2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA Complaints

After a curb impact, the vehicle immediately experienced a no-start condition. The failure appears to be collision-related electrical damage in wiring routed through the lowered-floor mobility-conversion area installed by BraunAbility. The vehicle was fully operational before the impact and became completely inoperable immediately afterward, with no warning lights or prior symptoms, creating a safety risk for mobility access. United Access (BraunAbility dealer) performed no diagnostic scan, no wiring inspection, and produced no documentation. They stated they could not identify the cause or access the wiring. Houston Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram produced no diagnostic findings. Their only record, a Multi-Point Inspection, showed no codes, no scan results, and no wiring notes, and incorrectly marked the visibly damaged left front tire as “OK.” The technician who completed the MPI left shortly afterward, and no further diagnostic work was done. The General Manager, Ben Nash, confirmed in writing that no repairs were performed and the diagnostic fee was waived. United Access reported that the dealership told them there were “two shorts in the wiring harness,” but this was only a verbal statement with no documentation, scan report, or technician notes, and no facility has been able to confirm it. An independent repair facility replaced the battery, but the vehicle still would not start. They reported that the wiring is extensive and non-standard due to the BraunAbility conversion and reached a wiring-complexity impasse. BraunAbility stated they conducted a “thorough review,” but provided no diagnostic evidence and relied entirely on undocumented verbal statements. The precise failure point cannot be confirmed because no facility could access or trace the conversion-zone wiring, but the sequence of events clearly indicates collision-related electrical damage. The vehicle remains in a no-start condition.

we've had to replace the engine. Twice and the electric power steering quit, working completely.And now they want five thousand dollars to replace it.When it's a known problem.

Vehicle lost power, steering, and breaks on the george washington bridge in NYC causing it to roll into the back of another vehicle.

Around October/November 2025, the vehicle began having intermittent steering issues that have progressively worsened. The steering wheel becomes stiff or feels stuck, and at times it jerks on its own before correcting. Other times I must pull harder to get it to respond, causing over-correction and difficulty maintaining my lane. This has happened at various speeds, including 65–70 mph on the interstate, and I nearly collided with another vehicle due to sudden loss of steering control. The vehicle also has ongoing electrical malfunctions. The center screen glitches, causing the heat/air settings to scroll on their own, the radio to constantly scan, and the touchscreen and knobs to stop responding. The navigation system shows incorrect locations, sometimes placing the vehicle in another state or in the ocean. The system has also made random phone calls on its own and has added a second call during an active call without input. During one incident while turning at an intersection, the vehicle lost power and shut off mid-turn. I coasted to the side of the road and restarted. At the same time, the screen blacked out and flickered, and the ignition button malfunctioned. No warning lights appeared. The battery has died multiple times and has been replaced several times, and software resets have not resolved the issues. These problems were intermittent at first, making it difficult to take the vehicle to a dealer, but they have recently become more frequent and severe. While researching possible causes, I discovered that NHTSA has an open investigation involving similar steering and electrical failures in this model. The combination of steering malfunction, electrical instability, uncommanded inputs, and an engine shutdown presents a significant safety risk.

Description of Incident: On February 15, 2026, my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid experienced three distinct and severe safety system failures involving the electrical system, power seats, and the power sliding door. Power Sliding Door Sensor Failure: While my minor son was entering the vehicle, the power sliding door closed on his leg. The pinch sensor failed to detect the obstruction and did not reverse. This resulted in physical bruising and marks on the limb (photographic evidence maintained). Unintended Passenger Seat Motion: While the vehicle was stationary, the front passenger power seat moved forward to its maximum limit without user input. I was seated in the chair at the time and was pinned against the dashboard before I could intervene. Electrical Shock: My minor daughter received a perceptible electric shock upon touching the exterior door-handle button to open the sliding door. Components Involved: Electrical System Seats (Power) Sliding Door (Power) Injuries: Yes (Soft tissue bruising/marks to minor’s leg). Risk to Safety: Had the driver's seat moved forward without input while the vehicle was in motion, this absolutely could result in loss of control of the vehicle and an accident. Had the sliding side door continued to close on my son's leg, it could have caused severe injury. Had the electrical shock been worse, it could have resulted in burn or injury. The vehicle is available for inspection. It has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance. The issues have not repeated at this point, although the vehicle was not used the last 12 days. I do not have confidence in its electrical components. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other indications of any problem with the vehicle.

The CAN BUS connector (found in the glove box area) fails periodically and without warning. It affects everything on the vehicle; it stops the car from shifting, car won't start up, windows stop working, all of the warning lights turn on, etc. The issue seems to be a manufacturing defect; the soldering cracks after a while, so the low voltage applications malfunction. Many people have noticed the problem, but the dealerships refuse to do a recall or address the issue properly. The vehicle has been in and out of the dealership probably 10 times in the last 7 months or so. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This problem is unsafe because it can occur while driving on a freeway which can cause an accident. Every warning light comes on when the malfunction happens.

Steering wheel is sticking between the 11:00 and 1:00 position starting around 40 MPH.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or right before the vehicle stalled. The steering assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over and restart and driven to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. Prior to the failures, the vehicle was difficult to start while cold-starting. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V348000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Steering wheel sticks when making gradual turns in curves when around the 11 o’clock and 1 o’clock positions. Living in a state with snow and ice makes driving scary, not knowing if my steering wheel will stick in a curve. Took it to a repair shop, but they said it would need to be looked at by the dealership.

Right and left lower control arms are failing. Steering rack replacement is required for repair and imperative for safe vehicle driving. The safety of people in the car is greatly at risk. Since learning about the true problem, the van is parked and we're having to borrow another car for transportation. The issue is that when turning, the steering wheel gets stuck. This seems to occur at 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock positions during turns. The Chrysler dealer was able to reproduce the issues when taking the car on a test drive. The component has only been inspected by the dealer. This issue first appeared about 6 months prior to it seemed like a fluke at first. The occurred became more consistent and that's when we took it in for surface. We took it into a local auto shop a few times and they were unable to detect the issues. Then we took it into the dealership where they were able to identify the issues. I'm not sure if there were warning lamps prior to failure.