2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA Complaints

I am experiencing the issue that was widely reported in the news on 9/8/2025. The steering starts to stick when the wheels are turned on gentle curved. This happens after about 1 hour of driving, and it most likely to happen between 45mph-65mph. Car has approximately 58,0000 miles on the odometer. This is a massive safety issue, a driver should not have to fight the steering wheel to maintain control of the car. Problem has not bee reproduced by mechanic or dealer. No warning lights come on during the event.

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.

After safety recall 73B was performed on my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid on 11/24/25, the vehicle's check engine light illuminated. Code U0412 is identified as a 'stored' code upon pulling OBD information. This is described as "Invalid Data Received From Battery Energy Control Module 'A'" indicating failure of the high voltage battery pack and its control system. The HV battery is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others are at risk because the recall was issued to prevent a battery fire. The symptoms my vehicle is exhibiting are precisely the kinds of faults the recall's software update is supposed to detect. The check engine light, appeared within days of the recall service. This strongly indicates the recall procedure, specifically the mandatory battery integrity test, was not completed correctly, and/or that there is a failure in the underlying recall procedure itself. This is a widespread issue, with numerous owners reporting the same post-recall failures to their dealership, online, and to Chrysler Cares customer service without satisfactory resolution.

Steering sometimes catches momentarily at the 1 o'clock and 11 o'clock positions. Seems most common during turns at highway speeds. Been monitoring intermittent occurrences for about a year. On 11/26/2025, it occurred several times in close succession while making gradual turns going 35 to 40 mph.

Head gasket failure number two cylinder created Hydro lock and destroyed motor 105K miles

This letter concerns repeated and life-threatening failures involving the transmission system in my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (CA License Plate: 8CEF638, VIN: 2C4RC1N79JR172609), covered under your lifetime transmission warranty for this model. Following two confirmed incidents resulting in unexpected engine shutdowns and critical transmission faults, I am formally demanding a full replacement of the faulty transmission assembly as required under California lemon laws and the issued lifetime warranty extension. Summary of Incidents & Reference to NHTSA Action NHTSA Action Number: RQ24004 pertains specifically to transmission wiring defects, resulting in short circuits and loss of motive power. The recall remedy under Campaign Number 23V-010 has proven inadequate for many 2017–2023 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles. NHTSA’s current recall query documents continued transmission failures after owner reports and software updates. Case Number: XXX was opened with Chrysler in response to my experiences, and reflects ongoing safety risks with this transmission. Incident 1 Date/Location: Sunday, September 1, 2025, 5:00 PM — Southbound I-5 near Downey, CA. Description: Sudden vehicle shutoff at highway speeds. Immediate hazard required emergency calls and intervention. Exhibit 1: Call log to Chrysler Downey at 5:07 PM included. Incident 2 Date/Location: Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 2:20 PM — Northbound I-5, Via De Lavalle exit off-ramp. Description: Dashboard warning ("Stop Safely, Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon") and loss of motive power. Towing, police, and emergency assistance required. Exhibit 2: Image of dashboard warning. Exhibit 3: Phone log of AAA towing, Delmar Police, and Sheriff calls, confirming duration and response. Warranty Information As a California owner of a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, your published material and user communications confirm a lifetime warranty for the transmission on this specific model, following NHSTA RQ24004

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.

Vehicle was put into reverse and did not stop, it hit a pole. Then the driver tried to put in drive to get it off of the pole and it accelerated quickly and the driver could not stop the vehicle. There was little time to react as it hit the side of a building and airbags deployed. Driver stated that the car accelerated on it's own once it was put into gear.

This van is a 2018 modified with a handicap accessible rear ramp. We purchased this van in 2021 and since it has spent 6 months the first time at the shop then it was at our facility totally not running for another 6 months we paid 400 dollars to tow it to a dealership they replaced the transmission it ran for 2 months and now doesn’t start it’s in limp mode and when it does start and run when your driving it loses all power suddenly. We have only put 3800 miles on this van in the time we’ve had it and we owe over 25,000 still on it. Nobody can figure out what’s wrong with it but we are very small residential care facility and we are unable to transport residents because we have a broken van that we still pay for do we can’t purchase another one.

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