Stellantis recalls Pacifica Hybrids over fire hazard

Auburn Hills, MI – February 19, 2022 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) – which owns Chrysler brand – has issued a recall for 16,741 vehicles over a risk of fire which may occur even if the car is parked and turned off. A fire greatly increases the risk of an injury. 

The recall covers the following minivans:

  • 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV)
  • 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV)

Recall summary

Due to reasons that are currently being investigated, the recalled vehicles may suddenly burst into flames even when parked and with the ignition turned off. 

The recall comes on the heels of “five customer records and 12 field reports” of Pacifica PHEVs spontaneously combusting.

‘The vehicle exploded into a fireball’

One driver’s complaint described his or her family’s horrifying experience which happened while the car was driven by the person’s wife with five children inside. The wife noticed “smoke coming from under the hood.”  Within “seconds”  of continuing on, smoke turned into flames. She pulled over and barely got her kids out before the “vehicle exploded into a fireball.”  

Recall risks

A fire may damage nearby structures and vehicles. It also puts the life of the car occupants at risk.

Fortunately, there have been no reports of victims so far. 

Other Chrysler Pacifica recalls 

Chrysler Pacifica PHEV minivans were involved in at least two other fire-related recalls in the last couple of years.

Over 10,000 units of the 2017-2018 model-years were recalled in October 2018 partially because of a fire hazard caused by improperly starting the engine. In June 2020, the 2017-2020 model-years were recalled due to the risk of fire due to a faulty connector post behind the driver’s seat.

Safety tips

While the repair for these Chrysler Pacifica fire incidents is being worked on, owners are advised not to recharge their vehicles and to park them a safe distance away from structures and other vehicles. To learn what to do if your car catches fire, please visit this article about a related Hyundai recall.

The repair

The remedy is currently not available.  Owners will receive more information by mail by April 2, 2022. Any recall-affiliated repairs will be done free-of-charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

More than 16,700 vehicles are included in this Chrysler recall. To do a Chrysler recall check,  use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.  

Joseph EstabilloStellantis recalls Pacifica Hybrids over fire hazard

Chrysler Fiat Automobiles Recalls 12,000 Vehicles Over Powertrain Problem

United States – August 26, 2018 – According to Consumer Reports, in a recent string of recalls, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has announced a recall of 12,779 vehicles.

Various Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, and Ram SUVs and cars are involved in this particular recall, which is for a faulty part in the powertrain system.

The defect

Due to the powertrain system having a potentially broken or a wrongly manufactured circuit board, the problem can connect directly to stalling and starting the vehicle.

This is on the drivetrain and does not include the main engine of the car. Powertrain systems are in both manual and automatic vehicles and include transmission, drive shafts and differentials components.

Specifically, inside the circuit board, there is a voltage regular chip that helps control some of the automating controlling and driving of the cars. When this fails, the cars will not start or will stall out after being turned on via ignition.

When vehicles stall unexpectedly, there is a risk of an accident or injury from a crash. Issues with starting vehicles can cause drivers to be stranded or without a working car.

Of more than 12,000 vehicles affected, the list includes:

  • 2018 Jeep Renegade
  • 2018 Jeep Compass
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee
  • Ram 1500
  • Ram ProMaster
  • Fiat 500x
  • Dodge Journey
  • Dodge Challenger
  • Dodge Charger
  • Dodge Durango
  • Chrysler 300x
  • 2018 – 2019 Jeep Wrangler
  • 2018 – 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan
  • 2018 – 2019 Chrysler Town and Country vehicles
  • 2018 – 2019 Jeep Cherokee
  • 2018 – 2019 Chrysler Pacifica vehicles

Timeline of events

The recall is expected to officially begin September 28 of this year to solve the ignition problem. FCA states they will replace the powertrain control module free of charge for consumers and dealerships.

Also this month, FCA recalled similar 2018 – 2019 Jeep and Dodge models for brake fluid issues. More than 200,000 vehicles were included in this recall, which required brake fluid to be replaced complimentary to avoid potential bigger issues with the systems. Breaking and steering issues are imperative to fix immediately, due to the higher risks of crashes involved.

In June, a woman in Ohio claimed to have a steering issue with her Jeep, causing it to lockup while she was operating her car. However, FCA and Jeep spokespeople said her particular car did not fall under any current recall.

Alongside the recent recalls, FCA is facing some issues in court as well. According to the Detroit Free Press, Alphons Iacobelli, a former vice president of employee relations for FCA, is facing charges of embezzlement.

The company took funds allocated for worker trainers and used them for extraordinary perks, trips and bonuses instead.

Seven other higher-ups have already been convicted and charged in the scandal. The Justice Department and other government entities may be looking further into investigations that could cost FCA millions, if not billions, in court fees and fines.

However, further actions are speculative due to FCA being incorporated in the Netherlands and the charges happening in the U.S.

The solution

Chrysler announced plans to directly notify owners. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reference number for this recall campaign is 18V524.

To check if your vehicle is part of this recall, use MotorSafety.org’s free look-up tool.

Sean ReyesChrysler Fiat Automobiles Recalls 12,000 Vehicles Over Powertrain Problem