Chrysler Pacifica RU
Weaknesses, engine ratings and buying advice
The Chrysler Pacifica is Stellantis' take on the classic American minivan, replacing the Town & Country from 2017 on. With its Stow-and-Go seating, smart packaging and comfortable ride, it's aimed squarely at the family-hauler crowd. This is volume, not prestige, which is good news for parts availability and reasonable shop costs. If you're shopping a used Pacifica, the drivetrain choice is where sorted meets sorry, so pay attention there before anything else.
The safe pick is the 3.6L Pentastar V6 making 305 hp. This is FCA's workhorse engine, running in half the corporate fleet: no MDS, no collapsing lifters, well understood and durable. Age-related items are the familiar Pentastar tick from worn rocker arms past 100,000 miles, oil or coolant weeps from the plastic oil-filter housing, and an eventually leaking water pump. All manageable. The Pacifica Hybrid is a different story. Its Atkinson-cycle V6 delivers 248 hp of combined output, but the 16-kWh LG battery had serious fire problems — the high-voltage battery fire recall covers 2017 and 2018 models and is a mandatory check. Add the eFlite transaxle losing drive from a wiring-harness short, the Power Inverter Module, the onboard charger, and the 12V auxiliary battery prone to deep discharge, and you have real risk. A hybrid without documented recall completion is a walk-away.
Regardless of engine, the Pacifica has some signature van gremlins. Top of the list is the power sliding door failing from electrical faults — the Pacifica problem. The ZF 9-speed automatic tends to jerk and shift harshly, often improved by a software update. The TIPM, the central fuse and relay box, can cause total electrical dropouts, and there are A/C compressor failures, a stubborn power liftgate, and rare coolant-in-cylinder cases that end in engine damage.
Bottom line: a Pentastar Pacifica with clean history is a genuinely sensible, comfortable family van you can buy with confidence. Confirm sliding-door repairs, the transmission software update, and check the TIPM history. Only buy the Hybrid if every recall is provably closed out — otherwise you're inheriting expensive electronic liabilities.
Engine Overview
The Chrysler Pacifica RU is available with 2 engine variants — from 248 to 287 hp.
FCA's workhorse V6, 305 hp, DOHC 24-valve — same Pentastar in half the Stellantis lineup. No MDS, no lifter lottery. Rocker arm tick around 60k miles. Plastic oil filter housing cracks — Dorman 926-959 metal replacement is the permanent fix. A small sleeper community runs ProCharger ($6,349) or RIPP ($6,799) kits pushing 400-450 whp on stock internals, bolt-on. Whether $12k all-in on a boosted V6 beats buying a used R/T is the question nobody agrees on.
- !! Left cylinder head valve-seat wear (early build) from 110,000 km
Early 3.6 Pentastar (2011–2013) suffer valve-seat/guide wear in the left head (Bank 2), notably cylinder 2. Result: lost compression and misfires. Chrysler extended warranty to 10yr/150k miles on the left head.
Symptoms: Engine ticking, misfires, rough running, check-engine light with codes P0300/P0302/P0304/P0306, loss of power. - !! Pentastar tick – worn rocker arms/rollers from 90,000 km
On 2014–2020 3.6 Pentastar the rocker-arm rollers wear, loosen and drop, shifting the rocker out of alignment, creating metal debris and risking camshaft damage. Design was revised by 2019.
Symptoms: Metallic tick, often on cold start and around 1500–2000 rpm, later constant; can progress to misfires, surging and power loss. - !! Timing chain stretch (higher mileage) from 190,000 km
At high mileage (from ~120,000 miles) the timing chains stretch and cam-to-crank correlation drifts. Extended oil intervals or low oil accelerate wear because the tensioners are oil-fed.
Symptoms: Chain rattle on cold start (first seconds), tick from the top end, check-engine light with P0016/P0017/P0018/P0019, sometimes misfires.
+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
3.6-liter Atkinson V6 combined with electric drive, total system output 248 hp. 32 miles all-electric range. LG Energy Solutions battery pack (16 kWh) had serious fire problems on 2017-2018 units — two recalls, NHTSA found fire rate actually increased after the first recall fix. Power Inverter Module is the most expensive failure point after the battery pack itself.
- !! High-voltage battery fire risk (recall Z11/22V-077)
Defective LG cells can fail internally and trigger thermal runaway, causing fire even when parked and switched off. Chrysler told owners to park outdoors away from structures and stop charging until repaired.
Symptoms: Usually no warning; burning smell, smoke or an alert from the battery area. Mainly MY 2017-2018, later waves cover 2020-2022 builds. - !! eFlite transmission: power loss from wiring short (recall 03A/23V-010)
An internal short in the transmission wiring harness causes loss of drive power while driving. NHTSA probe PE22-008 logged 130+ reports; recall 03A covers 67,118 vehicles MY 2017-2023.
Symptoms: Sudden power loss, "Stop Safely — Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" warning, blinking PRNDL display, limp mode. DTCs P0A3F, P0A43, P0A45. - !! Power Inverter Module (PIM) failure — loss of drive (recall 17V371) from 80,000 km
Diodes in the PIM can fail from an overvoltage condition, leaving the vehicle unable to move under its own power. Early recall T34/17V371 (MY 2017-2018), with further field failures reported.
Symptoms: Sudden loss of acceleration/drive, "Service Hybrid Electric Vehicle System" message, coasting to a stop. DTC U1428.
+ 3 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses
Vehicle Weaknesses
| Weakness | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sliding Door Failure — THE Pacifica Problem Power sliding doors fail to respond or close unexpectedly. 475+ NHTSA complaints triggered a formal investigation. FCA extended warranty to 15 years/1 million miles on door lock actuators for affected VINs. Injuries from unexpected door closure documented. Symptoms: Sliding door won't open or close on command, closes by itself, door falls off track from 40,000 km | Medium | |
| TIPM Failure — Total Electrical Meltdown Totally Integrated Power Module controls all electrical functions. Internal defect causes cascading failures: fuel pump dies, windows cycle on their own, horn sounds randomly. Known Chrysler fleet problem 2008-2016. Symptoms: Random no-start, door locks cycling by themselves, fuel pump relay failure, windows operating on their own from 86,000 km | Medium | |
| Engine Stall — Crankshaft Sensor Defect (Recall) Software defect in the 9-speed transmission causes crankshaft synchronization error — engine dies while driving without warning, power steering lost. FCA recall January 2018; software update didn't help many owners. Warranty extended to 5 years/60,000 miles for crankshaft sensor. Symptoms: Engine suddenly stalls while driving, steering becomes heavy, no prior warning light from 35,000 km | Low |
Top Reported Issues
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Known Problems and Issues +
A total of 19 weaknesses have been documented for the Chrysler Pacifica RU (2017–2025) — 11 engine-related and 8 vehicle-related. One problem engine: Pacifica-eHybrid-ENC (3.6L V6 Atkinson + Electric). Typical issues affect Electronics, Gearbox, HVAC, Body.
Pacifica (Pentastar-3.6-LC, 2017–2025) — Be Careful: Left cylinder head valve-seat wear (early build), Pentastar tick – worn rocker arms/rollers, Timing chain stretch (higher mileage). Power: 287 PS.
Pacifica (Pacifica-eHybrid-ENC, 2017–2025) — Stay Away!: High-voltage battery fire risk (recall Z11/22V-077), eFlite transmission: power loss from wiring short (recall 03A/23V-010), Power Inverter Module (PIM) failure — loss of drive (recall 17V371). Power: 248 PS.
What to watch out for with the Chrysler Pacifica? See the detailed listing of all engine and vehicle weaknesses in the sections above.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last updated: February 2026 · All information without guarantee