Power Train Problems of Chrysler Pacifica - part 1

In reference to recall query rq24004, the appropriate software was installed under recall o3a for loss of motive power on my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid. However, on multiple occasions the vehicle has displayed "stop safely - vehicle will shut off soon". Once on 6apr2026 and again on 13mar2026. The first occasion occurred on a winding mountain road enroute to a ski hill. The road was extremely busy at the time and pulling off was difficult and dangerous with only a small snow covered shoulder. The second occasion occurred on I-15 during rush hour. Again pulling across multiple lanes of traffic and stopping along the shoulder was dangerous. The dealer seems reluctant to do anything other than re-flash I. E. Update the software again. A brief internet search demonstrates that often the software is insufficient to fix the problem.

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Vehicle randomly shuts off in ev or ice mode usually when driving on highway at 60-70 mph; warning comes of “vehicle will shut off soon” check engine light and limp mode; eventually power goes off and steering also stiffens ; this happed multiple times, but the check engine like didn’t stay on long enough for the dealership to be able to read it! so I was give the vehicle back then the same thing happed over again! very unsafe to drive, not feeling comfortable to drive!.

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Lost power. System said to pull over immediately. Error code p0a43.

I was traveling on the freeway at approximately 65 miles per hour. I slowed to approximately 50 miles per hour to pass a disabled vehicle and began accelerating again when the dash displayed a message that said "stop safely- vehicle will shut off soon" the check engine light, a red turtle light also lit up. I had to make a quick maneuver to the far right lane putting myself and other vehicles at risk to avoid the car shutting down in the middle of the freeway. I wanted to get closer to an exit so I continued driving slowly on the shoulder. The wouldn’t accelerate, so whatever speed I let it get down to was the fastest it would go. At the exit I was concerned I wouldn’t have enough power to make it up the hill so I shut off the car. I let it sit for a couple of minutes and then turned it back on. It turned on with the check engine light still on . I then drove it straight to the dealership using surface streets and keeping my speed around 40-45 miles per hour. This was the second time this vehicle has experience this kind of loss of power. The first time happened in July 2024 and resulted in a full transmission replacement. This incident constitutes a dangerous loss of motive power at highway speeds. The failure mode appears identical to the issues described in NHTSA safety recall 23v-010 (Chrysler recall 03a), yet this vehicle has already had a full transmission replacement for this exact issue in the past.

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The auto start/stop malfunctioned and then the engine sounded like it was going to die. It is available to look at. I thought it was going to stop in the middle of the road. Unknown unknown the auto start stop light came on and said it was unavailable. They just first appeared today. And the engine light is on.

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I purchased this car new on December 31, 2024. I have owned it for less than 16 months, and in that time, we have had an issue occur at least 5 times where we get an alert on the screen that says, "stop safely vehicle will shut off soon". Less than 20 seconds later, the car completely dies. On each of the 5 instances, we were lucky to be going relatively slow and were in a safe place with a shoulder to pull over on. The vehicle was able to be turned back on within a few minutes. The check engine light came on momentarily, but would shut off before we were able to get the codes read. We brought this to the attention of herb chambers Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram fiat of danvers (not where we bought the car, but the closest Chrysler dealership for maintenance) and they were unable to provide any help. They said they have never seen this, and since they couldn't get any codes, they didn't know what was going on. My research informs me that this is a known issue, so I'm disappointed that they didn't know about this. I am also terrified to drive my young children in this car, in fear that this will happen again when we aren't able to safety stop. I will provide details for the most recent time that this occurred, but I haven't previously reported the other occurrences.

The van has just approx 55000 miles. While driving on highway, it suddenly lost power and from 60mph it came down to 20 miles in a matter of few seconds after few violent jerks. I was lucky that no vehicle was behind me. After that I pulled a side and then again started. It kept jerking and loosing power. Very carefully I got it to a mechanic. They are checking but they say looks like transmission issues. Engine light also came on. This happened few months ago however it was not this bad and my mechanic looked and he could not find anything. That problem went away after that incident. Kindly advise what to do in this situation. Chrysler Pacifica 2018 this van has lots of problems in other crucial area also like air fender switch, oil hose and cover that went bad as they are made of plastic. Then the trans mounts broke. It costed me dearly. Please advice what to do? best regards [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

2018 Chrysler Pacifica phev subject to safety recall 73b (NHTSA 24v-536) for hv battery fire risk. Following the recall repair at fremont cdjr (newark, CA) in January-February 2025, this vehicle has experienced systematic cascading hybrid drivetrain failures across 5 repair visits totaling 57 days out of service: (1) can bus star connector failure — 10 modules with fault codes u0103/u0001; (2) hybrid control processor failure — required 14 flash attempts to program; (3) $1,786. 67 repair failed within 23 miles — cel and brake warning light appeared simultaneously; (4) complete transmission removal required to replace auxiliary transmission fluid pump (dtc p2797-00); (5) power inverter module replacement still pending. Vehicle also disabled itself completely while driving prior to March 2026, requiring 30 minutes rest before it could be driven. All failed components are part of the integrated hybrid drivetrain disturbed during the recall repair. Request investigation into whether recall 73b repairs are being performed correctly at authorized fca dealers and whether other owners are experiencing similar post-recall failures.

I encountered two incidents of the same type. One was on Friday, March 27, 2026, the same day I picked up the vehicle from a local Chrysler dealership, where software updates and issues related to recalls were supposedly completed. The vehicle was at 38% battery level at the time of pick up from the dealership parking lot. After driving it for about 14 miles, the battery level depleted to <1% and that's when the "stop safety. Vehicle will shut off soon" displayed on the dashboard. I slowly drove for less than a minute and parked the vehicle and turned it off. Then restarted and drove for less than two minutes, but again the same warning ("stop safety. Vehicle will shut off soon") displayed; I turned it off again. After taking a few minutes break, I restarted it and it was showing 1% battery; it gave me a little distance to travel until unfortunately the same warning displays. Fortunately, this time I was close to a place where I can charge the battery. The battery got charged to 100%, partly on the night of March 27th and the remaining in the morning on March 28th. The second incident was on March 29, 2026, on Sunday afternoon. As soon as the battery level reached <1%, the exact the same warning ("stop safety. Vehicle will shut off soon") was displayed. I slowly drove the vehicle to the side of the road and called my insurance company; I reported the issue and requested them to tow the vehicle to a nearby Chrysler dealership. As of now, the vehicle is at the dealership parking waiting for diagnosis. Based on my initial conversation with the customer service person, they don't know if this is considered part of any recall or not. Not only was I stranded on the road because of the above incidents, not having the vehicle at the moment is straining me a lot - trying to handle personal and work schedules.

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Incident: while driving at highway speeds (65–75 mph), the vehicle issues imminent-shutdown warnings, the reduced-power (‘turtle’) light and check engine light illuminate, and the vehicle loses motive power. The driver must pull over to the freeway shoulder immediately and restart the vehicle. The condition is intermittent, occurs after cold starts, and sometimes with cruise control engaged. Safety risk: sudden loss of motive power at 65–75 mph without warning creates extreme crash risk. This is the exact risk stated in the recall notice. The software-only remedy appears insufficient. Fca’s own warranty extension campaign xe1 — covering transmission replacement at unlimited years/unlimited mileage — suggests fca is aware the software fix may not be adequate. Requested action: please investigate whether the recall remedy is adequate or whether physical transmission replacement is required. This vehicle has been documented experiencing the recalled defect seven times after the recall repair was completed.

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).

While driving the car is unable to switch gears from d to l gear and has no power to accerlerate up hill.

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While I was driving the car started beeping and all dashboard lights started flickering. Transmission started stuttering and engine rpm fluctuating wildly. Fortunately I was in my neighborhood and was only going about 15 mph and was able to pull to a stop. The issue is with a faulty star bus connection near the glove box. After watching a you tube on the same issue, I learned to hit the area near the glove box to reset the star bus connection. This has happened before but usually on startup. Dealer not able to repair after $1600 charge. This is the first time it happened while in motion. Again. Seems to be a common enough issue that there are several you tube videos with thousands of views.

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.

Have lost power steering intermittently while driving.

While driving vehicle suddenly, and randomly, has a loss of engine response whole pressing the accelerator. Engine randomly shuts off while parked or at a traffic light, and can be difficult to restart after causing a traffic hazard.

The vehicle has no power going up hills or accelerating and just stops and doesn't move. To get the car to move again you have to turn the car off and back on. Even if you put the car in l it can still just go back in regular drive on its own an cut out with no acceleration.

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica experienced repeated engine timing and oil system failures. The vehicle first developed a check engine light and engine timing code (p000d – camshaft position slow response). The vehicle was inspected by a dealership service department. Shortly after, a major engine oil leak was discovered from the oil cooler / oil filter adapter assembly. The vehicle required repair of the oil cooler assembly and associated seals. After that repair, the vehicle continued to experience engine timing issues. The dealership later confirmed failure of the cam phaser components associated with the engine timing system and performed a repair. Within days of the repair, the check engine light and engine timing code returned again. The failure involves the engine valve timing system and oil pressure dependent components based on autozone code check. Improper camshaft timing can affect engine operation, cause loss of power, rough running, or possible engine stall while driving, which creates a safety risk in traffic. The issue has been inspected and confirmed by a dealership service department. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

Bad engine at 67,000 miles for a blown head gasket. Service records up to date,.

The start/stop system fails while car is running. Power not delivered appropriately resulting in check engine light coming on and entire car shaking. Only 62k miles. Started at 58k.

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Engine experienced premature valvetrain failure (camshaft/lifter issue) at approximately 145,000. Vehicle developed ticking noise, misfire, and loss of power. Diagnosis confirmed camshaft/lifter damage requiring major repair. This appears to be a known issue with the 3. 6l pentastar engine and is documented in Chrysler star case s2309000013. Failure creates potential safety concern due to loss of power while driving. Vehicle is out of warranty, and manufacturer has not provided consistent support for repair despite known pattern failures.

I was driving on the highway when an alarm sounded and warning message displayed: "stop safely, vehicle will shut off soon" at the same time, a turtle icon came on, along with the check engine light. I lost all power in the gas pedal. I pulled over, and after shutting my van down for a few minutes, I was able to turn it back on and get to my destination. However, the same exact issue happened on my way home. That time, I had to pull over -- still on the highway -- during rush hour and I did not feel safe as other cars zoomed by me. I often travel with my show dogs, which was my main reason for purchasing a new van. Naturally, I am concerned about their safety and well-being too. After this happened, I took my van -- which has less than 36,000 miles on it -- to my local dealership. They performed a software update and sent me home. I took my van on a "test ride" and the same alarm sounded and warning message displayed. I brought it back to the dealership and they investigated the problem further. I now have to replace the transmission -- a $7,000 repair -- on a van that is less than five years old with very low milage. I had no prior issues, odd noises, or warnings indicated by my van.

Chrysler Pacifica 2018 about 56000 miles. Transmission seal is leaking that’s manufacturing defect. Chrysler is denying the warranty as this vehicle in not in recall for repair. Please advice thanks [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

The contact owned a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while in reverse(r) and reversing into a parking spot, it was difficult to accelerate over a patch of ice. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle accelerated quickly and failed to stop while depressing the brake pedal and the vehicle drove through a fence and crashed into a brick building and stopped. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the u-connect phone feature disconnected independently. The failure had never occurred before. The contact stated that the u-connect failure might have been linked to the unintended acceleration failure. No injuries were sustained. A police report was not filed. The fence and a side of the brick building were damaged during the crash. The vehicle was initially towed to the residence before being towed to a collision center, where the vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.

Vehicle went into limp mode twice. 1st time on 10/28/24, technician found fault for hybrid battery pack, Chrysler technical service bulletin said to clear fault then drive, if fault did not come back release the vehicle work order stated, bring vehicle back if it happens again and replace hybrid battery. 2nd time, 2/06/2026 vehicle went into limp mode again while driving. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk as I was driving on a highway at 65 mph and suddenly without warning and no braking involved went down to 20 mph. A very unsafe maneuver as the following vehicles had no indication I was braking or slowing down. The dealer has confirmed the limp mode incident but so far has been unable reproduce it. The vehicle and components have only been inspected by the dealer. The warning lamps and messages only came on as the event unfolded. A sudden and uncontrollable loss of power. The dealer states that they believe the hybrid battery pack is failing, but Chrysler, stellantis will not replace the hybrid battery pack unless the dealer can reproduce the incident. Extremely dangerous thing to try and recreate.

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.

The contact owns a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped at a red light, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the transmission unexpectedly shifted from drive(d) to park(p) and the vehicle shut off. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated that the failure occurred once a week. The contact also stated that the battery had previously been replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that no cause of failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

I was driving my Pacifica, got the warning light telling me to pull over. The van lost power 3/4 way up a hill blocking traffic and had to get towed to the dealer, where it now awaiting a transmission rebuild. This is the 4th time this same van has died like this, including twice on the highway. Previous times when I brought to the dealer, they only updated software or told me there was nothing they could do.

My vehicle has been saying engine will shut off soon, and loses power . Transmission is the issue as I have had it diagnosed 3 times with the code p0a43. Mazda dealership which I purchased the vehicle verified by running a diagnostic. Engine light comes on after the vehicle shuts off. Me and my children’s safety is at risk due to it stopping multiple times on freeway also stopping at a stoplight that was around a curve with blind spot . Has stopped on a two lane road with no emergency lane. Stopped at another light and had to wave traffic around.

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.

Several times (6) received a "pull over safely" message while on interstate at 60-75 mph. In addition check engine light comes on. Have taken to dealership for service and after 7 weeks they still have not be able to fix. Vehicle is completely inoperable at this point and am getting no support from Chrysler.

Driving on the freeway vehicle suddenly enters limp mode with stop safely vehicle will shut off soon displayed. Transmission was replaced once already for this issue, a year later and I am experiencing the same thing. Very dangerous to lose all power while going 80mph in the third lane of a three row freeway and have to attempt to get all the way across lanes of traffic to safely stop while losing all power. Family vehicle loaded with kids. Has entered turtle mode 3x on the freeway after transmission was already replaced once. If I drive under 65mph it goes fine, but who wants to drive behind semis all the time on the freeway? untrustworthy vehicle.

The vehicle completely stopped and shut off while driving on the roadway. Luckily no one was behind me. The check engine light did come on right before but it wasn’t on long enough for me to get somewhere to stop and check it out. There had not been any issues prior to this. The vehicle is still being serviced but they said it was the 12v battery and electric coolant heater that needs replacing so far.

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.