← New search

2023 Chrysler Pacifica PLUG-IN Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica PLUG-IN Hybrid do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 42.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Pacifica PLUG-IN Hybrid years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 7 of 40 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

40 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 18, 2024
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

Driving on highway in hybrid mode, van lost engine power and coasts to a stop in traffic. Dashboard light says Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon. The engine is effectively off with no motive power available. This happened 4 times in a row over the course of 1.5 hrs on [XXX] from Virginia to North Carolina! We were nearly …

Read full complaint

Driving on highway in hybrid mode, van lost engine power and coasts to a stop in traffic. Dashboard light says Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon. The engine is effectively off with no motive power available. This happened 4 times in a row over the course of 1.5 hrs on [XXX] from Virginia to North Carolina! We were nearly killed by traffic trying to clear the roadway with no power from the engine whatsoever. Completely unacceptable! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11625907

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2024
EnginePower Train

While driving on the interstate, we heard a warning chime and a warning about the engine shutting off was displayed, along with the check engine light and a turtle icon, and the vehicle lost engine power. It was just coasting, which made it difficult to get to the shoulder in multiple lanes of heavy traffic. We called emergency …

Read full complaint

While driving on the interstate, we heard a warning chime and a warning about the engine shutting off was displayed, along with the check engine light and a turtle icon, and the vehicle lost engine power. It was just coasting, which made it difficult to get to the shoulder in multiple lanes of heavy traffic. We called emergency roadside assistance who told us it was in limp mode and called for a tow truck. According to the dealership, a sensor in the transmission has malfunctioned and the entire transmission will need to be replaced. This appears to be the same issue for which these vehicles were recalled, so whatever repair Chrysler has done is clearly not effective. Our vehicle was purchased new, after the recall service had been done.

NHTSA ODI #11625652

30,600 miles · Oct 15, 2024
Back Over PreventionPower TrainService Brakes

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the vehicle would begin to roll away, when attempting to park on an incline. The contact also stated the gear shifter was placed in reverse, the vehicle continued to drive forward. In addition, when applying the brake pedal, the vehicle would take an extensive…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the vehicle would begin to roll away, when attempting to park on an incline. The contact also stated the gear shifter was placed in reverse, the vehicle continued to drive forward. In addition, when applying the brake pedal, the vehicle would take an extensive amount of time before coming to a stop. The contact stated it felt as if the hydraulic fluid was low despite there being no leak. The backover prevention camera failed to display the image from the rear of the vehicle due to there being an unexplained fracture. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired for the brakes and gear shifter. The back-over prevention camera had been replaced but the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer however had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,600.

NHTSA ODI #11619794

Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2024
Power Train

Fourth time! Car suddenly shut down on highway with message to stop safely soon. I retrieved codes which were PAO78. I do this every time since these codes will clear when power is removed from the vehicle. The dealer says there is nothing they can do since codes are no longer there when I bring it in. This car is UNSAFE w…

Read full complaint

Fourth time! Car suddenly shut down on highway with message to stop safely soon. I retrieved codes which were PAO78. I do this every time since these codes will clear when power is removed from the vehicle. The dealer says there is nothing they can do since codes are no longer there when I bring it in. This car is UNSAFE when this happens on the highway.

NHTSA ODI #11613595

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 2024
Seats

Part number 68324912AC on both 2nd row seats has failed. The plastic housing encasing the spring broke on top for one seat, and on bottom for the other seat. Now the seat back does not lock in position. When the seat back tilts far enough forward, the seat slides freely forwards and backwards. I have called a few dealerships and…

Read full complaint

Part number 68324912AC on both 2nd row seats has failed. The plastic housing encasing the spring broke on top for one seat, and on bottom for the other seat. Now the seat back does not lock in position. When the seat back tilts far enough forward, the seat slides freely forwards and backwards. I have called a few dealerships and no one has the part in stock. It is on back order due to the number of vehicles that have had this problem. Luckily the the parts broke before we were driving and we noticed the issue before someone sat in those seats. Otherwise, they could have been injured just from normal braking, and would not have been safe in an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11611235

Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2024
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

I bought a new 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid in March 2024. In April 2024, mileage 2,301, while driving on neighborhood roads, this warning message appeared: "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" and the Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator Warning light illuminated. I had about 15-30 seconds to pull over and then the vehicle l…

Read full complaint

I bought a new 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid in March 2024. In April 2024, mileage 2,301, while driving on neighborhood roads, this warning message appeared: "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" and the Engine Check/Malfunction Indicator Warning light illuminated. I had about 15-30 seconds to pull over and then the vehicle lost all power. All warnings were gone the next morning so I hoped it had been a glitch. 3 days later it happened again (mileage 2,559). I didn't think it was a glitch anymore so I had the vehicle towed to an authorized Chrysler dealer. STAR (Chrysler) advised them to check PIM connectors and return the vehicle to me. I had been unable to drive the vehicle for 15 days. Less than a month later, mileage 3,933, it happened again. I had it towed again to the same dealer. This time STAR advised and approved replacing the transmission. This incident added 28 days of being unable to drive the vehicle, for a total of 43 days. 23 days later, while driving on an out-of-state highway, mileage 5,012, it happened again. This was extremely dangerous since we were driving at highway speed and did not have much time to pull over before the vehicle shut off. I had it towed to an authorized dealer near where I was staying out of state. That dealer performed repairs even though I didn't authorize any. I have no reason to believe that Chrysler can fix the problem.

NHTSA ODI #11610715

Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2024
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

Vehicle was purchased new on [XXX]. 360 surround cameras and Connect box malfunctioned and vehicle was brought in for service on July 10, 2024. I was told by the service advisor that the camera was a poor connection and simply plugged back in but they were unable to reproduce the UConnect issue and that it was currently working.…

Read full complaint

Vehicle was purchased new on [XXX]. 360 surround cameras and Connect box malfunctioned and vehicle was brought in for service on July 10, 2024. I was told by the service advisor that the camera was a poor connection and simply plugged back in but they were unable to reproduce the UConnect issue and that it was currently working. On [XXX] I started the vehicle in my driveway and it immediately entered "limp mode" with a large red turtle appearing on the dash and the check engine light illuminated. The vehicle would not drive greater than 5mph and posed a safety risk on the road so was towed to the dealer. The hybrid battery coolant hose was replaced and I picked up the vehicle on [XXX]. The diagnostic code relayed to me was P0C44-00. On [XXX], I started the vehicle in a family member's driveway and it again entered limp mode with the red turtle and check engine light displayed. The vehicle was again not able to be driven and was towed to the dealer. Chrysler engineers are now involved in the repair. I do not know if the previous camera and UConnect Box issues are related to the red turtle limp mode. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11609211

8,500 miles · Aug 7, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as indented. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. In addition, the check engine and low battery warning lights were il…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as indented. The contact drove the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. In addition, the check engine and low battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually shut off. The vehicle was started and driven to the nearest independent mechanic. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not yet been diagnosed. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced at the dealer due to the failure; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 8,500.

NHTSA ODI #11607027

9,545 miles · Aug 7, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mi…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 9,545.

NHTSA ODI #11606966

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2024
EngineUnknown Or Other

I bought a new 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle from the dealership with 20 miles on it. The next day, I was driving the car and exiting the highway when it said “rear safety alert, vehicle will shut off.” The car turned off and my kids and I were stranded on the highway exit blocking traffic. I called the dealership and they p…

Read full complaint

I bought a new 2023 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle from the dealership with 20 miles on it. The next day, I was driving the car and exiting the highway when it said “rear safety alert, vehicle will shut off.” The car turned off and my kids and I were stranded on the highway exit blocking traffic. I called the dealership and they picked it up to try to see what was wrong. I was told it needed a new battery from sitting in the dealership for months . We considered trading in the car since I know longer felt safe, but I trusted them to fix it and make it safe. Once I got the car back, within 24 hours it did the exact same thing and shut down while entering the highway this time. The car is currently at the dealership again. I do not feel safe that it will not randomly keep turning off.

NHTSA ODI #11605768

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ24004 · Loss Of Motive Power Due To An Internal Wiring Connector Short.

Opened Feb 27, 2024 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:wiring

On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened investigation PE22-008 regarding complaints alleging a loss of motive power condition potentially due to a transmission malfunction in Model Years 2019-2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV).  On January 17, 2023, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) issued safety recall (NHTSA Recall 23V-010) involving 2017-2023 Model Years (MY) Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) produced between August 12, 2016, through January 9, 2023. The recall states that the loss of motive power condition in these vehicles is caused by an internal transmission wiring connector that may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown.  An unexpected engine shutdown can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.  In discussions with FCA on Recall 23V-010, ODI confirmed the recall was related to investigation PE22-008.  The remedy for 23V-010 is to update the Power Inverter module (PIM) and/or Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) software to provide drivers a message stating “Stop Safely - Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon” followed by a chime and MIL, PRNDL blinking (on cluster and shifter knob), low SOC (State of Charge) warning and reduced power mode.  The recall remedy does not replace the defective hardware that was described in Recall 23V-010, and the wiring connector short still exists on these vehicles. To date, ODI has received 132 reports for the population of vehicles subject to recall 23V-010.  These reports allege a loss of motive power condition that reduces the vehicles speed, followed by dashboard warning lamps displaying messages associated with recall 23V-010.  The presence of these warning lamps and messages indicates the vehicle likely had the recall remedy applied. Follow up discussions with FCA confirm their remedy does not prevent a loss of motive power, but instead limits torque to the engine and after an unspecified number of miles or period of time, the engine will shut down.  When this occurs, FCA relies on the owner to transport the vehicle to a dealership after they experience a loss of motive power condition, at which time the defective hardware is replaced.  Furthermore, the dashboard messages introduced in the recall remedy may cause the driver to pull over in an unsafe location. Pulling over in an unsafe location may expose the occupants to undue harm. The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to assess the adequacy, frequency, and safety consequence of the remedy for recall 23V-010.  To review the ODI reports cited in the opening resume ODI report identification number document, go to NHTSA.gov.