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Chrysler · NHTSA safety record

2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-IN Hybrid

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 26 safety complaints about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-IN Hybrid with the US government. Of those, no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the hybrid propulsion system.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 13 complaints, 50% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 34,784 miles, the median across the 18 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2022 to May 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

26 complaints on file

26

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 13 · 50%
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM 11 · 42%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 8 · 31%
ENGINE 5 · 19%
POWER TRAIN 3 · 12%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 26.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2023 at 12.

16 12 8 4
22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2022 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-IN Hybrid. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

24V538000 · July 18, 2024

Park outside until repaired

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. The battery pack may cause a vehicle fire when parked, even with the ignition in the "Off" position.
The risk
A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles, and to park outside and away from structures, until they are repaired. Dealers will update the high voltage battery pack control module (BPCM) software. In addition, dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the battery pack assembly. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 6, 2025. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 72B. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 22V-077.

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) · up to 3,606 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short.

RQ24004

Still open recall query · opened February 27, 2024

the electrical system

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.

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

towed · 25,886 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated a bystander was unable to push the vehicle out of the road. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting out of neutral(N) to park(P) independently. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle and drove to her residence. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the battery to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but experienced the failure for a second time on January 26, 2023. The contact stated that the check engine warning

NHTSA complaint 11504353, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

towed · 45,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact stated while reversing into a parking space at approximately 2 MPH, the service transmission warning light illuminated, and the transmission shift knob was flashing. The contact stated that the vehicle had ceased to move. The contact stated that the parking brake light was illuminated. The contact attempted to turn off the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to shut off. The contact attempted to shift between reverse and drive; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle finally shut off. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The

NHTSA complaint 11644536, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

towed · 41,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a power inverter module (PIM) failure. The dealer replaced the power inverter module (PIM); however, the failure persisted. The dealer determined that the hybrid battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

NHTSA complaint 11702195. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

65,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 CHRYSLER Pacifica. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: (24V436000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) however, the recall repair was done; but the issue reoccurred a month later. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 65,000.

NHTSA complaint 11738873. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION

40,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in-Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V436000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair unless the radio was replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the radio was blocking the update from being completed. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint 11671649. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V436000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint 11641169. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V436000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint 11639125. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chrysler Pacifica Plug-IN Hybrid

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2023 40 0 —
2022 116 0 —
2020 58 1 —
2019 45 1 —
2018 223 2 —
2017 79 1 —

Other 2021 Chrysler models

Pacifica 372 300 20 Voyager 16

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Chrysler on this site — 49 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst