Reliable Auto DB

2018 Chrysler Pacifica reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 873 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica over 9 years — 91 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Pacifica years here — over the median of the other years, which is 31. NHTSA has 12 recalls on file, including Latch or anchor, Connectors and plugs, and Camera.

2017 Chrysler Pacifica
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

873

Per year

91

Recalls

12

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (373 of 873), then Electrical system (287) and Steering (178). Those filings include 27 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 14 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Pacifica has 1,521 complaints, 215 per year, and the 2019 has 356 complaints, 31 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (12)

Recall adaptive equipment, wheelchair restraints, latch or anchor 2025-12-17 · NHTSA campaign 25V876000
Summary Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model year information. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.
Remedy Rollx will work with Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 5, 2026. Owners may contact Rollx's customer service at 1-800-956-6668.
Recall electrical system, wiring, connectors and plugs 2023-01-17 · NHTSA campaign 23V010000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric vehicles (PHEVs). An internal transmission wiring connector may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown.
Remedy Dealers will update the Power Inverter Module (PIM) software and, if necessary, update the instrument panel cluster (IPC) and the electronic control module (ECM) software, free of charge. FCA US will notify dealers and begin notifying owners on or about: 03/21/2023 for 2021 model year vehicles, 05/02/2023 for 2019-2020 model year vehicles, and 06/15/2023 for 2017-2018 model year vehicles. FCA began notifying owners on February 23, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 03A.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2019-12-12 · NHTSA campaign 19V886000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Pacifica vehicles equipped with an 8.4 inch radio display, 360 degree surround view camera system, and seat back video screens. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed on the radio after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began January 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VE2.
Recall electrical system, 12V/24V/48V battery 2019-05-09 · NHTSA campaign 19V348000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Pacifica vehicles equipped with engine stop/start systems. A loose battery ground connection may result in an intermittent loss of power steering assist and/or a stall.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the battery ground surfaces, clean the contact surfaces as needed, and properly reassemble the ground connection, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US' number for this recall is V53.
Recall Front lower control arm 2019-02-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V143000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica hybrid vehicles. The right front lower control arm may separate from the steering knuckle.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the right front knuckle and lower control arm for damage, replacing the components as necessary. The right front lower control arm knuckle pinch bolt will be replaced with a larger-diameter pinch bolt. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 26, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V15.
Recall electrical system, wiring, front underhood wiring 2018-08-09 · NHTSA campaign 18V524000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Recall powertrain, axle assembly, axle shaft 2018-07-26 · NHTSA campaign 18V493000
Summary 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) joint.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left or right halfshaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began September 18, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U80.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2018-07-26 · NHTSA campaign 18V492000
Summary 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 transmission to not transmit engine power to the wheels.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U85.
Recall electrical system, ignition, anti-theft, control module 2018-06-14 · NHTSA campaign 18V395000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles. The Manual Park Release (MPR) plug may be removed without a tool. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the MPR plug, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U50.
Recall electrical system, wiring 2018-05-17 · NHTSA campaign 18V332000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Recall Equipment 2017-12-21 · NHTSA campaign 17V824000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
Recall seat belts, rear or other 2017-08-31 · NHTSA campaign 17V542000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles equipped with the 8-passenger seating option. In certain passenger seating and vehicle situations, the second-row center seating position seat belt buckle could cause the left outboard seat belt to become unlatched.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a shorter second-row seat belt buckle, free of charge. The recall began October 26, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T54.

Complaints by component (873 total)

Engine
373
Electrical system
287
Steering
178
Powertrain
155
Fuel and propulsion system
47
Electronic stability control (ESC)
37
Speed control
35
Service brakes
31
Suspension
20
Structure
19
Forward collision avoidance
15
Seats
10
Air bags
9
Lane departure
8
Wheels
8
Back-over prevention
6
Equipment
5
Latches, locks, and linkages
4
Visibility and wipers
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Seat belts
3
Hybrid propulsion
2
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Chest clip, buckle, and harness
1
Exterior lighting
1
Show 18 more Show less
Crash-flagged

27

Fire-flagged

14

Injury reports

14

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

420177720181382019542020552021692022942023111202413620251352026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am writing to offer corroborating evidence for NHTSA PE25009. The electric power steering system malfunctioned, and on this vehicle, that is a single unit with the rack and pinion, electric assist motor, and…"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-24
  • "Intermittent Loss Of Electric Power Steering. Steering sticks at 11:00 and 1:00 and has to be pulled back to prevent running of the road. NHTSA Action Number- PE25009"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-22
  • "Head gasket blown! Vehicle is under 100k miles, never overheated, service properly maintained. When researching symptoms, I discovered I am one of hundreds if not thousands of 2017-2018 model Pacifica owners who have…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-22
  • "Intermittent loss of power steering, giving the sensation of "sticking" when the wheel is turned about 30 degrees clockwise. Generally happens at highway speeds, but can happen at lower speeds too. Steering feels locked…"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-22
  • "I have a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica with approximately 125,000 miles. At around 110,000 I started to notice that the steering would randomly stick when driving at speeds between 25-45 mph. Now, the steering wheel is…"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-20

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Pacifica 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 19 28 22 MPG $2950
Pacifica 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 18 28 22 MPG $2950
Pacifica hybrid 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 32 33 32 MPG / 570 mi range $2050

Specs and fitment

RU generation, 2017–present
Body styles Minivan
Oil 0W-20 full synthetic (3.6L V6) , 5.5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/65R17 (common trims)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 23V-010 covers certain 2017-2023 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric vehicles: an internal transmission wiring connector may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown. Dealers update the Power Inverter Module software and, if needed, update the instrument panel cluster and ECM software.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Next year 2019 Chrysler Pacifica See every Chrysler Pacifica model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica reliable?

Owners have filed 873 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica over 9 years — 91 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Pacifica years here — over the median of the other years, which is 31. NHTSA has 12 recalls on file, including Latch or anchor, Connectors and plugs, and Camera.

What are common problems with a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (373 of 873), then Electrical system (287) and Steering (178). Those filings include 27 that report a crash, 14 that report a fire, and 14 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Pacifica has 1,521 complaints, 215 per year, and the 2019 has 356 complaints, 31 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica been recalled?

The 2018 Chrysler Pacifica has 12 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica?

Owners have filed 873 complaints about the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica is 25.3 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Chrysler Pacifica use?

0W-20 full synthetic (3.6L V6)

What does NHTSA recall 23V-010 cover on the Chrysler Pacifica?

Recall 23V-010 covers certain 2017-2023 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric vehicles: an internal transmission wiring connector may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown.

What generation is the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica?

RU generation (2017-present).