Chrysler Pacifica overheating problems

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 27, 2026 · Transmission · MI

The engine powertrain system failed, specifically a catastrophic failure of the cylinder head gaskets alongside a stretched engine timing chain. The replaced components were discarded by the repair facility following the completion of the service and are not available for inspection. The failure caused a sudden, severe engine malfunction accompanied by a rough idle and immediate loss of smooth powertrain operation. Sudden engine failures of this nature create a severe hazard when operating on backroads or public highways, as they can cause unexpected stalling, a complete loss of motive power, or sudden deceleration in active traffic, significantly increasing the risk of a collision. The diagnosis of the blown head gasket and stretched timing chain was formally confirmed and documented by an independent service center (Rusty's Auto Service, Repair Order #118288). The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. It was inspected and repaired strictly by the independent service center. The vehicle experienced a sudden, momentary rough idle and rapid coolant loss without any prior overheating indications or warning lights. These symptoms appeared immediately prior to bringing the vehicle in for a professional diagnostic inspection.

Filed Oct 24, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · MI

The vehicle experiences a complete loss of motive power due to the high voltage battery pack reaching a temperature of 131 degrees F. The defect first surfaced on March 7th, 2022. The vehicle shut down on multiple occasions while driving, and the original owner had the vehicle bought back by FCA US. The vehicle was sold to me in 2023, and it has shut down on numerous occasions for me as well, some of which were while driving. In total, between both owners, there have been 11 failed repair attempts, involving replacement of the high voltage battery pack, the chiller, the inter-loop heat exchanger, the battery cooling pump, and multiple replacements of the high temp 3-way cabin valve. I eventually traced the apparent cause to the high temp 3-way cabin valve routing engine coolant through the inter-loop heat exchanger at all times, causing the high voltage battery pack to overheat. If the vehicle is left sitting with the engine idling, the vehicle will shut down after less than two from cold. I installed a hose to bypass the heat exchanger in order to address the problem. The repair successfully kept the battery coolant temperature from rising, however, the vehicle still overheats and shuts down. I believe that this model of suffers from multiple design defects in the cooling system making it far more likely than other vehicles to experience a complete loss of motive power.

Filed Oct 16, 2026 · Transmission · IN

When driving vehicle it would severely buck and not accelerate. Have almost had cars rear end me as a result. There are no warning lights regarding this. Car is at an auto repair shop and they are saying it has no transmission fault codes but it needs a new transmission. I have barely been able to drive this car since about a month after I purchased in november 2025. When purchasing the car it ran completely fine and had no issues until december of 2025 which was a coolant leak. I discontinued driving the vehicle until may of 2026 when I was able to pay a mechanic to replace water pump and radiator. with in a week of replacing the water pump and radiator the vehicle began severely jerking and bucking particularly when accelerating from a full stop. then while driving down the road it intermittently starts bucking. I attempted to contact a local dealer however they do not have any sufficient financing programs to cover the cost of repairs and diagnosis charge. I spend 8000 on a vehicle that has barely ran and showed no symptoms or warning lights of a catastrophic failure.

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Engine · IL

Head gasket blown! Vehicle is under 100k miles, never overheated, service properly maintained. When researching symptoms, I discovered I am one of hundreds if not thousands of 2017-2018 model Pacifica owners who have suffered this issue. Heads are known to be faulty and Chrysler will not address the root of it. It's very possible this could lead to a locked engine while driving and cause harm to driver or others.

Filed Sep 15, 2026 · Transmission · MN

The transmission has a very abrupt slamming or violent jerk around 45 mph. This has been since we bought the vehicle. Even with consistent routine maintenance this slamming has gotten worse. I believe this to be a manufacturer defect in the transmission that will cause premature failure. We have reported this to every dealer service center and private mechanic shop we have visited and were told that either they couldn't work on it or that it would require thousands of dollars to tear apart and inspect and even then we would more than likely need to foot the bill even if it was a defect and then try to get reimbursement from Chrysler/Stellantis. This transmission defect along with the coolant leaking into the engine issue that was submitted a year or more ago that has gone unanswered is making me lose faith in the manufacturer and the government agency set to protect consumers and investigate these issues.

Filed Sep 14, 2026 · Electrical · TX

I took my 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (VIN: [XXX]) to Sames Bastrop Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in [XXX], to have Safety Recall 52D performed on the high-voltage battery. Prior to bringing the van in, the vehicle was driving and charging completely normally with no charging errors. Sames performed the recall software update to the Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) under Recall 52D, but their diagnostic scan logged an active high-voltage fault code (DTC P0E15-00 for the battery pack coolant heater) and a stored bypass valve code (DTC P0E7C-00). Despite these active thermal management codes showing up in their system, the technician marked the vehicle as passed and returned it to me. After driving the van home the vehicle completely refused to charge on my very first attempt at home. The dashboard displayed a "Service Battery" warning message, and the charging system has been completely locked out ever since. This is a serious safety concern because the high-voltage battery recall was issued specifically to prevent battery fires and thermal runaway caused by internal cell defects. Returning a hybrid vehicle with an active thermal management failure during a fire-related recall leaves the battery vulnerable to overheating and disables the charging safety systems. The van was returned to [XXX], where it has sat for over a month. Sames initially stated that Stellantis was refusing to cover the battery replacement even though federal law requires safety recall remedies to be completed free of charge regardless of mileage. The charging failure and trouble codes have been confirmed by the dealership under Repair Order #XXX. I have also opened an active corporate case directly with the manufacturer under Stellantis Case #XXX, and Sames has provided a temporary rental vehicle through Enterprise while this is investigated. The van and all of its original high-voltage components are currently in the service bay at [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · Engine · GA

We had to replace both head gaskets last July with only 70,000 miles on the vehicle. The repair cost was $4,600.00. This August, we started experiencing coolant leaks again. We discovered the cylinder heads are warped now. This was checked last year and it was not the main issue then. It is extremly disappointing that now at 80,000 miles we are looking at another $5000.00+ repair. There needs to be a recall on the engine cylinders and head gasket.

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · MD

Vehicle AC was blowing warm but car was operating normally with no obvious issues. After approximately three hours of driving car abruptly lost power and lit a warning light and shut off. The dealership was able to diagnose the AC failure, and now I understand that the AC is integrated into the battery system and inoperable AC failure constitutes a critical component failure leading to rapid overheating. No warning or reasonable means to anticipate this failure was supplied prior to incident. Additionally, the car is ~2yrs old and should not be experiencing critical component failures related to safety.

Filed Sep 5, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · WV

On 7/16/26 vehicle would not start; high-pitched noise heard near engine during no-start diagnosis. Towed to Goldy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Huntington WV. Per dealer invoice #27136: blown 500-amp main battery fuse found; after jumping past fuse, white smoke from exhaust and no coolant in system, diagnosed as blown head gasket. Repair: both-side head gasket replacement plus fuse assembly. Vehicle in shop 7+ weeks, returned 9/4/26 with new unresolved issue: strong smell of burned electronics and antifreeze in cabin. All failed components available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: head gasket failure/coolant intrusion caused engine hydrolock, a sudden uncommanded loss of engine power that can occur without warning, including while driving in traffic. Burned-electronics smell raises electrical/fire risk; antifreeze odor raises cabin fume exposure and window-fogging visibility concerns. Confirmed by dealer: Yes. Goldy diagnosed and documented the fuse failure, coolant loss, and head gasket failure in writing, and performed the repair. Manufacturer/police/insurance inspection: Not by police or insurance. Spoke by phone with a Chrysler HQ rep 5 times (8/13-9/1/26) who was informed; no confirmed independent physical inspection by manufacturer beyond dealer's own diagnosis. Warning signs: P0304 misfire on cylinder 3 appeared first, progressing to complete no-start with high-pitched noise, prompting the tow-in and hydrolock diagnosis.