2018 Chrysler Pacifica problems & reliability
832 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica, alongside 12 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
14 complaints report injuries (15 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles were involved in 44 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 366 | 44% |
| Electrical System | 280 | 34% |
| Power Train | 153 | 18% |
| Steering | 150 | 18% |
| Unknown OR Other | 112 | 13% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 47 | 6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 37 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 35 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 31 | 4% |
| Suspension | 20 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 15,000 miles (middle 50% between 6,777 and 38,225 miles), based on 304 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“While driving the vehicle the minivan will lose all acceleration. There is usually a preceding error displayed on the dashboard to pull over immediately. The dealership has thus far been unable to fix it.”
Power Train · filed Aug 4, 2026
“Lots of power going up steep hills. Especially while AC is on. Almost complete loss of power yesterday with vehicle behind me.”
Engine · filed Aug 4, 2026
“Electrical glitches, where speedometer screen will go out of focus, glitch. Also transmission is going. Loud hum, catching as it changes gears and hesitates when trying to accelerated into the highway.”
Engine · filed Aug 3, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Intermittent Loss of Electric Power Steering
Preliminary Evaluation PE25009 · opened Sep 5, 2025 · open
- Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.
Recall Query RQ24004 · opened Feb 27, 2024 · open
- Ignition-off high voltage battery fire (Remedy effectiveness of Recall 22V-077)
Recall Query RQ24001 · opened Jan 16, 2024 · open
- Transmission fault leading to loss of motive power
Preliminary Evaluation PE22008 · opened Jul 22, 2022 · closed Mar 27, 2024 · led to recall 23V010
Technical service bulletins
469 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The 10 most recent:
Passive Entry O/S Dr Handle Prior to replacing an inoperative passive entry door handle, perform Star Online S2623000040.
9100860 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2026
Hose and tube - egr coolant
113280 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 6, 2026
Backup Camera Poor Image Quality Inspection
S2208000045 REV.D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 26, 2026
Calibration Requirements For The Power Sliding Door Module (PSDM).
S2623000046 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2026
Power Liftgate Intermittently Inoperative. Will Not Open/ Close. Liftgate/Hatch Ajar Message Displayed. Rev A
S2623000041 REV.A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 19, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 Rev. K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 12, 2026
Prior to replacing an inoperative passive entry door handle, perform Star Online S2623000040.
9100835 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 8, 2026
Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot. Mirror Contacts Door Window Glass In The Folded Position.
S1623000028 REV.J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
Passive Entry Exterior Door Handle Inoperative When Touched To Lock And Or Unlock.
S2623000040 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
Power Liftgate Intermittently Inoperative. Will Not Open/ Close. Liftgate/Hatch Ajar Message Displayed.
S2623000041 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 5, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Chrysler Pacifica?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 15,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.