2019 Chrysler Pacifica: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · OH

My 2019 Chrysler Pacifica experienced repeated electrical/network communication failures. The first sign was erratic dashboard behavior and a check-engine light in our resort parking lot. We drove to Pep Boys, where it was evaluated and we were told it was okay to drive. We then drove to Chick-fil-A (.4 miles from Pep Boys). While stopped in the drive-thru in Drive with my foot on the brake, the vehicle began dinging, the engine revved, and multiple warning lights/messages appeared, including the check-engine light, red electronic throttle control warning, “Blind Spot Alert Temporarily Unavailable,” “Service Trans Stop Safely Shut Off Engine to Engage Park,” and “Stop/Start Not Ready.” After shutting it off, it would not reliably restart, and when it did, I could not shift it to move. The vehicle returned to Pep Boys, where DTCs U0001 (CAN C Bus) and U0401 (Implausible Data Received From ECM/PCM) were documented. It then went to a Chrysler dealership in Florida. They evaluated it and told us it checked out and was okay to drive. After leaving that dealership, the problem returned while my family and I were traveling at highway speed. The vehicle malfunctioned and began losing acceleration. I exited the highway. When I stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle died. It restarted but again would not shift. Eventually we were able to reach a nearby gas station. The problem continued intermittently as we tried to get home. Because we could not predict when it would happen again, we determined it was unsafe and had it towed. A Chrysler dealership in Georgia then documented numerous loss-of-communication codes and performed a PCM software update. The vehicle passed testing and was released, but the problem returned again after we returned to Ohio. The vehicle was ultimately towed to a Chrysler dealership in Ohio. The communication faults became active during diagnosis, and the dealer replaced both CAN-C and CAN-I splice-block connectors. The problem has not recurred since.

Filed Jan 26, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · DE

This has been ever since I got my van. Sometime when I drive my lights come on and it goes into limp mode. Most of the time. When I start my van my lights will turn on. I have to turn my car off . Then start again to get my van riding correctly. The other day I was making a U-turn and my engine stalled and I was almost hit by a truck.

Filed Oct 23, 2025 · Electrical · AL

After taking my car in for the recall on the battery which required a system update, I’ve had multiple errors that the Chrysler service department cannot resolve. Four times in the last two weeks when I get in the car and crank it, it will not go into drive or the shifter does not work at all. I’m having multiple errors on saying service shifter and service electrical battery that had never occurred before the system recall update. I’ve been stranded multiple times in the last two weeks. It must be related to the recall update that was done in my car. It cannot be a sheer coincidence that I never had issues until the update. The service department is not helpful in anyway and returns my car with no answer. Simple google research shows this is a recurring issue after the update.

Filed Mar 8, 2025 · Electrical · DE

On multiple occasions my warning lights come on and my van goes into limp mode. It says it’s my throttle body and gas paddle but I had those put on. Some days the car runs perfectly fine. When the problem happens. I have to cut the car off then restart it. Sometimes it’s ride just a little. Then go back into limp mode. And other times it’s just ride perfectly normal for days. It’s been doing this since I had around 65000 miles on my van.

Filed Feb 28, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · 20,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the transmission skipped gears. Additionally, the vehicle was experiencing erratic transmission shifts and unintended deceleration. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that upon attempting to shift to drive(D), the gear shifter failed to respond and remained stuck in park(P). The contact researched the failure online and found information on how to override the gear shifter failure. The contact pressed the Push to Start button twice, without depressing the brake pedal, depressed the accelerator for ten seconds, and pressed the Push to Start button to turn off the vehicle. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle minutes later, the vehicle responded as needed and the gear shifter became operable. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Action Number: RQ24004 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Filed Jan 20, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · DC

I’m having trouble with my start stop. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes my motor goes into limp mode for no reason.

Filed Feb 6, 2023 · Electrical · IA

The entire dash board lit up with all warning lights turning on. I couldn't go faster than 15. I coasted into a parking spot. I tried to put it in park but it said shifter unavailable. I set the emergency brake and called for a ride. Went back later and it started and the only light that was on was check engine. After that happened we got a service shifter message. When you start it and get a service shifter message, you cannot shift. The shifter doesn't even light up. It started as an occasional problem. My safety is at risk when I try to drive it and it won't shift. I am stuck wherever I am. That is a huge problem during the cold winter months. It is also a safety concern that it went into limp mode. Luckily when it happened, it was early in the morning and not a lot of people were out. If it happens on the highway that is going to be a huge safety problem. It has been to the dealer twice. The first time we replaced the shifter. The mechanic said we must have spilled soda on the shifter because it was sticky. We did not spill soda on the shifter, the shifter is in the dash. We replaced it anyways and picked it up. The very next morning got the same service shifter message. Took it back to the dealer. They had us pick it up because it wasn't a big enough problem. Getting stuck somewhere and not being able to shift seems like a pretty big problem to me. I can't take my children anywhere in this van for fear of going out and being stuck wherever we went because I can't shift.

Filed Aug 9, 2022 · Transmission · CA

On two separate occasions vehicle went into limp mode (red turtle mode) and then within minutes lost power and completely stopped working. The message "Service Charging Station" appeared after both incidents on the dashboard. We were fortunately traveling at low speeds (less than 25 MPH) and were able to pull over before losing power, but under other circumstances on other roads, the outcome could have certainly been worse and we may not have been able to move over to safety. On both occasions we were left stranded and the vehicle had to be towed to the dealership for repair. The vehicular failure we experienced on both occasions appears to be the same that is currently being investigated in the Office of Defects Investigation PE 22-008. The first incident occurred in December of 2021. Eventually the dealership replaced the power inverter module (PIM) in February of 2022. Vehicle was road tested and checked for safety and returned to us. In June of 2022 the vehicle broke down again with the exact same chain of events. Vehicle is currently at the dealership for repair and is again awaiting replacement of the PIM. It is my understanding that the failed parts have been/will be sent to Chrysler for internal investigation. As far as I am aware, they have not been inspected by any other parties. Other than the car going into limp mode, there were no other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure.