2021 Chrysler Pacifica power train problems

“The vehicle experiences a complete loss of motive power due to the high voltage battery pack reaching a temperature of 131 degrees F. The defect first surfaced on March 7th, 2022. The vehicle shut down on multiple occasions while driving, and the original owner had the vehicle bought back by FCA US. The vehicle was sold to me in 2023, and it has shut down on numerous occasions for me as well, some of which were while driving. In total, between both owners, there have been 11 failed repair attempts, involving replacement of the high voltage battery pack, the chiller, the inter-loop heat exchanger, the battery cooling pump, and multiple replacements of the high temp 3-way cabin valve. I eventually traced the apparent cause to the high temp 3-way cabin valve routing engine coolant through the inter-loop heat exchanger at all times, causing the high voltage battery pack to overheat. If the vehicle is left sitting with the engine idling, the vehicle will shut down after less than two from cold. I installed a hose to bypass the heat exchanger in order to address the problem. The repair successfully kept the battery coolant temperature from rising, however, the…”

“I brought my vehicle to the dealer for safety recall 52D more than three weeks ago. They will not return the vehicle to me because they say the battery can explode. They have not offered enough money to cover the base model rental car. (I have since rented a slightly better car at my own expense. The allowance would not have covered the cheapest car, though.) No parts have been ordered. The dealer is not returning phone calls to Chrysler customer care. The dealer claims Chrysler technicians won't return their calls. No timeline for repair has been made. I do not believe they intend to return or repair my vehicle.”

“This 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has a severe and recurring history of catastrophic high-voltage hybrid powertrain and transmission failures that cause a sudden loss of motive power while driving, presenting an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle has already required two full automatic transmission (eFlite EVT) replacements under factory warranty due to internal failures. It has experienced multiple high-voltage component repairs, including software modules for the power inverter. The vehicle is currently experiencing a recurring failure and is displaying active diagnostic trouble code P0A78 (Drive Motor "A" Inverter Performance), indicating a critical fault in the high-voltage hybrid propulsion system. Prior to the current failure, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle experienced propulsion system degradation. This failure mode risks a sudden shutdown of the hybrid drive system at highway speeds, creating a severe risk of rear-end collisions or being stranded in active traffic. The recurring nature of these transmission and inverter failures indicates a systemic safety defect in the hybrid propulsion system. The issue and the active P0A78…”

“While driving on interstate 15 and going 65-70mph the vehicle dashboard flashed “Charging Error, vehicle will shut down”. Before my wife could make it through traffic to the shoulder the vehicle lost all motive power including power steering. She was able to just coast the vehicle and get into the shoulder. Vehicle would not restart. The transmission had been previously replaced during recall to correct this issue. Chrysler had the vehicle for 5 weeks.”

“The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the message "Service Gear Shifter" was displayed, and the gear shifter lights were not illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the ESS system malfunctioned, and the 12-volt battery had failed, which the contact related to the gear shifter failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.”

“This vehicle quit driving and you can move it. Confirmed bad transmission. I bought it this way from the insurance company because it bounced off a concrete barrier. I suspect this happened when the transmission failed. Unsure of a police report due to it happening to the previous owner.”