8 Reasons To AVOID The 2024 Chrysler Pacifica!

Hold up before you order that 2024 Chrysler Pacifica. Current owners have a lot to say about their experiences. Here are 8 eye-opening reasons they suggest you might want to shop around for a different family van.

Unreliable transmission

The Pacifica's nine-speed automatic transmission usually does the job, but it's not without its quirks. On steep hills, it can get mixed up, picking a gear too high or low for the situation. And if you're using adaptive cruise control, slowing down might come with some alarming noises, like screeching and grinding that make you think the transmission's about to give out.
But that's not all. Some folks have had issues with the transmission jerking around, refusing to shift gears, or hitting them too hard. These problems are well-known, but Chrysler doesn't seem to have a handle on fixing them. It's no surprise then that the Pacifica often feels more like you're driving a lumber truck.
There's also been cases where the transmission completely fails. The car locks itself in park, won't budge, the brakes jam up, and you can't shift gears or even turn the steering wheel.
What's really troubling is how fast these issues pop up. There are Pacificas with just 42k miles, still under warranty, facing these transmission failures. One owner reported that in 130 weeks of owning their Pacifica, it spent 7 weeks in the shop. That's a lot of downtime for a pretty new car, don’t you think?

Battery and charging issues

Many owners of the 2022 or 2023 Pacifica Hybrid have raised multiple concerns regarding its battery pack and hybrid system. Given that no significant updates have been announced, the 2024 Pacifica Hybrid is likely to be essentially identical to its predecessors from 2 or 3 years ago, suggesting that these problems are still there. So, let’s delve deeper into the specifics.

The Pacifica Hybrid features a 3.6-liter V6 engine coupled with two electric motors and a 16.0-kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering a total output of 260 horsepower. Despite this setup, the Pacifica's 0 to 60 mph acceleration time is a modest 7.8 seconds, and it lacks an all-wheel-drive option, being available only in front-wheel drive.

So, performance-wise, the hybrid's power and braking are considered average for its category, and that is not all because a lot of Pacifica Hybrid owners have reported a lot of reliability issues with the hybrid system.

There are instances of battery failure and engine stalling every few miles. These owners would have to pull over on the side of the road, wait a few minutes, restart the engine, go another 20 miles and then repeat, so they could get home safe. We’re talking about cars that are under warranty here. And, despite being serviced, the issues resurfaced 4 to 5 months later, and the service centers appeared to be at a loss for solutions.

Moreover, several other owners reported problems with the charging system within months of purchase. Dealerships were often ill-equipped and unable to address these issues, leaving owners desperate and without a car.

Apparently, Chrysler issued multiple recalls for the Pacifica Hybrid’s battery back due to fire risk. The affected owners were instructed to avoid parking their cars near buildings and to only drive them in non-hybrid mode until the battery was changed. To make things even worse, Chrysler didn't keep owners in the loop about how long they'd have to wait for the battery replacement. Some owners reported waiting for as long as eight months.

In some other cases, the vehicle's computer detected a fault with the hybrid battery, causing the car to shut down unexpectedly. Frustrations peaked for another owner who, facing long service wait times and a completely depleted battery, opted to replace the batteries at their own expense after just 7,000 miles.

In addition to the battery issues, the Pacifica's got some trouble with its gas tank sensor. It's been giving false readings, showing the tank as full when it's not. There's also been cases of fuel spitting back out during fill-ups, and the gas tank button acting up. Dealerships seem to be scratching their heads on how to fix these problems effectively to this day.

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