Launched in the U.S. in September 2022, the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica was heralded by Stellantis as the ongoing leader of the minivan segment. It is the first minivan to offer gas and hybrid powertrains and the only one with a plug-in hybrid. That doesn’t mean owners should expect a risk of new-technology breakdowns. However, the number of reports about engines shutting down on the road is alarming. Read on for our analysis of the most common problems along with your lemon law legal options.
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Most Common Problems
A barrage of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that the most common problem with 2023 Pacifica is engines shutting down. Unsurprisingly, complaints about engines are at the top of the list at 50%. There are also many complaints about the electrical system (37%) and the powertrain (26%). Some complaints combine more than one of these components, some all three.
Other components and systems highlighted in complaints as being problematic include backover prevention, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, fuel/propulsion system, lane departure, seats, service brakes, steering, suspension, and vehicle speed control.
There are also five recalls that affect the 2023 Pacifica.
2023 Chrysler Pacifica Complaint Summary
Complaint Category
Number of Complaints
Engine
23
23
Electrical System
16
16
Power Train
13
13
Unknown Or Other
10
10
Fuel/propulsion System
4
4
Steering
3
3
Vehicle Speed Control
3
3
Seats
2
2
Service Brakes
2
2
Back Over Prevention
1
1
Recalls
Two of the recalls warn of fire risks.
A deformed fuel line in 967 2023 Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) may leak. If the leak is near an ignition source, it increases the risk of a fire.
Potentially, 32 2023 PHEVs are at risk of catching fire if the battery-post short circuits. In an urgent safety recall, Stellantis warns that incorrectly installed 12-volt battery isolator posts may experience an electrical short. This can result in a fire while driving or when the vehicle is parked.
The Chrysler Pacifica is one of many Stellantis vehicles with a rearview camera fault. The image may not display, decreasing the driver’s visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. A total of 1,033,433 vehicles have been recalled.
Again, just one of many Stellantis vehicles (a total of 38,164), the Pacifica faces a threat that drivers’ airbags may not deploy in a crash. This is because the steering column control module may not be welded properly.
A total of 67,117 2017-2023 Pacifica PHEVs were identified in January 2023 as potentially having a problem with unexpected engine shutdown from an electrical short. “An internal transmission wiring connector may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown.” This, of course, increases the risk of a crash.
In May 2024, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles notified dealers that affected customers would be permitted a “Warranty Extension.” This same document, Revision 7 of the Safety Recall 03A/NHTSA 23V-010 Loss of Motive Power also specifies the repairs required. Dealers are instructed to:
Update the power inverter module (PIM) software for 2019-2023 model year vehicles.
Update the power inverter module (PIM) software and update the instrument panel cluster (IPC) software, as well as the powertrain control module (PCM) software for 2017-2018 model year vehicles.
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Vehicles Shutting Down
This overarching problem relates directly to the engine of the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. However, it is also reported as a powertrain, electrical system, and/or an unknown or other problem. Many complaints fail to identify which particular minivan is affected. However, the Pacifica Hybrid and premium Pinnacle models are mentioned by name.
An owner from California states that their Pacifica Hybrid “completely shut down on us while driving” through Las Vegas while on a family vacation. “A warning came up on the dash stating “slow down, engine will be shutting down”. They were on a main freeway and “almost got hit because of this. We had our two kids in the car and are so upset this happened especially because we just bought the vehicle in May 2024 and this is the second time this has happened to us. We had to pay for a rental vehicle out of pocket to continue our trip and get our van towed to a nearby dealership in Las Vegas. It is currently sitting at the dealership and we have no idea how long it’s going to take to get fixed or how we are going to get it back to CA.”
Dealers Unable to Replicate the Problem
Despite the recall that warns of unexpected engine shutdown, many dealerships maintain they are unable to replicate the issue.
For example, an owner from Massachusetts complained about the problem on July 2, 2024. While driving at various speeds on different occasions, the Pacifica Hybrid (with 500 miles) displayed the message, “Engine Will Shut Off – Please Stop Safely.” Within 30 seconds, it stalled and the driver noticed a burning smell in the cabin. It took several minutes to restart the vehicle each time. The dealer was unable to replicate the problem.
While driving on a freeway after owning the van for less than a year, a Minnesota owner experienced the same warning. “When I took it to the dealership, the check engine light had turned off and I was told there was nothing they could do. On a recent 1,000-mile family trip, we had the same thing happen 5 times. The van has currently been at the dealer for over two weeks and they are not able to tell us what is wrong with the van. This is a huge risk for safety as I was driving on the freeway at 70 mph with my family in the car and had no idea if I would be able to get out of traffic before the van shut down.”
Different Components Blamed
When dealerships diagnose the shutting down problem, they blame various components including the powertrain and battery.
A Washington owner whose Hybrid had only done 1k miles experienced a sudden loss of power while driving. There was a warning light and beeps telling him the vehicle was about to lose power. He got to a red light and, after blocking other vehicles for a few minutes, managed to restart the car. The engine light stayed on after the incident. This dealer diagnosed a faulty transmission and said it would take a few weeks before it could be fixed. “There was no loaner car and Chrysler only gave me a $40/day allowance for a rental car which is not nearly enough to get any small car, let alone a minivan.”
Another owner from Washington, with only 20 miles, states getting a message: “rear safety alert, vehicle will shut off.” It did, and she and her children were stranded on a highway exit blocking traffic. The dealership blamed the battery. Within 24 hours of replacing the battery, the car shut down again.
A Pennsylvania owner with a new Pacifica with less than 1,500 miles was diagnosed with a faulty power inverter module after he got the “vehicle will shut down” message. At the time of the complaint, this was still being installed.
An owner from Maine also tells how the check engine came on suddenly and the vehicle stopped while driving. The dashboard message read, “Park car safely. Engine is going to shut down.” However, it stopped almost immediately, leaving the driver stranded in the middle of a busy road. The check engine code read, “Drive Motor A Inverter Performance.” The mechanic said it was an internal short in the transmission control module.
Other Engine-Related Concerns
There are multiple engine-related problems, some of which involve stalling or loss of power.
While driving a rental vehicle downhill at about 20 mph in California, the check engine light came on and a “Brake Release” message was displayed. “The vehicle failed to stop while depressing the brake pedal before the vehicle stalled.” At the time of the complaint, the cause of the failure had not been determined.
An owner from Wisconsin states that the Pacifica has an auto start/stop feature that turns off the engine when the brake is applied and the vehicle is at a full stop. When stopped at a traffic light with the engine auto stopped, the driver lets his foot off the brake when the light turns green, but the engine fails to start. It remains stopped in an active traffic lane, or potentially in the middle of an intersection. A chime and a display message guide the driver to shift to Park and manually restart the car. “This has happened at least five times in (the) 6,900 miles we have owned the vehicle. Dealer service department could not reproduce or find any log of the event occurring.”
In a complaint listed as an electrical system, engine, and powertrain issue, an owner from California describes “a critical malfunction.” It started with a “Service Charging System” error message and engine light on the dashboard, and led to a loss of power in the accelerator. The dealer confirmed the “error” but wasn’t able to fix the problem, which recurred.
Another owner from California was driving a new 2023 Hybrid with 35 miles at about 5 mph when it stalled. The dealer couldn’t identify the cause, but it recurred while the owner was driving home. This time, the vehicle couldn’t be restarted.
Electrical Issues
In a complaint listed as an electrical system, engine, and unknown or other problem, an owner from Florida states that the Pacifica has “turned off about 5 times while driving.” There is no mention of warning messages. The complaint states, “It loses all power. Engine, power, etc completely dies. I need to restart the vehicle, wait for start-up, and then I can continue driving.” Again, the dealership was unable to duplicate the issue.
An Ohio owner states getting “every error message possible. All of a sudden it goes haywire. Can’t tell what speed you’re going, you can put gas to the floor and no acceleration. The power steering comes and goes, wipers turn on and off, let go of the brake and it accelerates on its own, you name it. Van will not shift in and out of gear and will not turn off even when holding down (the) start button. We’ve taken it in three times. The second and third time (it) was towed in, and now it’s happening again. They can’t find anything wrong with it (other than 60+ error codes).”
The air conditioner of an Arizona owner packed up three weeks after purchase. The dealership replaced certain electrical parts with approval from Chrysler. They also said the air conditioning unit was low on Freon and several fuse arrays weren’t working properly. On the way home, after the Pacifica had been with the dealer for a month, the owner experienced the get to a safe place, car is going to stop message. Law Enforcement helped to move the car out of the intersection.
Experiencing Recurring Car Issues?
If you think your 2023 Chrysler Pacifica is a lemon, you might be correct. However, it’s best to get legal advice. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners — so it’s worth taking the matter further.
Call the Lemberg Law Helpline or fill in our contact form and we will assess your 202e Chysler Pacifica problems free of charge. By law, Stellantis will have to pay the legal fees for a lemon law case.
About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions.
He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
