2021 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V362000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle remained at the dealer for over 5 weeks, and the battery was disconnected. The manufacturer had not yet provided a battery for the replacement. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11755260

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

The vehicle has had a suspension problem since purchasing the dealership has not been able to determine the issue after replacing the axle,struts, low arm control,motor mount now the state the steering wheel rack

NHTSA ID

11754828

Incident

Jan 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the engine seized. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that several unknown software updates were completed. The failure reoccurred three months later. The contact stated that the failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11754728

Incident

May 4, 2026

Mileage

50,000 mi

We took our 2021 Pacifica Hybrid to the dealership for Recall 52D. The first charge at home after the recall melted one of the charging "pins" in the car, and on our home Level 2 charger. Our dealership now says it's the fault of our charger, and we'll have to pay $2000+ for a repair. Our charger handle is still fine, no damage, only the "pin" is melted. For safety reasons, we can't charge the vehicle, and aren't driving it, as it's still at the dealership.

NHTSA ID

11754395

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the second-row seat failed to remain in the upright position, causing the seat to collapse forward or backward while the vehicle was being driven. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who confirmed the seat failure but stated that the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V181000 (Seats). The contact received an estimate for the part; however, the part was on backorder. An independent mechanic later inspected the vehicle and suggested that the vehicle should be covered under the recall; however, inquiries to other dealers and the manufacturer resulted in consistent confirmation that the VIN was not under recall. A temporary repair was performed on the vehicle by the initial dealer; however, a permanent repair was not performed. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ID

11753981

Incident

Jul 24, 2026

Mileage

74,000 mi

The franchise dealer is refusing to safely ground a failed vehicle. My van failed the battery test and the dealership is refusing to comply with federal emergency safety recall guidelines for a documented fire hazard. They are refusing to provide a rental car with battery arrival date TBD.

NHTSA ID

11753753

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

Driving on the interstate at high speed, when check engine light comes on, warning message - Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off - and red turtle warning indicator (limp mode). After a short time, vehicle will no longer accelerate. I pulled over to the shoulder, stopped and shut off engine. Restarted after a few minutes and everything appeared to work fine, with check engine light on. About 15 minutes later, it happened again. The dealership serviced the vehicle. Found error code P0A78 for driver moteo "A" inverter performance. Used Stellantis Technical Service Bulletin 08-253-24 to diagnose (both modules were out of date) and complete the indicated updates. This is a known issue that has affected many vehicles (per internet forums and that Stellantis has created a TSB. It is an extremely dangerous situation causing the vehicle to enter "limp mode" and requiring the driver to stop in a matter of minutes. Stellantis should recall all potentially affected vehicles to update the modules proactively.

NHTSA ID

11753704

Incident

Jul 19, 2026

This 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a severe and recurring history of catastrophic high-voltage hybrid powertrain and transmission failures that cause a sudden loss of motive power while driving, presenting an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle has already required two full automatic transmission (eFlite EVT) replacements under factory warranty due to internal failures. It has experienced multiple high-voltage component repairs, including software modules for the power inverter. The vehicle is currently experiencing a recurring failure and is displaying active diagnostic trouble code P0A78 (Drive Motor "A" Inverter Performance), indicating a critical fault in the high-voltage hybrid propulsion system. Prior to the current failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced propulsion system degradation. This failure mode risks a sudden shutdown of the hybrid drive system at highway speeds, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions or being stranded in active traffic. The recurring nature of these transmission and inverter failures indicates a systemic safety defect in the hybrid propulsion system. The issue and the active P0A78 code have been pulled, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized dealership (Diehl Automotive of Robinson), where the vehicle is currently held and available for inspection. The manufacturer has been notified via an open corporate case (#97399722).

NHTSA ID

11753330

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V362000 (Electrical System); however, the part for the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The dealer stated that the manufacturer had approved the battery pack as a remedy, but the part had not arrived. The contact stated the dealer had the vehicle for a month due to not having the part available, even though the remedy stated that it would be available 2 - 3 days. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and redirected the contact to locate other dealers who might already have the high-voltage battery for repair in stock. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID

11752574

Incident

Jun 4, 2026

The vehicle is affected by a Chrysler safety recall. When I brought it to an authorized dealership for the recall repair, they informed me that a warning light was illuminated and that they needed to perform a diagnostic inspection before completing the recall. After the inspection, they stated they could not determine the cause of the warning light and refused to complete the recall repair. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The recall involves a safety issue that could put me, my passengers, and others at risk. Because the recall has not been completed, I do not feel safe operating the vehicle. In addition, I have been unable to use the vehicle for work because it has not been repaired. Yes. The authorized Chrysler dealership confirmed that the warning light was present and performed a diagnostic inspection. However, they were unable to identify the cause of the warning light and refused to complete the recall repair. They informed me that the case had been escalated to a Chrysler/Stellantis engineer. es. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Chrysler dealership. The dealership escalated the case to a Chrysler/Stellantis engineer, but after more than three weeks, no solution or repair has been provided. The dealership informed me that a warning light was illuminated and required diagnosis before the recall could be completed. After performing the diagnostic inspection, they were unable to determine the cause of the warning light. The recall repair has been delayed for more than three weeks without any resolution or estimated completion date.

NHTSA ID

11751696

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

I took the van to get the safety recall done in 2026, Feb 25. For the rear view back up camera. I took it to the same dealership that I bought the car from, Jones Junction. However, upon further complications with the back up camera, this issue has never been fixed or resolved. If anything, the issue has become worse. I am unable to use my camera 98% of the time. It freezes. It goes black or is unavailable to see anything out of. It's a safety recall for a reason. I want this issue fixed. As I have been driving like this with the issue for quite some time. What are my next steps? I prefer not to have to dealer hop if I can help it. But I might have to. Is there a patch they may have to do to re-install the software for the camera? Or would they have to go and flash it again and what ever else? My true gut tells me that I dont think this specific dealership ever did the recall, correctly.

NHTSA ID

11750100

Incident

Jul 12, 2026

The power steering is intermittently losing power during turns. This just started to occur within the past week so it has not yet been taken to a shop. Yes it is available for inspection. Safety was put at risk due to it being a family car with children. A quick response was necessary to prevent oversteer during correction. Apparently this is a known issue on earlier models and seems to be continuing. No warnings.

NHTSA ID

11749921

Incident

Jul 12, 2026

The High Voltage (HV) Battery System and associated safety isolation circuits failed. Specifically, the vehicle experienced faults with the High Voltage System Interlock Circuit (HVIL), the High Voltage Service Disconnect, and the Hybrid/EV Battery System Precharge circuit. The vehicle is currently located at a manufacturer dealership and is available for inspection. The failure of the high-voltage interlock and precharge circuits compromises the vehicle's electrical isolation safety mechanisms. This poses an immediate risk of a sudden loss of motive power. Additionally, because these faults are rooted in the high-voltage battery system—a system actively under federal scrutiny and manufacturer recalls for thermal runaway—the failure presents a severe risk of spontaneous vehicle fire, endangering occupants, bystanders, and nearby structures. Yes. The failure was initially recorded by an independent diagnostic scan tool, which pulled several confirmed high-voltage fault codes. The vehicle was then taken to a certified manufacturer dealership, where it has been held in the service department for a month. The dealership has confirmed the presence of a severe system failure and initiated repairs costing at least $1800 (with final costs still potentially increasing). Yes. The vehicle is currently in the possession of, and being inspected by, technicians at a certified manufacturer dealership. Yes, the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system detected severe faults and registered the following confirmed trouble codes: * P0B37 - High Voltage Service Disconnect Open * P0C77 - Hybrid/EV Battery System Precharge Time Too Short * P1AE2 - Battery Energy Control Module High Voltage System Interlock Circuit * P0A0A - High Voltage System Interlock Circuit

NHTSA ID

11749857

Incident

May 15, 2026

Power steering malfunctioned and stopped working in the middle of driving. It works intermittently.

NHTSA ID

11748886

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

My 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a recurring hybrid/electrical defect that causes the accelerator to lose all power while driving, leaving the vehicle unable to accelerate or respond to throttle input. The vehicle remains “on,” but it cannot move under its own power and must be coasted or pulled over immediately. This has happened in traffic, including with children in the vehicle. The dealer confirmed fault code P1A21‑00 and documented that the high‑voltage system can lose its loop connection, which results in a no‑propulsion condition. They also found the HVIL high‑voltage connector loose and damaged. The vehicle was in the shop for 18 days for this issue. I picked it up on June 18, 2026, and within 24 hours the same loss‑of‑propulsion failure happened again. The vehicle is now back at the dealer. The dealer performed recall 52D and updated the BPCM software, but the failure still occurred immediately after pickup. This defect has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership multiple times and remains unresolved. This is a serious safety hazard because the vehicle loses propulsion without warning and cannot accelerate in traffic.

NHTSA ID

11745325

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

Steering is clicking when stationary while turning the wheel and also while idling over bumps. Brought dealership and would need an entire steering gear assembly replacement

NHTSA ID

11744297

Incident

Nov 6, 2025

While driving on interstate 15 and going 65-70mph the vehicle dashboard flashed “Charging Error, vehicle will shut down”. Before my wife could make it through traffic to the shoulder the vehicle lost all motive power including power steering. She was able to just coast the vehicle and get into the shoulder. Vehicle would not restart. The transmission had been previously replaced during recall to correct this issue. Chrysler had the vehicle for 5 weeks.

NHTSA ID

11743985

Incident

May 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the message "Service Gear Shifter" was displayed, and the gear shifter lights were not illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the ESS system malfunctioned, and the 12-volt battery had failed, which the contact related to the gear shifter failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11743527

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

Mileage

100,000 mi

While driving the vehicle, the accelerator will become inactive and result in the vehicle slowing to a stop. I will shut off the ignition and let vehicle rest for 10-20 mins before restarting. This does not resolve the issue and I end up towing the vehicle into the manufacturer’s service department. This often results in 100s of dollars in “diagnostic” fees. The service dept claims it’s bad battery, changes and issue arises again. Next they say it needed a software update, and a few days later it fails again. Next they said it was PCM module and replaced it, and finally they replaced the transmission. The 4th visit, change of transmission, lasted a little over a year and then the issue arose once again! After paying $259 in diagnostic fees, they said I used a bad “charger”

NHTSA ID

11741712

Incident

Mar 15, 2025

After deploying the second-row Stow 'n Go captain's chair seat from its stowed position in the floor, the integrated headrest fails to lock in the upright, passenger-safety position. The headrest remains folded forward or flops forward under normal conditions and cannot be secured in the upright position required for safe occupancy of the seat. The root cause, as identified by dealership technicians and documented by numerous owners across multiple model years (2017–2022), is failure of a small plastic component within the headrest actuator cable assembly. This cable mechanism is designed to automatically fold the headrest during stowing and return it to the locked upright position when the seat is deployed. When the plastic cable end or the locking mechanism fails, the headrest cannot return to or maintain the upright, locked position. The cable itself is not sold separately by Chrysler/Stellantis, with dealers quoting $500–$1,000+ for repair requiring full seat frame or headrest replacement. This constitutes a safety hazard because: (1) a headrest in the forward/folded position provides no rear-impact protection to an occupant, increasing the risk of whiplash or cervical spine injury in a collision; (2) the condition prevents safe installation of child booster seats in the affected seating position; and (3) the defect is a known, widespread, and persistent design flaw affecting multiple model years with no manufacturer recall or remediation issued. This issue has been reported by a large number of owners on owner forums and acknowledged by Chrysler customer care representatives, yet no recall, technical service bulletin fix, or goodwill repair program has been established. I am filing this complaint to support an investigation and potential recall.

NHTSA ID

11732777

Incident

Apr 9, 2026

This vehicle quit driving and you can move it. Confirmed bad transmission. I bought it this way from the insurance company because it bounced off a concrete barrier. I suspect this happened when the transmission failed. Unsure of a police report due to it happening to the previous owner.

NHTSA ID

11732419

Incident

Nov 23, 2025

I encountered two incidents of the same type. One was on Friday, March 27, 2026, the same day I picked up the vehicle from a local Chrysler dealership, where software updates and issues related to recalls were supposedly completed. The vehicle was at 38% battery level at the time of pick up from the dealership parking lot. After driving it for about 14 miles, the battery level depleted to <1% and that's when the "Stop Safety. Vehicle will shut off soon" displayed on the dashboard. I slowly drove for less than a minute and parked the vehicle and turned it off. Then restarted and drove for less than two minutes, but again the same warning ("Stop Safety. Vehicle will shut off soon") displayed; I turned it off again. After taking a few minutes break, I restarted it and it was showing 1% battery; it gave me a little distance to travel until unfortunately the same warning displays. Fortunately, this time I was close to a place where I can charge the battery. The battery got charged to 100%, partly on the night of March 27th and the remaining in the morning on March 28th. The second incident was on March 29, 2026, on Sunday afternoon. As soon as the battery level reached <1%, the exact the same warning ("Stop Safety. Vehicle will shut off soon") was displayed. I slowly drove the vehicle to the side of the road and called my insurance company; I reported the issue and requested them to tow the vehicle to a nearby Chrysler dealership. As of now, the vehicle is at the dealership parking waiting for diagnosis. Based on my initial conversation with the customer service person, they don't know if this is considered part of any recall or not. Not only was I stranded on the road because of the above incidents, not having the vehicle at the moment is straining me a lot - trying to handle personal and work schedules.

NHTSA ID

11728146

Incident

Mar 29, 2026

Had two different electric coolant heaters fail in just over 2 years. One at 36,000 miles and one at 72,000 miles. Each time it has failed it results in a loss of cabin heat which prevents me from being able to use the defrost capability and heat my minivan that I bought to drive my 4 young children around.

NHTSA ID

11728011

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

This is an intermittent issue that has been happening for a while now and the car was sent to the dealership twice but the issue still persists. The engine would shuts down or partially loses torque all of a sudden and the steering becomes very stiff. At the same time you would see all kinds of alarms, error messages, and check lights on the dashboard. I would then have to pull over to the side of the road, turn off the car, then try to start it back up. Usually after several attempts (one time that took nearly 30 minutes), the car works properly again with no error messages but sometimes I'd still have some persistent check lights on the dashboard. Error messages and check lights that I see include the following: -Service Electronic Stability Control -Autopark Engaged -Shifter Autocorrect Active -Park Brake Temporarily Unavailable -AWD System Temporarily Unavailable -Automatic Emergency Braking off check light -Forward Collision Warning off check light -Check Engine light The dealership has been unable to properly diagnose and fix this issue so far. On the first visit, they replaced the main battery, auxiliary battery, some wire harnesses that I was told had some corrosion, and the adaptive cruise control module. On the second visit, they replaced the CAN Bus star connector. The same issue still persists after replacing all above components.

NHTSA ID

11727813

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

Incident: While driving at highway speeds (65–75 mph), the vehicle issues imminent-shutdown warnings, the reduced-power (‘turtle’) light and check engine light illuminate, and the vehicle loses motive power. The driver must pull over to the freeway shoulder immediately and restart the vehicle. The condition is intermittent, occurs after cold starts, and sometimes with cruise control engaged. Safety Risk: Sudden loss of motive power at 65–75 mph without warning creates extreme crash risk. This is the exact risk stated in the recall notice. The software-only remedy appears insufficient. FCA’s own Warranty Extension Campaign XE1 — covering transmission replacement at unlimited years/unlimited mileage — suggests FCA is aware the software fix may not be adequate. Requested Action: Please investigate whether the recall remedy is adequate or whether physical transmission replacement is required. This vehicle has been documented experiencing the recalled defect seven times after the recall repair was completed.

NHTSA ID

11727464

Incident

Mar 23, 2026