2026 Chrysler Pacifica

When driving on freeway the vehicle overheated and engine warning light flashed and had to come to stop at side of freeway. The vehicle had lost its coolant from a rear heater hose connection. The car was towed to dealer and the repair comment was that a part was deformed from mis-assembly (or words to that effect) - rear heater core fitting clip distorted causing hose come of the core. This was an early life failure.

On 8/9/2026, two days after purchasing the aforementioned brand-new vehicle (8/7/2026), the vehicle experienced a fire in the undercarriage below the engine while I was driving with my wife and our [XXX] daughter in the vehicle. While driving in traffic, we noticed a strong smell that appeared to be burning rubber but did not initially realize the vehicle was on fire as the smell dissipated. There were no warnings or other signs of a problem. A Good Samaritan driving a truck observed the situation, turned around, followed us, and flagged us down at a gas station to alert us that our vehicle was on fire. We immediately stopped and inspected the vehicle. We took photographs documenting the vehicle and apparent fire-related damage immediately following the incident, and those photographs have been preserved. By the time we arrived home several minutes afterward, the fire was no longer active. We have not driven the vehicle since the incident. The incident is particularly concerning because the vehicle was only two days old and my wife, our baby, and I were inside when the fire occurred. Prior to the fire, the vehicle had been driven no more than 15 minutes total leading up to the incident, with one stop for an errand during that time. We are concerned that the vehicle's occupants were not initially aware that a fire was occurring and that an outside motorist had to alert us. We are requesting that NHTSA document and investigate this safety incident and determine the cause of the fire, including whether there may be a defect or recurring safety issue involving the vehicle or its undercarriage components. We are concerned about the potential for an undercarriage fire to occur without the occupants immediately recognizing the danger and request that this incident be included in NHTSA's safety records and evaluated for any broader safety implications. The vehicle is now at Brad Deery Motors [XXX]. A representative for Chrysler has inspected the vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (

The contact owns a 2026 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that on the day of purchasing the vehicle, the contact tested the electronic motor resistance-sensing system for the third-row seats; however, the seat failed to stop and reverse and continued to move. The contact attempted to stop the seat from moving forward, but the seat overpowered the contact, who then moved out of the way. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the automatic seat feature was disabled. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied the replacement or buyback request. The failure mileage was approximately 230.

I was traveling on the DC beltway (interstate), it was raining and the temp was in the low 50s. The vehicle in front of me hit their brakes pretty hard. I started braking firmly myself. I heard an alarm sound and I believe the anti-lock braking activated, and the van began automatically braking itself. I was brought to a complete stop on the interstate by the van. The vehicle ahead of me accelerated again and I stepped on the gas to get going again and it wouldn't move. At all. I kept pressing on the gas to get going and the van wouldn't move. Meanwhile traffic behind me is gaining on me and I was rear-ended. After being hit I tried to move it out of the travel lane and it still wouldn't move. After all that I looked at the dash and it said to move forward, release the electronic parking brake (or something to that effect). I pushed the button to turn it off, and was able to get onto the shoulder. I believe the root cause of the crash was that the van automatically turned on the parking brake on it's own, and I did not want it on. If it hadn't, I could've accelerated away and not gotten rear-ended.

The contact owns a 2026 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V189000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the parts were ordered. The contact stated that parts were ordered two months ago, and the parts had not yet been delivered. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2026 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the parking brake independently enabled and caused the battery to drain. Roadside Assistance was contacted. The Roadside Assistance driver recharged the battery. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with battery failure. The contact was informed that both batteries needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact was informed that further diagnostic testing was needed. The vehicle was scheduled for an upcoming diagnostic test. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 700.

When driving, the rear passenger interior trim cup holder heats up to an unsafe temperature. The vehicle was in the shop for 4 weeks and I was told this is normal and it was because of radiant heat from the axel/wheel well. After driving approximately 100 miles, I used a temperature gun to screen the area. The hotspot was 126 degrees, with temperatures around in ranging from 77-85 degrees. Outside wheel well temperatures ranged from 94 - 97 degrees. the driver side rear trim area was also checked for comparison and ranged from 78-82 degrees. which would indicate it is not radiant heat from the wheel well and axel. Children sit in the 3rd row next to this and can be burned. No warning lights are present, vehicle can be inspected if required.

Driving down a busy section of highway on I-25 in Colorado, without warning car lost all power and shutoff. Was able to veer off highway to shoulder without getting hit. Car will not restart. This was incredibly unsettling as my family and kids were all in the car on the way home and was a very dangerous situation. For a brand new vehicle to shut off on the highway without warning is unacceptable.

We were stopped for fuel. Prior to fueling we turned off the engine and opened the fuel door, inserting the gas nozzle and then began to pump fuel. While the nozzle was running, a passenger opened the sliding door by pressing the auto open button - and the door slid into the hand of the individual holding the fuel nozzle, crushing his hand between the door and the nozzle - causing the nozzle to dislodge from the filling neck , releasing gasoline all over the driver and j hiring his hand. There is no interlock preventing the door from auto opening while the fuel tank is open - which is a critical design flaw, that can result in injury to the individual fueling and hazardous material spills/ hazardous conditions where the pump attendant is directly drenched in fuel. A simple sensor on the door with a software interlock would resolve this issue and prevent future instances. In this case the injury was minor/bruise and discomfort, but it could have been more severe had the driver not reacted quickly, or had the driver had underlying medical conditions such as brittle bones or was on blood thinners.

The contact owns a 2026 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving 5-10 MPH, the brakes locked up. The contact stated that the parking brake unexpectedly engaged and failed to release. The driver’s side rear wheel locked up. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving in the driveway, the brakes locked up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer again, where the ABS module was replaced. Additionally, there was an engine malfunction, and the battery was recharged. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The contact requested a vehicle buyback. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.