2018 Chrysler Pacifica: check engine light

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Transmission · 170,000 miles · MO

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving uphill, the vehicle was shaking uncontrollably. Additionally, the Auto START/STOP feature intermittently failed to restart the engine while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test indicated that the passenger’s side CV axle camshaft was defective. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V493000 (POWER TRAIN) and 18V492000 (POWER TRAIN); and associated the failure with the recalls. The dealer was notified of the failure and later informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recalls. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · PA

I originally took my car to Reedman toll in 2021 due to frequent issues with the batteries needing to be replaced and the car not starting. At the time I was told it was related to a recall, and they fixed it. However, over the last year I have continued to have various problems with the car. The batteries were replaced numerous times. The check engine light and stop start unavailable light going on randomly. The car also started having electrical issues like the radio would just turn off on its own, or the automatic car doors would not open. The car also started feeling jumpy and shaky upon starting, and when the car is off there is a thumping noise. This thumping noise is still heard when the car has been off and parked for hours. The car will be off and I will get in it and hear the thumping before the car starts. Over the summer the problems became more frequent, and on August 31st it would not start, and I had to have it towed to Reedman. Reedman said my started was bad and also the fuse box shorted. They had my car for 10 days, and during this time I paid $500 out of pocket for a rental. I paid $2000 to Reedman for these repairs. I got the car back, and immediately (same day) experienced the exact same problems, and then my car would not start again. When I did get it started I kept getting warnings that the engine might overheat. I got it back to Reedman and they then said it was a bad alternator and some wires were bad as well. They had my car for 2 months. I picked it up 9/30/26 and within less than 6 hours the check engine light and start stop unavailable light came on. The car started feeling jumpy again upon starting, and the thumping noise returned. This car was purchased brand new in 2018 and only has about 51,000 miles on it. I do not understand why this is all happening to a car that has such low mileage. My 2014 Nissan has never had a single problem.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

My van has been reliable for 5 years until recall 73B was performed. Ever since it's install I have had 7 repair attempts and 250+ days out of service. Each repair attempt is preceesed by check engine lights, service hybrid system, check electronic throttle control, red wrench, blind spot temporarily unavailable, (occasionally) service airbag, service shifter, and stability control lights. Chrysler has been unable to fix this issue. They have replaced the abs module, 12v battery, can bus's, wiring, battery coolant heater, eflite motors and reducers, 400v battery, and the under hood wiring harness. Engineering has been involved, star cases opened, and technicians flown in to address these issues. The DTC code scans reveal many communication codes, both active and permanent. The last scan had 23 active codes. No one can tell me if this van is safe to drive, I don't think it is. I have had no drive events, and lost power steering momentarily at highway speeds. The latest incident had the messages start appearing at 45 mph. This can is unfit to be on the road, and stellantis does not seem to be able to fix it

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Electrical · PA

My vehicle has developed an intermittent and potentially serious safety-related failure. When the Engine Stop/Start system automatically shuts the engine off at a red light or stop sign, the vehicle sometimes fails to restart. At the same time, the electronic gear selector becomes locked, preventing me from selecting Neutral or moving the vehicle out of the roadway. The vehicle is therefore effectively immobilized in traffic. The only recovery method I have found is to disconnect both the main and auxiliary batteries for approximately 10 minutes, reconnect them, and then restart the vehicle. The check-engine light also comes on when the failure occurs. Both the main and auxiliary batteries have already been replaced on August 3rd, 2026, so this is not simply a matter of replacing an old battery. I brought the vehicle to the dealer on August 14, 2026 for inspection. Because I had previously been forced to disconnect the batteries to recover the vehicle, no diagnostic trouble codes were available when the dealer performed its inspection. I understand why this makes diagnosis more difficult, but the absence of codes after the system has been reset does not eliminate the underlying intermittent failure. I am particularly concerned because Chrysler has issued service information addressing closely related problems on the 2018 Pacifica, including S2008000075, concerning no-start, Stop/Start inoperative and Service Shifter conditions, and PCM bulletin 18-001-19, which addresses 2018 Pacifica conditions involving engine restart performance, battery state-of-charge performance, improper powerdown, ECU performance, and TCM/shifter communication faults. My vehicle also previously received the Y65 Engine Stop/Start campaign in 2021. Now in persistent no-start condition remaining in the failed state and can't be reset. The instrument panel powers up, the check-engine light remains illuminated, the vehicle produces a click when the Start button is pressed.

Filed Aug 23, 2026 · Engine · NC

This report is for a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica with 90,100 miles. The check engine light came on in July 2026. It was a cylinder 5 misfire. The spark plugs and ignition coil were replaced. The check engine light came on again about 2 weeks later (cylinder 5 misfire again), was dismissed and reset by the shop, and came on again about 2 weeks later. This time, the shop diagnosed cylinder 5 misfire due to "cylinder 5 is leaking coolant into the cylinders." They quoted $12,000 for engine replacement. Went for 2nd opinion at a Chrysler dealership. They confirmed cylinder 5 misfire due to coolant leaking into cylinder 5. Cylinder 5 had low compression. Tech recommended replacing cylinder head for $6200. My research shows that this issue is common for the Pacificas, so I reached out to both Chrysler and the dealer for goodwill assistance with the repair. It was declined due to the van being older than 2019. I cannot continue to drive it with this issue, due to the safety risk of engine failure while operating.

Filed Aug 13, 2026 · Engine · MN

Failed head gasket that put vehicle in compromised working condition on the roadway - check engine light flash, poor and inconsistent engine running. First indications were 5-10 seconds of rough idle after startup when sitting overnight, then p0303 check engine code for cylinder three misfire as well as loss of coolant. Independent shop confirmed issue and replaced head gasket. Problem appears to have re-occurred after 2 years and 20000 miles with similar indications. Same shop advised likely engine block or cylinder head defect or damage and would not do any tear down or repair short of engine replacement.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Engine · 130,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving 15 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that coolant was leaking into cylinder #3, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle warranty had expired. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Filed Aug 9, 2026 · Driver assistance, Electrical · PA

• July 19 (PM): While driving, the vehicle displayed: ◦ Service Hybrid Electric System (red wrench) ◦ Check Engine Light • July 20 (AM): All warning lights had cleared. • July 20 (PM): While driving, the following warnings appeared simultaneously: ◦ Service Hybrid Electric System (red wrench) ◦ Check Engine Light ◦ Service Electronic Stability Control ◦ Parking Brake Temporarily Unavailable ◦ FCW Unavailable – Service Required ◦ LaneSense Unavailable – Service Required I needed to find an alternate parking spot since the parking brake was not working. • July 21: All warnings cleared except the Check Engine Light, which has remained illuminated continuously since then. • July 25: Upon starting the vehicle, the following warnings returned: ◦ FCW Unavailable – Service Required ◦ Service Hybrid Electric Vehicle System ◦ Parking Brake Temporarily Unavailable ◦ Service Electronic Stability Control ◦ Service Shifter ◦ Check Engine Light Again needed to find an alternate parking spot with parking brake not working. Once again, these warnings disappeared after the next restart, with only the Check Engine Light remaining. Took car to dealership for service. Expected issues had to do with recall work that was completed earlier in the month. They said it was not and that the it was due to loss of can c bus communcation because the star connector failed.

Filed Jul 22, 2026 · Engine · NJ

I bought my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Touring van in February 2018 brand new from Burlington Chrysler, Burlington, NJ. In May 2026 the check engine light came on and I brought the van to my mechanic. The code he pulled was for #5 cylinder. I had the repair done. A month later in June of 2026 the che ck engine light came back on and this time the code was for the catalytic converter. On July 21, 2026 I brought the van back to my mechanic for an oil change and replacement of catalytic converter. When they put the van up, it was discovered that coolant had leaked all through the exhaust system and my mechanic suspected there was a crack in the head gasket. He searched through the Pacifica Forum online and found many, many complaints about this same issue. My mechanic completed the oil change and filled the car with coolant because it had none and advised me to bring the car to the dealership which I did. On July 22, 2026 Chrysler called and advised I need an entirely new motor. I now have to pay out-of-pocket $14,098 + tax for a new motor and catalytic converter. Chrysler advised there is nothing else they could do for me because the car is out of warranty. However, the car is only 8 years old with 76,000 miles and has had all the regular maintenance and oil changes required. It should not need to have the motor replaced at this point unless there's a major defect with these engines. I feel this is a MAJOR safety issue as this head gasket crack occurred without any warning other than the codes for #5 cylinder and catalytic converter failures. Without coolant, the car would have overheated at some point and caused engine failure and power loss. As I drive mainly on highways, this defect had the potential to cause a very bad accident. Due to the overwhelming number of complaints about this issue, I feel this warrants an investigation by your organization.

Filed Jul 16, 2026 · Engine · OH

Engine only stalls out when stopped on roadway while driving. Vehicle also does not start up after it has been driven and is parked. It takes 10 minutes or longer to get the vehicle to start again. Check engine light comes on every time when these two situations happen, which it happens periodically. Sometimes it's 2-3 times a day, sometimes, once every two days. Once it starts back up the engine light turns off. I've taken it to 2 reputable shops and neither of them found any issues as they could not replicate the issue, the engine light is not on, and there are no codes displayed. I now have a date for a inspection which includes a test drive with the dealership.

Filed Jul 10, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · GA

We purchased this 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid about a year ago from a dealership in Florida, and the vehicle is now located in [XXX]. The issues involve a malfunctioning high‑voltage hybrid charging system/battery and a possible steering or suspension component failure. For now, the vehicle has been under dealer inspection since XXX. Our family’s safety is at risk due to a charging failure in which the vehicle consistently stops charging after reaching 2–3 bars when plugged. I must unplug and reconnect the charger multiple times to resume charging, and this behavior occurs every time the vehicle is charged now. Last week, when the vehicle was fully or nearly fully charged, a “rotten egg” odor entered the cabin, especially in the middle and rear seat area. The smell consistently appeared only after charging and was concentrated near the area where the high‑voltage battery is located. Prior to these failures, the only warning was an intermittent Check Engine Light. Another issue, we also experience a metallic spring‑like noise during hard turns in both forward while parking. As of the dealer’s initial observation on XXX, their notes state: “Electrical System – replace battery. Repair – Found battery is the incorrect one installed in the vehicle for an EV system. On the van not charging fully. Chrysler corporation is aware of the issue and is working on a technical service bulletin/possible recall by the end of the year. That needs to be complete first before tech would advise that the customer’s charging cable is not working properly.” As i understand, we need to change other small battery with right specifications. Although there are currently no open recalls on our specific vehicle, the electrical burning odor has left us extremely concerned for our safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Engine · IL

I own a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica equipped with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine. At approximately 81,600 miles, the vehicle developed a check engine light and a Cylinder 5 misfire (P0305). The vehicle began exhibiting hard starts, rough engine operation during cold starts, white smoke from the exhaust, and coolant loss with no obvious external leak. An independent repair facility initially diagnosed the vehicle and found evidence suggesting coolant intrusion into Cylinder 5. The vehicle was then inspected by a Chrysler dealership. The dealership confirmed that coolant was present inside Cylinder 5 using a borescope inspection. The dealership recommended replacement of the cylinder head gasket. The safety concern is that the failure developed with little warning other than a check engine light and intermittent rough operation. The engine misfires on startup and can run rough, which could result in reduced power, hesitation, stalling, or loss of acceleration while operating the vehicle. The vehicle also consumes coolant internally, which may lead to engine overheating or further engine damage if not detected quickly. During my research, I found numerous reports from other owners describing similar coolant intrusion, head gasket failures, and Cylinder 5 misfires in Chrysler vehicles equipped with the 3.6L Pentastar engine. Despite the apparent frequency of these complaints, I am not aware of any recall addressing this issue. In my case, the repair estimate is approximately $5,000 for head gasket replacement. I am submitting this report because coolant intrusion into a combustion cylinder can create a significant safety concern due to engine misfires, loss of performance, and the potential for engine failure while driving. I believe this issue warrants investigation to determine whether a defect exists affecting other vehicles with this engine.