2017 Chrysler Pacifica Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Blown Head Gasket Had vehicle less than 6 months
head gasket leak at 69k , crowley chrystler replaced head and now at 101 k leaking again
I have researched this and it seems to be a problem that is very common to the Pacificas. Some examples can be found here, but there are hundreds of reports of this across the Internet. [XXX] The problem is twofold. 1. The plastic oil cooler that Chrysler uses on these vehicles is substandard and will fail. Typically this happens just outside of warranty. These parts were made to fail which induces a very expensive repair. 2. There is a very common issue with the head gaskets on these vans. So much so, that when I had one of them replaced on my van the service advisor suggested I do them both because he said the other one would fail soon. He said it happens all the time on these vans. I spent almost $4000 to have one replaced, there is no way I could afford to have more done. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Head gasket failed, flooding #5 cylinder with engine coolant. A warning lamp came on just prior to the failure signaling the #5 plug was misfiring. The engine stopped running and could not start the vehicle. The engine is the Chrysler Pentastar V6 with 63,763 miles.
At 76,000 miles, the engine started to misfire and smoke while driving. Loud pop heard. Took it in and dealership said it was a known engine problem with this 3.6 liter engine on cylinder #5 due to the lack of heat dissipation in the rear of the engine compartment. Thank goodness we had just started the car when we heard the pop. The service engine light cam on immediately after the rough start and now if started, it smokes from the tailpipe. Likely head gasket, warped head due to lack of cooling. Car always serviced at dealership. This is a common and known problem at this mileage for this vehicle.
1. Engine power failure 2. Put in extreme danger-I lost all power going through a tunnel under water (MM Bridge Tunnel). I completely stalleddead center in the middle. Only by the grace of God did no one hit me. I also have severe neck issues. A couple of my neck discs need to be replaced. If I were hit I could have been paralyzed. This has created emotional and financial anxiety as well as poor sleep due to tense muscles and body aches. 3. It has almost cut off twice since then. A mechanic did a deep check of all electrical systems, they are fine. He said it was an engine power drain issue. He said according to research it was a known engine problem. 4. Dealer said my vin # is not on the list (even though it's a known problem) and stated I would have to pay for check and repairs. I saw there was a case settlement and am hoping that will cover the cost. The was no police report even though they pulled up to protect me. The van eventually started again and I moved to a safe location. Dodd's Auto shop did evaluation. 5. I noticed an engine light before stall. I'm not sure how long it had been on. My van has a security video but I'm not sure how to get it. My husband is out of town caring for his 96yr old father so he couldn't get it for me.
Check engine light on. P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected, My maintenance history : Coil is good, only been 27,000 mile since I replaced 6xspark plugs, replaced 1 fuel injector just a week a go, still got engine light on. I took my van to Chrysler Dealer found coolant leaking into cylinder head or gasket. I searched online seems pacifica has many cylinder manufacturers issue.
Before I purchased the vehicle the head gasket was replaced do to an misfire on cylinder 3 fault code. Misfire on cylinder 3 fault code consistently comes back on after replacing coil packs and spark plugs. Independant mechanic states he cannot solve the issue. Chrysler dealer states engine needs replacement as the block is cracked and leaking into cylinder 3. 120k miles on engine. Bought it with 112k.
Purchased 2017 Pacifica Limited in [XXX] from Carmax. 38K miles. Purchased Carmax 100K warranty. Within 90 day Carmax dealer repair warranty, Misfire cylinder 3 check engine light came on. Carmax replaced coil, injector etc. Cleared check engine light. June 24 Misfire cylinder 5 check engine light came on. Vehicle never over heated. Took the vehicle to independent repair shop that performs MaxCare warranty work. Diagnosis: Blown head gaskets. 950/? in coolant when tested. 3 week parts B/O. That would indicate many problems. Chrysler Pacifica Forums have hundreds of blown head gasket entries for years 2017-18. The blown head gaskets were causing rough starts, rough idling, and stalls. Additionally, I don't know why this has not been addressed as a safety issue. When this started occurring, my wife would have to hit the START button 2-3-4 times to get it to start and then it ran rough for a few minutes. Some times stall. The Start/Stop feature is affected when the engine does not rapidly start when the pedal is pushed. This is a big safety issue when on the road and in traffic. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Failed head gasket. Faulty manufacturing. All maintenance done as recommended by manufacturer by the dealership who sold the vehicle.
I was driving the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica on [XXX] when the engine warning light came on and indicated that the engine was running hot. When I got home we checked and added engine coolant since it was low. Two days later the van was running hot again. I pulled over the engine coolant was empty. We refilled the engine coolant. Two days later the engine light came on and I took the van to our mechanic and he completed a partial tune up on the van and refilled the engine coolant. A few days later it began hesitating, jerking, and bouncing and the check engine light came back on. The temperature was reading okay. At home and when we opened the hood there was a very hot smell. When we opened the coolant and it began to bubble up then sucked all the liquid back into the van...somewhere. We left the engine cool completely overnight but the smell of burning coolant was seeping into our house all evening. In the morning we added more coolant because the tank was empty again. A few days it started all over again., loosing engine coolant, jerking, hesitating and bouncing. (I only drive the van 12 miles a day to work then 12 miles back.) This time I took it to our mechanic and he ran a diagnostic test and it found a cylinder misfired. He checked the coolant level and it was empty again. At this time he also checked the oil to be sure the coolant was not going into the oil tank but the oil was clear. He also double checked for recalls on the van and also on the spark plugs he had just replaced and but found nothing. He reset the engine light and we added 1/2 can of BG-44k fuel cleaner, part 208. The van ran smoothly for about five days. Then it began all over again. We then took it to a Chrysler dealership and was told the head gaskets were leaking coolant into the cylinder and the van needed a completely new engine! at a cost of $13,750! This seems to have been an ongoing issue with this model of van and Chrysler is doing nothing to fix it! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that soon after purchasing the vehicle, the check engine warning light appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer; however, once the vehicle was in the dealer's possession, the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated. Upon return of the vehicle, the vehicle jerked and hesitated upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light intermittently flashing on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
The Check Engine light indicated a misfire is cylinder 1 and the car was running roughly. After changing the injector, spark plug and coil wire, the problem continued. The mechanic finally determined there was radiator coolant in the exhaust indicating a failure of the head gasket. A leak in the engine block, and improper combustion can lead to a myriad of safety issues. A check online revealed this to be a common problem in this Chrysler engine in 2017 in the 1-3-5 cylinders with some contributors suggesting an improper casting of the engine block during manufacture. It commonly appears around 60,000-75,000 miles, generally after the power train warranty has expired. My van was at 75,729 miles. The cost to repair the vehicle was $3488.48. The repair was done by my trusted mechanic as I am sure that the Chrysler dealer would be far more expensive. This is due to a manufacturers defect, not normal wear and tear. This expense should not be borne by the consumer.
The contact owns a 2013 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine overheating warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and waited for the engine to cool down, restarted the vehicle, and continued driving. The failure became a recurring failure however, after the last failure the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed and determined that there was a leak in the cooling system that caused coolant to leak into the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact was referred to the manufacturer by the mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that there were no recalls on the VIN. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 97,000.
I bought this van about 2 years ago . In the last 6 -8 months. The anti-freeze in the coolant kept emptying, car never hot but disappeared. Turns out it's been going to the engine. I have a friend that is having same issue and should be a manufacturer defect.
Engine code P0303 (misfire cylinder 3 was triggered) car was found to be losing coolant through the cylinder. Chrysler dealer declared complete engine failure due to block damage. Stellantis indicated repair exceeded value of the vehicle.
I am writing to file a complaint regarding a safety issue with my Chrysler Pacifica 2017, which I purchased on November 21, 2023. Since acquiring the vehicle, I have encountered a persistent problem that poses significant safety concerns. 1. **Component/System Failure:** The vehicle experiences choking and emits a strong oil smell into the cabin. This odor is highly concerning as it leads to symptoms such as burning eyes, dry throat, red skin, coughing, nausea, and headaches. This indicates a potential failure or malfunction in the vehicle's ventilation or emissions system, possibly allowing oil or coolant fumes to enter the cabin. The component/system is available for inspection upon request. 2. **Risk to Safety:** The presence of these noxious fumes not only affects my health but also poses a serious safety risk to myself and passengers. The symptoms induced by the odor impair my ability to drive safely and could lead to accidents or injuries. Additionally, exposure to such fumes over time may have long-term health consequences. 3. **Confirmation:** While the problem was not confirmed by the dealer, multiple independent repair shops and the manufacturer have acknowledged the issue. Mechanics from these establishments have inspected the affected component/system and confirmed its malfunction. 4. **Inspections:** The component/system has been inspected by mechanics from various repair shops and by representatives from the manufacturer. Their assessments corroborate the presence of the malfunction and the associated safety risks. 5. **Warning Signs:** Prior to the failure, there were no warning lamps or messages indicating a problem. However, the symptoms, including the oil smell and associated health effects, manifested immediately upon driving the vehicle after purchase.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica with roughly 134,000 miles recently started have idling issues. The vehicle has had regular maintenance and always taken into shop when issues arise. When vehicle started idling rough we found out the spark plugs (all 6) needed replaced and should fix the issue. Replaced all 6 plugs within the same week of finding out they needed replacement. Then within a week while driving the engine starts over heating. Heating to upwards of 270 degrees F. As soon as we were able to get off the road and to a safe location to view the engine it was apparent the coolant was empty. Please keep in mind this is checked on a regular basis as is the oil in the vehicle. We replaced the coolant and drove back home. All seemed well. Then the very next day the engine would not start or even turn over. We looked again and the coolant was almost non existent. Had the vehicle towed to repair shop. The coolant had been leaking into the engine causing it to burn up. In the process the engine was seized come to find out and also the head gasket needed replacement. Doing more research once the coolant starts burning in the engine the engine will more than likely need replacement. We are being told to be prepared for the whole engine to need replacement due to coolant issues. If this would have been recalled we would not be in the position to have to replace our entire engine. It would be greatly appreciated if this can be looked into further as we have missed the deadline for the class action lawsuit for this issue.
Our vehicle started to shudder when we started. We took it to the dealership, who initially was unable to identify an issue. They then, a day later, identified that the head gaskets needed replaced. This required a significant repair. Reviewing online, there appear to be hundreds, if not thousands, of similar issues when this type of vehicle reaches approximately 70,000 miles. Our vehicle is a little beyond 70,000 miles. We have also had some other issues, including about 1.5 years ago where the vehicle would randomly turn off while driving. We did take this in for a repair.
92,000 miles engine failed and had to replace with a new one. Started with a rough idle at start up and code said misfire on #6 ,had a tune up done with replacing plug and coil packs. Next code was #5 misfiring, and then it started blowing white smoke. Head gasket blown but wouldn't guarantee repairs so I went with a new motor with a warranty
On two separate occasions I was driving, and then suddenly my check engine light starts flashing, and the car stalls in the middle of the road. I turn it off and restart it and it seems fine. No engine light flashing or anything. I’m concerned because it happened with my kids in the car and we almost caused an accident. The first time it happened I was on the interstate but thankfully got off the exit before it stalled.
Head gasket blown at 79,000 miles. This is a known issue on this model but Chrysler won’t admit fault.
The van shuts off while driving. This has happened several times now. Stuck in the middle of road where van stalled. Need to stop and restart. No warning or indicator lights.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica experiencing engine misfiring / stalling due to blown head gasket and possible engine block cracking at 78000 miles. Happens at idle. Appears to be a common issue and part of a legal settlement in 2023. Have attempted to repair the issue once and vehicle is currently at the dealership service awaiting resolution with independent Arbitrator.
Car has had on going transmission issues with slipping and power loss that dealer was not able to diagnose. The car check engine light came on, and at the dealer the code was for cylinder failure and on inspection at the dealer the left 4th cylinder has failed and the car will need a new engine with only 80,000 miles and proper maintenance. This is available for inspection. Our safety was at risk that the car has had difficulty shifting and has lost power in traffic.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica has 212 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.