Chrysler Pacifica steering lock-up problems

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Steering · HI

When driving on the road and slight turning of the steering wheel from 11-1 o' clock position, the steering locks or gets stuck and I have to apply extra force to turn the steering wheel to get it to turn OK.

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Steering · IA

Experiencing steering lockup around the 2 o clock position when cornering to the right. Doesn’t lock up to the left, only to the right.steering will Lock up and won’t release unless a slight tug on the steering wheel. We experience this every time you remotely hold in the 2 o clock position for the slightest bit of time. I have kids in this car and when we’re going 65+ down interstates, this is a serious safety issue and concerns me greatly for the safety of my family. Van only has 95k miles on it. Spent a considerable about of money on this can van and we can’t even drive it and have to pay a shop a few more thousand to fix this. It wouldn’t be a big deal if I was one of a few people but reports say 287k people are experiencing this. Unacceptable.

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · FL

The transmission shifts harshly, clunks when shifted into Drive or Reverse, and hesitates before suddenly lurching. Engine RPM rises before the transmission engages, and some describe the resulting jolt as feeling like being hit from behind. The steering wheel locks stiffly during gentle turns to the right, then suddenly releases causing a jolt back to the left at times, all other times it requires a hard pull of the wheel manually to get the steering to release, which also causes a hard jerking to the opposite direction. Battery and stop/start system: Repeated Auxiliary battery replacements which power the stop/start system and warning lights. On 5 occasions the Aux battery has been replaced and within a week the system fails with no diagnostic readings identifying the cause. This leads to harder drains on the main battery. The main battery (purchased from Autozone, has been replaced on warranty because it never makes it past the 2-year mark) occasional starting difficulties, and inconsistent stop/start operation. Dash Screen: The screen freezes or turns blank while operating the vehicle. Complete loss of cabin temperature control. At other times the display will freeze on the Chrysler brand logo and is completely unresponsive to any haptic touch. The software just freezes. Even after complete shutdowns and time outs the display does not reset immediately. It's a coin flip if it's going to work. These problems have been ongoing since I purchased the vehicle in 2019. Dealerships have recognized them and consistently say that until Chrysler is forced to fix this the Dealerships can't do anything about it without charging me repairs/replacement.

Filed Sep 14, 2026 · Electrical, Steering · WV

While driving my vehicle at approximately 75 MPH on the interstate the steering wheel froze/stuck while executing a long sweeping curve. The steering wheel would not turn and my wife whom was drivng was applying excessive pressure to the steering wheel to keep the vehile from running off the shoulder of the road almost lost control of the van when the steeringwheel broke loose and over corrected and the van made a sudden, sharp turn. This occured during an essentual 2 hor drive to a medical appointment. This vehicle matches the exact failure criteria currenly under active investigation by the federal safety agency under PE25009 for steering binding. The manufacturer (Chrysler) refuses to honor or repair this known defect under warranty creating a sever and immediate hazaard for families operating these vans at highway speeds.

Filed Sep 13, 2026 · Steering · TX

I was about to pull out into a main road with my 3 kids in the car, and my steering wheel locked up and became impossible to drive, had to quickly reverse and could not make it home. I then received an error message on my dash saying power steering unavailable, service requested. The car only has 118,000 miles on it.

Filed Jul 14, 2026 · Steering · MD

While driving my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica at highway speeds the steering wheel locks or sticks in a curve and is extremely scary! This happened to me back in 2022 and took several trips to the dealer to determine the problem as they could not recreate the occurrence. After several attempts they found recall V53/the federal safety agency 19V‑348, they followed the recall and returned the vehicle to me in August of 2022. Everything working great until Now AGAIN in 2026 4 yrs later while driving at highway speeds the vehicle is doing the EXACT same thing, I returned to dealership that fixed recall V53 to perform the same recall, they stated the recall only has a 2 yr warranty and that I must pay a $250 diagnostic, I refused and called Chrysler Recall and they stated the same thing, this is ABSOLUTLEY RIDICULOUS! This is a major safety issue that could cause an accident and should be a lifetime warranty recall, the fact that the safety of their costumers and all others on the road is not their top priority is baffling! I'm extremely disappointed in the dealership and Chrysler and am now reconsidering buying a Chrysler when I get a new car next year.

Filed Jun 30, 2026 · Steering · 24,000 miles · NJ

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving and turning the steering wheel to the right, the steering wheel locked up and failed to return to center. The contact grabbed the steering wheel aggressively and turned it to return to center. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

Filed Jun 23, 2026 · Steering · LA

Vibration at low speed when turning. hangs in position during turning creating safety issue because the steering wheel needs to be yanked in the opposite direction. steering wheel locks in position at speed unable to turn at all. entire front end has been preplaced except for rack and pinion / electronic steering box happens every time the vehicle is driven

Filed Jun 2, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · GA

The vehicle has an unresolved electrical/propulsion failure involving sudden shutdowns while driving and CAN C bus/lost-communication faults. Since the high-voltage battery was replaced through a recall-related repair, the vehicle has had repeated shutdown/loss-of-communication events, occurring dozens of times. In the most serious incidents, while driving at speed, the dash flickered, windshield wipers activated unexpectedly, headlights turned off, turn signals would not work, and steering locked or became difficult to control. The vehicle then completely shut off while still moving. After shutdown, the hazard lights would not work. One documented incident occurred on the interstate at about 70 mph. This puts occupants and others at risk because the vehicle can suddenly lose motive power and critical electrical/control functions at the same time, including lighting, signals, hazards, instrument display, and steering/control assistance. The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by a Chrysler dealership. Dealer records documented multiple modules losing communication on the CAN C bus. The dealer replaced the shifter module as a possible contributor, but the problem continued. The dealer later corrected loose pin tension at a communication/star connector, but the vehicle continued to shut down and later scan reports still showed widespread active/stored CAN and lost-communication faults across powertrain, hybrid control, body control, braking/ABS, steering, and shifter-related systems. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The problem has been confirmed by dealer scan reports and repair records, but the root cause remains unresolved. The manufacturer has been contacted through customer care and repair/scan documentation was submitted. The exact root cause is UNKNOWN, but dealer findings indicate an unresolved major electrical/CAN communication problem possibly involving the harness, connector network, or communication system.

Filed May 31, 2026 · Steering · IA

When we are driving around small curves as well as straight, the steering locks up. I am reporting as I was told to because this happens in all of these vehicles. If I move the wheel a little bit it comes out of it. This is our main vehicle and it just did it on the interstate going 80. It is a complete safety concern and extremely dangerous to be dealing with it especially when you have your children with you. It has been doing it since I had gotten the car back in March and it is making me nervous