Chrysler PACIFICA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6,953 owner complaints analyzed
43 distinct recall campaigns
68,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 to 2027 model years. Data snapshot: . 4,080 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1,906 of 6,953 complaints (27.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 1,065 | 15.3% |
| Braking behavior | 898 | 12.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 876 | 12.6% |
| Steering behavior | 869 | 12.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 783 | 11.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 236 | 3.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1906 |
| Electrical System | 1374 |
| Power Train | 1267 |
| Unknown Or Other | 727 |
| Steering | 711 |
| Structure:Body | 599 |
| Suspension | 455 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 431 |
Engine: 1,906; Electrical System: 1,374; Power Train: 1,267; Unknown Or Other: 727; Steering: 711; Structure:Body: 599; Suspension: 455; Fuel/Propulsion System: 431
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1012 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 594 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 571 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 563 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 963 |
| 150,000 and above | 377 |
Under 25,000: 1,012; 25,000 to 49,999: 594; 50,000 to 74,999: 571; 75,000 to 99,999: 563; 100,000 to 149,999: 963; 150,000 and above: 377
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1,012). 2,873 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 60 |
| 2005 | 107 |
| 2006 | 189 |
| 2007 | 119 |
| 2008 | 106 |
| 2009 | 154 |
| 2010 | 236 |
| 2011 | 182 |
| 2012 | 225 |
| 2013 | 256 |
| 2014 | 512 |
| 2015 | 400 |
| 2016 | 277 |
| 2017 | 328 |
| 2018 | 414 |
| 2019 | 526 |
| 2020 | 232 |
| 2021 | 217 |
| 2022 | 361 |
| 2023 | 481 |
| 2024 | 455 |
| 2025 | 594 |
| 2026 | 510 |
2003: 12; 2004: 60; 2005: 107; 2006: 189; 2007: 119; 2008: 106; 2009: 154; 2010: 236; 2011: 182; 2012: 225; 2013: 256; 2014: 512; 2015: 400; 2016: 277; 2017: 328; 2018: 414; 2019: 526; 2020: 232; 2021: 217; 2022: 361; 2023: 481; 2024: 455; 2025: 594; 2026: 510
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 1,065 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 898 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 876 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 10039817 · 2003-09-11 (September 11, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND STALL. DRIVER PULLED OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10039817 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10051058 · 2003-12-24 (December 24, 2003)
THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED 2 (TWO) TIMES WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY ON TO A SECONDARY ROAD. BOTH INSTANCES HAVE OCCURED AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME AND LOCATION. ONE OCCURRED ON 12/10/03 OTHER ON 12/19. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 1,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10051058 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10054390 · 2004-01-18 (January 18, 2004)
WHILE DRIVE THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO SHUT OFF. I HAVE NO OTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS. IT IS LITERALLY AS THOUGH THE KEY WERE TURNED OFF (I.E. THE ENGINE STOPS, LOSS OF POWER STEER, LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BREAKING, LOSS OF ABS, NO INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS TO EVEN INDICATE THERE WAS PROBLEM). THE ONLY SYSTEMS THAT REMAIN ACTIVE ARE THE ONES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ON WHEN THE KEY WERE IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THE VEHICLE WILL IMMEDIATELY RESTART AFTER BEING SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO CONSISTENCY. (I.E. 7…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054390 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090516 · 2004-09-06 (September 6, 2004)
AUTO ACCIDENT. 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. A CAR ATTEMPTING TO CUT IN FRONT OF NON-MOVING CHRYSLER PACIFICA FROM RIGHT SIDE, SEVERELY IMPACTED PACIFICA ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF PACIFICA. IT IMMEDIATELY SURGED FORWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND, DESPITE HAVING BOTH FEET PRESSING ON THE BRAKE, PACIFICA COULD NOT BE STOPPED UNTIL, IN DESPERATION, DRIVER THROUGH THE PACIFICA INTO PARK. ANOTHER NOTE, DESPITE THE SEVERITY OF IMPACT, NOT A SINGLE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. CAR WAS TOWED TO ORLANDO CHRYSLER IN ORLAN…
Owner-reported narrative. 210 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090516 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041584 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. *LA
Owner-reported narrative. 1,108 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10052525 · 2004-01-06 (January 6, 2004)
VEHICLE HAS LESS THEN 4000 MILES. MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (FIRST TOW AT 120MILES). DEFECTIVE ENGINE WIRING @ FUEL INJECTORS CAUSING SEVERE BUCKING AND AND STALLING. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSING VEHICLE TO STAY IN 1ST GEAR AND SHOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED 4 TIMES AND SPENT OVER 20 DAYS AT THE DEALER. I HAVE ONLY OWNED IT LESS THEN 4 MONTHS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 120 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052525 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059023 · 2004-02-26 (February 26, 2004)
CAR STALLS WHILE IN TRANSIT, WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND TURNING. LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL AND POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN. RESTARTS WHEN PUT INTO PARK.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125470 · 2005-06-16 (June 16, 2005)
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE DUE TO REPORTS STATING HOW SAFE IT IS. FIRST PROBLEM WILL JUST STOP RUNNING. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS OR ANYTHING. IT HAS DONE THIS ON 8 TIMES THE FIRST BEING TWO MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE DASH BOARD WILL JUST NOT TURN ON AND THE FOG LIGHT INDICATOR NO LONGER COMES ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE SOMETHING FOR A RECALL DEALING WITH THE GAS TANK AND NOT MY GAS LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY FLASHES ON EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PLENTY OF GAS. THE GAS NEEDLE STARTS GOING UP AND DOWN CONTINUOUSLY THEN STOPS. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT…
Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125470 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10151389 · 2006-02-28 (February 28, 2006)
WE HAVE A 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PURCHASED ON A LEASE IN 2004. IN JUNE WE BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR. EVEN THOUGH THE TANK WAS FULL IT WOULD DROP TO EMPTY AND INDICATE LOW FUEL. IT THEN WOULD BOUNCE BACK TO HALF FULL OR FULL. THEN DROP AGAIN TO LOW FUEL. WE TOOK IN BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE FUEL TANK FLOAT AND THE ENTIRE TANK WOULD REQUIRE REPLACING. SINCE IT WAS NOT A DRIVE TRAIN PROBLEM IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. WE PAID $750.00 TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANKS AND FLOAT. 3 MONTHS L…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10151389 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 | 5 |
| 2027 | 1 |
2016: 0; 2017: 11; 2018: 12; 2019: 7; 2020: 5; 2021: 7; 2022: 10; 2023: 14; 2024: 11; 2025: 9; 2026: 5; 2027: 1