Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 18% | 5,000 miles |
| 2025 | 3 | 10% | 26,000 miles |
| 2024 | 5 | 11% | — |
| 2023 | 8 | 5% | 30,000 miles |
| 2022 | 10 | 5% | 13,000 miles |
| 2021 | 11 | 3% | 83,000 miles |
| 2020 | 5 | 3% | — |
| 2019 | 58 | 18% | 36,000 miles |
| 2018 | 31 | 3% | 6,000 miles |
| 2017 | 87 | 6% | 16,000 miles |
| 2008 | 6 | 6% | 120,000 miles |
| 2007 | 22 | 6% | 81,000 miles |
| 2006 | 38 | 5% | 64,000 miles |
| 2005 | 82 | 7% | 50,000 miles |
| 2004 | 18 | 2% | 78,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact rented a 2025 Chrysler Pacifica. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that several days later, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while the husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact's husband depressed the brake pedal to the floorboard while attempting to stop the vehicle. The rented vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle that was in front of the rented vehicle before coming to a complete stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. No injuries were sustained. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. …
My son was driving the vehicle down the interstate and attempted to exit. He hit the brakes and the car would not slow down. He had the pedal all the way to the floor and the vehicle still would not slow down. The vehicle went off the exit ramp, through a grassy hill area, across the entrance ramp, and finally stopped when the tire broke off. Even with the tire broke off and the vehicle not moving the engine was showing it was going 30-40 mph. No airbags were deployed. I received a Luckily the only injury was my daughter's sprained wrist. The entire front end of the vehicle has been replaced, including the frame, and yet no airbags were deployed. I did receive and ABS failure alert on my app but was told that was because of the tire breaking off and not what caused the accident. I have requested the vehicle be inspected since the accident occurred. …
There were no warnings prior to the event. I was driving the vehicle and parked at a car wash to clean the interior. After cleaning, I started the car. I checked and the indicator light on the EPB (parking brake) button was off. I tried to move the vehicle but the parking brake was clearly engaged. I pressed the button several times. Nothing changed. The indicator light would not go on. I tried turning the car off/on. I tried to enter maintenance mode which failed without explanation - just a generic error. Finally, I got out, locked the car and waited ten minutes. When I got back in and started it, the indicator finally went on and I was able to disengage the brake. It is a severe design flaw that there is not a lever or pedal to operate this brake. The electronics were evidently not tested sufficiently. …
On a brand new vehicle with less than a few hundred miles, the electronic parking brake engaged and would not disengage until the battery was disconnected. This left an error code and the dealership replaced brake actuator. Then, the SafeHold feature started to randomly activate when vehicle started to move from a stop light or stop sign. An error message would display on the screen, the vehicle shifted itself into park and activated the parking brake. The message indicated the vehicle had to be turned off and restarted. After restarting, the parking brake would disengage and the transmission could be shifted back into drive. This happened in the middle of traffic. This did not leave any kind of computer error code and therefore the dealership was not able to address it. …
The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving approximately 7 MPH and slowing to park his vehicle, the contact depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle kept moving forward. The contact stated he crashed into the front end of a vehicle parked in front of his vehicle. The contact stated that there was damage to his hood and grill. The contact stated that the police arrived and wrote a report. The contact stated that his vehicle was towed to a collision repair shop. The contact stated that no one was injured. The contact was not sure of any warning lights. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that several days ago, the vehicle again did not brake or slow as he was making a left-hand turn onto a side street. The contact stated that he drove the vehicle back to his residence and had not driven since. …
The contact owns a 2023 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle on a slight incline and exiting the vehicle, the vehicle started rolling backwards while the driver's side door was still open. The contact attempted to activate the parking brake; however, the parking brake failed to function. The contact attempted to press the START/STOP button to turn off the vehicle but was knocked down by the door and was ran over by the front driver's side wheel. The contact sustained several fractured ribs, punctured lungs, internal bleeding, bruises to the right shoulder, a wound to the right ankle, and carpal tunnel to both wrists, and cervical disk displacement. Medical attention was provided for the injuries. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. …
The contact owns a 2022 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The following day, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was vibrating and the brakes failed to immediately stop the vehicle. The contact stated that the brakes caught fire, and there were flames coming from the brake calipers. The contact was able to put out the fire with a hose. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it remained for twenty-one days; however, no cause of failure was found. The failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who recommended the contact stop driving the vehicle as it was unsafe on the roadway. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Traveling down a country road on a clear afternoon, the vehicle traveled approximately 35 mph while cresting a small hill. On the other side of the hill was a "T" shaped intersection where another vehicle stopped in the intersection from a stop sign several feet behind. The other driver failed to complete the turn when they saw oncoming traffic. The driver noticed the intersection had an obstructed path and attempted to move into the oncoming traffic lane since no oncoming traffic was visible. Just then, the onboard computer installed in the control panel of the drivers seat had acted upon either the obstruction or the switch in lanes and assumed complete control of the braking and steering systems. The driver was unable to retrieve control from the computer systems artificial intelligence before a direct crash occured with a telephone pole. …
Related recalls (1)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vantage Mobility International, LLC (Vantage Mobility) is recalling certain 2017 Chrysler Pacifica lowered floor vans modified by Vantage Mobility for wheelchair accessibility. The affected vans have rear brake lines that might have been crossed during the modification.
Remedy: Vantage Mobility will notify owners, and dealers will correct the rear brake line attachments, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2017. Owners may contact Vantage Mobility customer service at 1-800-488-9082.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chrysler Pacifica years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (87), 2005 (82), 2019 (58), 2006 (38) and 2018 (31) model years. Brake complaints make up 6% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for Chrysler Pacifica brake problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 17V-342 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, May 25, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chrysler Pacifica brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 46,000 miles; 54% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (27 mentions), followed by the foundation components › disc › rotor (6).
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.