While driving around 30 MPH the car on its own slipped out of the drive gear and the dashboard chimed and reported the car was in reverse, the gear knob indicated the same however the car was not in reverse. As I proceeded to drive in traffic, I switched the gear knob to drive and accelerated. The car was sluggish and the RPM were not registering. I drove home (5 miles) slowly because the car was sluggish seemed to only be in first gear. Car was towed to the dealership. They are unable to recreate the problem. This is a safety hazard.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica transmission complaints
Page 12 of 17: complaints 311 to 340 of 474, newest first, as owners wrote them.
My van has had this issue since around 29,000 miles and I am currently around 53,000. I have been to the dealership over 15 times and still have no solution because the problem doesn't show on a computer, nor does it happen when a service tech is with me. When the van is shifting between 1st and 2nd there is a jolt like being hit from behind and a noise. I have this on video 3 separate times and the service advisor tells me that it is normal for a 9 speed transmission to do this. There is no way this is normal, others have been with me and have thought I have slammed on brakes because the jolt is so strong. This happens in parking lots, turns and from a complete stop to start. It always happens at 14-15 MPH and is extremely scary at times and there is no solution from anyone.
Over a year ago our pacifica began hard shifting from a dead stop and in lower speeds. Sometimes it is so bad we feel we got rear ended. It is very sporadic and difficult to duplicate. It is becoming very unsafe. My fear is the hard shifting and the car stopping will cause an accident. Dealer says they can't duplicate the problem so they can't fix it. It seems there should be a recall. I have seen at 30 complaints on one web site complaining of the exact same issue.
I purchased a new 2017 chrysler pacifica van in november 2016. I started to notice a hard shifting pattern, so hard that it feels like I'm being rear-ended by another vehicle. I have taken it to the dealership 4 times with this complaint on 9/13/17, 6/11/18, 2/27/19 and 5/24/19. The first 3 visits I was told that there was a "software update" and that should fix the problem. The hard shifting would be fixed for about 1 week and it would start back up again. My last visit on 5/24/19 I was told that no shifting issues were appearing on the diagnostics test. My van continues to hard shift on a daily basis. This is becoming a real safety concern as one time it shifted so hard while I was driving on the highway it completely jolted my car. Another instance, while dropping my child off at school at the drop off line, I was completely stopped with my break on and as I slowly began to accelerate my car was not moving and then all of a sudden jerked forward. I almost hit the car in front of me. I've been reading countless blogs and forums of the same complaint with other 2017 chrysler pacifica's. Most of the people who drive this vehicle have young children in the car. I do not feel safe in my van and even my eight-year-old keeps asking if we are getting hit from behind by another car because of the jolting. It is a very scary moment when this jolting occurs and it increases my heart rate every time this happens, this happens to me at least three to four times per day.
As we are driving along, especially after a stop or slowing down for a turn, the car jerks suddenly and then accelerates on its own. This has been happening more and more often.
While driving my 2017 chrysler pacifica at low speeds (10mph-20mph) it seams to shift out of gear and then slams back in startling everyone in the vehicle feeling like we were rear ended. We have had this vehicle back to the dealer multiple times for the software update. After the update it drives ok for a while then happens again. While operating this vehicle making a left turn into a lane with on coming traffic it occurred almost causing me to get into an accident.
Transmission slipping then shifting hard into gear. The time between shifts is several seconds making pulling out into traffic difficult and dangerous. This happens when the vehicle is at low speed under low to moderate engine load.
Currently have 53,078 miles on this van. It is serviced regularly by the same dealership we bought it from. Today as I was picking up my kids from school( speed limit is 15 MPH) van suddenly lost power, it made beeping noise, and dash said to shift to park. I shifted to park and shut it down then restarted. It is driving normal again but I'm still taking it into dealership because ever since it had a software update last year, I have had issues with transmission slipping as I drive on highway. It slows down by itself and jerks van roughly as it automatically shifts to next gear. Also the trunk stopped making beeping sound when it opens.
Vehicle "jerks" when automatically shifting. This happens at slow speeds, while in motion, on city streets. Has been taken to dealer, and was told nothing could be done unless the "check engine" light was on. Passenger side sliding door will retract as if something is blocking its track when there is nothing there. Paint is bubbling on the hood
When driving the vehicle and turning a corner from a low speed (<20mph) or accelerating around a corner from a stop, the vehicle has lost power and the engine just revs as if in neutral. The vehicle has to be placed into parked and restarted to begin driving again. This has happened approximately 4 times in the last year and a half with less than 24,000 miles on the vehicle. The vehicle also jerks when accelerating at times, usually around 15 MPH. Sometimes it jerks like it has been hit in the rear. We've taken it in multiple times to the shop and they have replaced a valve body related to the transmission, but continue to still have issues.
I've taken my vehicle to ocala nissan shortly after purchase and explained to them that the vehicle was jerking around 15 MPH. They tested it and said nothing was wrong because the problem could not be duplicated. The next time I took it I drove with a service advisor and the vehicle did not duplicate. However on the way home it did. The advisor recommended me take the vehicle to be assessed @ my expense. I couldn't afford it at the time so I waited until an oil change was due. On may 15th chryster did an assessment and did not find a problem. They even drove my vehicle 19 miles! The advisor even mentioned that there were 'stored codes' on my vehicle, but did not do any repair! Today may 19th my check engine light is on and my vehicle is slow to accelerate!
Sporadically when shifting at around 15 MPH vehicle jerks so hard that it feels like you have gotten hit from behind. This has happened hundreds of times since around 10k miles and now I am at 27k miles. The dealer cannot replicate the problem but I feel it is extremely unsafe. All that has been done to try to fix the vehicle is perform the transmission software update and it did nothing. Also opened a case with chrysler and they have not done anything.
Issues when the vehicle is moving at slow speed going from what feels like 1st second gear and a very hard thump feeling is felt. Rpm guarge gpes from 1500-300 RPM very rapidly then the vehicle shifts gears and the thump or hard shift is felt. Can happen either on highway, city street any roads at all.
The vehicle will undergo a hard shift when changing from either 1st or 2nd gear. This happens intermittently under no specific conditions with different driving styles the van currently has 31k miles on it with no known accidents or repairs. These symptoms have occurred during city and highway driving. The shift is hard enough to give the feeling that the van has been rear-ended.
Transmission shifting issue. Vehicle was at a complete stop. When acceleration from stop and making a right turn , the vehicle acted like it slipped out of gear and back into gear. This caused a violent motion in the car.at times when I step on the gas to accelerate the transmission does not always engage properly and it slips causing a delay in taking off. I have had it back to the dealer for all upgrades or reprograms for this problem and yet the problem still persists.
Transmission shifting issue. Vehicle was at a complete stop. When acceleration from stop and making a right turn , the vehicle acted like it slipped out of gear and back into gear. This caused a violent motion in the car. This is a repeated issue with this van. At times when I step on the gas to accelerate the transmission does not always engage properly and it slips causing a delay in taking off. I have had it back to the dealer for all upgrades or reprograms for this problem and yet the problem still persists
There is a problem with the nine speed transmission. Occasionally when shifting from first to second while accelerating from a stop, there will be a loss of power to the wheels even though the gas pedal is still engaged. After a second or two the transmission will shift roughly into the next gear with a great lurch. It feels like another vehicle has nerfed you in the rear bumper. The lurch is that strong. Chrysler says there is no bulletin about the problem. They claimed they reflashed the computer but that did nothing to fix the problem.
This problem occurs at least once a week. This happens as the vehicle is accelerating and reaches between 15 to 18 MPH. The car stops shifting and feels like it is just shutting off. I have to press hard on the gas pedal to get the vehicle to respond. I have asked the service department twice to fix the problem. Both times, they informed me that the computer scanner shows no concerns and that the technician cannot find the problem after taking the vehicle for a drive. The last technician informed my that chrysler is denying the issue because the computer scanners shows no issues. He informed me that chrysler knows about the issue and will continue to deny it until the government makes them. The other day my husband took the vehicle to the store and he came back a nervous wreck. This same concern happened to him. He said he doesn't know how I drive this vehicle everyday. He thought the transmission just fell out of the car when it didn't properly shift gears. I have three young children and husband that ride in this vehicle with me. I am terrified that one day I will be rear-ended because of the problem with the transmission. If someone is following too closely, one day I will be hit. I have talked to other friends who have the 2018 model and they said the safety concern has carried onto their vehicle and was not corrected. This concern started before 10,000 miles and still continues at over 47,000 miles.
The van jerks and and stalls when shifting gears (especially on low gears). It then suddenly surges.
At times when I step on the gas to accelerate the transmission does not always engage properly and it slips causing a delay in taking off. I have had it back to the dealer for all upgrades or reprograms for this problem and yet the problem still persists. The other day I was pulling out of a parking lot onto a highway on which there was oncoming traffic. I stepped on the gas and the transmission did not engage properly and then the car did not accelerate as it should have which then caused the oncoming traffic to have to break in order to avoid hitting me. Thankfully, that vehicle was able to stop before hitting me, but I am fearful that one day I will be in a situation where I won't be so lucky when the transmission does this. This has also happened to me when I have had to slow down while on an interstate or highway and then had to accelerate to resume traveling with the other vehicles on the road. At times when the slippage occurs the transmission shifts very hard which is quite alarming.
Transmission shifting issue. Vehicle was at a complete stop. When acceleration from stop and making a right turn , the vehicle acted like it slipped out of gear and back into gear. This caused a violent motion in the car. This is a repeated issue with this van. We feel that this could lead to a bigger issues that could cause injury from an accident.
When my pacifica is stationary the following dangerous action occurs every time. When the transmission is placed in park and my foot is removed from the brake pedal, the car will roll between 6 inched to 1o inches. I have been told by two different chrysler dealer service departments, "that is normal". I know that this is not normal because I have talked to at least three owners of the same make year and model that tell me, theirs does not roll in park. In addition I have owned at least 2 dozen cars, trucks, and rvs and none of them roll in park. The first time I was standing at the rear of the car to get something out of the rear and the car hit me and made me lose my balance. I have been pushed by the passenger door several times when I get out first after my wife has put the transmission in park but before she takes her foot off the brake. I now try to remember to step away from the car as soon as I exit. In the next step it says when did this happen. I am going to use today's date because it happens every day. It has been going on for at least a year maybe loner. It has been long enough that I can no-longer remember the first incident.
I am clearly having a shifting gear issues. I am getting a major kick in the shifting during low speed, it happens between 15 and 18 MPH. The problem is very random. This condition my only happen once a month or it could be several times in a row. I have taken the car in several times. They did a software transmission update. This did not fix the issue. I took it in again on april 3, 2019 and the service department could not replicate the issue. I also drive the car the next day with the dealer's service rep. It did have a slight loose of power between 1st and 2nd gear but we could not get to repeat the hard jerking condition that I was complaining about. The dealer check with chrysler and was told that they are aware of the problem but do not have a repair solution at this time. Thanks chrysler!
When accelerating the van jerks then picks up more speed. Sometimes when pressing the gas pedal from park it takes a while to start moving. The shifter gets suck and the doesnt get off the emergency brake.
When taking off from a complete stop - after car is warmed up - at a low speed, car is unable to shift from 1st and when it finally does it shifts so hard, jarring the car, that it feels like another vehicle has hit us from behind. Usually happens at speeds between 10-20 MPH. Happens a few times a week but I cannot recreate it on demand - which is what the service dept would like. I have 9000 miles on my van and has been happening intermittently since I purchased it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 chrysler pacifica. While driving various speeds, the vehicle lunged forward when accelerating. The failure occurred intermittently. There were no warning indicators illuminated. West herr chrysler dodge jeep ram of lockport (6200 s transit rd, lockport, ny 14094, (716) 239-4769) diagnosed the vehicle, but could not find a failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Transmission shifting issues. After coming to a complete stop, I accelerated and at 36 MPH the transmission acted like it dropped out and back into gear making a noise. This continued issue has caused an erosion in our trust in the van to safely provide transportation for our family.
Transmission shifting issues. Vehicle was at a complete stop. Was accelerating from a stop and acted like it dropped out of gear and slammed back into gear violently. This has caused us to loose confidence and have safety concerns about our van.
Vehicle was at a complete stop. Turned right onto highway 122 and at 17 MPH the vehicle hesitated and violently shifted hard into gear. We feel the safety of the vehicle has been compromised because of the unpredictability of shifting
While in continuous acceleration, 13mph the transmission struggled to shift between 1st and 2nd gears. Eventually, the car thrust forward and shifted forward. Same thing happens when reducing speed. It happens every day and every time I accelerate
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2017 Chrysler Pacifica?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history