Which Years Of Used Chrysler Pacificas Are Most Reliable?
Chrysler Pacifica by Kevauto - CC-BY-SA-4.0
While they’re not as popular as several years ago, there’s no arguing that minivans are the Swiss Army Knife of the automotive world. They excel in hauling people, provide more storage for your gear, and offer a wide range of safety features. However, minivans somehow became uncool and unfashionable and lost popularity over time.
When it comes to minivans, there’s no doubt that the model that helped the minivan hype was the Chrysler Pacifica. The Pacifica endeared itself to families with its seating capacity for eight, composed ride and handling, many standard features, and fuel-efficient engines. With minivans making a comeback, there’s little doubt that the Pacifica will lead the resurgence.
If you’re looking for a used minivan, the Chrysler Pacifica is a solid option for families. However, not all Pacificas are created equal, especially in terms of reliability. For today’s post, we look at the current generation of the Pacifica minivan and determine which is the most reliable Chrysler Pacifica year and which ones to avoid.
2017-Present Chrysler Pacifica (1st Generation)
The Pacifica’s first production run was during the mid-2000s as a crossover SUV. However, the Pacifica re-emerged as a minivan in 2017, designed to replace the Town & Country. Available in seven or eight seating configurations, the first-generation Pacifica had some noteworthy models.
Avoid: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was released to a very enthusiastic market. With its promised utility and handsome design (at least during that time), the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica was a hit among consumers. However, it’s also a debut model, which means it’s riddled with mechanical issues that every used car buyer should know.
For starters, the 2017 Pacifica has over 1,000 NHTSA complaints and nine recalls, per CarComplaints. This model year was an automatic avoid for us because of its long list of major mechanical woes. One of its most serious issues was the problematic transmission. From clunky shifting to rough gearing to loud clanking noises, owners were not so thrilled by Pacifica’s faulty transmission system.
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One user from Southfield wrote:
“As you accelerate the car makes a loud grumbling sound. Also, when you slow down the car jerks you forward like you have been rear ended. I took it to the dealership and they said it needs a Software update and a Drive Learn adaptation procedure. The problem is they want to charge me $526 for something that is causing the transmission which is under warranty to fail.”
This issue was frustrating because rebuilding or replacing the transmission was a costly expense. Many owners who suffered the issue were not under warranty, so you can only imagine the out-of-pocket costs.
Another category where the 2017 Pacifica struggled was with its electrical system. In one case, the driver saw a “shift to P to start” message displayed on the dashboard without rhyme or reason. In another incident, a driver claimed the turn signals were activated independently while the vehicle was stationary.
If you can completely avoid one Pacifica minivan, the 2017 model is the prime candidate.
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Avoid: 2018 Chrysler Pacifica
While the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica has improved reliability over the 2017 minivan, it’s still an easy skip for us due to its significant issues. CarComplaints say that the 2018 Pacifica has accumulated 889 complaints and a staggering 11 recalls.
Check for potential transmission issues if you plan to buy a used 2018 Pacifica. The transmission system displayed a wide array of symptoms, like rough or erratic shifting, abnormal noises, and total transmission failure. Many of the owner accounts described how the vehicle would randomly act up and throw itself forward without warning. Some people also shared that the lurching became so bad that it may feel like they would rear-end someone.
Another trouble spot of this minivan is the problematic steering. According to more than 50 NHTSA reports, drivers have experienced various faulty steering issues, such as shuddering while making a slow but sharp turn or complete steering control loss. Apparently, the lower right control arm knuckle pinch bolt can fail, which causes the lower control arm to detach from the steering knuckle.
However, unlike the 2017 Pacifica, we can still recommend this 2018 minivan, provided it’s well-maintained.
Buy: 2019 Chrysler Pacifica
It’s safe to say that the 2019 Pacifica ironed out many of the kinks with the earlier model years. Plus, it offered several innovative features, like the clever stowable seating system. In addition, many consumers were pleased with the available plug-in hybrid model and its 84 MPGe combined fuel economy.
As per CarComplaints, the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica received significantly fewer complaints at 274 and only five recalls under its belt. The best part of the 2019 model year is that the dreaded transmission issues were much less of a concern. As such, the top complaint for this model was about the Uconnect infotainment system. One user complained that the infotainment system would randomly reboot or become unresponsive. Thankfully, these types of issues are fixable with a simple software update.
Overall, we highly recommend the 2019 model, and it’s undoubtedly worthy of being called the most reliable Chrysler Pacifica year.
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Buy: 2020 Chrysler Pacifica
For buyers who don’t mind a newer minivan, the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica gets a thumbs up from us. U.S. News ranked the Pacifica as the second-best minivan that year and praised its smooth and comfortable ride, intuitive infotainment system, an upmarket cabin, and Convenient Stow ‘n Go seats.
As a newer model, there is only a little data about the 2020 Pacifica’s reliability. However, J.D. Power did rate this minivan with a Quality & Reliability score of 76 out of 100 – not the highest of scores, but consumer feedback seems to align with the rating.
The top complaint for the minivan is the stalling engine. A user shared their scary experience where the vehicle displayed the message “Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon” on the dashboard while moving at highway speeds. Other than that, it’s a relatively rare issue and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
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