While driving at approximately 65 mph on I-35 in moderate traffic, my vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of motive power. I was positioned in the far-left passing lane at the time of the incident. A vague notification message appeared on the dashboard screen; however, there was no accompanying audible warning tone to alert me to the severity of the issue before power was lost. The…
2023 Chrysler Pacifica powertrain problems
moderate 33 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
33
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What stands out
Owners have filed 33 powertrain 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.
Powertrain accounts for 26% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Multiple 2023 Pacifica owners report sudden, dangerous power loss at highway speeds with limp-mode warnings that sometimes resolve after restart but recur unpredictably—often confounding dealership diagnostics and resisting repair. Transmission issues and hybrid system transition failures compound the safety risk, particularly with children aboard.
The core problem: 2023 Pacifica owners report unexpected loss of propulsion power while driving, typically at highway speed, preceded by a "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" dashboard message and red-turtle limp-mode icon. Incidents cluster around 15k–89k miles. The vehicle becomes undrivable until shut down and restarted, often taking minutes to hours to regain operation. Multiple incidents occur per owner over weeks or months.
Owners describe this happening in passing lanes, busy intersections, uphill stretches, and unprotected highway shoulders—sometimes with young children aboard in 100-degree heat. The vehicle regains power after restart, though check-engine lights often appear. Dealerships frequently cannot reproduce the fault or read persistent codes because they clear upon restart. Diagnostic trouble codes P0A43, P0A3F, and P0A78 point to motor position sensor and inverter issues.
Secondary issues include transmission refusing to shift out of Park during motion, and hybrid systems failing to transition from electric to gas engine when battery depletes. One owner's vehicle shifted unexpectedly into Park on the highway. Chrysler's repair responses include software updates, electrical reseating, and transmission rebuild per TSB 21-025-25, but multiple owners report recurring failure after these repairs. Chrysler has declined further warranty work unless the fault happens again. One dealership spent seven weeks unable to resolve the issue; another awaits transmission rebuild parts.
Same Chrysler Pacifica powertrain reports on nearby years: 2020 · 2021 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Unexpected loss of drive power / limp mode activation
Vehicle unexpectedly enters limp mode or loses all propulsion power while driving, typically at highway speed. Dashboard displays 'Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon' (or 'red turtle' icon) with engine cutoff warning. Power loss lasts minutes to hours; restart usually restores function temporarily. Occurs without prior warning signs.
When: Most incidents occur between 15–89k miles; some owners report recurring failures over several weeks to months.
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of acceleration / complete loss of motive power; 'Red turtle' limp mode warning on dash; 'Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon' message; Check engine light (often clears before dealer reads codes); Steering stiffens when power lost; Vehicle forces restart needed to restore drivability
Codes mentioned: P0A43 (Drive Motor A Position Sensor Circuit Intermittent), P0A3F (Drive Motor A Position Sensor related), P0A78 (Drive Motor A Inverter Performance)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealerships frequently unable to replicate fault or retrieve active codes. Repairs have included: software updates, electrical connection reseating, transmission rebuild per TSB 21-025-25, and full transmission replacement. Many repairs do not resolve recurrence.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 21-025-25 (transmission rebuild); TSB 03-024 (axle nut torque specification); recall 23V-010 mentioned; NHTSA ODI investigation RQ24004 referenced. Chrysler has refused further warranty work unless fault recurs; stated willingness only to act after another failure.
Transmission shift failure / stuck in Park
Transmission fails to shift out of Park while vehicle is in motion or at traffic light, or unexpectedly shifts into Park during highway driving. Owner must restart vehicle to regain control.
When: No specific mileage pattern noted in narratives.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission will not respond to gear selection; Vehicle unexpectedly shifts to Park while driving; Shift knob stuck in Park position
Codes mentioned: Transmission-related codes mentioned; owner #5 reports dealership found 'so many warning codes' related to transmission
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #16 reports Chrysler will not replace transmission, only rebuild per TSB 21-025-25; owner expresses concern rebuild may not resolve highway shift-to-Park risk.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 21-025-25 (transmission rebuild only, not replacement)
Failure to transition EV to gas engine / battery depletion mode
Hybrid system fails to smoothly switch from electric motor to gas engine when battery depletes, leaving vehicle underpowered and unable to climb hills. Vehicle enters limp mode or refuses to move forward.
When: Occurs when vehicle depletes electric charge and should transition to gas; reported around transition point from EV to hybrid mode.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not drive forward when EV battery depleted; Red turtle / limp mode warning; Vehicle can move in reverse but not forward uphill; Repeated restarts required to restore power
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #9 reports a recall exists for this issue on some model years but does not cover their vehicle.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall mentioned for this condition on other model-year Pacificas but not all 2023 models.
Front axle hub / wheel fastener loosening
Axle nuts securing wheel hub to axle repeatedly loosen, creating clicking sound and risk of wheel detachment during driving.
When: Issue persists across multiple repair attempts over weeks.
Symptoms owners cite: Clicking sound from front end; Wheel hub loosening
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership re-torqued to 120 ft-lbs initially with Locktite; issue recurred. Chrysler TSB 03-008-24 specified 228 ft-lbs torque. Recurred within 3 weeks of 228 ft-lbs torque. Dealer attempted correction six times; problem persists.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB 03-008-24 (increased axle nut torque specification to 228 ft-lbs)
Synthesized from 33 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
This is the second time this happened in one week. Incident happened immediately after being sent home without repair by the dealership. Driving down the interstate, our car displayed the "Stop Safely. Vehicle will shut off soon." Red turtle light came on, and car lost all acceleration. We managed to pull over without being hit. Turned the car off and then back on. Check engine light was now on,…
Car turns off suddenly while driving on the freeway at freeway speeds.
We were driving on the interstate at approximately 70 mph when our car gave the warning, "Stop Soon. Vehicle will shut off." A turtle warning light also lit up. We pulled over to the side of the road and turned the car off. After a few minutes, we were able to turn the car back on and drive home, though the check engine light was then on. We took it to the dealer the next day, with the check…
I was driving in Virginia in a rental and the check engine light came on then the following message came on "get to a safe place the car is going to stop". A few seconds later the vehicle shut off and stop in the middle of traffic. I did not have time to pull over. I turned everything off and restarted the vehicle it was fine for about a mile then it happened again. I waited about 10 minutes…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2023 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 powertrain problem on the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 33 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 33 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 48,000 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2023/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.