2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID Power Train Problems

The car's lithium batteries caught fire to the point of smoldering. This happened at the end of the charge cycle. The car was parked in our garage and if the fire department did not come to help, the fire could have intensified and burned down our whole house. We are very thankful we caught it so quickly. No warnings or issues were apparent with the vehicle when it was parked and put on the charger.

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the battery level was low and the warning message stating to plug in the vehicle to charge and to decelerate was illuminated. The vehicle stalled and lost motive power; however, the contact was able to pull over. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times. The contact stated that the vehicle started up for several minutes but then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be charged for a full day, but no failure was found. The mechanic at the dealer had experienced the vehicle unintendedly accelerating. The dealer stated that the failure would be reported to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted but stated that there was no record of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,947.

Mileage: 39,947

We recently took our Hybrid Chrysler Pacifica to the dealer and they mentioned that there are multiple engine and transmission mounts that need to be replaced in addition to the entire transmission. I reported to them over the years that the vehicle stutters up steep hills (>13.5 degrees). The electric motor produces too much torque, lurches forward, then cuts off and repeats the process. In doing so the electric drivetrain motor is twisting the vehicle apart. It is certainly a safety issue. If we get it fixed, it will certainly happen again and to anyone that has a steep driveway or goes up inclines at less than 5 mph. The process is easily repeated. Thank you!

Recall Z11 was announced in early February 2022 due to fire risk which prompted Chrysler to issue a recommendation that owners not charge their plug-in hybrid Pacifica Hybrids and to park them outside until the fix was completed. More than six months have passed without subsequent update to resolve this recall, and not only is no part or remedy identified, the underlying cause has yet to be identified. This is after two previous recalls, U94 in October 2018 and W46 in June 2020, which were also announced by Chrysler due to fire risk for the Pacifica Hybrid. Chrysler's guidance of parking the vehicle outside and not plugging it in to charge is unsatisfactory and illogical. The normal operation of the plug-in hybrid system leads to the gasoline engine and regenerative braking charging the high-voltage battery during its "Hybrid Mode" operation even when the vehicle has not been plugged in to charge the high-voltage battery. Based upon other recent fire risk recalls related to vehicles with high-voltage batteries such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV--which has led to numerous manufacturer repurchases and complete battery replacement for all affected models--Chrysler's response is neither timely nor sufficient. It is past time that definitive resolution be provided to owners of vans that have already been affected by two prior fire risk recalls and now have been waiting six months with recommendation to not use the vehicle as designed, marketed, and advertised at the time of sell. Given the unresolved nature of recall Z11, I request action be taken to require manufacturer buybacks of the affected products at this time.

I have Pacifica Hybrid 2017 model minivan with a lot of problems. More than 6 times the minivan was not starting and if starting it would have all the check engine (so i needed to leave the minivan with 2 small kids and take a car service ) some of the signs that would all of a sudden start are service Hybrid Vehicle system , service electric throttle control park sense unavailable ,Automatic High Beam Disabled ,press break to prevent rolling ,Blind spot alert temporarily unavailable in the middle of the road while I am driving . I towed the car to Chrysler and they won't pay for it as it was a hybrid problem, and it was under warranty. The dealer agreed that it was a hybrid problem under warranty, and they would fix it as it was a problem from the manufacturer. In a week the dealer said it was fixed. After I was taking the van home and while i was on the road all the signs came up on the control panel. It has all sorts of warning on the panel as mentioned above. I realized the car had the same issue. It won't let me change the gears and stopped completely when I came home. Then I called the dealer and complained, and they said to bring it back however they won't help me with the towing service. Again aftre 1-2 days the car started so i took to the dealer they said they have found the problem they don't know so Chrysler tech team is working on it. Then after 2 weeks they said they have fixed the car and also test drove . However i came home and after 3-4 more days the car still had same issues. It stopped on the highway in the. I managed to move to the rightmost lane and stopped over there on highway. This was a very scary incident. I gave the van back to the dealer and Chrysler reps again said they wil look at it . However, after 4 th attempt I gave them and brough it back . The problem still persists. No help from Chrysler or the dealer. each time they take more than 3-4 weeks and leave you on with no rental help as well.

Our Pacifica plug-in hybrid intermittently wouldn't start beginning in October, 2021, each time displaying a "Service Charging System" message and Check Engine light. In one case, it was on and would not shift into Park, and we got stuck ~30 miles from home, with kids, and had to arrange for pick up and transportation. After many attempts, we were able to start it and drove it to a dealership in Plymouth, MI on November 15th. It has been there since; the dealership wanted to replace the high voltage (hybrid) battery under warranty. Chrysler would not authorize this part to be ordered and directed the dealership to replace the Onboard Charging Module. That did not resolve the issue and they eventually (on December 27) ordered a new HV battery (which still has yet to arrive).

THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE- OF MANY- WHERE THE VEHICLE NOT OPERATING AS IT WAS SHIFTED TO/ NOT STAYING ON/OR TURNING OFF WHEN THE IGNITION BUTTON IS PRESSED IS AS FOLLOWS. IN A (FLAT) PARKING LOT THE VAN WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF> THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED> THE IGNITION BUTTON WAS PRESSED TO TURN THE VAN TO 'ON' AND THE WORD 'RUN' WAS ILLUMINATED- IT WAS RUNNING IN FULL ELECTRIC MODE WITH A BATTERY OF ~85% > THE SHIFT KNOB WAS TURNED FROM P TO R> THE VAN WAS REVERSED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT > THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED AND THE SHIFT KNOB WAS SPUN TO D > THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED TO PIVOT OUT OF THE PARKING LOT HOWEVER THE CAR CONTINUED IN REVERSE. AT THIS POINT I STARTED FILMING TO 'CATCH' THIS PROBLEM ON FILM SINCE SIMILAR REPORTED ISSUES ARE ALWAYS 'NON DUPLICATE-ABLE' AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE IGNITION BUTTON SHOWED 'RUN', THE "D" ABOVE THE SHIFTING KNOB WAS BLINKING BLUE, THERE WAS AN ORANGE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT TYPE ICON SHOWING ON THE MAIN SCREEN WHERE THE MESSAGE "SHIFT TO P TO START" WAS ALSO SHOWING. I HAD TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE, SHIFT TO P, AND TURN OFF THE CAR, THEN TURN ON THE CAR IN ORDER TO HAVE THE CAR BE ABLE TO DRIVE IN A FORWARD MOTION. WHILE THIS WAS IN A QUIET PARKING LOT ME SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A LANE WAS NOT A PROBLEM, AND THANKFULLY I WAS NOT CLOSE TO THE NEXT CAR WHILE I WAS REVERSING SINCE UPON SHIFTING TO 'D' I CONTINUED BACKWARDS TOWARDS A ROW OF CARS. HOWEVER, I LIVE ON A BUSY STREET AND OFTEN HAVE TO REVERSE OUT ONTO A 4 LANE ROAD WHERE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE VAN MOVE FORWARD WHEN SHIFTED AS SUCH TO AVOID BEING HIT BY FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALSO HAD SIMILAR OCCURRENCES HAPPEN, AND FREQUENTLY HAVE TO PRESS THE IGNITION BUTTON MULTIPLE TIMES TO GET THE VAN TO TURN OFF ONCE PARKED.*DT*JB

Mileage: 15,481

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.

Mileage: 17,000

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.

Mileage: 278

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 REENTERING THE VEHICLE, IT STARTED NORMALLY.

Mileage: 2,000

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.

Mileage: 1,300

VEHICLE LOST MOTIVE POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXCELERATE FROM A STOP ON A CITY STREET. VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT LOUD CLUNKING NOISE AND VIOLENT SHAKING CAME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND HAS BEEN AT THE LOCAL DEALER SINCE WITH LITTLE COMMUNICATION ABOUT A PROGNOSIS OR PERMANENT FIX.

Mileage: 8,000

THE VAN'S ENGINE STOPPED WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ON A CITY STREET. THE AC HAD BEEN RUNNING. THE HYBRID AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DAY BOARD STATED I NEEDED TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK TO START VAN. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND TO TRYING TO USE GEAR SELECTOR. THIS CHANGED AFTER SITTING FOR 15 MINUTES. I DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH ENGINE LIGHT AND HYBRID LIGHT THE FINAL 1 MILE HOME....UPDATED 11/06/17 *BF UPDATED 11/09/2017*JS

Mileage: 3,800

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 POWER TO DASH ELECTRONICS. WAS PUSHED TO SHOULDER BY STATE POLICE AND SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO DEALER....UPDATED 11/03/17 *BF UPDATED 11/9/2017*JS

Mileage: 230

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.

Mileage: 270