Is the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica a bad year?
896 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 382, 6.8× a quiet Pacifica year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 5k–31k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 10 of 382 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 Pacifica owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 12,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 382 (43%) | 5k–31k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 291 (32%) | 7k–31k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 189 (21%) | 5k–44k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 159 (18%) | 6k–43k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Fuel system | 48 (5%) | 4k–39k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Stability control | 37 (4%) | 6k–21k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 35 (4%) | 5k–33k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 31 (3%) | 7k–42k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Suspension | 20 (2%) | 9k–46k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Body structure | 19 (2%) | 11k–41k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 15 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 10 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 9 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Lane assist | 8 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 12,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 896 complaints: 28 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 30 say the car was towed.
173 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Intermittently when stopped , the car stalls. Messages flash saying "FCW unavailable" And "ACC unavailable" "Lanesense unavailable" Service required.
I was stopped by a stop sign on a city road when suddenly the engine turned off. The screen said put van in park and restart.
I was driving straight at 40MPH. The engine turned off, but electrical maintained. After a couple hundred feet the engine came back on.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 12,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica: 12
The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured. An unsecured wheelchair can move during transit, increasing the risk of injury.
An internal transmission wiring connector 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.
A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed on the radio after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
A loose battery ground connection may result in an intermittent loss of power steering assist and/or a stall. A loss of power steering assist or a stall can increase the risk of crash.
The right front lower control arm may separate from the steering knuckle. A control arm separation could increase the risk of a crash.
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. A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
The front axle halfshafts may have been incorrectly assembled, preventing the shaft from being properly secured to the constant-velocity (CV) joint. If the axle shaft disengages from the CV joint, the vehicle will have a loss of drive or allow the vehicle to move while in the "Park" position. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
A component in the transmission may not have been welded properly, possibly causing the transmission to not transmit engine power to the wheels. If the transmission weld fails, the vehicle will stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The Manual Park Release (MPR) plug may be removed without a tool. If the MPR is engaged unintentionally, the vehicle could roll away striking and injuring a bystander or cause a crash.
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… If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
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. If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
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. Inadvertent unlatching of the left outboard seat belt can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chrysler: 262
Repair instructions Chrysler sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
948TE Transmission Reaction Shaft Service Bushing Kit Customers may experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
ADJUSTER Valve Lash Customer's complaint may include a ticking noise coming from the engine
Vibration From Engine Or Powertrain
NHTSA defect investigations: 4
Intermittent Loss of Electric Power Steering
Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.
Ignition-off high voltage battery fire (Remedy effectiveness of Recall 22V-077)
Transmission fault leading to loss of motive power
Neighbouring years
2017 Pacifica: 1,546 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2019 Pacifica: 317 complaints, keep it.
Every Chrysler Pacifica year
2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Pacifica years side by side
Other Chrysler models: Chrysler 200 · Chrysler 300 · Chrysler 300C · Chrysler 300M · Chrysler Aspen · Chrysler Concorde · Chrysler Crossfire · Chrysler Crossfire Roadster · Chrysler PT Cruiser · Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid · Chrysler Sebring · Chrysler Sebring Conv · Chrysler Sebring Convertible · Chrysler Town and Country · Chrysler Voyager. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica a bad year?
896 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 382, 6.8× a quiet Pacifica year. At 12,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 5k–31k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 10 of 382 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (382), electrical system (291), steering (189), transmission and drivetrain (159), fuel system (48). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 5k–31k miles.
How many recalls does the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica have?
12 recall campaigns list this model year: Adaptive equipment (NHTSA 25V-876), Hybrid system (NHTSA 23V-010), Equipment (NHTSA 19V-886), Electrical system (NHTSA 19V-348) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.