2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA Complaints

At 34k miles I’m being told the head gasket needs to be replaced and the car is out of warranty. This is unacceptable and refuse to pay the amount to fix for a vehicle that has that low of mileage. Coolant leaking with no visible leakage. Engine overheated on freeway with no explanation.

In Oct 2023 we purchased this van from a used dealership. Well now it sits at a Dodge dealership torn apart waiting on a new engine. It all started when my wife and kids were driving down the road in the middle of winter with no heat (safety issue especially in Wisconsin this time of year) so I took a look at coolant and noticed the coolant reservoir was empty. (Usually a leak somewhere obviously) nothing was on the ground, so time to assume internal leak. Well same day I get a cylinder 5 miss fire code. So I take vehicle into Dodge and they originally diagnosed as head gasket but when they took it apart they found the crack in the block. Now the vehicle had never overheated while we owned it we made sure of it. The story gets deep at this point there is evidence that someone before Dodge had this engine apart as they used RTV and reused the old gaskets ( probably cause they found the crack in the block) but now my wife and I sit with out the vehicle we bought 3 months earlier for 20k being told it's going to cost us 12k to replace engine. Now my complaint is why did this engine fail at 100,000? This is ridiculous. This is supposably a family vehicle and you are putting my family in danger. Dodge should let ok at this complaint seriously as I was reading hundreds of similar statements from other customers with 2018 Chrysler Pacifica 3.6L engine. There are most likely thousands of vehicles with this same issue as I'm on a waiting list to get an engine. So not only do I have to pay thousands to get my 3 month of ownership van back running but now I have to wait possibly months for a new engine.

Initial Symptoms: Auto-start/stop failed/tripped, plus excessive white exhaust smoke continuously exits (will not stop). Stopped driving vehicle ~26Nov2023. Problem 1: P0303 Solution 1: Ignition coil and spark plug replacements @ $905.17 (15Dec2023) Not Fixed: Error code is gone but white smoke persists. Problem 2: Chrysler tech found low coolant, traced to EGR cooler. Solution 2: Replaced EGR cooler @ $1,319.00 (05Jan2024) Not Fixed: Excessive white smoke still exits tailpipe and does not stop. Neither solution fixed the root cause. There is also an engine smoke smell in the cabin (we don't smoke). Potential Root Cause: Failed head gasket forcing coolant into the engine then burning out as white exhaust.

Driving along and the power steering stops and you can’t turn then it releases and then a little bit later it’ll do it again so the power steering comes back-and-forth but I feel it’s a hazard

Misfire on engine that was cause stall and later on could caused over heating. This is a known issue for this manufacture and needs be resolved before someone is hurt or killed Code was p303 and now I need 1000's in repairs out of my pocket Right now believe to be head gasket but damage could be worse. Yall need to google this issue for yourselves and help protect lives

My vehicle lost the ability to accelerate when driving on a busy two-lane street. I was able to coast to the side of the road, but the vehicle would not move forward or backward even though the engine was running. This was the fifth time this condition has occurred, and I had the 03A Loss of Motive Power recall service performed during Summer 2023. The vehicle had to be towed - luckily nobody was directly behind us so an accident did not occur. The vehicle is currently being evaluated by the dealership for further repair. The check engine light is illuminated, but no other warning lights are illuminated at this time.

In the past 6 months, we have noticed 2 seat belts with tears in them. One of the seat belts was not even being used as a car seat using the latch system had been in that seat. The first was noticed August 2023 and we just noticed another tear affecting a different seat belt January 2024. We replaced the first and are scheduling the 2nd for replacement.

Last year, a head gasket failed causing coolant to leak into the cylinder head that resulted in misfires and overheating. This resulted in engine block failure and a required a total engine replacement.

The van continues to accelerate when I'm braking. This has happened 4 times after an hour or two of driving the freeway. As we were exiting the car continued to Rev up as we applied the brakes. Thank God the light was green. Another time I tried to park and as I was braking the car was accelerating. I had to quickly put it in park position. The van is in the shop, Hunter Dodge, now and they ran a diagnostic test and failed to find a problem.

Blown head casket at only 64000 miles. Engine light on and antifreeze I’m told is leaking now. No warranty or recall with the 2018 Pacifica but there is for the same issue with the 2017.