Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 20% | 23,000 miles |
| 2024 | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2023 | 7 | 5% | — |
| 2022 | 15 | 7% | 42,000 miles |
| 2021 | 23 | 6% | 1,000 miles |
| 2020 | 5 | 3% | 1,000 miles |
| 2019 | 10 | 3% | 2,000 miles |
| 2018 | 35 | 4% | 25,000 miles |
| 2017 | 89 | 6% | 17,000 miles |
| 2008 | 4 | 4% | 100,000 miles |
| 2007 | 18 | 5% | 75,000 miles |
| 2006 | 49 | 7% | 63,000 miles |
| 2005 | 58 | 5% | 70,000 miles |
| 2004 | 33 | 4% | 87,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
We were at a complete stop waiting for traffic to go, I had my foot on the brake pedal and the car lunge/revved up and hit the car in front of me. This is the 3rd time this has happened. The first time we were advised it was probably the front-end sensor that were probably covered with ice. We were advised they are very sensitive. The 2nd time it was winter still, so we took the car through the car wash to make sure no ice was built up. We did not get in an accident because traffic started to move. We took the vehicle to the dealership, and they could not find anything wrong with it. Chrysler Corp got involved and they sent a 3rd party to check the van and black box. They advised nothing was found on the black box (not even an accident) and their investigators found nothing wrong with the vehicle. No warning messages were reported after the crash. …
The contact rented a 2025 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with the adaptive cruise control mode activated, the message "Adaptive Cruise Control Off" was displayed, and the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration. The contact stated that the vehicle exceeded 100 MPH and failed to decelerate upon depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle speed continued to increase, nearly causing the vehicle to crash into a semi-truck. The contact was able to drive onto the shoulder of the road, where the contact shifted to neutral(N), and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was later towed to the rental car facility. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 23,000.
I purchased this car new on December 31, 2024. I have owned it for less than 16 months, and in that time, we have had an issue occur at least 5 times where we get an alert on the screen that says, "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon". Less than 20 seconds later, the car completely dies. On each of the 5 instances, we were lucky to be going relatively slow and were in a safe place with a shoulder to pull over on. The vehicle was able to be turned back on within a few minutes. The check engine light came on momentarily, but would shut off before we were able to get the codes read. We brought this to the attention of Herb Chambers Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM FIAT of Danvers (not where we bought the car, but the closest Chrysler dealership for maintenance) and they were unable to provide any help. …
While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-right lane at the time of the incident. A notification message appeared on the dashboard screen (likely the "Stop Safely" or "Service Hybrid System" warning); however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the severity of the issue before power was lost. The failure rendered the vehicle unable to accelerate, creating a severe safety hazard. I was forced to navigate to the shoulder and stop for the vehicle to reset and allow me to reach the exit while the vehicle was effectively crippled, moving at speeds under 10 mph amidst highway-speed traffic. I was eventually able to exit the freeway at this reduced speed. This was the third and fourth time issue had occurred. …
The contact owns a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to stop the vehicle by depressing the brake pedal; however, when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle independently accelerated without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal failed to respond while being depressed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three times and occurred while driving at various speeds. The contact stated the failure also occurred while driving at 70 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to retrieve any fault codes but informed the contact that the 12-Volt battery was not at full charge. …
STOP SAFELY vehicle will shut off Soon sign came while I was driver in 3rd lane on [redacted] in Virginia it shut off before I could pull to safety. Vehicle behind me slightly hit me on back. I got checked for dealer its fault in transmission. But I don't feel safe driving again since it shuts off while doing 65 mph.
My 2021 Pacifica Hybrid with 19.2K miles threw a "Service Charging System" and Check Engine Light error while I was driving at 65mph on the highway on Christmas Eve in 8 degree weather. The minivan stopped accelerating and the transmission began flashing between P and D. We were forced to stop the vehicle on the highway shoulder, leaving us (2 parents, 2 kids 7 & 11) stranded on the highway. The vehicle then shut off and we were unable to turn on heating or accessories other than headlights and hazards. We were rescued by state troopers given that no tow trucks were available on Christmas Eve. The local dealer claims that the issue was related to the battery, but that doesn't make sense given the car was driving at highway speeds at the time and the alternator should keep the battery charged. …
On Wed, April 5th, 2023 at approximately 10:15 pm I was returning home from a class in my 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. I was on local roads and had just transitioned from EV mode to gas mode (having used up all of my battery after about 30 miles of driving) when the car flashed the attached warning sign and I had very little power provided by my accelerator. Note that something similar to this has happened 5x before. All of these incidents had been at highway speeds (70+ mph) with one at about 40 mph. All had complete shutdown of power in the accelerator. In the current case I was able to still have a bit of power left and pulled over to the side of the road. Fortunately, it was late and there weren't too many other cars out so I didn't have as many safety concerns as I had in the past when I stalled on the highway. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler Pacifica years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (89), 2005 (58), 2006 (49), 2018 (35) and 2004 (33) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for Chrysler Pacifica acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Chrysler Pacifica model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chrysler Pacifica acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles; 50% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (21 mentions), followed by the cruise control (7).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.