occurred without warning and created a serious safety hazard to occupants and surrounding traffic. This vehicle is a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. Similar failures involving fuel system and hybrid control logic have been widely reported. The manufacturer was contacted but declined to properly document the safety incident. This failure is not consistent with normal wear and tear and represents a potential safety defect. Key details to include when submitting online: - sudden loss of propulsion - fire risk / fuel involvement - hybrid system interaction - manufacturer declined to document incident.

See all problems of the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

On January 14, 2026 while driving on highway fast lane warning light came on that engine was going to shut off and withing a few minutes it did. I managed to pull over off the freeway before engine completely shut off. Turned everything off and waited about five minutes and turned car back on. Car ran with engine warning lights on. Took it to carl burger Dodge but they could not check in the car due to an abundance of work. Asked that I make an appointment later. On January 26, 2026 while driving on the highway same thing happened, warning light came on that engine was going to shut off, pulled over from fast lane to side of busy highway and stopped. Turned everything off and waited for about five minutes and started car again with car warning lights on. Drove it that day. Later in the day parked car at a shopping mall and turned car off. When I returned to turn car on warning light came on that engine was shut down. Turned everything off and waited for about five minutes and turned car back on, it drove with engine warning lights on. On January 29, 2026 took car to carl burger Dodge and left it there for evaluation and repairs. Question, has there been any recalls or fixes relating to alleged problem an internal transmission wiring connector that may short and can cause the car to shut off? an issue NHTSA had previously identified as a problem.

See all problems of the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

At 9,000 miles the check engine light came on. We took the van to the dealership and there was metal in the engine and the engine needs to be replaced.

See all problems of the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

This has been ever since I got my van. Sometime when I drive my lights come on and it goes into limp mode. Most of the time. When I start my van my lights will turn on. I have to turn my car off . Then start again to get my van riding correctly. The other day I was making a u-turn and my engine stalled and I was almost hit by a truck.

See all problems of the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

I am reporting a safety defect involving my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. The vehicle experiences repeated hybrid system failures, including “system charging” errors, rapid battery depletion from full to zero within minutes, and vehicle stalling. These failures have occurred multiple times, even after dealership repair attempts. The vehicle has stalled and been towed more than once, most recently on September 26, 2025. Now, today, January 20, 2026, the vehicle has once again stalled and will have to be towed for the third time since purchasing in August 2024. This has left us stranded once again. This is a serious safety concern, especially given the risk of stalling while driving. I transport elderly family members and depend on this vehicle for medical appointments. I am requesting NHTSA document this issue and review whether this represents a broader safety defect.

On [xxx] while driving my vehicle on the fast lane of the freeway the warning came on that the vehicle was going to shut down soon. I was able to pull over to the slow lane and immediately exit the freeway and as I was exiting the freeway the vehicle completely shut down. I was able to move the car to park in a safe area on the street with what little power it had. Shut the vehicle down and contemplated what to do. I waited for a few minutes and then turned the engine on and it drove but the orange engine light was still on. I slowly drove it to the carl burger Dodge dealership in la mesa, CA using side streets, avoiding the freeway, approximately 10 miles distance. They would not take my car in for service due to their back log and asked for I to make an appointment which would likely be around two to three weeks away or take it to another dealer that may look at my car sooner. Hesitant, I slowly drove my car to my residence again using only side streets, a distance of about 20 miles. Made it safely but the orange engine light was still on. I have had recall repairs on this vehicle previously. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Red turtle symbol, vehicle going to shut down, indicates issue sensing power from the hybrid drivetrain.

See all problems of the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

The vehicle was running fine when it suddenly shut down while driving. It was started back up 3 times before it would not start again. It was towed. We were told the two batteries needed to be replaced so we had it towed to midas because they had recently changed the auxiliary battery so it was under warranty. They replaced they replaced thr batteries but when they went to started up, thr engine started knocking and wouldn't start up again. Tr engine needs to be replaced.

See all problems of the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

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.

The contact owns a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized in the middle of the road. The contact stated that there was no power to the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred close to the residence, and there was not a lot of traffic. The driver was able to exit the vehicle and get to a safe area. The contact's brother-in-law was contacted for assistance; however, the driver became impatient waiting for assistance. The driver attempted to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle started. The help arrived, disconnected and reconnected the battery cables, and the vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer; however, the dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that a recall was issued, but for hybrid vehicles. In addition, the contact referenced an open investigation for the failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice within two weeks. Additionally, the warning light that the “auto start/stop unavailable” had remained illuminated since August 2025. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000. The VIN was unavailable.

See all problems of the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

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.

While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-right lane at the time of the incident. A notification message appeared on the dashboard screen (likely the "stop safely" or "service hybrid system" warning); however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the severity of the issue before power was lost. The failure rendered the vehicle unable to accelerate, creating a severe safety hazard. I was forced to navigate to the shoulder and stop for the vehicle to reset and allow me to reach the exit while the vehicle was effectively crippled, moving at speeds under 10 mph amidst highway-speed traffic. I was eventually able to exit the freeway at this reduced speed. This was the third and fourth time issue had occurred. This happened immediately after leaving the dealership to resolve this exact issue and was told that the vehicle was safe to drive again.

While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-left passing lane at the time of the incident. A notification message appeared on the dashboard screen (likely the "stop safely" or "service hybrid system" warning); however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the severity of the issue before power was lost. The failure rendered the vehicle unable to accelerate, creating a severe safety hazard. I was forced to navigate from the far-left lane across multiple lanes of traffic to reach the exit while the vehicle was effectively crippled, moving at speeds under 10 mph amidst highway-speed traffic. I was eventually able to exit the freeway at this reduced speed. This was the second time this issue had occurred. The previous check engine light had cleared on its own and I assumed the vehicle was safe to drive.

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

See all problems of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

While driving off from an intersection, the van abruptly stalled forcing other cars to honk at me as I rolled from 45 mph to a stop at a curb. 5 minutes of panic, the van restarted and I was on my way home with no further issues.

The contact owns a 2026 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving 5-10 mph, the brakes locked up. The contact stated that the parking brake unexpectedly engaged and failed to release. The driver’s side rear wheel locked up. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving in the driveway, the brakes locked up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer again, where the abs module was replaced. Additionally, there was an engine malfunction, and the battery was recharged. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The contact requested a vehicle buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

While driving 75mph, the vehicle shut down with a message to pull over. All acceleration was lost. We had to navigate, without warning, across 3 lanes of traffic to pull over on the right side of the highway. This was extremely unsafe as we were slowing down and essentially cutting off other vehicles who were honking at us as this was a traffic hazard. All 6 members of my family were in the vehicle. We had this happen another 3 times before arriving home. I took it to my local dealer, who could not replicate it. They performed a software update, which I have since learned would never fix this problem. We had it happen to us 5 more times, so I took it to another dealership, who initially could not replicate it. In all cases, we had the following check engine light codes be triggered. I have screen shots of them from my personal obdii reader: p0a43 "drive motor 'a' position sensor circuit intermittent", c2225 "status: mil - pcm disabled edu: no sub type information". After doing my own reading, it seemed many others have experienced the exact same symptoms and it has required a transmission repair/replace. I also learned most people had a battery charge on the high voltage battery (as this is a plug-in hybrid) when the vehicle shuts down. I charged my van, took it for a ride at 75mph and it occurred within the first mile. I took it back to the dealership, and at this point, I refuse to drive it until the hardware fix happens. It seems like this should be a recall for all vehicles that can have this problem. It is extremely unsafe as it occurs at 70mph+ speeds.

I was driving the vehicle as normal when all of a sudden a message appeared and the engine shut down. The message was "stop safely vehicle will shut off soon". It brought my speed down to 10 mph and I had to pull off the side of the road. This is now the 3rd time it has happened. We have brought it into the dealership previously and both times they said that they were not able to find the issue and since the message went away, we could proceed with driving the vehicle as normal. I have 3 little kids and we often drive on the highway and I no longer feel safe in my car. I know there is an open investigation for model years 2017-2023, but unfortunately ours is a 2024 so is not in that investigation.

See all problems of the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica 🔎.

As I began driving errors popped up engine failure, electrical system and hybrid system errors, the gas pedal would not move beyond 10 miles per hour, the brakes made a weird noise as if were trying to start the car. This happened with no warning.

The charging system light came on. My wife went to charge at public charging station due to being close to one. After plugging in the van, it said charging failed. She unplugged the charged went to back up and the van died. Had to have it towed to dealer. Dealer states even though the van is in the warranty period, the idcm which is up under the van is scuffed and therefore isn’t warrantied. They said there is a big dent in the muffler also so we must have ran over something and caused the damage even though we live in a city with paved streets, a subdivision with paved streets, and have a concrete driveway at our home. They said they have sent me emails with the pictures which I have yet to recieve. I went to the dealer and asked them to jack up my van so I can see the damage personally and they don’t have a lift available at the time, so I told them I would be back in town at a certain time from work and to call me so I could see it and they have yet to show me the scuffed idcm module or the dented muffler. We haven’t run over anything to cause this kind of damage to a module like this because all the hybrid batteries are under the van. If the Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is so cheaply made for a $62,000 vehicle that something can “scuff” a module housing and shut a vehicle down, this is potentially very dangerous if someone were driving on the highway if it were to shutdown and someone (including myself or any of my family) were driving and lose all propulsion and steering (because it’s electric steering) or worse braking! it could be catastrophic with people dying. This needs to be investigated to see how fragile this component is and if they need to “toughen” it up or re-locate it. Versus trying to get by and get around paying warranty claims or hoping nothing happens until the units break down after the warranty period not knowing of the safety hazard they have created for their vehicle owners and the driving public.

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.

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.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica at 70k miles, check engine light came on. After engine warm up, engine starts to rough idle. Diagnosis is misfire on cylinder 2 (code p0302). In addition, vehicle voltage fluctuates in gage cluster between 12-14 volts. No issue until engine is warm and no issue above idle or with load. Injectors were checked and fine, coils and leads were replaced. Fix did not work. Took to Chrysler dealership for addition diagnosis. Dealership diagnosis is cylinder head warpage due to overheating. Single owner of vehicle, regularly maintained and with no “low coolant” engine light.

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

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.

While driving down the highway at 70 miles per hour ater driving 2. 5 hours our 2021 Pacifica hybrid minivan flashed a warning on the vehicles display saying approximately "warning engine shutting down". The engine immediately shut down in the middle of the highway and we were forced to coast off the highway to the shoulder. The engine warning light came on. We turned the car off for a few minutes and proceeded to start the engine. The engine warning light was still on, but the other message was gone. We attempted to drive towards our destination and approximately 30 minutes later the same thing happened again. We tried one more time since we were several hours from home and within 30 minutes the vehicle had the same issue. At that point we decided to try to get home. We drove the vehicle 15-20 mins at a time and then exited the highway over and over giving the vehicle time turned off. After returning home with no additional events the engine warning light went off the next warning. This was on a Sunday so we were unable to get it to a dealer. The next day we dropped off the vehicle at nappletom Chrysler dealership. The called us the next day and told us they could not cause the event to happen again. They could see a set of error codes showing the problem occurred, but told us there was nothing they could do and it was up to us to cause the problem and then return the vehicle. Now I have a minivan with 70k miles on it that my wife primarily uses my with to get my daughter from place to place and I have no idea when this vehicle will shut the engine down at any time potentially causing a dangerous accident. I believe Chrysler has the responsibility to determine what the issue is. Researching on the internet show this is a common problem for my vehicle and typically requires a new transmission or and engine wiring short.

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

Oil leak from oil filter housing.

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.

We bought our brand-new Chrysler van in 2019. On [xxx] the oil filter housing needed to be replaced due to cheap manufacturing parts. It cost us $918. 78. In October of 2025, we were experiencing some shaking in our van. Upon investigation, it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket. The repair was estimated at $3000 - $4000. The mileage on our van was a little over 93,000 miles. We were meticulous with the maintenance of our van. This, according to Chrysler Pacifica owner online forums, is not uncommon. There is a general outrage at the obvious manufacturing error. Is there any class action lawsuit ongoing? is there any recourse available? Chrysler should pay out due to their shoddy work. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Engine shutdowns randomly while driving and it almost caused me to crash once on the highway and the other was while in my neighborhood to take my daughter to school.

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.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 35 mph and turning the steering wheel to the left or the right, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The power steering engaged and jerked the wheel to the left or the right of center. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000.