2020 Chrysler Pacifica Problems

What owners report

Complaints from owners of the 2020 Pacifica center on the engine and 12-volt/start-stop electrical systems: vehicles stalling or shutting down while driving, and start-stop systems that leave the van in park or refuse to restart. Steering effort loss and harsh transmission shifting also come up repeatedly, and many reports involve low mileage, though the electrical complaints skew toward higher miles.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

   • 52 complaints (30%)
   • median 61,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the engine cutting out at speed or while coming to a stop, sometimes with a stop-service message or warning lights and sometimes with no warning at all. Several reports say the van would not restart immediately or at all, and that dealers replaced batteries, relays or a wiring circuit without a lasting fix. Some owners were told the fault could not be duplicated. Reported from a few thousand miles up into six figures, with many under 40,000 miles.

   Recall 23V0100002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the battery, charging system and any start-stop related software updates have been addressed, and whether stalling events were documented on a scan tool. Note that recall 23V010000 concerns a transmission wiring connector on plug-in hybrid versions.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Engine has shut off on its own 3 separate occasions since purchasing this vehicle 4 months ago. First occasion I was coming to a stop at a traffic light and the engine shut off. Second time I was starting up from a traffic light and the engine shut off. Third time I was driving approximately 35 MPH and the engine shut off. All instances were on a city street. I had to press the start/stop button. Then press it again while pressing the brake to turn the car back on after putting the vehicle back in park. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11403233, filed 2021-03, 3,000 miles

   “I was driving and all of a sudden I got a warning to stop that the engine was going to shut off. I got off to the side of the road and it shut down. I had it towed to the garage. The next day they ran tests. The batteries were both new and they tested fine. Alternator tested fine. Since then it’s happened two more times and the dealer is telling me that all the tests are fine. That Chrysler won’t help me because they can’t prove anything is wrong. Even with the pictures of all the codes and alerts. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11686033, filed 2025-09
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Start-stop system malfunction and battery drain

   • 36 complaints (21%)
   • median 18,000 mi at 3.2 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners report the auto start-stop system disabling itself with a warning message, the van putting itself into park and setting the parking brake at a light, or shutting off while moving. Many describe repeated battery and auxiliary battery replacements at the dealer, with the behavior returning months later. Some mention the intelligent battery sensor and charging warnings. Often reported in the 30,000 to 60,000 mile range, sometimes earlier.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for battery and auxiliary battery service records and whether the battery sensor or charging software has been updated; confirm the start-stop system behaves normally on a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The stop start system on my 2020 Chrysler. Pacifica has been malfunctioning since 2021, I’ve taken this car into the dealer multiple times, and replaced the batteries that should’ve been covered by Warranty but weren’t and my car recently died completely, and had to be jumped only have to replace the battery changed again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11605924, filed 2024-08

   “When the car is stopped at a light, traffic or a stop sign the start/stop will throw the car into park, shut off the vehicle and put on the parking brake on. I have to start the vehicle back up and take the parking brake off to move forward. A light comes on saying the stop/start is not working. We have replaced the car battery and auxiliary battery for the start/stop feature which were purchased at the dealership. This has become a hazard to me while driving. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11623478, filed 2024-11
3. 3
   Steering

   Power steering assist cuts out or wheel binds

   • 28 complaints (16%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe the power steering assist dropping out at highway or in-town speeds, leaving the wheel very hard to turn until assist returns, sometimes accompanied by a service power steering message. Others report the wheel sticking and not returning to center after turns. Dealers reportedly found no fault in some cases and recommended a steering rack or battery replacement in others. Mostly reported between roughly 45,000 and 90,000 miles, with some over 100,000.

   What to check: On the test drive, check that steering self-centers smoothly after turns and that no power steering warning appears; ask whether the battery and steering rack have been inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #11763944, filed 2026-09

   “The auto engine start-stop stopped working approx 2 years ago. Last week (early March 2025) my wife called and was panicking that “the engine stopped and the steering locked” while driving and a warning light and message appeared in the dash display - something like “service power steering”. I said it sounds like an electrical issue and she needs to add power steering fluid so I purchased a jug and went to meet her. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11647259, filed 2025-03
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Harsh or jerky transmission shifts

   • 22 complaints (13%)
   • median 40,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners report hard, jarring shifts between gears at both low and highway speeds, along with hesitation and surging on acceleration. Several say a dealer reset or flashed the transmission controller, which helped briefly before the behavior returned, and one report says mounts wore out early. Reported from around 30,000 miles to beyond 100,000, with no clear weather pattern.

   What to check: Drive at both parking-lot and highway speeds and feel for hard 2-3 and 4-5 shifts; ask whether any transmission control module flash has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Exceedingly jarring transmission shifts at both low and higher speeds that are startling to the driver and could cause an accident. This has been a chronic issue that happens frequently but not in every use of the vehicle. Below is a date in which this recently occured.”

   NHTSA complaint #11548822, filed 2023-10

   “Transmission shifts very hard from 2nd to 3rd gear and 4th to 5th gear at random times and at random speeds. Sometimes it occurs in parking lots at less than 15mph and other times at highway speed above 65 mph while cruising. This has caused the engine and transmission mounts to fail prematurely. When it was taken to the dealership multiple times, the service department said they could not replicate the issue but opted to reset the computer anyways. This fixed it for about 2 weeks before the issues came back. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11712272, filed 2026-01
5. 5
   Engine

   Coolant loss and engine overheating damage

   • 11 complaints (6%)
   • median 35,000 mi at 4.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report low or empty coolant, visible coolant residue around the engine, and check engine lights leading to findings of coolant entering a cylinder or head gasket trouble. In several cases dealers recommended engine replacement or wiring harness work for the radiator flaps; one owner reported seepage found only after the warranty ended. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 90,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the coolant reservoir level and look for dried coolant residue or a sweet smell; ask whether cooling-system repairs or an EGR coolant hose replacement have been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Went for 1st ever oil change, technicians noticed coolant reservoir was empty (should never be) and there was leaked coolant all over the engine and bottom of cars protection pads (bad issue). Told me (get it to the dealer immediately), which I did, taking it to phillips Chrysler of ocala. In order for my engine not to blow up. I have been driving this for 7000 miles since I purchased it with zero miles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11389733, filed 2021-01, 7,200 miles

   “The head gasket failed. The check engine light came on and I took it to the dealer before the engine seized thankfully but it could have caused safety issues such as coolant leaks, engine breakdown potentially on the highway which could have caused an accident and risked people’s lives. If there was oil contamination, the engine could have locked up which def can cause an accident. Engine fire is even possible. The problem has been confirmed by an independent dealer. I know of many others who have experienced the same issue.”

   NHTSA complaint #11665452, filed 2025-06

Buying note. Ask for a full service history covering batteries, charging software and any cooling-system repairs, and take a long test drive including highway speeds to check steering assist and shifting. A pre-purchase inspection that pulls stored diagnostic codes is worthwhile given how often owners report intermittent electrical faults.

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.