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Chrysler Pacifica: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Chrysler Pacifica problems by model year, from 3,667 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2021 (63%, 232 drivetrain complaints), 2022 (62%, 123 drivetrain complaints) and 2023 (61%, 72 drivetrain complaints). 7 of the 7 Chrysler Pacifica years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 3 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
No Chrysler Pacifica year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2019 (44%).
By raw volume, the 2017 drew the most drivetrain complaints (888 of 2,032 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Chrysler Pacifica year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Pacifica | too few to score | – | 2 | 2 | – | 0 |
| 2017 Pacifica | high | 59% | 888 | 1,524 | 4/7 | 11 |
| 2018 Pacifica | high | 55% | 480 | 875 | 5/7 | 12 |
| 2019 Pacifica | high | 44% | 157 | 357 | 7/7 | 7 |
| 2020 Pacifica | high | 49% | 80 | 170 | 6/7 | 5 |
| 2021 Pacifica | very high | 63% | 232 | 372 | 1/7 | 7 |
| 2022 Pacifica | very high | 62% | 123 | 214 | 2/7 | 10 |
| 2023 Pacifica | very high | 61% | 72 | 153 | 3/7 | 14 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Chrysler Pacifica years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Chrysler Pacifica transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the Chrysler Pacifica involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 32 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2017 | 17V482000 | power train: driveline: differential unit | 2017 |
| Jul 2018 | 18V492000 | power train: automatic transmission | 2018 |
| Jul 2018 | 18V493000 | power train: axle assembly: axle shaft | 2018 |
| Jul 2023 | 23V500000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2023 |
28 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2016 | 16V490000 | seat belts: rear/other | 2017 |
| May 2017 | 17V342000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2017 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V542000 | seat belts: rear/other | 2017–2018 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V824000 | equipment | 2018 |
| Jan 2018 | 18V049000 | electrical system: software | 2017 |
| May 2018 | 18V332000 | electrical system: wiring | 2017–2018 |
| Jun 2018 | 18V395000 | electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module | 2017–2018 |
| Aug 2018 | 18V524000 | electrical system: wiring: front underhood | 2017–2019 |
| Feb 2019 | 19V143000 | suspension: front: control arm: lower arm | 2018 |
| May 2019 | 19V348000 | electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery | 2017–2019 |
| Dec 2019 | 19V886000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2018–2019 |
| Sep 2020 | 20V191000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2019–2020 |
| Mar 2022 | 22V181000 | seats: mid/rear assembly | 2021–2022 |
| Aug 2022 | 22V619000 | visibility: windshield wiper/washer: linkages | 2022 |
| Jan 2023 | 23V010000 | electrical system: wiring: connectors/plugs/receptacles | 2017–2023 |
| Nov 2023 | 23V753000 | electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery | 2023 |
| Mar 2024 | 24V199000 | air bags: frontal: driver clockspring/spiral cassette | 2023 |
| Jun 2024 | 24V436000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2021–2023 |
| Oct 2024 | 24V793000 | air bags: side/window: curtain | 2020–2023 |
| May 2025 | 25V302000 | air bags: side/window: curtain | 2022–2023 |
| Jun 2025 | 25V388000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2023 |
| Dec 2025 | 25V876000 | equipment adaptive/mobility: wheelchair restraints/securement: latch/anchor: | 2017–2023 |
| Dec 2025 | 25V877000 | equipment adaptive/mobility: wheelchair restraints/securement: latch/anchor: | 2021–2023 |
| Mar 2026 | 26V189000 | air bags: side/window: curtain | 2022–2023 |
| May 2026 | 26V296000 | equipment adaptive/mobility: wheelchair restraints/securement: critical fasteners | 2023 |
| May 2026 | 26V327000 | back over prevention: sensing system: camera | 2019–2023 |
| Jun 2026 | 26V358000 | air bags: frontal | 2023 |
| Jun 2026 | 26V362000 | electrical system: propulsion system: traction battery | 2020–2022 |
What the free pages leave out on the Chrysler Pacifica
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Chrysler Pacifica
What are the worst years for the Chrysler Pacifica?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Chrysler Pacifica years are the 2021 (63% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2022 (62% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2023 (61% of relevant complaints, very high). 7 of 7 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Chrysler Pacifica?
No Chrysler Pacifica year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2019 (44%).
Does the Chrysler Pacifica have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 7 scored years, 2,032 of 3,617 relevant NHTSA complaints (56%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Chrysler Pacifica reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 7 of 7 Chrysler Pacifica years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 56% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Chrysler Pacifica?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Chrysler Pacifica years we track, out of 32 in total: 18V492000 (Jul 2018, 2018), 18V493000 (Jul 2018, 2018), 23V500000 (Jul 2023, 2023), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.