Home · 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Phev · Complaints

What 39 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Phev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (39)Electrical system (18)Transmission & drivetrain (15)Engine (13)Fuel system (4)Speed control (3)Steering (3)Brakes (1)Driver assistance (1)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (1)Wheels (1)

4 of 39 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters

Nov 5, 2022Electrical systemFuel system

Total loss of propulsion at 35 mph and vehicle could not move in the middle of an intersection. Warnings included “Service Charging System” , “Service Hybrid System”, “Shift into Park”. Dealer replaced the inverter, check engine light and codes came back, and then dealership replaced transmission. Errors come back intermittently after transmission replaced. Has us seriously questioning the the safety of our van with 2 young kids.

NHTSA ODI 11492399

Feb 8, 2022Electrical systemEngineFuel system

Vehicle lost all traction power and vehicle display on the dash indicated "Service Charging System"

NHTSA ODI 11451060

Jul 14, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

THIS INVOLVES A 2019 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID. WHILE TRAVELING AT 80 MPH WITH DYNAMIC CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL PROPULSION. THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE WAS OFF, AND NO POWER CAME FROM THE ELECTRIC MOTOR. THE AIR CONDITIONING ALSO TURNED OFF. DESPITE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY COASTING, AND LOST SPEED RAPIDLY. DESPITE LOSING PROPULSION, I NEVER FELT LIKE I LOST BRAKES OR STEERING. DESPITE THIS, I FELT VERY UNSAFE AS I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSTATE WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE DISPLAY ALTERNATED BETWEEN TWO MESSAGES. ONE STATED I NEEDED TO SHIFT TO 'P' AND PRESS THE START BUTTON (THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN MOTION). THE SECOND MESSAGE STATED THERE WAS A FAULT IN THE HYBRID CHARGING SYSTEM. ONCE STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER, I SHIFTED TO PARK AND PRESSED THE START BUTTON WHILE PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL (THE NORMAL PROCESS TO START THE VEHICLE). THE DASHBOARD, INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM, AND WINDOW CONTROL APPEARED TO POWER-CYCLE, BUT NEITHER THE VEHICLE NOR THE AIR CONDITIONING WOULD START. THE DASHBOARD CONTINUED TO DISPLAY A MESSAGE SAYING A CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. AFTER 45 MINUTES OF REPEATEDLY TRYING TO START THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AND PUSHING THE START BUTTON. I TRIED JUST PRESSING THE START BUTTON WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE CAR SHUT ALL THE WAY OFF, AND AFTER WAITING A MOMENT, I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BRAKE AND THEN PUSHING THE START BUTTON. ONCE STARTED, THE VEHICLE THEN RAN NORMALLY EXCEPT FOR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, A CHRYSLER DEALER PERFORMED THE REPAIR FOR RECALL NHTSA 19V-886, AND THE INITIAL INSPECTION FOR RECALL NHTSA 20V-334.

NHTSA ODI 11339417

Feb 20, 2019Electrical systemFuel system

SMOKE AND FOUL ROTTEN EGG SMELL COMING FROM DRIVER REAR QUARTER PANEL WHERE BATTERY SITS. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND REMOVED PANELING AND BATTERY WAS FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY OVERHEATED. VEHICLE WAS PLUGGED IN CHARGING WHEN THIS COURTED IN OUR GARAGE. I IMMEDIATELY UNPLUGGED IT AND CALLED 911

NHTSA ODI 11181367

Working with the data? Download all 39 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Phev verdict →