Chrysler PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
613 owner complaints analyzed
12 distinct recall campaigns
12,350 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 to 2026 model years. Data snapshot: . 191 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 231 of 613 complaints (37.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 165 | 26.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 91 | 14.8% |
| Engine operation | 81 | 13.2% |
| Braking behavior | 62 | 10.1% |
| Steering behavior | 39 | 6.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 231 |
| Engine | 208 |
| Power Train | 172 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 118 |
| Unknown Or Other | 94 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 80 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 35 |
| Service Brakes | 25 |
Electrical System: 231; Engine: 208; Power Train: 172; Hybrid Propulsion System: 118; Unknown Or Other: 94; Fuel/Propulsion System: 80; Vehicle Speed Control: 35; Service Brakes: 25
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 126 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 36 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 21 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 126; 25,000 to 49,999: 36; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (126). 422 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 47 |
| 2019 | 43 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 22 |
| 2022 | 145 |
| 2023 | 130 |
| 2024 | 155 |
| 2025 | 35 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2017: 13; 2018: 47; 2019: 43; 2020: 18; 2021: 22; 2022: 145; 2023: 130; 2024: 155; 2025: 35; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 165 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 91 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 81 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10993716 · 2017-06-07 (June 7, 2017)
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR BASICALLY LOST FORWARD DRIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. WAS IN TRAFFIC, GOING APPROXIMATELY 5MPH WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON, BRAKED FOR SLOWING TRAFFIC AND ON TRYING TO RE-ACCELERATE GOT NO POWER. AND DRIFTED SLOWLY TO A STOP WHILE TRYING TO RE-ENGAGE DRIVE. VEHICLE IS PHEV, WAS RUNNING ON BATTERY WITH PLENTY OF CHARGE AT THE TIME AND PLENTY OF GAS FOR HYBRID GAS ENGINE BACKUP, BUT NEITHER PROVIDED POWER. TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO TURN THE CAR OFF, RESTART, RESET, ETC., BUT NOTHING WORKED DESPITE P…
Owner-reported narrative. 230 miles reported. Look up ODI 10993716 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11083424 · 2018-04-05 (April 5, 2018)
THREE NOTABLE ISSUES. FIRST, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RANDOMLY CRASHES AND I RECEIVE A HUGE GLARING 9-1-1 ERROR SCREEN THAT THE VEHICLE PHONE SYSTEM NEEDS SERVICE. SECOND, THE ONBOARD CHARGING SYSTEM DOES NOT CHARGE CORRECTLY LEADING ME TO BELIEVE FAILURE IS OCCURING. LASTLY, THE DRIVERS AUTOMATIC SIDE SLIDING DOOR OFTEN MALFUNCTIONS WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11083424 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11092778 · 2018-05-09 (May 9, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 (NA) CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ONCE IT WAS RESTARTED, THE TEMPERATURE AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER (RY DELL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM, 700 SAN FERNANDO ROAD, SAN FERNANDO, CA 91340) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 278.
Owner-reported narrative. 278 miles reported. Look up ODI 11092778 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11175218 · 2019-02-08 (February 8, 2019)
WHILE DRIVING, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE PUT ITSELF INTO A LOW-SPEED MODE (AKA "TURTLE MODE") AND THEN WOULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE AT ALL. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT AN ENTIRELY NEW TRANSMISSION IS REQUIRED.
Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11175218 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10983848 · 2017-05-06 (May 6, 2017)
NEW 2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRID WITH 270 MILES STALLED ON A BUSY INTERSECTION AND WON'T TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT LOST POWER AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ENGINE SIGN IS ON AND MESSAGE SAYS "PRESS BRAKE TO PREVENT ROLLONG". TURNING OFF AND TURNING THE IT BACK ON DOES NOT MAKE THE ISSUE GO AWAY.
Owner-reported narrative. 270 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983848 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10994562 · 2017-06-12 (June 12, 2017)
CHRYSLER SAYS POSSIBLE DIODE FAILURE, POSSIBLE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, POSSIBLE CRASH (FATAL), BUT CHRYSLER HAS NO REPLACEMENT, SAYS NOTHING CAN BE DONE UNTIL THIRD QUARTER 2017. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. I CAN'T DRIVE A DEATHMOBILE. MY CAR HAS NOT SHOWN SYMPTOMS, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. MY VIN IS ON RECALL LIST. RECALL NOTICE ATTACHED.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10994562 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11055519 · 2017-12-19 (December 19, 2017)
CAR WAS POWERED ON, PUT IN REVERSE AND WE BEGAN BACKING DOWN A STEEP DRIVEWAY. PART OF THE WAY DOWN THE MOTIVE POWER CUT OUT, WE LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE GEAR SHIFTER. WE COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART ON THE HILL BUT WERE ABLE TO ROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. ONCE AT THE BOTTOM WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE NORMALLY.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11055519 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11055518 · 2017-12-19 (December 19, 2017)
THE CAR HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WHEN WE REALIZED WE MISSED A TURN AND DECIDED TO TURN AROUND USING A DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WAS NEVER SWITCHED OUT OF DRIVE. AFTER TURNING AROUND WE STARTED ACCELERATING TO CROSS THE TWO LANE ROAD AND THEN ALL MOTIVE POWER CUT OUT, WE LOST POWER STEERING AND COULD NOT OPERATE THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE STALLED, DANGEROUSLY BLOCKING BOTH LANES OF TRAFFIC WITH THREE CHILDREN AND TWO ADULTS INSIDE. WE GOT EVERYONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND OFF OF THE ROAD. A FEW MINUTES LATER AFTER …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11055518 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11442778 · 2021-12-06 (December 6, 2021)
While driving at 60mph, vehicle shut off and would not allow me to accelerate. Error message displayed on speedometer, vehicle must be in park to shift gears. The PRNDL blue LED was flashing as well. Several indicator lights on my dashboard illuminated too. Vehicle has approximately 9300 miles on it. This is a pacifica e-hybrid. After pulling off the road I was able to restart and the van worked in “limp home” mode with the red turtle displayed. I then limped the van to a gas station, shut off the van, topped off the fuel tank which had bee…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11442778 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11631358 · 2024-12-18 (December 18, 2024)
While driving on a road, vehicle came to a sudden stop and began bucking wildly. Dash indicator said to place vehicle in park, but gear selector knob was unresponsive the first few tries, but was eventually successful. Attempted to put in drive to move from roadway and vehicle began bucking again, bucking continued regardless of gear selected. Attempted to place vehicle in neutral for tow truck, and bucking continued in neutral. Two children and two adults were placed in danger when the vehicle came to a sudden stop on a road and could not be …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11631358 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2017: 6; 2018: 6; 2019: 2; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 0; 2023: 0; 2024: 0; 2025: 1; 2026: 2