2019 Chrysler Pacifica: harsh or hard shifting

Filed May 30, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · SC

2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The vehicle has ongoing steering, electrical, and power steering/EPS failures. The steering wheel intermittently jerks/pulls while driving, the vehicle has experienced random loss of steering assist, and the electrical system cuts out or malfunctions during normal use. The steering wheel lights and backup camera guidelines also disappear during driving sessions and only return after fully restarting the vehicle. The exact root cause is UNKNOWN, but the affected systems appear to include the EPS/power steering system, steering/suspension components, battery/electrical system, and possibly related control modules. My safety and others’ safety were put at risk because the vehicle has lost steering assist and had electrical failure while being driven, including a prior failure in an intersection. When the steering assist drops or the wheel jerks, the vehicle becomes difficult to control. This is especially dangerous because I transport my family in this vehicle. The issue has been reported repeatedly since purchase. The vehicle was inspected/repaired through Carvana/SilverRock’s repair process at Brockman Automotive, including rack and pinion/steering-related work. After that repair, the vehicle continued to drift and handle improperly. A later independent inspection at Davidson Automotive identified a loose/not properly secured tie rod, alignment problems, and a failed auxiliary battery. The shop could not complete deeper diagnostics until those prerequisite issues were corrected. The vehicle has also suffered abnormal front tire wear after the steering/alignment problems. Warning/symptoms before or during failures include steering wheel jerking/pulling, clunking/clanking/grinding/groaning noises, vehicle drift, service start/stop warning, electrical malfunctions, intermittent steering wheel control/light issues, loss of backup camera guidelines, and loss of steering assist. The vehicle/component is available for inspection upon request.

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Transmission · FL

The transmission is very unresponsive and dealerships don’t find anything wrong other than resetting the computer every 2 days. The transmission clunks and jerks the car going into 2nd and or 3rd gear. Many times I press the pedal in highway/city driving and the transmission takes 2.5 to 3 seconds to respond. This is not the electric model. Online tons of people talk about this it’s a safety hazard to have an unresponsive clunky transmission. Reputable companies are naming this the worst car. Cars.com wrote an article over this very problem. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 15, 2024 · Transmission · AZ

Clunking from the transmission and this is a common issue with many pacificas. There is a “reset” online but this temporary solves the issue. At times it’s very dangerous when driving when the transmission clunks when finding another gear.

Filed Dec 17, 2023 · Transmission · IN

Vehicle more and more frequently clunks the transmission when accelerating or shortly after excelerating to highway speeds. First started around 60k+ miles. Can tell when it will occur because the engine RPMs don't match the throttle input. RPMs rev just as transmission is ready to shift. Slight feeling of being out of control for a moment, especially in the rain. A quick Google search shows us that the shift jolt isn't new and is actually exactly what was happening with the Honda Odyssey van, which used to share the same transmission. Dealership acknowledged the issue has occured with multiple customers but Chrysler doesn't warrant the concern due to the $8,000+ service expense.

Filed Sep 13, 2022 · Transmission · IL

Low speed while slowing accelerating van will shift so hard that the traction control goes off. Very hard shifting. Intermittent. This has been reported numerous times since 9 speed trans were installed.

Filed Aug 10, 2022 · Transmission · CT

Requesting an N.H.T.S.A. an investigation into the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica defects as they relate to this specific model & vin number, leased directly from a Connecticut CJDR dealer as a new vehicle. Vehicle currently has 53k miles on it. The lurching & hard shifting defects in the transmission are well cited back to 2016 for this model. Our minivan began lurching forward during gear shifts at &/or approaching highway speeds (37mph - 59 mph) at ~35k miles, while on the highway or roadway with this permissible speed. Problem was intermittent & is now constant. Transmission lurching, & slamming began last year is so aggressive that the slamming woke my son from a sound sleep and vibrated the front cabin. A complaint has been made to Stallantis & the vehicle has been brought to the local CJDR dealer four times for the same issue. There is no code, so they can not fix the issue, nor can they can get the van to re-create the issue in the 7 or 8 miles they test drive it. Blogs have shown updates to the PCM and TCM. Service Bulletin NUMBER: 21-027-17 as a possible fix, but we did that & nothing has changed. TCM has no updates. Stallantis is now telling me I need to bring it back to the dealer and leave it for several days so they can "drive it home" & add more miles to the miles I have already added to it to have it diagnosed, back & forth the dealership & it's a lease. Stallantis is stating they will "look at it" even if the power train warranty is over at 60k miles, but won't guarantee they'll repair it. In the past they have given me Mopar vehicle protection plans for the life of the lease for specific issues, when these issues have not been fixable. Case manager says he isn't aware of that & has to check with his supervisor. The concern is the vehicle is going to have a total transmission failure with my children in the van. A "Star" case needs to be opened by Stellantis for this issue & I am going to request that tonight. Service bull. attached. CC. Atty Gen./CT.

Filed Jul 31, 2022 · Electrical, Transmission · TX

The rear dvd system routinely locks out and you are unable to control the entertainment system at all. Chrysler has no fix for this and it is very annoying. It has been in the shop numerous times with no solution. Also, the transmission will rev high sometimes and then slam into gear and make everyone’s head slam back in the seat. I know there is a class action law suit on both issues. There are multiple YouTube videos of both issues with no fix.

Filed Aug 27, 2021 · Suspension, Transmission · FL

My vehicle at 28,k plus miles I noticed it seemed to slip. This would happen intermittently. I thought I was imagining it at first. Then it started to do a more violent jerking. The dealership did a reset. It started doing it a week later, and intermittently. I was also in the dealership because I was hearing a clunking noise in the rear when driving over uneven pavement, or backing out of my driveway. I have been waiting two months for rear struts to fix the issue. Vehicle sounds getting progressively worse and I'm concerned about driving. Today the rear struts wear promised to arrive. I was just told they will arrive Sept 10, 2021. Three days ago, an alert symbol popped onto my dash screen -a yellow circle with an A inside followed by an exclamation mark. I am bringing my vehicle in on August 30, 2021. The dealer said I need to have the battery charged!? They are also going to reset the transmission slipping program, again. Are other 2019 vehicles having the same issues?