Engine, electrical, and powertrain issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
Minivans might not be as popular these days, but the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica still has quite the following. The automaker claims it will help to “command some attention.” This may be so, but owners experiencing engine failure and random power loss issues are paying more attention to serious problems affecting usage rather than positive features that add enjoyment to their experience.
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Most of the complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) are filed under the engine, powertrain, and/or electrical system. Almost all of these problems relate to stalling, lack of acceleration, and random power loss issues. A total of 35 of them were lodged with the NHTSA between February 5, 2022, and January 24, 2023.
The component or system that owners identify differs depending on their perception of the problem. Even back-over prevention, forward collision avoidance, seat, and brake-related problems are linked to power loss issues. For the record, 16 mention the engine as being the problem, 14 blame the powertrain, and 12 say the electrical system is the issue.
But as an example of something completely different, an owner from Indiana reports that when his 2022 Chrysler Pacifica stalled it was the Check Rear Passenger Seat message that displayed. Nevertheless, it appeared to be engine failure.
Additionally, many of the complainants find that whatever they have experienced is a safety or even serious life-threatening issue.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Engine | |
| Power Train | |
| Electrical System | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Steering | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
The engine is arguably the most important component in the minivan. When the engine fails, as it sometimes does in the Pacifica, it doesn’t do its job, and families have trouble getting anywhere.
The first NHTSA complaint about the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica was lodged in February 2022. It was listed under the Powertrain, Engine, and Fuel/Propulsion System categories. It states that the car stalled while driving. The minivan was only one day old when it happened. “I was driving down a city street and the engine cut off and a message on the dash read ‘Put Vehicle in P to start.’ I pulled over and it took several minutes to get the car to restart. This happened several times on the way back to the dealership.”
The owner stresses that their “safety and that of others on the road was put at risk because we were stopped in the middle of traffic and were unable to move. Pulling over across traffic once the car had stalled was also dangerous because I could not propel the car forward. I did manage to steer the car to the side of the road. After this happened several times in the course of a few blocks, I called for roadside assistance to tow the car back to the dealership. After the incident happened, the ‘check engine’ light came on. The car is currently at the dealership awaiting repair.”
A much more recent complaint filed on January 21, 2023, has a similar description. This owner describes how the vehicle lost its ability to accelerate on the highway engine. It shut off, lost power steering, and the dashboard read “press brake and push button to start” as though the vehicle had been turned off. The default message displayed on the dashboard was “service hybrid electric vehicle system”.
According to the complaint, this happened 3 times in a span of 3 days. Of these, 2 were on the highway and the 3rd was on an exit ramp of the highway. “The inability to accelerate/loss of power steering while driving is a huge safety concern.” Fortunately, in this case, the service manager at the dealership acknowledged the safety concern and picked up the vehicle at the owner’s home. The issue was being evaluated at the time of the complaint.
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In December 2022 an owner from California reported that while driving on a road where the speed limit was 40 mph, the minivan flashed a message that “the engine was off and I needed to put the car in Park to restart it – essentially the car stalled while I was driving 40 mph.” The car rolled to a stop, wouldn’t engage in Drive and wouldn’t accelerate. While essentially the same malfunction mentioned in the complaint above, it was only listed under Powertrain.
The earliest diagnostic opportunity the owner could get was seven weeks later. The complaint states that “the best advice they could give me was that as long as the engine light was not ‘flashing’ then it was not imminently dangerous to drive” the minivan. He was warned that anything could cause the engine light to be illuminated.
“I am afraid to drive the vehicle in case this happens again and they are offering me a 7-week wait to have something done about it. Forums I read have said this is a common, documented problem. This is a supremely dangerous event depending on where one happens to be driving at the random moment that the malfunction takes place.”
Only one of the 12 complaints about the electrical system isn’t listed as also being a powertrain and/or an engine problem. Needless to say, these reflect the same problems mentioned already. And this complaint also reports random power loss issues.
The owner from New Mexico describes how the accelerator of the 2022 Chrysler Pacifica stopped working. He states that it “instructed to hold the brake and press the start button to turn it on. After coasting over to the side of the road I was able to put it in Park, but pressing the power button did not turn it off. The check engine light and battery light were both on (they turned on as soon as the car ‘shut off’).
All they had to do was disconnect the 12V battery and reconnect it to reset the system so that it would start again. But when they Googled the problem, which is how they found the fix, they discovered it was a common issue. “Both times it happened on the highway with a 75 mph speed limit, where it is incredibly dangerous for your car to just stop working!”
Do you think you have a lemon? Rest assured that there are expert lemon law firms that will help work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Chrysler pay legal fees. So you may be able to get your lemon out of your life without paying a cent.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you. If you need assistance, call the Lemberg Law Helpline or fill in our contact form. We’ll assess your case for free. If we go to court, Chrysler’s going to be footing the bills.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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Purchased a certified used Chrysler Pacifica 2022 yesterday. I should’ve known something was up when I came in and wasn’t given the opportunity to drive the vehicle! As soon as the paperwork was completed I drive off and the vehicle shakes at every light and wants to shut off. The air conditioner doesn’t even work well. I took it back to them immediately! Buyers beware!