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2021 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Complaints

Updated May 30, 20261 Critical Recalls
Ryan Davis
2021 Chrysler Pacifica Owner Complaints

Complaint Summary

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica has 611 reported complaints.

  • Top issues involve electrical system and engine.

Reliability Score

Reliability Score

4.0/ 10

Based on 611 complaints

Most Frequent Issues

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

133 21.8%

ENGINE

131 21.4%

POWER TRAIN

111 18.2%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

68 11.1%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

45 7.4%

Quick Insights

  • The top category is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, accounting for 21.8% of all complaints.

  • Owners have reported issues across 29 distinct vehicle systems.

  • Note: Complaint data reflects owner reports and may not always indicate a verified defect. Compare with Recalls and TSBs for a complete picture.

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Complaint Summary

What owners keep reporting on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica has 611 owner complaints in this dataset. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM is the most common complaint category, representing about 22% of the reports shown here.

Most common complaint categories

The top complaint groups for the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica are ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (133), ENGINE (131), POWER TRAIN (111).

Are these complaints a serious red flag?

Potentially. 355 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems like brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection.

What should buyers inspect on a used 2021 Chrysler Pacifica?

Start with the top complaint systems, compare them against the recall report, then inspect service records for evidence that those same areas were already repaired or monitored.

Read the full buyer guideRecall report and remedy notesMaintenance costs and intervals2020 Pacifica complaints2022 Pacifica complaints2019 Pacifica complaints

Detailed Complaint Log

Showing 21 of 21 systems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

59 Reports24% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VAN IT WILL PERIODICALLY NOT ENGAGE. THE GEAR SELECTOR WILL BLINK WHEN YOU SELECT A GEAR, BUT IT WILL NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL HOWEVER. THIS BECOMES A GREATER PROBLEM AS YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO CYCLE THE VAN BACK TO OFF. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMPOUNDED BY FACT IT IS A PHEV AND THERE IS NO ENGINE NOISE TO HELP YOU NOTICE IT HAS NOT STARTED. CHRYSLER HAS SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE GIVEN NO INFORMATION OTHER THAN A FIX IS SUPPOSED TO COME SOMETIME IN Q2 OF 2021.

4/30/2021

Vehicle broke down twice related to the hybrid electrical system. First Incident: vehicle would not start after being parked and turned off; upon attempt to start, vehicle displayed a "Service Electronic Throttle Control" error message in dash. Second Incident: vehicle was in motion on highway at ~65 mph, and suddenly displayed "Service Hybrid Electric System" error message in dash. Vehicle proceeded to enter into turtle mode and began deceleration which is dangerous while on highway. Took vehicle in both times to different dealers. Both dealers reported seeing error codes related to the hybrid system. Repair related to the First Incident: First Dealer flashed the BPCM module. Car ran fine until Second Incident Repair related to the Second Incident: still ongoing. 2nd Dealer reported that the 62-way wiring harness needed to be replaced. Dealer ordered MOPART replacement part number 68396626AA (the replacement part) to make the repair. At first, 2nd Dealer identified DTC codes related to the Second Incident but could not identify the issue. So 2nd Dealer reset the DTC codes without making repairs or further investigation, and attempted to get consumer to pick up vehicle. Chrysler pushed for further investigation, and resulted in identification of the wiring harness issue.

5/21/2021

57 more complaints are available in this category.

ENGINE

55 Reports22% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN GETTING READY TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THOUGH THE CAR WAS ON DRIVE, I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR MOVE THE CAR. I HAD TO SHIFT TO PARK, RESTART THE CAR AND WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED ELEVEN DAYS LATER AGAIN, IN EVEN SCARIER CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN PREPARATION TO MERGE INTO A HIGHWAY. THE CAR TURNED OFF AND STOPPED AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE OR DRIVE, HOLDING UP THE CARS BEHIND ME. AGAIN I HAD TO SHIFT THE CAR TO PARK AND RESTART THE CAR BEFORE I COULD SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE AND START DRIVING. I HAD MY FOUR KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND TERRIFYING FOR EVERYONE. A CAR THAT SUDDENLY TURNS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD.

4/20/2021

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VAN IT WILL PERIODICALLY NOT ENGAGE. THE GEAR SELECTOR WILL BLINK WHEN YOU SELECT A GEAR, BUT IT WILL NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL HOWEVER. THIS BECOMES A GREATER PROBLEM AS YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO CYCLE THE VAN BACK TO OFF. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMPOUNDED BY FACT IT IS A PHEV AND THERE IS NO ENGINE NOISE TO HELP YOU NOTICE IT HAS NOT STARTED. CHRYSLER HAS SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE GIVEN NO INFORMATION OTHER THAN A FIX IS SUPPOSED TO COME SOMETIME IN Q2 OF 2021.

4/30/2021

53 more complaints are available in this category.

POWER TRAIN

55 Reports22% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN GETTING READY TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THOUGH THE CAR WAS ON DRIVE, I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR MOVE THE CAR. I HAD TO SHIFT TO PARK, RESTART THE CAR AND WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED ELEVEN DAYS LATER AGAIN, IN EVEN SCARIER CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN PREPARATION TO MERGE INTO A HIGHWAY. THE CAR TURNED OFF AND STOPPED AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE OR DRIVE, HOLDING UP THE CARS BEHIND ME. AGAIN I HAD TO SHIFT THE CAR TO PARK AND RESTART THE CAR BEFORE I COULD SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE AND START DRIVING. I HAD MY FOUR KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND TERRIFYING FOR EVERYONE. A CAR THAT SUDDENLY TURNS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD.

4/20/2021

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VAN IT WILL PERIODICALLY NOT ENGAGE. THE GEAR SELECTOR WILL BLINK WHEN YOU SELECT A GEAR, BUT IT WILL NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL HOWEVER. THIS BECOMES A GREATER PROBLEM AS YOU NEED TO REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO CYCLE THE VAN BACK TO OFF. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE COMPOUNDED BY FACT IT IS A PHEV AND THERE IS NO ENGINE NOISE TO HELP YOU NOTICE IT HAS NOT STARTED. CHRYSLER HAS SAID THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE GIVEN NO INFORMATION OTHER THAN A FIX IS SUPPOSED TO COME SOMETIME IN Q2 OF 2021.

4/30/2021

53 more complaints are available in this category.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

38 Reports15% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

While in EV mode, driving 75 mph on the freeway for at least five minutes, the vehicle suddenly loses power and the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive. My vehicle was slowing down in the carpool lane and I had to carefully find my way to the shoulder to be able to turn the vehicle EV motor back on. There are no warning signs. It is very sudden. This has happened 8 times so far. Dealership service center has inspected and tested the vehicle twice for a few weeks and has not been able to reproduce. My vehicle is available for more inspection but I just initiated a buy back process with Chrysler Customer Care.

5/27/2021

I was driving at just over 70MPH in hybrid mode (battery fully depleted for full electric operation) and suddenly the van lost all power and a warning came up on the screen that said "Service Charging System". The van was totally stalled and had no power, but still had electrical functions. I had to pull over on the side of the road in busy traffic, put the van in Park and then restart. After this event, my engine light has remained on and I am attempting to schedule an appointment with the Chrysler dealer. This high speed stall in busy traffic was extremely dangerous and I hope that we can resolve this matter effectively. The dash photo I uploaded is not my actual dash, but that is the exact same error screen and engine light that I saw. Exactly the same.

8/29/2021

36 more complaints are available in this category.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

12 Reports5% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

We have had intermittent issues with the rear hatch not closing when any buttons or key fob pushed since purchase. On 7/2/21 aprox 6:30 pm I was walking around rear of the vehicle the rear liftgate was fully open. A passenger pressed rear hatch button to close not realizing at that moment I was walking under I am 61.7" tall the liftgate came down full force on my head it did not beep and retract. It continued pressing down something sharp pierced my scalp and I was knocked to the ground, bleeding from the wound with severe neck and head pain and pain in 3rd right finger I had landed with hand underneath. I was driven to the local ER diagnosed with a closed head injury and laceration, CT scans were done of head and neck, and x-ray of right hand, 2 staples were inserted to close the wound. We were able to reproduce and videotape the liftgate failing to stop. A report was filed with Chrysler Customer Care ID no 7992588. On July 14 at 1 pm an engineer met us at dealership from Bosch and witnessed the lift gate force sensor not engaging twice. He refused to video tape this or to allow us to take a videotape, or to submit the video we had previously taken. He took photographs only. We asked him twice and he stated that he had witnessed the problem and it would be in his report. He downloaded into his laptop from the car computer and told us there was a software update needed for the rear liftgate. On 7/20/21 we received an email from Stellantis Special Investigations fcagroup.com stating that "After review of the inspection report and photos no apparent defect was found with the liftgate operation at the inspection. Therefore we respectfully decline any assistance associated with this matter". We had dealership do the software update on 7/21/21. On 7/22 I contacted customer care to receive a written version of the email as it will not print legibly and this was refused. I requested a copy of the engineering inspection report and this was also refused.

7/22/2021

I was in the garage near the car when it started spontaneously. I had the key fob in my pants pocket. It turned off when I sat inside and pushed the ignition off button. Did not notice any warnings/lights at the time. There were no safety consequences. My Concerns: What else could happen spontaneously? Could it shift into gear? Carbon monoxide in the closed garage? Has not recurred. The only recent auto malfunction was the Information display (UConnect) had locked up a couple of weeks prior after a routine software download to the car. No problem with vehicle operation with that episode. Checked by the dealer and felt to be OK. No recurrence. I attempted to notify MOPAR. Their web page email didn’t work for a several tries. I was unable to get past their customer service robot who got stuck on “other” when I couldn’t pick one of their menu options. I wanted NHTSA to be aware in case of other similar reports.

10/15/2021

10 more complaints are available in this category.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

8 Reports3% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN GETTING READY TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THOUGH THE CAR WAS ON DRIVE, I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR MOVE THE CAR. I HAD TO SHIFT TO PARK, RESTART THE CAR AND WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED ELEVEN DAYS LATER AGAIN, IN EVEN SCARIER CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN IN PREPARATION TO MERGE INTO A HIGHWAY. THE CAR TURNED OFF AND STOPPED AND I COULD NOT ACCELERATE OR DRIVE, HOLDING UP THE CARS BEHIND ME. AGAIN I HAD TO SHIFT THE CAR TO PARK AND RESTART THE CAR BEFORE I COULD SHIFT BACK TO DRIVE AND START DRIVING. I HAD MY FOUR KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME AND THIS WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND TERRIFYING FOR EVERYONE. A CAR THAT SUDDENLY TURNS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD.

4/20/2021

Have a 2021 Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle purchased 01/2021. Since getting the vehicle randomly the car will not start, the gear selector flashes and will not drive. Have to continually restart the vehicle to get it to move. Then randomly while driving the car would display a check engine light and message Service Charging System. This would occur 1-2x a month. When you plug the car in the indicator lights would flash, the fan would spin up very loud and not engage charging. This would last for a few days. Took it into service around 5 times to two different dealers and could not recreate either issue. Then in April 14 2022, while driving on the freeway roughly 75 the engine cut off, message came up Service Charging System, Shift To P To Start. Check Engine Light comes on, drive selector in bottom right flashes, gear selector light flashes. Have to restart it multiple times, get the vehicle to sleep by open door, and pressing start button multiple times with foot on brake and off brake. Eventually got it to start again and happened again 15 minutes later. Took into service again, they replaced some wires and it failed again twice driving on the freeway over 70 on April 22nd 2022. Took into service again and they replaced the wiring harness and a sensor in the transmission. Got it back and it failed again while pulling into my driveway on April 30th 2022. Vehicle is still in service and they are unable to find the root cause. In 4 of the 5 stalls, driving at a high rate of speed completely losing engine power with children in the car presents a severe safety hazard. Thankfully each time have been able to safely pull over. Has been in service 4 times in the last month over this specific issue. About 10 times total on service charging system message.

5/2/2022

6 more complaints are available in this category.

SERVICE BRAKES

4 Reports2% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

I was stopped at a traffic light for several minutes. I started to feel like we were moving and checked the brakes to make sure they were still fully engaged. When I realized that they were and that I was still rolling, I put the car into park. I did bump the semi in front of me. I’m not sure if the impact or putting the car in park that stopped me. I have had the car for 3 months and never had anything like that happen. We had the car towed to the dealer and called Chrysler to report the problem. An inspector spoke to me and then went to the dealer to inspect the car. A few days later , we received an email saying that there was no manufacturing defect found with few other details about the inspection . We have since called several times to ask questions about the inspection and are told a “supervisor” needs to call us back. Despite being given several dates/times when this would happen, they have failed to call us back to discuss.

5/28/2021

My PHEV Pacifica Hybrid experiences intermittent dangerous lurching during braking. Symptoms: - During modest braking where regenerative braking system is doing most of the braking, the regenerative braking system flutters on an off a couple seconds at a time - The Power gauge on the cluster (Far Left) Bounces wildly with each flutter - Sudden loss of braking causes lurching of vehicle - Problem is periodic. Will not have the problem for weeks and then suddenly have the issue constantly for several days I have experienced this at highways speeds but it is most dangerous when braking in traffic.

1/21/2022

2 more complaints are available in this category.

AIR BAGS

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while her husband was inside the vehicle, he noticed the instrument panel was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the HVAC, radio, backup camera, and Bluetooth failed to function as needed. The contact also stated the backup camera would function intermittently. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the radio control unit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on backorder. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,519.

2/23/2022

Accident where my entire forward drivers side was smashed. My head has a gash from hitting the side drivers window. NOT ONE air bag deployed. Have pictures of damage.

5/12/2022

STEERING

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

On freeway , running on gas - the vehicle gave an error “service charging system” and vehicle shutdown and de accelerated rapidly - forward momentum only We are on freeway and no shoulder and narrow escaped an collision trying to get a safe stop at speed of 20-25 miles and slowing down from initial of 70 mph This is serious safety concern and how was this released for sale is certified by NTSB is a surprise and shock Multiple owners have complained of this

6/3/2022

I was driving uphill at slow speed; then a garbage truck in front of me needed to do a 3 point turn so I switched to reverse to back up. At that point the vehicle started flashing an alarm, I think said "service hybrid system" or something like that and instantly began rolling down the hill for about a block, while I was completely unable to engage the break or gas, to switch to drive, to control the wheel, even the emergency brake failed. I was rolling backwards for about a block completely unable to control any component of the car when the emergency break finally engaged. I was able to turn on my hazards at that point, but the vehicle would not start, nor would it turn off. I could not make it reverse or drive or even turn off as I sat stuck in the middle of an intersection. After several minutes like that I was eventually able to restart the car and drive slowly home. This is MURDER by Chrysler waiting to happen. I was very lucky no child or vehicle was behind me as I rolled downhill into an intersection. I was very lucky to not be hit by oncoming traffic as I sat stuck after rolling a block downhill backwards-- THESE ARE MINIVANS FILLED WITH CHILDREN!! MY 4 children! Chrysler in Berkeley service said they haven't heard of this before and will see me only next week, and not sooner! However, There are numerous similar complaints registered. I am afraid to drive it at all at this point. This is a very new car with less than 10K miles on it. RECALL IMMEDIATELY PLEASE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

7/18/2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

While driving on highway at approx. 75 mph using adaptive cruise control, the red power cord shaped warning indication appeared on the instrument panel. At the time the warning appeared, the vehicle was in battery powered mode. At the same time the warning showed, the electric motor stopped providing power. The vehicle did not transition to hybrid mode (gas powered), and depressing the accelerator did nothing. The vehicle began to slow from highway speeds, while other cars were in the vicinity. While all this was happening, the "D" on the gear selector was flashing. There was also a message saying to put the vehicle in park to restart, however, i did not want to attempt that at highway speeds. Other systems seemed to operate as normal, brakes worked, the electrical system seemed to be functional other than the described fault. I pulled over to the shoulder and stopped the vehicle completely. I turned the vehicle off, then on again, and was able to put the vehicle in drive without any faults occuring. Normal operation resumed after that.

7/27/2022

I was driving in stop and go traffic about 4 hours into a road trip on I95. At around 60mph, an error popped up on the dash saying “Service Charging System” then it quickly went away and said “Shift to P to Start” at which point I lost all propulsion. I was in the left lane and had to make my way to the side of the road with my family of 6 in the car. This was extremely stressful and dangerous as I had no way to accelerate and was stuck to coast. I flipped on my hazard lights and was able to navigate to a safe place under an overpass. At this point, I completely cut off the car and restarted it. It worked fine again upon restart, but the check engine light remained there after. The incident happened again on a side road at around 40mph on the same day. I coasted to a stoplight and had to power cycle the car 3 times to get driving again. The following day, I went to a local Chrysler dealership and they are still in the progress of diagnosing, however they won’t have a response until after Christmas. So, I’m being directed to rent a vehicle until the van is deemed safe to drive again.

12/24/2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

I was on the highway traveling at 60mph, with the adaptive cruise control on. The semi in front of me began to brake, I tapped off the cruise control and began braking. The semi came to a complete stop and I pushed my brake pedal to the floor to stop my vehicle. It did not stop. My Pinnacle has emergency braking and forward collision warning. My driver's instrument panel did not give a forward collision warning indication in a timely manner and my emergency braking did not stop my vehicle. At the time of the accident vehicle had less than 10,000 miles, dry weather conditions, and vehicle was used for leisure - in town driving. A month previously, I took my Pinnacle into the dealership because I didn't feel my brakes were working properly. They felt mushy, little resistance, and were making a noise. An inspection was performed by the dealership but were unable to detect a noise or visual issue. My safety was put at risk when a system I depended upon, that was advertised as, "Full speed forward collision warning with active braking assists you by providing both visual and audible warnings as well as applying emergency braking to help bring the vehicle to a full stop, if needed" (chrysler.com/pacifica/safey-security.html) failed. The brakes didn't engage properly to stop us before hitting the vehicle in front of us. The forward collision warning indication didn't happen in a timely manner, it was delayed causing us to lose precious seconds. If this had been a passenger vehicle in front of us we could have injured the occupants and we ourselves could have been gravely injured had we been traveling at a higher rate of speed. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealership, but was taken there prior to the incident less than a month before. I reported the problem to Chrysler the day of the accident. The vehicle is pending inspection by insurance and I have asked that the Electronic Data Recorder be removed and the information on it to be evaluated.

9/15/2022

My 2021 Pacifica PHEV has 16,200 miles on it at time of incident on 10/31/2022. I had just pulled off the highway to get gas when the issue began. I received a “service electrical system” on the dash and a check engine light and I had to turn off and back on to get it to restart. The check engine light stayed on and upon continuing my drive home another warning light came on telling me that the emergency braking was no longer operating. The warning light stayed on for a few miles and then went off. I took snapshots I will include. I also noticed that the vehicle was recording erroneous data such as suddenly having an electrical charge of a large percent when I had zero electrical charge. I got the vehicle to the dealership for repair. On 11/1. No loaner or rental reimbursement was available from Chrysler so I was without a Vehicle during repair. I received the vehicle back on 11/3/22 and I was informed that the vehicle had error codes POE 15-50 Hybrid/EV battery pack coolant heater A control and P1649-00 (? Not sure I wrote the number correctly) HCP Int… code. The paper also showed POE 15-00 HVAC Blocker Power but he only mentioned the first 2. The service technician indicated that the vehicle had a Z76 recall (I was not aware of a recall) and that they had done a software update to fix it and the vehicle should note be fixed. Upon reading other online complaints I see multiple reports of the same thing happening repeatedly to other 2021 phev Pacifica’s with low mileage while driving at high speeds including within 10 miles of having the same repair done. I am now scared to drive this vehicle on the highway after reading of multiple other 2021 PHEVs no longer operating on multiple vehicles while at highway speeds, despite multiple attempts at repair. I am afraid for my safety and for anyone else in my vehicle and I I want Chrysler to pay off my note immediately and take back possession of the vehicle. I no longer feel safe driving it.

11/4/2022

VISIBILITY/WIPER

2 Reports1% of total

Previewing the first 2 complaint summaries.

The sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving down the road.

10/26/2022

While driving down the interstate, the moonroof glass spontaneously shattered. There are three pieces of glass on the roof, and it was the center one that failed. The car was about 16 months old with just under 10,000 miles, almost all of which was low-speed, city driving. At the time of failure, we were about 650 miles into a cross-country road trip and traveling on roads with an 80 MPH speed limit. If we had not closed the sunshade the day prior, sharp glass would have fallen on our children seated in the middle row. A Chrysler dealer sold us the replacement part and verified that there were no signs of any external cause that led to the failure. Chrysler denied a warranty claim, stating that "sunroof is most probably an outside influence as it cannot break easily as per IRF (Independent repair facility)."

12/14/2022

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

We purchased our brand new 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Limited on April 19th, 2021, from Hoblit Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Woodland CA. At the dealership, my wife and I were able to add user profiles to the UConnect system, thereby customizing our driving experience to fit our individual needs. However, I started to notice a number of issues with the vehicle over the following weeks. UConnect Related: 1) The ability to add and remove user profiles disappeared. 2) The UConnect system randomly resets about once every couple weeks. 3) The UConnect system will randomly blast the AM/FM radio or will randomly start playing Sirius XM at loud volumes. 4) The Navigation System will sometimes navigate to the wrong location, despite the address being inputted correctly (I used google maps on my phone to confirm the wrong address). General Vehicle Issues: 1) The vehicle will sometimes keep itself turned on (despite turning the vehicle off) as long as a phone is connected to the vehicle via bluetooth (the car doesn't drop the bluetooth connection after turning the vehicle off!). 2) Sometimes, the vehicle will power on, allow you to shift into other gears, but won't steer or drive (I have video of this). Lane Keeping Assistance: 1) The driver-side lane departure correction is noticeably less accurate than the passenger-side. I'm hoping you all can help get some attention on these issues. It's crazy that Chrysler released the 2021 Pacifica Hybrids with such a faulty UConnect system. The internet seems to suggest that Chrysler is and has been aware of all of these issues but has not yet done anything to correct them. Mechanically, this car is great, but technologically, it's so bad my wife has on more than one occasion voiced her regret regarding this purchase. Our experiences are not one-offs, these issues are systemic across the 2021 Pacifica Hybrids. I have videos for items 1 and 2 under the "General Vehicle Issues" section above.

8/30/2021

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated that the hatchback door would not close and lock securely. The contact stated that he attempted to close the hatchback door by using the key fob, by depressing the hatchback control panel inside the vehicle and the button on the hatchback door but it failed to close and latch securely. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he manually pushed the hatchback with the assistance of his wife, but the door would not lock. The contact stated that they were able to close the hatchback door using duct tape. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing however, the dealer advised the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. The contact notified Goeckner Bros Inc (600 E Fayette Ave, Effingham, IL 62401) who sold him the vehicle and the dealer advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 2,970.

11/26/2021

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The infotainment system would crash and freeze, causing the backup camera not to be visible on the center screen when in reverse.

12/30/2021

BACK OVER PREVENTION: CAMERA SYSTEM

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The infotainment system would crash and freeze, causing the backup camera not to be visible on the center screen when in reverse.

12/30/2021

BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while her husband was inside the vehicle, he noticed the instrument panel was not functioning properly. The contact stated that the HVAC, radio, backup camera, and Bluetooth failed to function as needed. The contact also stated the backup camera would function intermittently. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the radio control unit to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on backorder. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 7,519.

2/23/2022

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

When I first purchased my 2021 Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle in January 2021, randomly when pressing the lift gate button in the top left of the trunk it would beep multiple times and the lift gate would not move. The key fob, front button, and rear button would not engage the lift gate motor. You had to manually shut the lift gate and it would latch. Then in November 2021 I had the Y50 2021 RU Power Lift gate recall done on my vehicle and since then three times while driving the lift gate has popped up on its own. When you pull over all buttons are unresponsive and when you manually close the lift gate the locking mechanism does not engage. It just pulls right back open by hand or while driving. To resolve you must try over and over shutting the door, pressing the buttons, turning the vehicle on and off multiple times, letting it sleep and turn it back on and eventually the locking mechanism will engage. Have brought it multiple times to the dealer and every time they cannot recreate. Poses a dangerous safety issue while driving for the lift gate to open as you don't realize its not latched.

5/2/2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:CABLE/CORD:ACCESSORY

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated that whenever hybrid battery power was low, the vehicle was supposed to shift to using fuel; however, the vehicle would stall. The contact would pull over to the side of the road and start the vehicle after several attempts. The failure was intermittent and occurred at various speeds. The service charging system and check engine warning lights would be illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure reoccurred several weeks later. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the manufacturer suggested that the transmission should be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000.

8/31/2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

I was on the highway traveling at 60mph, with the adaptive cruise control on. The semi in front of me began to brake, I tapped off the cruise control and began braking. The semi came to a complete stop and I pushed my brake pedal to the floor to stop my vehicle. It did not stop. My Pinnacle has emergency braking and forward collision warning. My driver's instrument panel did not give a forward collision warning indication in a timely manner and my emergency braking did not stop my vehicle. At the time of the accident vehicle had less than 10,000 miles, dry weather conditions, and vehicle was used for leisure - in town driving. A month previously, I took my Pinnacle into the dealership because I didn't feel my brakes were working properly. They felt mushy, little resistance, and were making a noise. An inspection was performed by the dealership but were unable to detect a noise or visual issue. My safety was put at risk when a system I depended upon, that was advertised as, "Full speed forward collision warning with active braking assists you by providing both visual and audible warnings as well as applying emergency braking to help bring the vehicle to a full stop, if needed" (chrysler.com/pacifica/safey-security.html) failed. The brakes didn't engage properly to stop us before hitting the vehicle in front of us. The forward collision warning indication didn't happen in a timely manner, it was delayed causing us to lose precious seconds. If this had been a passenger vehicle in front of us we could have injured the occupants and we ourselves could have been gravely injured had we been traveling at a higher rate of speed. The problem has not been confirmed by a dealership, but was taken there prior to the incident less than a month before. I reported the problem to Chrysler the day of the accident. The vehicle is pending inspection by insurance and I have asked that the Electronic Data Recorder be removed and the information on it to be evaluated.

9/15/2022

WHEELS

1 Report0% of total

Previewing the first 1 complaint summaries.

OEM equipment wheel locks, incorrectly installed either at factory or dealer, were McGard high security wheel locks, and either incorrectly tightened/torqued and/or the equipment used was warned by the mfg of the wheel locks NOT to be used on wheels where the lug studs were exposed to salt/winter conditions, thus causing the OEM equipment to fail and seize on the van. At the first DEALER performed tire rotation, they could not remove the OEM equipment, on a WARRANTED auto just 18 months into the mfg 3yr/36k mile warranty, and had to resort to brute force to remove seized wheel locks, thus causing documented damage to 2 wheels. Neither Dealer nor Chrysler will admit to liability, tuning this back on me, disregarding their warranty. Full documentation available for this claim. Their denial is not based on any contractual issue in warranty nor in any real fact. Had I had a flat tire on the side of the road, these seized wheel lock nuts may have caused a real & present danger to myself and family in the van. This is the Manufacture's issue to replace damaged equipment caused during warranty work on this auto.

10/3/2022

About This Data

Data and Methodology

MethodologyHow we score →

Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.

FAQ

What are the most common owner complaints for the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica?

The most reported complaint category for the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, with 133 owner reports. That is about 22% of all complaints logged here. Other recurring themes include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN.

Are complaints about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica a serious warning sign?

Potentially. 355 complaint reports fall into higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components. That does not prove every vehicle has a defect, but repeated complaints in those systems justify a more careful pre-purchase inspection.

How should buyers use complaint data for the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica?

Use complaints as an early pattern to investigate, not a standalone verdict. Start with the top complaint categories, compare those themes against the recall report and maintenance guide, then inspect service records for evidence that the same problem areas were already addressed. If the same issue appears repeatedly across complaints and recalls, treat it as a real ownership-risk flag.

Are complaints about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica severe?

355 complaint reports involve higher-attention systems such as brakes, steering, engine, powertrain, fuel, suspension, airbags, or electrical components, which is enough to justify a focused inspection before purchase.

Complaint list entries are sourced from owner-submitted NHTSA ODI records.

Read complaint summaries

Chrysler Pacifica: How should complaint data influence buying decisions?

Use complaint patterns together with recalls and maintenance guidance to estimate ownership risk and inspection priorities.

Carfocal links complaint data directly to recall and maintenance routes for the same model year.

Return to full vehicle report
Complaint entries
611
Top-topic view
5 grouped topics shown
Primary source
NHTSA ODI owner complaint records

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In this guide

  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Common Problems
  3. 03Owner Complaints
  4. 04Data and Methodology

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