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2020 Chrysler Pacifica: problems, recalls and reliability

5 recalls and 170 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (28% of complaints).

Data updated weekly · 5 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Jun 2026

5
recalls
170
owner complaints
3
fire reports
39,500
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★★
Among the quietest Pacifica years (#11 of 12 by complaints, age-adjusted)5-star NHTSA overall safety ratingWeak spot: electrical system (28%)3 fire reportsProblems reported early (median 39,500 mi)

Common problems

Computed from 170 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)28% · 44 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)17% · 27 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)17% · 27 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)11% · 18 complaints
Seats3% · 5 complaints
Visibility/Wiper (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)3% · 4 complaints
“I was about to pull out into a main road with my 3 kids in the car, and my steering wheel locked up and became impossible to drive, had to quickly reverse and could not make it home. I then received an error message on my dash saying power steering unavailable, service requested. The car only has 118,000 miles on it.”Owner report · Steering · Sep 2026
“Our family was driving and our teen in the third row said his seatbelt came apart. We pulled over to inspect. He was in the third row driver side seat. The stitching for the seatbelt and the seat had disintegrated. There is a sticky residue but no stitching. The leather is in pieces and the seatbelt is unusable. This vehicle is used for family transport so there is no known cause as to why this would have happened. The middle seatbelt stitching is also disintegrating”Owner report · Seat Belts · Sep 2026
“Driving down a road, Power Steering warning light came on, and the power steering went completely out. My wife was driving, and is not strong enough to steer manually. She was able to partially get off the road to stop. Needed other drivers to help get it off the road. We had it towed to a repair shop, and they said the electronic components replaced and only the dealerships do it. Made an appointment and will have to pay to have it towed to the dealership”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Head gasket is cracked causing cylinder 5 to misfire and burned up coolant in the engine causing the engine to overheat while driving and put safety of driver and passengers in danger while vehicle was traveling at high speeds.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
“The contact owns a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while driving at higher speeds and attempting to veer over to the left or right, the steering wheel failed to return to center. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.”Owner report · Steering · May 2026
“Back up camera works intermittently and freezes or shows incorrect image. Wife almost backed into another car/family because the camera froze showing a clear driveway when there actually was a car there. We have an appoint with the dealership next week to investigate. Has not been inspected by police or insurance. No warning lights or messages came.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · May 2026
“Third row randomly closes on my kids who are buckled in them. I've reported this to the dealer shortly after getting my van in 2021. Brought it back to them twice where they found "no problem", then I made an additional report here last year after it closed on them an excessive amount of times and I felt helpless. I was forced to move the child who was sitting in the back to front seat after it closed on them multiple times in one ride. A head on collision occurred a few miles down the road with my child in front seat. He was injured more than he should have ever been, due to needing to be moved from the rear of the van. Furious Chrysler did not take my previous complaints more seriously.”Owner report · Seats · Apr 2026
“Vehicle steering locked up while driving causing driver to end up in oncoming traffic. Also, vehicles remote start turns on, but after a few seconds car shuts off.”Owner report · Steering · Apr 2026
“Many times over the past 6 months the power steering assist goes away while driving at highway speeds. The steering wheel sort of locks up and it becomes difficult to turn. After much effort the wheel will turn and the steering returns to normal. It has happened at speeds as low as 40 mph and as high as 50 mph. This has occurred in heavy traffic situations. I have never had a dealer look at the problem. No warnings or messages from vehicle.”Owner report · Steering · Mar 2026
“The start/stop system fails while car is running. Power not delivered appropriately resulting in check engine light coming on and entire car shaking. Only 62k miles. Started at 58k.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2026

When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 10 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Recalls - 5 campaigns

Camera (back over prevention)20V191000 · Sep 2020

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.

Curtain (air bags)24V793000 · Oct 2024

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Pacifica and 2020-2021, 2023 Voyager vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the side curtain air bags may prevent the air bags from deploying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Remedy: Dealers will secure the connector, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owner notification letters were mailed October 22, 2024. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is A8B.

Traction battery (electrical system)26V362000 · Jun 2026

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. The battery pack may cause a vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked with the ignition in the "Off" position.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles, and to park outside and away from structures, until their vehicle is repaired. Dealers will update the high voltage battery pack control module software. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the battery pack assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 23, 2026. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 52D. The Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 11, 2026.

Connectors/plugs/receptacles (electrical system)23V010000 · Jan 2023

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric vehicles (PHEVs). An internal transmission wiring connector may short circuit, resulting in an unexpected engine shutdown.

Remedy: Dealers will update the Power Inverter Module (PIM) software and, if necessary, update the instrument panel cluster (IPC) and the electronic control module (ECM) software, free of charge. FCA US will notify dealers and begin notifying owners on or about: 03/21/2023 for 2021 model year vehicles, 05/02/2023 for 2019-2020 model year vehicles, and 06/15/2023 for 2017-2018 model year vehicles. FCA began notifying owners on February 23, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 03A.

(equipment adaptive/mobility)25V876000 · Dec 2025

Rollx Vans (Rollx) is recalling certain GMC Yukon, Sierra, Chevrolet Express 2500, Ford Transit, E-250, Toyota Sienna, Sienna Hybrid, Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Town and Country, Voyager, Pacifica, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Ram Promaster vehicles equipped with QRT-Deluxe and QRT-Max wheelchair restraints. Please refer to Rollx's recall report for specific model year information. The retractors may not lock, preventing the wheelchair from being properly secured.

Remedy: Rollx will work with Q'Straint to inspect and replace the retractors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 5, 2026. Owners may contact Rollx's customer service at 1-800-956-6668.

Trouble codes owners mention

OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.

Specifications

Factory options offered for the 2020 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.

Drive typeAWD/All-Wheel Drive
Body stylesMinivan

How other years compare

Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Pacifica years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.

Check your exact Pacifica by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

Open VIN decoder

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica reliable?

NHTSA has 170 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on record for the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica. The most complained-about area is electrical system (28% of complaints).

At what mileage do 2020 Chrysler Pacifica problems usually appear?

Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 39,500 miles or less.

Does the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica have open recalls?

5 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning back over prevention. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.