2017 Chrysler Pacifica Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica most often report hard or lurching transmission shifts at low speeds and instances where the engine shuts off, sometimes with a loss of power steering and braking assist. Complaints also describe the steering wheel sticking or failing to return to center, which tends to appear at higher mileage. Reports are spread across the model year rather than tied to one season.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard shifting and lurching transmission

   • 370 complaints (24%)
   • median 29,500 mi at 2.5 yrs old (248 state mileage)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,000 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the transmission banging or clunking into gear, especially when moving slowly, accelerating from a stop, or rolling through an intersection. Some owners say the van hesitates between gears before engaging with a jerk, and a few report losing motive power or an inadvertent downshift. Several owners say dealers could not duplicate the concern or told them the behavior was normal for this transmission, while others had a valve body or the whole transmission replaced. Mostly reported at low speeds, often between 500 and 90,000 miles, with many complaints filed in the first few years of ownership.

   What to check: Test drive at low speed from a stop and through a parking lot, paying attention to 1st-to-2nd and 2nd-to-3rd shifts; ask whether the transmission control module has ever been updated or the transmission serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving primarily at lower speeds when braking and then apply acceleration the transmission suddenly hard shifts. A number of times in intersections it is as though the transmission is between gears and the car is not moving at a speed with the amount of acceleration being applied. The transmission then will bang or jerk into gear with quite a bit of force. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11386575, filed 2021-01, 500 miles

   “The transmission often lurches and clunks into gear when shifting at lower speeds (between 2-4th gears). It happens when accelerating or decelerating with specific pedal pressure. This has happened since we bought the vehicle almost a year ago, and seems to be a common issue with these vehicles.”

   NHTSA complaint #11377724, filed 2020-12, 77,000 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Steering wheel sticks or won't return to center

   • 211 complaints (14%)
   • median 58,500 mi at 4.0 yrs old (52 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,450 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the steering wheel becoming sticky or hard to turn, failing to return to center after a turn, or pulling to one side and requiring a forceful correction. Some owners report a 'power steering unavailable' message and intermittent loss of assist, and a few had the rack and pinion and steering module replaced. Several say dealers could not reproduce the condition. Often reported between roughly 28,000 and 154,000 miles, including several complaints filed years after purchase.

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and through a long turn, then check whether the wheel self-centers smoothly; ask whether the steering rack, module, or power steering components have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The power steering would go out, a notice would come up stating power steering unavailable , then the power steering would work for about 60 seconds and go out again and then repeat the problem. This just starting happening on 4/10/21. We had just gotten into the van and started driving, we went about 1/2 mile, it happened a total of 4 times. We turned around and brought the vehicle back home and it happened 2 more times”

   NHTSA complaint #11407507, filed 2021-04, 32,173 miles

   “Electric panel fried. Driving all of a sudden on highway my power steering light came on jerked me to the right very hard and the in lane light pop on that's turned off in my van. And all of a sudden jerked me extremly to the left. Good thing traffic wasn't going to fast I would of been dead. When ever you would accelerate it would do it again. I was trying to get in the slow lane to pull over. Figure the car needed to be turned off and reboot computer. That didn't help as it proceeded to do it. So got off the highway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361617, filed 2020-09, 28,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls and shuts off while driving

   • 384 complaints (25%)
   • median 19,800 mi at 1.9 yrs old (253 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,750 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners report the engine quitting at a stop light, at low speed, or while driving, with messages such as a prompt to shift into park or a loss of drive indication on the dash. In several complaints the stall comes with loss of power steering and a stiff brake pedal. Some owners had the vehicle restarted after several attempts, and a number say dealers found no codes or could not reproduce the problem. Reported from a few hundred miles up to high mileage, with many filings between 28,000 and 130,000 miles.

   Recall 18V049000Recall 19V3480003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 18V049000 (engine control software) and 19V348000 (battery ground) were completed, and have the battery and stop/start battery checked; note whether the van has ever stalled and been restarted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This is the second time this week and third time overall while sitting at a red light (the auto start/stop is turned off) my vehicle engine completely turned off. I got a message on the dash that said to put the vehicle in park to start the engine again. Ii lose all power steering, brakes are stiff and cannot do anything, it is completely off. L have been so fortunate each time it happened to have been stopped, as I had my kids in the car the second time and the light had changed green but I could not go.”

   NHTSA complaint #11361179, filed 2020-09, 62,000 miles

   “Two issues. First, when accelerating, sometimes the transmission disengages for about 1-2 seconds and then reengages and causes a sudden jerk motion forward. Happens 3-4 times a month. This will happen on both city streets and highways. This has started over 3 years ago. Second, the engine will stall/shut off at random times on city streets. It occurs when going over a speed bump and also occurs when making a u-turn. It takes quickly shifting back to park, then pressing brake and start button to start back up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11387699, filed 2021-01, 65,000 miles
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, no-start and battery drain

   • 333 complaints (22%)
   • median 32,000 mi at 2.7 yrs old (176 state mileage)
   • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,600 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners report the van failing to start with multiple warning lights on, dead batteries, and accessories such as the radio, touchscreen, backup camera, or power seat working intermittently. Some complaints describe total loss of power after the vehicle sat for a short time, and a few mention screen and camera behavior after shifting gears. Reported from under 1,000 miles through about 60,000 miles in the sample, with several complaints in the first two years of ownership.

   Recall 23V010000Recall 19V3480003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that both the main and stop/start batteries hold charge, ask whether recall 19V348000 was performed, and test the touchscreen, camera, and power doors during the test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Used car for a hour or two went home for 2 hours and went out to use the car again and the vehicle electrical system seems to have a short and the car has no power what so ever. Recently had intermittent electric issues the the drivers electric seat not working and then working again.”

   NHTSA complaint #11351979, filed 2020-08, 60,000 miles

   “Panel lights doesn't turnes off after the car is turned off bluetooth doesn't work at all (phone calls does not work any more) radio is dead parking rearview camera, the scale lines disappeared car lock does not work all the times”

   NHTSA complaint #11307799, filed 2020-02, 9,785 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration and cruise control behavior

   • 100 complaints (6%)
   • median 20,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (68 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the van accelerating on its own, including one case where cruise control climbed well above the set speed and another where the vehicle surged from a stop. Others report sudden loss of power followed by a hard surge, and some owners say dealers could not find a cause or described the behavior as normal. Mostly reported between about 1,000 and 87,000 miles, with several complaints in the first two years.

   Recall 18V0490001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test cruise control on a downhill grade and check for any stored throttle or engine codes; ask whether the powertrain control software has been updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The vehicle was traveling on the highway at approximately 70 m.p.h. With the cruise control activated when the vehicle started to accelerate up to almost 90 m.p.h. Without input (depression of accelerator pedal or increasing speed from cruise control buttons) from the driver. The acceleration ceased when cruise control was deactivated by depressing the brake pedal.”

   NHTSA complaint #11326026, filed 2020-05, 27,000 miles

   “The cruise control downshifts the transmission while descending hills in order to maintain the desired speed. But prior to downshifting the engine will accelerate 5-10mph depending upon the initial speed and the grade of the hill. While not an issue on a straight road, it is a safety issue on a 70 MPH hwy with a 50 MPH curve at the bottom of the hill, especially when traction is reduced, often the case on hwy 37 between libby & eureka mt. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361135, filed 2020-09, 1,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the transmission's low-speed shifting, the steering rack, and battery/charging health, and ask for records showing the engine control and battery ground recalls were completed. Service history showing transmission software updates or replacement is worth confirming before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.