Which Chrysler Pacifica years have the most transmission complaints?

The 2018 year has the most complaints at 167. The 2021 year has the highest rate per vehicle sold, followed by 2018 and 2022. The 2019 year also has a notable number. The newest years have few filings, but they have had less time to collect them.

Is it safe to drive a Pacifica with transmission problems?

Not without a diagnosis. Owners report vans shutting off in highway lanes, surging when shifted, and rolling while parked. Crashes and injuries are on file. A shifting or shut-off warning should be checked by a dealer before you rely on the van.

Is there a recall for Pacifica transmission problems?

Federal records list two 2018 recalls in this area. Recall 18V492000 covers certain 2018 non-hybrid vans for a possible bad transmission weld, with free transmission replacement. Recall 18V493000 covers front axle halfshafts. The records show no recall for the hybrid shut-off complaints.

What does a Pacifica transmission repair cost?

The data does not give a transmission repair price. Independent repair-cost data puts yearly repair costs for the model overall at $647. One owner reported a $7k service quote that did not solve the problem. Recall repairs are free.

Do hybrid Pacificas have more transmission trouble?

In the 2021 through 2024 years, most sudden power loss reports involve the hybrid. Many start within the first few thousand miles or weeks. Owners say the fault often returns after a restart or after a dealer replaces parts.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chrysler Pacifica Transmission Problems

Chrysler Pacifica transmission complaints center on sudden loss of drive power and harsh shifts, with newer hybrids shutting off at highway speed.

Owner complaints: 576
Share of all complaints: 25%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 11 / 1 / 4
Related recalls: 2

Pacifica transmission complaints by model year

The 2018 model year has the most complaints in this area at 167, and 2021 has the highest rate per vehicle sold. The 2022 and 2019 years also draw a lot of filings, while 2020 is lower among the older years. The 2023 and 2024 years show fewer complaints, but the same hybrid shutoff pattern appears in both. The 2025 and 2026 years have almost no complaints, which mostly reflects how little time they have been on the road. Treat them as unproven, not as safe picks.

2018
167 · 14.1/10k sold
2019
73 · 7.5/10k sold
2020
49 · 5.2/10k sold
2021
115 · 18/10k sold
2022
109 · 10.8/10k sold
2023
42 · 5.7/10k sold
2024
19 · 2.5/10k sold
2025
2 · 0.3/10k sold
2026
0

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under power train. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

Two failures dominate transmission complaints on this van. The first is a sudden loss of drive power. A "Stop Safely, Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" warning appears, and within seconds the van coasts to a stop, often on a highway. Most of these reports come from hybrid vans in the 2021 to 2024 model years. The second is rough shifting: hard bangs into gear, lurching from a stop, and hard surges when the van is put into reverse or drive. Dealers often cannot reproduce either problem.

This is a safety issue, not just an annoyance. Crash reports appear in the 2018 through 2022 model years, the 2021 year has three injuries on file, and 2018 has one fire report. Vans that die in a traffic lane have been hit from behind. Some owners describe repeat failures after a dealer replaced the transmission. Others were stranded far from home. Transmission and power train filings make up 24% of all complaints on the model.

Symptoms owners report

Sudden loss of drive power

The dash shows a shut-off warning, sometimes with a check engine light or a turtle icon. The accelerator stops working and the van coasts, often at highway speed. A restart may work for a few miles before it happens again.

Harsh or slamming shifts

Owners describe shifts that feel like a sledgehammer hit, clunks when accelerating, and jerks from a stop. One owner says it does not happen when the transmission is cold. Dealers often cannot reproduce it, so nothing gets fixed.

Surging in reverse or drive

Several vans lunged or roared backward or forward right after being shifted into reverse or drive. Some of these ended in crashes into poles, fences, and buildings. Others lurched forward after the driver released the brake in reverse.

Selector and park problems

Reports include a rotary selector stuck in neutral, a van that locks itself in park, and delayed shifts from the knob. Some owners say a van put itself in park with the parking brake set.

Rolling while parked

A few owners say the van rolled backward after being put in park, including one with the engine running. One rolled into a fence after warning lights came on and the engine ran rough.

When the problems start

Timing depends on the failure. Hybrid shutoff reports often start in the first few thousand miles or the first weeks of ownership. One 2018 owner had a transmission replaced at about 9,000 miles. Rough upshifting showed up near 10,000 miles on one 2018 van. Other owners report a transmission seal leak at about 56,000 miles and a hard shift at 70,649 miles on a used van.

Repairs and recalls

Owners say dealers often find only a stored code or cannot reproduce the fault. Parts replaced include the whole transmission, the valve body, and the power inverter module, sometimes more than once. Some failures returned afterward. One owner at about 56,000 miles said Chrysler denied warranty coverage for a transmission seal leak. Another was quoted $7k of service and still had the problem. Federal recall records list two 2018 recalls. Recall 18V492000 covers certain 2018 non-hybrid vans for a possible bad weld in the transmission, and dealers replace the transmission free. Recall 18V493000 covers front axle halfshafts, replaced free.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2018	18V493000	Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles. The front axle halfshafts may have been incorrectly assembled, preventing the shaft from being properly secured to the constant-velocity (CV)…
2018	18V492000	Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica non-hybrid vehicles. A component in the transmission may not have been welded properly, possibly causing the…

Checking a used Pacifica for transmission problems

Run the VIN through federal recall records and confirm recalls 18V492000 and 18V493000 were completed on any 2018 van.
Shift between reverse and drive several times in a parking lot and watch for lurches or surges.
Drive between 25 and 45 mph with light throttle and listen for clunks or hard shifts.
On a hybrid, ask for records of transmission or inverter work and any shut-off or charging system warnings.
Restart the van after a drive and check the dash for warning lights or a stuck selector.
Park on a slope with the engine off and confirm the van holds without rolling.

2 transmission recalls cover the Chrysler Pacifica. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

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