Yesterday, (12-22-2022) power steering stopped working while driving vehicle, pulled over and restarted the car and started driving again and once again the power steering stopped working but did make it home. Then this morning when backing out, the power steering stopped working, pulled back into the garage and parked. Called dealer for assistance, told they were closed until Monday.
2019 Chrysler Pacifica steering problems
severe 37 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
37
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
2crashes
What stands out
Owners have filed 37 steering complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2019 Pacifica has widespread complaints of steering system failures—power assist dropout, sticking/catching on turns, and inability to return to center—occurring at highway speeds with no warning. Many owners report dealers dismissing the problem or refusing diagnostics despite logged fault codes and vehicle exclusion from existing recalls, creating serious safety risk.
Owners describe a pattern of electrical power steering failures in 2019 Pacificas. The most common issue is the steering wheel sticking or catching when returning to center after turns at highway speeds (30–70 mph), forcing drivers to apply excessive force and overcorrect into adjacent lanes. Some owners report complete loss of power steering assistance—occasionally simultaneous with loss of braking power and engine stall—leaving them fighting an unassisted wheel at speed with no warning light beforehand.
A second group reports grinding and clicking noises from the electronic steering gear, starting as early as 105k miles, along with increased steering effort in turns. One owner paid $5,400 to replace the electronic steering gear; another faced a $5,000+ power steering rack replacement.
Several owners cite Safety Recall V53/NHTSA 19V-348, which covers identical symptoms in 2017–2018 Pacificas, but find their 2019 VINs excluded from the recall. Dealership responses are consistently unhelpful: dealers either cannot replicate the failure, refuse to run diagnostics despite logged fault codes, or dismiss intermittent symptoms as unserviceable. One owner reported a dealer manager refusing to work on the car, stating she would not be reimbursed. Multiple owners also report concurrent failures: start/stop system dropout, steering wheel button malfunction, and backup camera failure, pointing to an underlying electrical problem affecting multiple systems.
Same Chrysler Pacifica steering reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2020 · 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Power steering assist loss or failure
Complete or partial loss of power steering assistance, sometimes accompanied by loss of other electrical systems (braking, engine stall) and/or illumination of alerts on the dash. Failures occur suddenly without warning and may be intermittent or temporary (resolved by turning vehicle off/on or letting it sit).
When: At highway speeds (40-70 mph) and various road conditions; some instances at lower speeds; onset reported from early ownership through 105k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power steering assistance requiring extreme force to steer; Vehicle pulls or steers toward traffic when failure occurs; Simultaneous loss of power braking; Engine stall during power steering failure; Power steering control failure code logged; Electrical systems shutdown (ACC, blind spot, automatic braking, etc.)
Codes mentioned: Power steering control failure
Repairs/costs cited: Power steering rack replacement cost cited as over $5,000. Ground wire repair mentioned in one case. Battery replacement ($1,000+ implied) resolved issues in some complaints; independent mechanic diagnosed electronic steering gear failure at $5,400 replacement cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety Recall V53/NHTSA 19V-348 (2017-2019 Pacificas) covers similar symptoms but many 2019 Pacificas reported excluded from recall by VIN. Dealers often report inability to replicate failure, refuse diagnostics, and release vehicle as safe despite logged fault codes.
Steering wheel sticking or catching on return to center
Steering wheel requires excessive force to return to center after turning, particularly at highway speeds during curves, lane changes, and turns. The sticking is intermittent and owners report having to jerk the wheel hard to free it, resulting in overcorrection and unintended lane swerving.
When: Primarily at highway speeds (30-70 mph) during curves and lane changes; occasionally at lower speeds during tight turns; one owner noted grinding sounds starting around 105k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel sticks and resists return to straight position after turning; Excessive effort required to overcome resistance in turns; Catching or binding sensation, especially in gradual curves; Over-correction due to excessive force applied; Unintended swerving into adjacent lanes; Grinding, scrubbing, and clicking noises during turns; Tugging sensation on wheel at higher speeds
Repairs/costs cited: Electronic steering gear identified as failing component; replacement cost $5,400 cited. Grinding noises noted from early ownership, dealership initially dismissed as normal.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Safety Recall V53/NHTSA 19V-348 describes exact symptoms reported; however, many 2019 Pacificas are not included in recall by VIN. Dealership diagnostics typically unable to replicate issue and do not perform repairs.
Lane Sense driver-alert system malfunction
Lane Sense assistance system behaves erratically, generating false alerts demanding hands on steering wheel when hands are already in contact and vehicle is traveling safely centered in lane. System sometimes automatically deactivates after false alert.
When: Occurs consistently in specific locations (northbound Golden Gate Bridge across multiple lanes) and various environmental conditions (fog, clear, rain); occurs both in motion and when vehicle is parked/still in driveway
Symptoms owners cite: False lane-departure alerts when vehicle is centered in lane; System demands driver place hands on wheel when hands are already present; Alerts for service without identified problem; System behavior inconsistent with owner manual description; Erratic behavior in motion and while parked; Automatic system deactivation after false alert
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer provided informational flyer but could not replicate or determine root cause; no repairs attempted.
Start/Stop system failure
Auto start/stop feature stops functioning, typically accompanied by warning light illumination. Vehicle may stall unexpectedly or fail to restart; battery issues sometimes implicated but not always the root cause.
When: Multiple instances reported across different time periods; battery replacements required twice in one case within one month (July and August 2022); stalling can occur in motion or while stationary
Symptoms owners cite: Start/Stop feature stops working; Warning/cautionary light illuminates on dash; Vehicle stalls unexpectedly (sometimes mid-drive or mid-road); Vehicle runs poorly when feature malfunctions; Loss of electrical power during operation; Loose battery wire issue noted
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement performed twice within one month at dealership (Arrigo Chrysler, Ft. Pierce, Florida); loose battery wire reconnection mentioned as temporary fix
Steering wheel button malfunction
Steering wheel-mounted control buttons fail to function or operate in reverse (inverted function). Affects volume controls and other features.
When: Onset timing not clearly specified; reported concurrently with other steering electrical issues in at least one case
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel buttons do not respond to input; Inverted button function (volume up causes volume down and vice versa); Loss of steering wheel control functionality
Backup camera failure
Rear backup camera stops functioning; timing coincides with onset of steering electrical issues in one reported case, suggesting possible common electrical root cause.
When: Onset timing near or concurrent with steering lock-up symptoms
Symptoms owners cite: Backup camera stops working; Failure coincides with steering electrical problems
Synthesized from 37 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Steering wheel sticks when attempting to return to straight position after a curve. Usually occurs when turning right but sometimes left. Only occurs at highway speeds, not on city streets. Chrysler dealer inspected vehicle, said no problem was found, recommended having tire alignment checked. Front tires did not need alignment but rear tires did and were aligned. Unfortunately, this did not…
Had steering trouble with your 2019 Chrysler Pacifica?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica?
It's a meaningful issue. 37 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 37 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 64,213 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2019/Chrysler/Pacifica.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.