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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2018 Chrysler Pacifica
Common Problems

Ranked from 368 federal NHTSA complaints and 7 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

2
Safety
12
High severity
12
Medium
2
Low
2018 Chrysler Pacifica
2018 Chrysler Pacifica — illustrative
2 problems on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

28 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Electrical System Issues Causing Random Shutdowns

    186complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The vehicle randomly shuts down at slow speeds or when stopped, requiring the driver to restart the engine in park. This can happen multiple times per week.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  2. 2

    Steering Wheel Sticking During Turns

    106complaints
    Safety riskSteering

    The steering wheel becomes stuck during turns, requiring additional force to straighten it out.

  3. 3

    Check Engine Light and Cylinder Misfire

    39complaints
    High severityEngine

    Check engine light illuminates due to cylinder misfires, often requiring expensive repairs.

  4. 4

    Electrical System Failures Including CAN Bus Issues

    20complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Various electrical system failures, including CAN bus malfunctions, leading to intermittent vehicle shutdowns and loss of functionality.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  5. 5

    Head Gasket Failure

    20complaints
    High severityEngine

    Head gasket failure leading to coolant leaks and engine misfires, often requiring expensive repairs.

  6. 6

    Steering Lock-up During Curves

    12complaints
    High severitySteering

    Steering lock-up during curves, especially at higher speeds, posing a significant safety risk.

  7. 7

    Hybrid Battery Issues

    10complaints
    High severityElectrical

    Hybrid battery malfunctions leading to loss of motive power, check engine lights, and hybrid drivetrain failures.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  8. 8

    Electrical System Issues Causing Vehicle Shutdown

    9complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The vehicle unexpectedly shuts down, often leaving the driver unable to restart the engine.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  9. 9

    Engine Misfire and Cylinder Failure

    8complaints
    High severityEngine

    Multiple cylinders misfire due to head gasket failure, leading to engine stalling and random shutdowns.

  10. 10

    Engine Overheating and Coolant Leaks

    7complaints
    High severityEngine

    Coolant leaks into the engine, causing overheating and engine failure, despite no warning lights.

  11. 11

    Steering Wheel Feeling Outdated or Unresponsive

    7complaints
    Low severitySteering

    The steering wheel feels outdated or unresponsive, with occasional outages or sticking during turns.

  12. 12

    Electrical System Failures Including Dashboard Malfunctions

    6complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    Dashboard malfunctions, such as lights flickering and messages displaying incorrectly, occur frequently.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  13. 13

    Electrical System Issues Causing Dashboard Malfunctions

    6complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The electrical system malfunctions, causing various dashboard indicators to fail or display incorrectly.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  14. 14

    Transmission Malfunction and Hard Shifting

    6complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    Transmission shifts harshly and randomly, leading to loss of power and difficulty in accelerating.

    Related recall: 18V492000

  15. 15

    Power Steering Failure

    5complaints
    High severitySteering

    Intermittent power steering failure leading to loss of control and potential accidents.

  16. 16

    Transmission Failure Causing Loss of Motive Power

    5complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission fails, causing the vehicle to lose motive power and stall, posing a safety risk.

    Related recall: 18V492000

  17. 17

    Electrical System Failure Causing Loss of Power Steering

    4complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The electrical system failure results in the loss of power steering, reducing the driver's ability to control the vehicle.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  18. 18

    Engine Stall at Idle Due to Stop-Start System Failure

    4complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The engine stalls at idle when the stop-start system malfunctions.

  19. 19

    Steering Locking Up Periodically

    3complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The steering wheel locks up periodically, lasting a second or two, which can be scary and potentially dangerous.

  20. 20

    Transmission Jerking and Shuddering During Acceleration

    3complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The transmission jerks and shudders during acceleration, often feeling like a rear-end collision.

    Related recall: 18V492000

  21. 21

    Electrical System Issues Causing Battery Drain

    2complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The electrical system causes the battery to drain rapidly, requiring frequent jumps to start the vehicle.

    Related recalls: 18V395000, 18V332000, 19V348000, 18V524000, 23V010000

  22. 22

    Engine Losing Power Suddenly

    2complaints
    High severityEngine

    The engine loses all power suddenly, leaving the vehicle unable to accelerate or maintain speed.

  23. 23

    Fuel System Failures Causing Catastrophic Engine Shutdowns

    2complaints
    High severityFuel system

    The fuel system fails catastrophically, causing the engine to shut down while driving, posing a significant safety risk.

  24. 24

    Head Gasket Failure Causing Engine Misfires

    2complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The head gasket fails, causing engine misfires and potentially leading to engine failure.

  25. 25

    Loss of Power Steering Assist

    2complaints
    High severitySteering

    The power steering assist system fails intermittently, making steering extremely heavy and increasing the risk of loss of control.

  26. 26

    Suspension Creaking and Clicking Noise

    2complaints
    Low severitySuspension

    Loud creaking and clicking noises occur from the front suspension, especially during turns and reversing.

    Related recall: 19V143000

  27. 27

    Transmission Jerking and Surging

    2complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The transmission jerks when shifting gears and surges forward unexpectedly, posing a risk of accidents.

    Related recall: 18V492000

  28. 28

    Transmission Jerking or Hesitation

    2complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The transmission jerks or hesitates when shifting gears, especially at higher speeds, causing a forceful and loud initial movement.

    Related recall: 18V492000

Other years & sources

2017 Chrysler Pacifica2019 Chrysler PacificaAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative.

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Problems: 28 Common Issues