2019 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Complaints

As I pulled up to stop, in electric mode, at a stop light, the display screen pulled up a message to pull over safely because the engine would stop soon, within about 10 seconds the screen showed the engine stopped. I was still at the light. I tried restarting the vehicle, moving the shifter from drive to park and back, pressing the park button several times with no success. With cars honking behind me, I got out of the car, told them my car had died and asked them to drive around me. I got back in the car, repeated the actions a few times and the car started in electric mode. I drove home (about 5 miles) without incident. Check engine light was on. I pulled 2 codes U0412 and U029a. I have had the U0412 code a few times before with only the check engine light coming on. It would go away in a day or two (no check engine light and no code). U029a is new.

NHTSA ID

11756324

Incident

Aug 11, 2026

While driving, the vehicle began to sputter and the check engine light illuminated. A scan at a franchised dealership showed a stored code for a cylinder 4 misfire. Further diagnosis found coolant intrusion into cylinder 4, indicating internal failure of the left cylinder head and/or head gasket, allowing coolant into the combustion chamber. Upon removing the left valve cover and camshafts, the technician found a broken head gasket and a warped left cylinder head. The dealership replaced the left cylinder head, head gasket, cylinder head cover gasket, and oxygen sensor, refilled coolant, and replaced the PCV valve as a maintenance item. After repair, the vehicle was test driven and no further misfire was detected. This failure occurred at approximately 72,000 miles, low mileage for a major internal engine component, shortly after the factory powertrain warranty expired, leaving the owner responsible for the full repair cost. A misfire caused by coolant entering a cylinder can cause sudden, unexpected loss of engine power and rough running while driving, a safety concern in traffic, on highways, or when merging and passing, since reduced power can make it hard to maintain speed or accelerate out of a hazardous situation. Continued driving with undiagnosed coolant intrusion can also cause secondary engine damage, including hydrolock. The failed cylinder head and gasket were not retained by the owner; the dealership performed the repair as part of the invoiced order. The manufacturer has not independently inspected the vehicle beyond the dealership's diagnosis, photographs, and repair documentation, available on request. This appears to be a recurring issue on this engine platform, as similar cylinder head/gasket coolant intrusion failures, with matching misfire codes, have been reported by other owners of similar model-year minivans with the same engine, typically presenting in the 60,000-85,000 mile range, shortly after the factory powertrain warranty expires.

NHTSA ID

11755670

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

Dash warning came on saying safely slown and pull over, car will shut off soon. Didn't have a safe place to pull over and eventually the whole car shut down and all electronics went out no steering, no gear shifting, No way to put in park. I was lucky to be on a somewhat sife road to pull over to side do safely get the car off the road so it would not get rear ended from other cars. The warning to shut down was like 1-2 minutes. Tried turning car back on but no power anywhere. Was able to jump car with portable battery power supply, but when trying to shift the into drive to move to a safe spot, even if just into nurtal and push, all the gears (R, N, D, L) were blinking and when you turned to any position it immediately went back to park. Wait waited 10 minutes, retried and was able to get into drive. There was now a check engine light on and a P! Light. Immediately drive to closest dealership (20 miles away) with no issues and they said there were like 120 codes and they couldn't assess them as their electrician was not working and there was no other dealer or shop around to do this. I drove back to my residence and there were no errors and the check engine light and P! Light went off. This pull over and stop warning has come on periodically over the past 2onths but the car never stopped. I was always able to pull over, stop the car and restart and the warnings went away and I would not have any issues for more than a week. All batteries (main and aux are both brand new).

NHTSA ID

11755616

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

The vehicle’s braking system is not working properly. The brake pedal pumps and does not always respond correctly when pressure is applied. When backing up, the brakes pump and do not stop the vehicle as expected. While driving forward, the vehicle may continue moving even after the brake pedal is pressed. Because of this, I have to begin braking much earlier than normal and stop farther back from stoplights and other vehicles to allow enough distance for the van to finally come to a complete stop. This issue puts the driver, passengers, and others on the road at risk because the vehicle may not stop when expected. It has been extremely scary, we stopped driving the van. The exact cause is UNKNOWN but the BREAKS for sure.

NHTSA ID

11755193

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

When trying making a sudden stop at a red light the or to stop the van it will not stop it keeps going

NHTSA ID

11754161

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

Rear back up camera intermittent with blank screen and occasional message on screen “camera not available” when in reverse. Automatic backup anti colision braking not functioning when camera not showing rear picture When signaling to change lanes, audio and mirror lighted warning signal not warning adjacent vehicle in danger zone NTSB web site list July 2026 recall for 16 vehicles in model years including mine. My VIN showed no open safety recalls and Chrysler dealer does not have recall authorization to address issue

NHTSA ID

11752527

Incident

Jul 16, 2026

For a few weeks prior our windshield wipers would start and were unable to be switched off. Then would just randomly stop. Then we got completely stopped on a major road during rush-hour with my whole family in the car. The car moved itself to park at a stop light. When we were stopped, everything in the car was going haywire. FCW unavail, ABS unavail, check engine light, wipers going, couldn't use turn signals or hazard lights. I turned the car on/off multiple times to get it to work. We were stuck in the middle of a busy road above a highway with cars exiting during rush hour. Cars moving fast around me with my whole family in the car. Could have caused major accident. Chrysler dealer could not help right away. Took to own mechanic. Recreated issue, replaced Aux Battery (which should NOT have all safety features tied to it), and re-flashed 3 modules that were ruined from this. Thought this was fixed but next time out, same things started happening, but now says to service airbags as well. I will not have my family in the car with an airbag malfunction. Now saying 2-4 thousand to fix, more modules fried and ONLY the beginning. Car has only been inspected by dealer to pull codes, then mechanic. Like I said the windshield wipers were going and couldn't be controlled but no other warning lights. This did not indicate a battery failure and EVERY safety feature to be turned off. This is not designed/wired correctly and I need Chrysler to take action on this situation. My whole family could have been seriously injured and any other Chrysler with this design needs to be fixed or taken off the road.

NHTSA ID

11750195

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

The vehicle intermittently displays a "Stop Safely – Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" warning message accompanied by a turtle icon while driving, most often at highway speeds above approximately 50 mph. There is no consistent pattern or condition that triggers the warning. When the warning appears, I must immediately attempt to pull off the roadway because the vehicle indicates it will shut down. This creates a significant safety hazard, especially on interstate highways or roads without a safe shoulder. If the vehicle is turned off and restarted, the warning message disappears, but the check engine light remains illuminated. After the next ignition cycle, the check engine light also disappears, leaving no visible indication of the problem. The issue began occurring approximately once per year but has become progressively more frequent. It now occurs almost daily. During a recent 300-mile trip, the warning appeared four separate times. It also commonly occurs twice during a 60-mile drive. The increasing frequency has made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to operate on highways. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Chrysler dealership. However, the dealer stated they cannot diagnose or repair the problem unless the warning is actively displayed when the vehicle arrives. Because the warning clears after restarting the vehicle, the dealer has been unable or unwilling to identify the cause or perform a repair. I also contacted Chrysler customer service. I was informed that because there is no recall related to this issue, they could only refer me back to the dealership for diagnosis under any applicable warranty coverage. This defect poses a serious safety risk because the vehicle may lose propulsion while traveling at highway speeds, requiring an emergency maneuver to reach the shoulder while surrounded by fast-moving traffic. I am concerned that this could result in a rear-end collision or other serious crash if the warning occurs where there is no safe place

NHTSA ID

11749513

Incident

Jul 3, 2026

The steering "sticks" on either right or left hand curves (more left than right) under normal driving circumstances on paved roads. This causes a "jerk" when returning the wheel to center, after or as the vehicle is coming out of the curve. Definitely concerning. Noticed shortly after we purchased the van with 100,000 miles on the odometer.

NHTSA ID

11749240

Incident

May 24, 2026

Over a year ago I noticed several paint bubbles along the front edge of the hood above the grille. This is widely reported issue with the 2017–2020 Chrysler Pacifica. I brought the vehicle to a dealer in Cleveland, Ohio for an estimate in February 2025 and requested that a warranty/goodwill claim be submitted to Stellantis/Chrysler. Since then, I've followed up several times by phone but haven't received any updates. Unfortunately, the paint issue has continued to worsen. Could you please let me know if you're able to assist with this matter? Thank you!

NHTSA ID

11748999

Incident

Dec 1, 2024

A misfire code came up. Had plugs done.. didn’t solve problem now blowing white smoke burning antifreeze. Head gaskets bad. We just bought this 2019 7 months ago. And it only had 68,000 miles on it now 71000 miles on it. We thought we would get the newer better vehicle and having engine problem in a car that we paid 22000 dollars for. Going to be an expensive fix on a problem that shouldn’t be occurring on a car with that mileage.

NHTSA ID

11748610

Incident

Jul 6, 2026

Powertrain: harsh, jerky shifting, violent, lurching gear changes, pause before engaging and high revving and lack of acceleration, mostly noticed at 50-60mph Steering PE25009 - catching or sticking when making minor or gradual turns in either direction when the steering wheel is positioned near the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock positions. It requires extra force to break free and jerks the steering

NHTSA ID

11745504

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

When driving around curves the electric steering is malfunctioning. Making it unsafe to drive almost like it is sticking then when you correct it, it frees up and over corrects. This has been going on for some time now and keeps getting worse and worse. After a little research it seems a lot of other people are having this problem

NHTSA ID

11743874

Incident

Jun 13, 2026

The entire electrical system is messed up. There will be times it works fine but all of a sudden while driving the odometer will switch between mph and kilometers, it'll change the screen, heated seats/steering wheel will turn on or off, it'll change the air system, the stop/start frequently goes out, we've had to replace both batteries and within a few months are having to replace both again. The transmission has a lot of issues as well and it's not safe while driving it'll "jump" or stall while shifting gears.

NHTSA ID

11742577

Incident

Jun 7, 2026

2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The vehicle has ongoing steering, electrical, and power steering/EPS failures. The steering wheel intermittently jerks/pulls while driving, the vehicle has experienced random loss of steering assist, and the electrical system cuts out or malfunctions during normal use. The steering wheel lights and backup camera guidelines also disappear during driving sessions and only return after fully restarting the vehicle. The exact root cause is UNKNOWN, but the affected systems appear to include the EPS/power steering system, steering/suspension components, battery/electrical system, and possibly related control modules. My safety and others’ safety were put at risk because the vehicle has lost steering assist and had electrical failure while being driven, including a prior failure in an intersection. When the steering assist drops or the wheel jerks, the vehicle becomes difficult to control. This is especially dangerous because I transport my family in this vehicle. The issue has been reported repeatedly since purchase. The vehicle was inspected/repaired through Carvana/SilverRock’s repair process at Brockman Automotive, including rack and pinion/steering-related work. After that repair, the vehicle continued to drift and handle improperly. A later independent inspection at Davidson Automotive identified a loose/not properly secured tie rod, alignment problems, and a failed auxiliary battery. The shop could not complete deeper diagnostics until those prerequisite issues were corrected. The vehicle has also suffered abnormal front tire wear after the steering/alignment problems. Warning/symptoms before or during failures include steering wheel jerking/pulling, clunking/clanking/grinding/groaning noises, vehicle drift, service start/stop warning, electrical malfunctions, intermittent steering wheel control/light issues, loss of backup camera guidelines, and loss of steering assist. The vehicle/component is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11741016

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, the contact noticed that the lower passenger's side of the windshield, underneath the windshield wiper had cracked without impact. The insurance company was contacted and informed the contact that the repair would not be covered because the failure was a known factory defect. The dealer and the manufacturer were not yet contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 186,000.

NHTSA ID

11740796

Incident

May 15, 2026

Mileage

186,000 mi

2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid experienced a serious charging system failure during routine overnight charging using a standard Level 2 home charger that had previously worked without issue. In the morning, the charging connector was physically trapped in the vehicle charge port and could not be removed despite repeated normal troubleshooting attempts, including repeated unlock cycles, charger power cycling, breaker reset, and reseating attempts. Because the Pacifica Hybrid disables operation while a charging connector is detected, the vehicle became completely undrivable and required towing. Multiple AAA tow operators were unable to move the vehicle normally. We ultimately had to personally research and guide the tow operators through the manual neutral override procedure in order to get the vehicle into neutral and onto the tow truck. The dealership has suggested that the connector may have fused or arced together during charging and is attempting to characterize the situation as “not the vehicle’s fault.” Regardless of the precise electrical mechanism, this event occurred during ordinary intended use of the vehicle’s charging system. The end result was that the vehicle trapped the connector, immobilized itself, and stranded the owner without any meaningful owner-accessible recovery method. This is not ordinary wear and tear or a cosmetic inconvenience. This was a charging-system immobilization event involving a vehicle platform that already has a documented history of charging-system recalls and software-related charging concerns. The vehicle was being used exactly as intended. No misuse, modification, or improper operation occurred. A vehicle shouldn't become completely inoperable during routine charging. I am requesting review of this matter as a significant charging-system failure and requesting goodwill assistance regarding the substantial diagnostic and repair costs now being imposed on the customer for an event that occurred during normal operation.

NHTSA ID

11739553

Incident

May 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact noticed an unusual hissing sound. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floor. In addition, the contact stated that after the vehicle came to a complete stop, the vehicle rolled forward. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed vacuum pump and a failed brake booster. The contact was informed that the vacuum pump and the brake booster needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was scheduled for diagnostic testing within the next couple of days. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was a known failure of the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was not covered under any unknown recall or warranty program. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ID

11739038

Incident

Jun 18, 2024

Mileage

58,000 mi

The steering is tight/sticking when I back out of my driveway or drive slowly around turns. It does seem stiff on highway speeds as well. Also my auto stop start check light is on about 2 months after replacing both batteries and I did have the recall somewhat associated with this completed

NHTSA ID

11738219

Incident

May 15, 2026

There was a clicking noise coming from under the dash. This flapping may have been going on for years. I only took in the car after a passenger noted that this noise was something abnormal. Others have noted that this will drain the secondary battery and I have had to have that battery replaced. The dealership said it would be five hundred dollars to replace the recirc door actuator (98258 B105D). They charged me $99.95 in labor to diagnose it. I bought a replacement part myself and replaced it myself. I disassembled what was supposed to be the faulty part, but found all gears perfectly fine. I noticed there were no issues related to the recirc door itself. The replacement part worked fine until the next day, when I pushed the passenger door lock button and the flapping noise resumed. I ran the old recirc motor disconnected from the recirc door and noticed that it exhibited a flapping behavior independent of whether or not it was actually attached to the door. This indicates a programming issue, not a physical issue.

NHTSA ID

11738070

Incident

Apr 14, 2026

I have had an issue with my brakes for a couple years. I have taken my van to a couple of different mechanics to express my concerns and they have changed brakes but the issues continue. The brakes do not always work effectively. They make a hissing sound. When my foot is on the brake, sometimes my van will still roll forward or backwards - this has happened often when leaving parking lots. I cannot stop quickly when animals or unexpected moments happen while driving on the highway. I have not yet had an accident due to this but this condition is very serious. There was an extended warranty issued due to this issue (brake booster) but it was issued prior to these issues occurring in my vehile and has expired. The issues are still very dangerous. I encourage this warranty coverage to be extended further.

NHTSA ID

11735816

Incident

May 4, 2026

While driving the steering will lock up and force a jerk when trying to get the steering wheel to move. At times there is a shudder while turning at slow speeds. Originally it was only present while turning as you are on an on ramp. It now appears also while driving straight.

NHTSA ID

11735407

Incident

May 1, 2024

The steering wheel locks up partially when you turn the wheel making it super dangerous when driving. It’s done it for as long as I have had the vehicle. There was never any warning messages prior to the problem. I have not had it inspected by anyone. Unknown if it’s been reproduced by dealer.

NHTSA ID

11733639

Incident

Mar 14, 2022

There is bubbling all along the hood of the van and now it is chipping. We inquired about this when we were getting oil changes at the dealer and no one said anything. I have a friend who said hers was recalled but I never received anything. We inquired a couple times and was brushed off. I now know that there was a recall and that this is a known defect. I only have 43k miles on this van it’s always I. A garage and I would like mine fixed since this is a well known defect.

NHTSA ID

11732632

Incident

Jan 20, 2021

We bought our van new in 2019. It has always made a grinding noise when making hard turns. The dealer said it was normal. Flash forward to a few weeks ago when we hit 105k miles. We started noticing more grinding noises and sensations when turning the wheel. Additionally, we noticed a tugging sensation on the wheel when going over 60 mph. It felt like the lane assist was turned on, but it wasn’t. We took our van to our trusted auto repair garage. They did a series of tests which included isolating the sound of clicking and grinding to the electronic steering gear. We were told that this part would cost $5400 to replace. We believe that this part is going bad too early in the life of our van and would like the NHTSA to investigate.

NHTSA ID

11731710

Incident

Apr 15, 2026