Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 289 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 289, in the owner's own words
Steering is loose and fails at times resulting in very hard turning. When making a left turn into oncoming traffic, lost steering entirely for a few seconds. Symptoms point to failing steering rack which is very dangerous
My electric steering has been making noises for a long time. The dealership failed to find the noise the first three visits. On the fourth visit it was verified but they told me that Chryler's flex care warranty denied it. I hear it is a very common problem and Chrysler does not want to address it.
Steering sticks mostly when at 11 and 1 o'clock position. Need to give extra pressure causing over steering.
Intermittent loss of power steering when on the highway going around curve to another highway. Steering while locks while turning right and does not naturally turn back left. Making it difficult to correct. Also noticed at low speed steering wheel becomes heavy and hard to turn.
This occurred on [XXX]. I was driving with two passengers heading west bound on [XXX] in Ohio and starting to go off an exit ramp. The passenger side power window went down without anyone pressing a button. I pulled up on the driver-controlled passenger window switch to correct the window, and it went up. But, either immediately upon going up or shortly after (I don't remember), the van experienced a series of electrical faults. The CEL came on, I start hearing warning chimes, the infotainment screen rebooted. I heard a clicking noise from under the hood, which I later learned was the parking pawl trying to engage. Dash screen said something about "speed too high to shift to park." Momentarily the wheel jerked hard - I think I lost power steering (if the car fully shut off I think that's what happened). I gained control and directed the car to the side of the road. I don't know what state the car was in at this point - either fully off or electrically on but no engine power. In any case, I shifted to park, pressed the on/off button and the car fully shut down. After a couple of minutes I attempted to start the car again, and it started right up with no issues. The CEL was lit, but the car drove fine. When I got to my destination about 20 miles away, I checked the battery terminals. I found that the negative terminal could be turned about a quarter turn if I used some force, but it was not what I would consider 'loose'. I still tightened the connection as much as I could, to the point that the connection was now immovable. The CEL cleared after a few cycles of turning the car on and off. A scan later showed that code P1B14 was stored. I called multiple Chrysler dealerships and each told me that they could not diagnose the problem unless it was actively acting up. The car has not malfunctioned since the incident four days ago. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Intermittent loss of EPS assist during gradual turns, especially when the steering wheel is near the 11 o’clock or 1 o’clock position. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Not being able to control the steering wheel puts my safety and others at risk. No, the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. No, the vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. No, there weren't any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and it occurs when the steering wheel is at 11 or 1 o'clock at speed.
There was no accident, my power steering on the messenger screen says service power steering and it just started it comes on and off Periodically while I am driving I don't know about anybody else but I see this as a very serious safety issue I would like to report it.
Recently, in the last 2 weeks since the writing of this post, I've noticed a sensation when doing a gradual turn anywhere between 20-60 MPH, and the steering wheel is at the 11 or 1 o clock position, the vehicle "sticks". I then have to put force on the steering wheel to get it back to center and straighten out the driving path. This puts me and other drivers on the road in danger because it's extremely easy to oversteer and swerve off the road or into another driver, injuring or killing passengers. Although I have not taken this to a dealer yet, there are numerous articles online clearly stating this is a very dangerous issue-specifically with my 2017 model year. I see no warning lights that accompany this behavior. And that makes it all the more dangerous. Without any awareness of the issue, it's a lot more probable to experience the behavior and cause an accident.
Our 2017 Chrysler Pacifica has been experiencing a steering malfunction that appears to be identical to the condition currently under investigation by NHTSA under Action Number PE25009. For the past few months, the steering wheel has intermittently exhibited a sticking or binding sensation while driving through gradual curves. When this occurs, the steering wheel becomes temporarily resistant to movement, requiring the driver to apply additional force to overcome the resistance and continue steering through the curve. When the steering wheel releases from the sticking position, the sudden change in resistance can make it difficult to maintain smooth, controlled steering. The problem has become noticeably worse and more frequent over the past few weeks. We had the vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic, who advised that the power steering motor needs to be replaced and recommended that we take the vehicle to an authorized Chrysler dealership. The Chrysler dealership (Lewis Chrysler Dodge in Fayetteville, AR) inspected the vehicle and informed us the steering rack and pinion assembly and both tie rod ends need to be replaced and quoted us a cost of $4,450 for parts and labor. After researching the problem, we discovered NHTSA Preliminary Evaluation PE25009 involving 2017–2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles. The symptoms described in the investigation closely match what we have been experiencing, including intermittent steering resistance during gradual turns and the need to apply additional steering force to overcome the resistance. Because the condition has been getting worse, we are concerned about the possibility of a total loss of power steering while driving. We cannot afford the quoted repair cost, and because of our safety concerns, we have stopped driving the vehicle. We are submitting this complaint so that our experience can be documented and considered part of NHTSA's ongoing PE25009 investigation.
The stick steering sticks around long curves and turns and it takes force to correct the wheel which feels very unsafe while driving.
When going around curves or turning the steering wheel is returning back to center it acts like something in the steering system hangs up like it sticks. This may result in oversteering causing a wreck. Its when the steering wheel is in the 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock position. It can catch you off guard and be very dangerous.
The steering wheel has a catch when turning from the right back to center. It feels like the power steering is cutting out and then kicks back in when turning. It is possible to leave the steering wheel turned and when you take your hands off the wheel it will stay in that position. You have to hold the wheel with both hands when turning due to the jerky turning experience. No mechanic dealer or insurance reps have looked at the vehicle. There have been no warnings, lights or messages notifying a problem.
Steering sticks during a gradual turn. It will catch up but then causes over correction. This has happened multiple times and based on my research, this is a model-wide problem. See campaign PE25009 for more details.
Our 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Limited has been having a sticky steering issue for the last several months. I really noticed it this summer when traveling through the mountains in [XXX]. The steering would stick when going around corners and I have to jerk it back to turn out of the corner. This happened multiple times on the trip. This is a very unsafe situation, especially in the mountains. My wife has been saying it has been getting more noticeable in her daily commute now. No warning lights or codes have been triggered. We have not taken the vehicle to the dealer at this point. From what I have read, this seems to be a common issue with these vans and is currently under investigation. This is to report another van with that problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The steering will intermittently stick while driving at highway speed approximately 50 miles per hour while turning slightly left or right. I am concerned the sticking of the steering could cause over steer resulting in left of center potentially causing a crash. The problem has not been diagnosed by a mechanic yet but will be checked out soon. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to steering sticking. Symptoms started approximately late July 2026
I have a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica that I recently purchased a couple months ago. I've noticed now that while I'm driving and steering in a slight curve or turn the steering wheel almost gets stuck and locked up and I have to use extra force to correct it. There isn't any recalls on this yet but I have researched it and it's apparently a known problem with these minivans.
noticeable "sticking" or binding feel during gradual turns-often near the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock steering wheel positions-which can cause unexpected oversteer at highway speeds. Very scary feeling since you almost loss control of your vehicle at highway speed. I read many forums which they report the same issue
This is in regards to the potentially death-inducing NHTSA Campaign # PE25009. Within the past two weeks, I have experienced an intermittent and concerning steering problem with my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. When traveling approximately 20–60 MPH and making a gradual turn, particularly when the steering wheel is positioned around the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock position, the steering appears to "stick" or bind rather than naturally returning toward center. I must apply additional force to the steering wheel to overcome the resistance and bring the vehicle back toward a straight driving path. This behavior is extremely concerning because the steering does not respond normally and unexpectedly requires additional steering force to correct the vehicle's path. When this occurs during normal highway or city driving, there is a significant risk of unintentionally applying too much steering input while attempting to overcome the binding. This could cause the vehicle to suddenly move outside its intended path, potentially resulting in a lane departure, collision with another vehicle, or loss of vehicle control. There are no warning lights or dashboard alerts associated with this behavior. This makes the issue particularly concerning because a driver may have no indication that a potentially serious steering problem is occurring until the steering resistance is encountered while the vehicle is in motion. I have not yet had the vehicle inspected by a Chrysler dealer, so I cannot identify the specific component causing the problem. However, I have since found numerous reports and discussions describing similar steering behavior involving 2017 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles. Given the potential consequences of unexpected steering resistance or binding, I believe this issue warrants investigation.
Steering is sticking at 11:00 and 1:00 positions.
Mainly driving on highways at the end of long curves the steering is sticky and it is difficult to change the steering wheel back to 12 o'clock. Unpleasant and probably unsafe driving, as overreacting could occur, if it will stick more. It is happening more and more often.
The steering wheel has begun "sticking" when driving >35 mph (estimate, not measured). It seems to stick somewhere in the 10:00/1:00 range, and can be resolved by giving a small but firm counter-tug. So far, there has been no accidents, and seems to be resolved easily but there is a small concern that perhaps it could get worse or happen at an inopportune time which could be dangerous.
The steering at times will “stick” and a bit of force has to be used to get it to release. Also, when turning slightly at low speeds (steering wheel in the 11 or 1 position at less than 20mph) the steering will “shudder” or “vibrate.” This affects the entire steering system. The entire vehicle vibrates and it feels as though you may lose control of the vehicle. This issue has been continuous since approximately 2022. In an attempt to fix the issue, we have replaced the shocks, coil springs, front axels, front hub assemblies, sway bar links, and tie rod ends. None of this fixes the issue. This seems to be similar to the complaints contained in the NHTSA Campaign Number PE25009.
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and while driving 70 MPH on a toll road, the steering wheel unintendedly pulled to the right, nearly causing the vehicle to drift out of the intended lane. The contact was able to pull the steering wheel back to center after each failure, and the steering wheel was moderately difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was test-driven, but the failure could not be reproduced; however, the failure persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Steering sticks when turning at a lower speed which causes me to have to over steer in the opposite direction and have to steer back fast when it frees up so I do not swerve. This happens frequently.
Steering wheel got hard while I was driving home. Warning light came on. I pulled off of highway and got on access road to drive home. It was hard to turn steering wheel. The next day I took it to dealership and they said my van was not covered under recall but yet there is a recall on this problem. Not sure why my van is not covered thru this recall. I would like to know why if yall can respond to this.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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