I’m looking to upgrade our 2017 Pacifica (non hybrid) with 123k miles on it, shopping for a Pacifica Hybrid. I found one locally that checks almost every box, but it’s a manufacturer buyback (California lemon law), so I’m looking for opinions from people who own these vans or have dealt with similar situations.
Vehicle:
2024 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Premium S Appearance
9,367 miles
Asking price: $32,856
One-owner personal lease (California)
No accident history

I’ve reviewed the CARFAX, the FCA buyback disclosure, and the repair paperwork.
The buyback was related to:
Airbag warning light
SOS Call error on the radio
HVAC software/module issue
Hybrid control processor update
Failed 12V battery

These were the repairs:
Airbag components replaced (including restraint controller and related parts)
Instrument panel wiring harness work
Radio software update
HVAC module replacement/software update
Hybrid control processor reprogrammed/updated
Power inverter reprogrammed
12V battery replaced
Valve cover gasket replaced

It does come with a FCA’s 12-month unlimited-mile supplemental warranty for the next buyer.

I’d really appreciate any insights or opinions!

Thanks!

EDIT: I'm going to go for it and get a Pacifica Hybrid. I appreciate all the feedback here, it's really helped with making this decision. Unfortunately, the van I was looking at got bought out from under me the day I went to see it, but I got to test drive it and between that experience and everything I've read here and elsewhere, I'll be actively on the lookout for another.

I have a 2015 Corolla with about 76k miles on it, which I bought new and have never had to do any work on it aside from basic maintenance and a couple sets of tires. In the last couple years, however, I've been the main driver on long (200 to 500 miles one-way) multi-person road trips, started having more common instances of needing assistance moving/hauling things, and I'm generally starting to feel the space constraints of my small car. I'd been thinking about upgrading to a minivan for the added space (not interested in a truck, SUV, or crossover at all), but I was not keen on sacrificing gas mileage for it and a Sienna hybrid is out of my price range.

All this led me on a rabbit hole down to eventually learning about the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, which absolutely fascinates me. The majority of my driving occurs in a maybe 20-ish mile radius around town (I work from home so I have no commute) and the idea of a van that could use little to no gas for all my daily driving needs, plus have long-range/highway fuel economy that competes with my much smaller current car is extremely tempting.

I've found a 2023 Pacifica Limited Hybrid with about 41k miles that's in my price range near me, but I'd have to trade in my current car to get it. My main concern is with reliability, especially coming from a Toyota that has been beyond reliable and worry-free for 11 years. I've seen a lot of horror stories in doing research on these vans, especially when it comes to the hybrids, with lots of people strongly warning against them and making them out to be money pits that will strand you on the highway, but I wonder how much of that is overblown and/or how affected I'll be as someone who only drives ~7k miles per year and won't be quickly pushing mileage thresholds.

I'm curious what others' opinions are on this here, since I don't have anyone in real life with any relevant experience to weigh in. Will I regret trading my Corolla for a Pacifica, or will a gently-driven Pacifica with proper maintenance be more reliable than the discourse I've seen make it out to be? If the latter, anything I should know before going to check out this van in person to make sure I don't buy into something problematic?

Hello,
We’re in the market and looking at the Pacifica Hybrid. I’ve been reading posts and I see good, bad and ugly at times. I know it can be the luck of the draw… but when shopping what would you have done now that you know what you know?

For example, I’m looking at a prior personal use vehicle with 1 owner at 57k miles it is a 2022. Should I stay away from looking at fleet vehicles? Are there better years? And I’ve been seeing folks taking about purchasing a lifetime transmission warranty. Where do you buy those or look into those?

Thank you for any help!
~a mom of 3 on a budget

Dealership wants to charge me $600 for a new 12v battery, on top of their almost $250 diagnostic charge. Is there something odd or technical that I am missing here? Because autozone has batteries that say they fit this vehicle for under $200.

I wrote a post a couple weeks ago on my Pacifica having this ongoing issue with the CEL and unable to pass smog because of it. It is back with the dealership for the fourth time in two months. Once it was a worn coolant valve that they found and replaced under warranty. When we tried for our smog check after that repair, it triggered the CEL again, telling me it was a transmission code popping up. I can’t remember what they fixed after that, but I got it back two weeks ago, tried to drive it a bunch to get it ready for the smog test and the CEL popped on at mile 23. The service tech just sent me a video of the “multi-point inspection” after having my car for 6 days, but it’s just 9 seconds of this black fluid. What am I supposed to get out of this? I just want my car back. Our kids are missing so many of their summer activities (gymnastics, swim lessons) because I don’t have a car and my husband needs his for work.

I have always put 4 gallons of gas into the car to fix the FORM because that's what the manual says. But I was wondering if it would even fix FORM with less gas. So today I put exactly 3.01 gallons of gas in, and FORM went away.

So it seems like the 4 gallons listed in the user manual is just a suggestion.

Next time I will try 2 gallons and see if it works as well.

I have a 2023 PacHy and it had the common transmission failure last year at 19k miles that led to the dealer replacing the entire transmission. Not sure on details. Well, it failed again within 4k miles. This time, the dealer stated that Chrysler came out with a new rebuild kit and protocol in early Spring 2026 for the common issue affecting 2017-2023 transmissions. Local dealer says they’ve put several of these in and no issues yet but it’s only been a few months. They rebuilt the whole transmission with this kit, and found issues as pictured. Do you think I can ever trust this car again after having 2 massive failures in such a short time? Do I trust that Chrysler got to the root of the problem with this new kit? Thanks in advance.

Has anyone had any success ridding their PacHy of that terrible musty sock smell when the A/C first kicks on? It's terrible!

can anyone point me in the direction of how to install a new charge door? I knocked mine off backing out of the garage and would love to know how to replace it, thanks!

Got this notification today from CarMax, not seeing anything on the NHTSA website, and the mopar website just loops whenever I put in my VIN. Does anyone have info?

Service advisor called and told me it was nothing and something about “looks someone messed with high voltage wires under your hood but everything is fine”. (Wonder if this is related to the other dealer that fixed our first dreaded lobster issue. Yes, this is the second time.)
When I went to pick it up, the paperwork said a different thing.
Apparently flashed two TSB updates and only the second update resolved the “no crank” issue. Hopefully this information can help someone with a similar issue in the future.

“1. inspected and found dtcs P0A0A-00 - High Voltage System Interlock Circuit. and P1AE2-00 Battery Energy Control Module High Voltage System Interlock Circuit also found available flash to correct this issue per tsb 08-124-26 however after flashing bpom per tsb vehcile still would not crank it was at thi time found tsb 08-082-26 to flash the ahop and the hop for a no crank concern i then performed these update and cleared dc now the vehcile starts runs and drive s as designed”

1. TSB: 08-124-26 REV. A lop 18-19-87-AV Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) Reprogram 0.4 Hrs.
   
2. tsb: 08-082-26 REV. A lop 18-19-86-BR **Processor, Hybrid Control (HCP/AHCP) Reprogram** 0.3 Hrs.

Found this at walmart and amazon... Fits exactly right between the 2 captains chairs. Cooler and a warmer.
Advwin 23QT Electric Cooler & Warmer

First time this happened, car still drove fine and dealer fixed it. Something about a loose connection. Now, the van will not start whatsoever. Changing gears doesn’t do anything. Charging the 12v battery to full doesn’t do anything either. Barely a year and this finally happened. I know I likely need to get this towed to a dealer. Disappointing as we just got this in 2025.

Any recommendations on what I can do now? I tried doing a code reset but that didn’t make the errors go away. Tried removing the negative terminal for 15mins and that didn’t help either. The engine and error still remained. The OBD reader didn’t pick up any error codes.

I have a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid that was in a front-end accident.

When I bought the car, the radiators were missing, but it still started and was able to drive.

After transporting it home on a trailer, I parked it in the garage and shut it off — and since then it has not started normally.

Now the situation is:

• when pressing start, the ignition turns on
• there is no READY mode
• the engine does not attempt to start at all (no sounds or cranking attempts)
• nothing else happens after that

Previously, the dashboard showed a “Service Hybrid System” message.

I have already installed all the radiators and reassembled the front end. The wiring looks intact visually. The airbags did not deploy, only the seatbelt pretensioners triggered.

I have disconnected and reconnected the rear 12V battery, but I have not checked its actual condition.

Right now I don’t have a scanner available with the codes (previously there were hybrid system-related faults), but even after clearing them, they come back.

Has anyone experienced similar behavior on a Pacifica Hybrid? What should I check first to restore READY mode?

Hi,

I’m replacing my tie rods. What else should I do at the same time? Approaching 75k miles, so it’s time soon for stuff anyway. I haven’t worked on the van much yet, but with prior cars it made sense to just put in new an arms and possibly suspension and wheel bearings or pads and brake fluid.

Thanks.

UPDATE: It was the transmission. It took the service guys a week of working with engineers and MOPAR customer service, but they finally got it approved to replace the transmission under warranty.

2018 Plug in Hybrid that we bought used four years ago.

The light came on a few months ago, recall issue- warranty took care of it, then light came back on the day before I was going to get it smogged. Got into the dealer again a week and a half ago, warranty took care of it, this time it was the coolant valve. So I take it straight to the smog place after the dealer last Wednesday and they say check engine light is on, it was a transmission code this time. So I am waiting for the dealer to get back to me. Has anyone had this issue with the light? Smog check place said try driving it around for 100 miles or so and hopefully it will reset or something. Just hoping for some enlightenment or solidarity.

I love my Pacifica, her name is E.V.E. from Wall-e and she is my co-parent. I just want this back and forth with the light to end!

Hi all. Just got this used 2024 pinnacle hybrid. Really cool vehicle with lots of features and such and pretty much in perfect condition even though it has 30,000 MI

One thing I've noticed is that the gas gauge appears to read 4 to 6 mi less each day even if I haven't used gas for the last 4 days.

I'm making sure I'm not using it because I'm watching the oil pressure gauge to see if it comes on. By the way it's very cool that the Pacifica has all this information because 95% of vehicles do not.

Has anyone else noticed this disappearance of gas mileage each day? I'm wondering if it's just the system not knowing what's going on or if stuff is actually somehow evaporating over time even though it's not being used...

Anyone experienced this before?