2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID Complaints

TWO WEEKS INTO OWNERSHIP AND WITH ONLY 750 MILES DRIVEN, THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY TO LUNCH. I WAS HEADING EASTBOUND ON HIGHWAY 18 IN WASHINGTON STATE, TOWARD I-90. *BF *BF *DSY UPDATED 10/31/18*JB

THE CAR TOTALLY SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING 20 MPH. FULL TANK OF GAS. BRAND NEW CAR WITH 5,000 MILES ON IT. CALLED CHRYSLER -- THEY LEFT US ABANDONED MID-ROAD, THEY SAID IT WOULD TAKE THE 90 MINUTES. WE PURCHASED THE TOP, PERPETUAL WARRANTY. CALLED AAA WHO GOT THE CAR ONTO A FLATBED. BUT NO WAY TO GET IT OFF BECAUSE WHEELS ARE LOCKED. CHRYSLER NON-RESPONSIVE. CAR NON-RESPONSIVE.

THE CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID HAS 2 PWM SIGNALS GOING FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ABS MODULE USED FOR BRAKING. EACH OF THESE CARRIES A PWM SIGNAL. THE REASON THERE ARE 2 IS MOST LIKELY FOR REDUNDANCY. HOWEVER I NOTICED THAT IF ONE SIGNAL GOES BAD, THE BRAKE'S ASSIST FAULTS AND YOU ALMOST LOSE BRAKES COMPLETELY. IT MEANS THERE IS NO REDUNDANCY ON THE BRAKE SIGNAL AS WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED. OVER TIME, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL'S PWM SIGNAL GENERATOR GOES BAD, YOU SUDDENLY LOSE BRAKING CAPABILITY. THIS CAN BE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

MY BRAND NEW 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID WHICH I GOT ON JULY 4TH 2018 SHUTS OFF LAST WEEK ON A HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING FROM RALEIGH TO CHARLOTTE ABOUT 70 MILES/HR. WITH LOT OF DIFFICULTY WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER. I STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED THE CAR, THE CAR BEHAVED NORMAL BUT WITH MALFUNCTION INDICATOR IN MY DASH. DEALER IS SAYING THERE WAS BUGGY SOFTWARE INSTALLED ON JULY 3RD 2018 AS A PART OF SOME U73 RECALL. OUR FAMILY IS VERY SCARED TO SIT IN THE CAR AGAIN. THEY ARE SAYING 2 PARTS DAMAGED IN CAR DUE TO THE BUGGY SOFTWARE PATCH APPLIED, PCM CODES P0420, P0430 - CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY FAILURE (BOTH). CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE SAYS NO ISSUE WITH SOFTWARE, DEALER IS SAYING IT'S SOFTWARE BUG CAUSED THE ISSUE. I AM CONFUSED NOW WHOM TO BELIEVE. THEY SAID I WILL GET MY CAR IN A MONTH (MAY BE). VERY UNSATISFYING AND FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS CAR NOW. KINDLY DO THE NEEDFUL. *TT *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID 2018 COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. NO POWER STEERING, NO ELECTRONICS NO NOTHING. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE UNTIL I TALKED TO SOMEONE ELSE WITH THE SAME CAR AND IT HAPPENED TO THEM 3 TIMES. MY WIFE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW AND WE HAVE 3 SMALL CHILDREN AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

INCIDENT #1 (7/17/2018) - WHILE BREAKING TOWARDS A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT TURNED FROM RED TO GREEN, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BUT HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, FELT THE VAN LURCH, AND IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE. NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING ENGINE LIGHT & POWER/HYBRID PLUG-IN FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BREAK TO A STOP, AND RESTART 1-2 MINUTES LATER. BROUGHT TO CHRYSLER DEALER ON 7/20 AND WAS TOLD ON 7/21 UPON PICKUP THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN RECTIFIED VIA SOFTWARE UPDATE. INCIDENT #2 (7/23/2018) - WHILE MOVING SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC, I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AS THE VEHICLES AHEAD OF ME MOVED AND AGAIN LOST ALL POWER WITH THE SAME SET OF ERRORS/WARNINGS MENTIONED IN INCIDENT #1. ONCE AGAIN, AFTER 1-2 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT TO A DIFFERENT LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER THAT SAME DAY. PICKED UP THE VEHICLE ON 7/24 AND WAS TOLD THAT AFTER THOROUGH MULTI-POINT MECHANICAL INSPECTION WITH THE FCA ENGINEERS, THE COMPANY BELIEVED THE PREVIOUS DEALER HAD INCORRECTLY APPLIED THE SOFTWARE UPDATE. DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR 20 MILES AND COULD NOT RECREATE THE ISSUE. INCIDENT #3 (8/21/2018) - WHILE AGAIN MOVING IN TRAFFIC, MY WIFE (WITH OUR 1 YEAR OLD IN THE BACK) AGAIN SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AS MENTIONED IN INCIDENT #1 AND #2 ABOVE, EXCEPT SHE ALSO HAD THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCK UP ON HER. SHE WAS ABLE TO BREAK TO A STOP MID-TRAFFIC AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE 1-2 MINUTES LATER. SOON THEREAFTER I CALLED FCA CORPORATE DIRECTLY AND HAVE REQUESTED A FULL REPURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE AND PLAN TO PURSUE LEMON LAW REMEDIATION IF THAT DOESN'T LEAD TO RESOLUTION. ALL THREE INCIDENTS ARE LIFE THREATENING IN NATURE AND HAVE NOT BEEN DIAGNOSABLE BY MULTIPLE CHRYSLER DEALERSHIPS WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH FCA ENGINEERS. (IMAGE PROVIDED FROM INCIDENT #2) *TT

THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER AT A STOPLIGHT. IT WAS LIKE THE VEHICLE HAD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, BUT THE POWER DISPLAY WAS STILL ON. I WAS UNABLE TO GO FORWARD AND THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE COMPLETELY AND AFTER ABOUT 30 SECS OR SO, RESTARTED THE CAR AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN POWER. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS CAME ON. THEN A BURNT SMELL STARTED COMING FROM THE CAR.

07/23/18 AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID AT 55 MPH ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS TO STEER OR BRAKE. MY TODDLER WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND I COULD NOT CONTROL IT. THE DISPLAY MESSAGE INDICATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUT IN PARK. I ATTEMPTED TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY AND OUT OF TRAFFIC BUT THERE REALLY ISN'T MUCH OF A SHOULDER AND I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, DRIVE, AND REVERSE BUT THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK. I ATTEMPTED THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUTTON BUT IT DID NOT WORK. I CALLED THE NEAREST CHRYSLER DEALER WHICH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO A WEEK PRIOR FOR A RECALL. THE SERVICE STAFF GAVE ME THE PHONE NUMBER FOR CHRYSLER ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. IT TOOK AN HOUR AND A HALF FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO COME AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN THERE OVER TWO WEEKS. *DT CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED A SECOND TIME WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE REPAIR. THEY ASKED TO LEAVE IT THERE FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY NEVER DID IDENTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THAT TIME. UPDATED 10/19/18*JB

FRONT COLLISION WARNING AND BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN THIS SAFETY MECHANISM HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING IN THE PAST. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRUCK AHEAD OF US BRAKED SUDDENLY. OUR PACIFICA REAR-ENDED THIS VEHICLE AT ABOUT 25-30MPH. NO AUDIBLE OR VISUAL FRONT COLLISION WARNING OCCURRED AND THE AUTOMATED EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE.

AFTER U73/NHTSA 18V-332 I TESTED THE SPEED CONTROL AFTER TURNING ON THE RADAR, I WAS ABLE TO SET THE SPEED AND THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS EXPECTED. WHEN I PRESSED THE SET BUTTON AGAIN TO INCREASE THE SPEED IF I HELD THE SET BUTTON FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND RELEASED IT THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED UNTIL THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THIS WAS THE SAME FAULT THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THE RECALL FIX WAS APPLIED. SO THE RECALL FIX DID NOT REPAIR THE CONDITION.