What 1,475 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Awd

As many others have reported, the power steering is "sticking" and requires effort to come back to center. The dealer claims they "cannot replicate the problem." I am left to wonder if the problem from the 2019 recall is coming back to haunt us.

NHTSA ODI 11537586

Steering sticks consistently when going around curves, usually around the 10 and 2 areas. Vehicle steering has to be manually forced back to midline. Occurs more frequently the longer the drive and usually at speeds only over 30mph.

NHTSA ODI 11535561

the steering wheel on the vehicle sticks periodically when you are executing a slow turn or adjustment of the vehicle. This is particularly the case on the highway, when you are engaged in a slow turn of the steering wheel when changing lanes or when adjusting your position within a lane. The wheel will stick and then jump into the position that you wish the wheel to be in. This particularly happens in the 11 to 1 position of a turn or adjustment. This is not particularly noticeable in lower speed driving or around town. This issue has been ongoing over a year. We have had it in 4 times and no one can find anything. Upon researching online there have several complaints of this exact issue. See other complaints here. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11534690

The vehicles steering wheel is binding intermittently, the power steering seems to come on and off. It can happen at any speed.

NHTSA ODI 11531751

As has been reported by a number of other owners of this vehicle, the steering wheel on the vehicle sticks periodically when you are executing a slow turn or adjustment of the vehicle. This is particularly the case on the highway, when you are engaged in a slow turn of the steering wheel when changing lanes or when adjusting your position within a lane. The wheel will stick and then jump into the position that you wish the wheel to be in. This particularly happens in the 11 to 1 position of a turn or adjustment. This is not particularly noticeable in lower speed driving or around town. This has been happening on this 2017 Pacifica for about 12 months now. I feel that this puts the safety of occupants at risk. I have had this checked out by my regular service station.

NHTSA ODI 11531550

This happens every single time we drive our Pacifica: Per many other complaints available online, the current gen Pacifica (2017-present), when equipped with ADAS such as lane keep assist, has a steering issue as follows: -under varying conditions, the vehicle's steering wheel will "stick." This issue typically follows a small steering input of 10-25 degrees in either direction. -When the steering wheel sticks, it presents 2 major safety issues: 1) the vehicle maintains its course and could collide with objects or veer off the road and 2) the sticking of the wheel is so severe at times that the counter-steering required to correct the "stick" presents a danger of driving into oncoming traffic. -Yes, Dodge of Boerne, TX, and it was "fixed" by securing a ground wire on the vehicle, but the problem continues to persist -Just dealership listed above -No Here are selections of other reports on this issue: https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/2017-steering-problems.48061/ https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/2017-steering-issue.50528/ https://www.pacificaforums.com/threads/the-steering-wheel-tries-to-turn-by-itself-when-driving-on-uneven-roads.23538/ https://www.carproblemzoo.com/chrysler/pacifica/2017/steering-problems.php I am guessing this issue is what was addressed at our service appointment, but it did not solve our specific issue: https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/05/fca-recalls-198k-pacifica-minivans-due-to-potential-issue-with-power-steering.html

NHTSA ODI 11528103

The steering wheel is consistently sticking. I have had tires replaced alignments done the rack check however the problem persists. The steering sticking can cause my vehicle to enter oncoming traffic if it sticks to ard and i jerk it it could also cause an accident. There is currently no recalls in affect for my vehicle. It has been inspected by 3 independent shops. No warning lights or other problems have been noticed.

NHTSA ODI 11527436

HELLO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. THIS WILL BE MY THIRD SET OF TIRES THAT ARE WORN IN A WAVEY PATERN. THE STEARING STICKS WHEN TURNING AT AROUND 40MPH AND THE WHEELE DOESNT RETURN ON ITS OWN ALSO AT LOW PARKING LOT SPEEDS IT SLIPS. I WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE IN THE 2018 BUT I AM TOULD THIS DOESNT AFFECT THE 2017 BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI 11506944

Our vehicle has the same issue that has been reported many many times on Chrysler Pacifica forums and to the NHTSA as well. After operating the vehicle for usually a couple of hours, the steering will stick, or fight you a little when you're trying to straighten out during a sweeping turn. When we were in the mountains that had numerous switch backs, it would happen just about continuously. After shutting off the vehicle and hiking, shopping, or whatever for a couple hours, the problem would go away for some time, but then after driving the vehicle for a while the problem would recur.

NHTSA ODI 11503758

The steering wheel sticks when making a turn in either direction. (like getting on or off a ramp) It's requires me to use some force to move it and it can be felt by all in the car. This is not an isolated incident. It happens DAILY when driving this car. Additionally hundreds, if not thousands, of these EXACT same reports can be read on Pacifica owner forums and car review sites. This happens when going over 35mph. But will happen at highway speeds and has been going on for over a year.

NHTSA ODI 11498800

Intermittent steering failure when travelling at high speeds At speeds above 40 mph on long sweeping curves, after initiating a turn, the steering wheel exhibits a "notchy" or "catching" resistance to input when returning the wheel to the neutral (straight-ahead) position. This feedback impacts steering wheel movement resulting in a dangerous over- or under-correction to steering. The vehicle was brought to 2 different Chrysler dealers to diagnose the issue. The second dealer replaced the steering rack and pinion assembly at the owner's cost. Various internet sources show numerous customer complaints about the same steering issue for this year/make/model, so this serious safety problem is not unique to this particular vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11497057

Steering wheel sticks in the middle of a turn. Also steering vibrates at slower speeds. The inconsistent steering makes it dangerous going around corners.

NHTSA ODI 11493013

Our Pacifica's steering will "stick" when coming out of a curve. So far mostly right hand curves but is starting to stick going left slightly. This happens after driving a short amount of time and will continue the entire trip once it starts to malfunciton. It typically happens when doing normal back highway speeds in curves, i.e. 30-65 MPH. I have video evidence of these issues and have shown multiple Chrysler Service techs who say "nothing is wrong, steering is normal." The steering will continue to turn into the direction it was in even after letting go of steering wheel. Steering is supposed to return to center but instead requires an unsafe counter-directional tug of the steering wheel to get it to function properly again until the next curve. The steering wheel does this often when the curve requires the wheel to be held between the 10 o'clock positon and the 2 o'clock position. Multiple complaints online from the 2017 year group of this vehicle also. Chrysler does NOT want to fix the issues so I am resorting to reporting here. I have lost over $2000 in towing, 5 garage trips, and rental vehicle costs due to Chrysler's incompetence. 2 garages were home town type garages who also felt same issue as we did, but said since the steering is electrical, that they could not doing the work but recommended repairs from Chrysler certified garage. Why is it that Chrysler tech's see no wrongs with my vehicle? When someone is injured or dead, will Chrysler then listen?

NHTSA ODI 11492404

I was driving for about 10 minutes going 40mph when the car dinged, the accelerator stopped working and the steering wheel became stiff and almost impossible to move. The screen said “shift to P to start”. I was able to pull to steering wheel just enough to pull over, and barely missed being in an accident. I put the car in park turned it off and turned it back on and it started again. 1 week prior I took the car to the dealer because the transmission seemed to be jerky and then it wouldn’t start. I got it towed to the dealer and they couldn’t replicate the jerky-ness and said it was because they battery was low and it was a connection issue. I got a new battery and a week later the car shut off while I was driving!

NHTSA ODI 11490583

Steering "sticks" going around long turns like ramps at or above around 30 miles per hour. Requires force to get it to return to center.

NHTSA ODI 11489399

Steering "sticks". When going around a slight curve the steering seems to get stuck in a certain position (usually approximately the 10:30 and 1:30 position depending on if curve is to the right or left). When straightening out the direction of the car, one has to "unstick" the position the steering wheel is stuck in by applying addition force to the steering wheel. This additional force could easily lead to an accident possibly causing one to cross over the line and hit an oncoming vehicle, crash into a car in the lane beside them, or go off the road. The problem is intermittent and mechanics have not be able to reproduce while testing. There are no warning lamps, messages or other indicators that this is going to happen or something needs tended to. This issue seems to be right in line with what many others have shared regarding their steering wheel "sticking" when navigating a curve.

NHTSA ODI 11489058

My vehicle stalled without warning while driving. I lost power steering and everything shut down. I had to put it in park which wasn’t registering and shut off my vehicle and restart it for it to correct itself.

NHTSA ODI 11488770

The steering frequently sticks when driving around curves. In order to get the steering unstuck, it requires a slight counter-steer. This counter-steer is very dangerous especially at higher rates of speed. At times, I am forced to counter-steer which results in crossing a double yellow line. I fear that if this problem persists or gets worse, a head on collision will result. No warning lamps have been observed. The problem was noted during the last insurance claim. Left and right strut mounts have been replace and the problem persists.

NHTSA ODI 11486855

My Pacifica has random moments where the steering wheel feels really stiff while in motion. So stiff, It’s on the verge of me not being able to steer! It also has random moments where the engine will stall while I am in motion. Sometimes when I press the gas to accelerate it will have a moment of lagging then it will abruptly shift into a higher gear. I’m wondering if there is something seriously wrong and if I should stop driving it. I have four small children and I need reassurance that this vehicle is in fact safe. I’ve been hearing and reading stories of other Pacifica owners dealing with the same problems with severe consequences.

NHTSA ODI 11486232

Steering wheel sticks when trying to come out of a turn to a straight position. Steering wheel doesn't return to center position without a forced jerk to center. This occurs at all levels of speed and is a hazard on all roads and highways. This is very concerning, because of the possibility of over corrections that could cause an accident or road departure. Chrysler has had a recall for certain models with auto stop installed, but the problem obviously goes beyond those models. A total recall should be published for the faulty steering angle sensor, code C2205-96.

NHTSA ODI 11483685

My Pacifica suddenly will not start. I ended up jump-starting the van. Then whenever I stopped, it needed a jump start. This whole ordeal is from a single day. Driving back on the high-way, suddenly van acted weird, all electronics going haywire, various instrument "unavailable" messages started coming, and on the highway Van all systems failed, power steering locked, I pulled over and battery icon (red) came on as well. Car died. I re-jump started it and then drove again with seeing the battery fluctuating between 10.2 v to 16v. Then when we exited the highway, this time, the van stalled right in the middle of the road. No warning, nothing. I feel this is a single point of failure that if the battery is having an issue, (though it seems alternator) was charging it, it could have caused two crashes. I am really concerned. I have had dead batteries in my other cars but nothing like that where all instruments start acting weird. Also few other weird things happening during this time: passenger windows will come down automatically again and again and again while driving. All different security features sporadically say unavailable, airbag, esc, ACC, FCW etc.. This needs to be looked at as a "Single Point of Failure" issue.

NHTSA ODI 11482989

When driving above 25-30 mph, the steering often "sticks" when coming out of a turn. This occurs when the steering wheel is at approximately the 10:30 position during left hand turns and the 1:30 position during right hand turns. The steering wheel "sticks" in these positions and will not return to center on its own, but requires considerable additional effort by the driver to overcome this stickiness when coming out of the turn. This problem has been reported numerous times on the Chrysler Pacifica forum on the Internet with no adequate explanation coming from Chrysler or others. This problem reportedly occurs on both gas and hybrid versions of the minivan, and is considered by all who report it as a significant safety risk to drivers and passengers alike. There are no warning messages. The dealer has no recommendations other than "possibly" an extremely expensive fix involving replacement of the rack and pinion mechanism and/or steering column replacement, but with no guarantees that this would solve the problem. The minivan has over 88,000 miles on it currently but this has been occurring since approximately the 50,000 mile point.

NHTSA ODI 11483003

Power steering sticks intermittently causing the vehicle to remain in a state of turn, locks up. The steering wheel must be forced back out of the turn, causing an unpredictable situation when moving back to straight. This is a very dangerous situation to the point where I will not allow my younger drivers to operate the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11482761

While turning (exiting off the highway) to the right while going about 65 mph, my steering wheel seemed to stick at 2 o’clock, and had to jerk the wheel to get it to re-center. Immediately after, I had to turn the wheel to the left while doing about 55mph, and it stuck again at about 11 o’clock, and I had to tug the wheel back to center to get it to re-center. For the next 5 minutes, the steering continues to feel as if it was sticking in one position. Even when driving straight, I had to slightly jerk the wheel to follow the very slight curve of the road, in both directions, going as slow as 25mph. About 10 turns, both left and right, where the steering stuck in the initial turn direction, and I had to jerk the wheel back to center. Issue stopped when I was able to stop and turn off the vehicle. This issue happened 4 days before, but not to this extent. It happened twice, within 10 min of each other, both during a turn to the right, at 60mph and 55mph respectively. It is available for indirection upon request. This is very concerning for my safety, because it could absolutely cause a crash, when the driver cannot completely control steering. This problem has not been confirmed by dealership or service center, nor inspected by anyone. There were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms before first occurance on 8-11-2022, or any symptoms before sudden sticking on 8-15-2022.

NHTSA ODI 11479507

My 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring Minivan has a steering issue. Within the last several months, when driving at a variety of speeds, the steering wheel “sticks” in turns. It has occurred on regular side roads, secondary roads, and on the highway. It generally happens when turning the car slightly. Examples include: (1.) during a slight turn in the road in a yield situation, (2.) during a slight turn when there is a bend in the road, (3.) when making a slight turn while on the on-ramp on the highway, (4.) occasionally when switching lanes on the highway. During these situations, the steering wheel sticks and does not return to center, instead, it has to be forced out of the momentary stuck position causing unnatural/unpredictable realignment of the car (swerve, jerking the steering wheel, causing panic) . There are no associated lights or warnings. This problem first lead us to stop driving the car out of fear of getting into an accident (safety for ourselves and others). Then, upon research for similar problems on the internet, we see that there has been a recall for 2017-2019 Chrysler Pacificas for steering issues, but our VIN is not included. I’ve had mechanics to look at it, one kept it several weeks trying to find the issue, done research online, the only answers are there’s a problem but no one has a solution. All guess work. The Occupant Classification Module also has created problems with transmission failure. To be able to drive the van, you have to disconnect the passenger seat sensor. Driving down the road with the OCM connected it will suddenly lose power, transmission won’t shift, which can cause a wreck not being able to get out of the way or completing a maneuver. Anytime there’s a steering problem, random transmission problem, or loss of power in traffic, there’s a safety problem.

NHTSA ODI 11479603