RECALLED CHRYSLER PACIFICA HYBRIDS FINALLY GET A FIX

Nearly 20,000 minivans were recalled earlier this year for a fire risk. Owners were advised to avoid plugging them in and to park outside.

By Keith Barry

A fix is now available for some 2017 and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans that were recalled in February due to a fire risk. Since the original recall was announced, owners have been unable to plug in their vehicles to charge, and have had to park them away from their homes, buildings, and other structures.

Chrysler initially recalled the minivans after 12 reports of cars catching fire while parked. The fires all appeared to have started near the high-voltage battery, and most took place while the vehicles were charging. The automaker says it will install a free software update that will better monitor the vehicle’s high-voltage battery, and dealerships will inspect those batteries for damage and replace them free of charge if necessary.

Chrysler says owners are still advised to park outside and away from structures, and to not charge their vehicles until the issue is fixed at a Chrysler dealership. There have been no injuries or crashes related to this recall, the automaker says.

The Pacifica Hybrid uses a battery from LG, the same company that manufactured the faulty batteries in some Chevrolet Bolt and Hyundai Kona EVs. A spokesperson from Stellantis, the company that owns Chrysler, would not comment when CR asked whether the recalls are related.

Learn more about car recalls at CR’s guide to recalls.

The Details

Vehicles recalled: 19,808 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans from the 2017 and 2018 model years, manufactured between Aug. 12, 2016, and Aug. 7, 2018.

The problem: The vehicles may catch fire. In documents provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Chrysler says it still has not identified the root cause of the fires or determined whether they are related to the high-voltage battery, but a Stellantis spokesperson told CR that “the remedy will enable customers to resume vehicle operation as outlined in their owners’ manuals."

The fix: Chrysler dealerships will update the high-voltage battery software so that it does a better job of monitoring the battery pack for conditions that could lead to a fire in the battery pack assembly. Dealers will also inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery pack assembly.

How to contact the manufacturer: Chrysler dealerships will notify owners of affected vehicles by mail starting on Oct. 11, 2022. Owners should contact their local Chrysler dealership to schedule a repair. They can also call Chrysler at ​​800-853-1403.

NHTSA campaign number: 22V077. Chrysler’s own number for this recall is Z11.

Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.

If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.

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2022-10-05T19:11:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd