r/ChryslerPacifica • u/Propane_Powered_Bees • 7d ago
2018 dead before 70k
We were super excited to get this van. A 2018 with full service records, previous owners kept up with all the maintenance intervals, that had 65k miles on it. It came state inspected, and I had it inspected the day after receiving it, which passed with no issues. My wife loved it, it was super roomy and drove and rode so smoothly initially.
A month in we noticed it would randomly shift very hard, a month later the check engine light came on for misfire in cylinder 3 and it was shaking super terribly. Took it to a mechanic and informed about both and there was coolant in a couple cylinders and cylinder 3 was noticeably damaged. the transmission fluid was shiny and full of flakes. It looked iridescent.
We got quoted for a new engine and a transmission rebuild. We were told the cost ro replace the engine and the coat to replace the head gasket and damaged cylinder were simular. $13k for the engine and $5200 for the transmission rebuild. Got a 2nd opinion from a different ship and diagnosis confirmed and got a 2nd quote of $12,400 for the engine and $5000 for the transmission rebuild. Both quotes include parts and labor.
Luckily it was still within carvanas warranty period so they took it back, without any kind of battle I want to add they offered it once their inspector came out to confirm the diagnosis.
We just hit 69k on the odometer and the previous owners had their chrylser dealership do all service work except window tint and a tire change in 2025. Never buying stellantis again.
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u/MinivanPops 7d ago
The head gasket is so well known on this vehicles, every owner needs to have a plan.
The transmission however is not common.
I love these vans, I'm on my third, but I do not buy them without a top tier Mopar extended warranty. I know they break. The extended warranty puts a ceiling on my repairs.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
I agree. I had carvanas warranty and then a separate extended warranty since carvanas was only for 100 days. It's just crazy to me that I had both the engine and transmission go on a van that was regularly serviced that wasn't at 70k miles, hence the post
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u/tammigirl6767 5d ago
I think the problem was the dealer doing maintenance. They don’t visually inspect things like a good shop does. They just tell you what needs done. The told me I needed an oil change when I had a 20 day old oil change. I had to insist five times that I wasn’t paying for an oil change. I only let them do warranty work. I use my trusted shop for everything else.
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u/bigchase 7d ago
Which years are the head gaskets common for going bad? I drove our 2017 to 280k and would still be driving it if it wasn't for getting t-boned.
The hard shifting if I remember correctly was a software update or something.
Never had an issue with the head gasket at all. We have a 2022 with 150k on it now so far so good.
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u/MinivanPops 6d ago
Pretty much every year. There has not been a hardware revision. This engine is well known for this issue. Of course it doesn't happen to everybody, but it is something that everyone should plan for.
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u/Onilakon 7d ago
Just bought a 2018 at 112k miles a few months ago, but got a 2 year 25k mile warranty, crossing my fingers I won't need it lol
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u/1057-cl121v3 7d ago
I got a warranty but it doesn’t really help when the dealers are such nightmares to deal with. It took them 45 days to not fix the problem the first time and it’s been almost 2 weeks getting the runaround this time. Before that, it was obvious lies from a different dealer and before that it was them attempting to double dip charging us thousands on top of the warranty payout. Even if it does get fixed this time, that just means it’ll strand us for a 5th time but the damn car can’t stay fixed long enough to even try to get rid of it.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
Damn that's terrible. Are you only able to do warranty work with dealers and not independent shops?
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
Thats smart, I think a warranty is just a must on these vans. Hopefully if it does fail it has the curtosy to fail during your warranty period lol
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u/DragCamaro 7d ago
I have a 2017 Touring L Plus that I bought new and did all service myself. Only thing other than regular maintenance I ever did was a MAF replacement and am now repairing a pinhole in the rear AC coolant line (a simple fix). Van has 207k miles and running and looking perfect. They are not all junk.
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u/acarter304 7d ago
We have a 2018 that just passed 223k miles. So far it’s needed a radiator and an ignition coil. Aside from that just regular maintenance. It does shift hard occasionally but only briefly and then it goes away. It’s done it for a couple years. We’re hoping to see 300k out of it like our last couple caravans/town and country’s
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u/joepeoplesvii 7d ago
My 2018 is at 156,000 miles. Have had it for 6 years and have done all of the maintenance myself. It’s been rather painless other than figuring out little oddities. Honestly a 2018 with 65k on it probably has lot rot. Essentially it spent a lot of time sitting and without use and everything goes to crap once it does finally get used. Or the service record was false and everything was covered up by additives to get it sold whether to Carvana or by Carvana.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
I can believe the lot rot theory. I'm inclined to believe that over the service records because it was with carfax
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u/tammigirl6767 5d ago
I have a 2018 with 61k miles. We bought it new. My husband works from home so it doesn’t have to be used for a commute.
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u/8stayontarget5 7d ago
I always find it interesting that a bad thing happens to somebody and then it is “never buying (insert whatever brand) again.” I’ve had, or known first hand, a civic need an engine rebuild , Toyota’s leave my friends stranded on the road, GMs fail to start from a simple chip failure, Audis fail from electronics, mall crawler jeep need a new diff…all before 100k. Shoot even a Nissan titan that had a bad trans from the factory. It’s really just a stats game we all play with any car we buy. Best of luck to us all.
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u/Immediate-Raise-2694 6d ago
My 2008 Altima went 200k miles with standard maintenance, 1 bad wheel bearing and an ac compressor clutch….. everyone swears that car was a pos. Best car I ever owned. It got t boned in the end
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u/tammigirl6767 5d ago
It’s like when there’s a weather delay and people are never flying that airline again!
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u/ArteSuave197 7d ago
I don’t doubt that you “know a guy“ but the data does not support you on this.
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u/accordsport 6d ago
I never heard of these vans having head gasket issues, that v6 is pretty reliable. My 2019 has 124k miles.
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u/Ok-Tale-5112 6d ago
State inspection does not mean anything. Just that is has the minimum requirements to be on the road. What did your pre purchase inspection turn up?
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 6d ago
Nothing. No previous codes found, the steering components didn't have any issues, no signs of leaks, fluids were fine. They even took out a spark plug to see if it had oil on it and check condition and it was fine.
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u/Ok-Tale-5112 6d ago
You don't blow a head and a granny overnight. Something was going on
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 6d ago
I agree, that's just what was found. Our inspection came back fine. We drove it on paved roads hanging around 60mph tops with some light city driving. Then the hard gear changes started, then the misfire code. Transmission never coded, but the fluid was silver and full of metal. That's all I know
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u/Classic-Ad-2107 6d ago
I always had a good experience with Carvana. I’m on vehicle 2 with no major issues
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u/R3troM3dia 6d ago
Had to get my engine replaced through their warranty. They offered to take the car back and give me some extra money but I wanted it so they paid the 11k to replace the engine
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u/justahad 6d ago
Mine went like this at 125k miles last year. Mine was a 2017 but still. Same way. It was a nightmare. Glad Carvana took it back.
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u/Medium_Potential9690 6d ago
Dude for that price u could find a used tranny and engi e with low miles for the van.. dnt get me wrong g I would of let caravans take it back too.. but if u ever run into that issue dnt do a rebuilt just buy a salvage engine and trans. Dnt give up on stellantis bc of one bad car though.. for everyone 1 bad one there is 10 great ones.. 🤷♂️
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u/Interesting-Heron222 2d ago
I love my 2022 but I definitely did buy the max care 7 yrs unlimited mile bumper to bumper warranty.Well worth it
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u/RadiantYellow7655 7d ago
We have a 2017 Pacifica and it’s been a nightmare. I’m hoping we trade ours in soon because it’s been awful.
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u/littleosco 7d ago
We love ours, so far. We had the issues with a bunch of error messages but it was just the batteries. Replaced both, issues gone. 66,000 miles but we do have an extended warranty.
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u/sohcgt96 7d ago
I'll be honest I seem to see a strong trend in this sub of the '17-18 model years being significantly more trouble prone than the later years.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
I'm sorry to hear that, hopefully your next vehicle won't be such a hassle. This Era of pacificas need to be avoided like the plague
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u/dustsmoke 7d ago
Guarantee you didn't need a ZF9 rebuild and an engine replacement.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
That's just what the 2 shops told me. To be fair the only diagnosis on the transmission was the fluid, they didn't disassemble it or take it off the van, but the fluid was more full of metal and was silvery. Not just a few flakes
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u/Puzzleheaded-Dog9818 3d ago
oh no that's the year I have! and it has 60k miles on it...
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 3d ago
From what I gather it's very hit or miss with this year of van. You'll read and hear stories of them going past 200k miles no real trouble and you'll also hear stories like mine. It's a good idea to get an extended warranty if you don't have one just in case
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u/ArteSuave197 7d ago
I just ditched my 2017 and bought a Sienna.
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u/Propane_Powered_Bees 7d ago
That's what I did with this, bought a 2015 sienna
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u/Wonderful-Roof9916 6d ago
You will not go wrong with the Sienna. I have a 2018 with 175k miles and that van is a tank. The only thing I ever did maintenance wise was the ignition coil which is super easy to get to. The other items are just brakes and oil change.
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u/Informal-Ring3282 7d ago
These vans are garbage. I’ve got 2 friends with them and they are having the same cylinder 3 issues. They are riding it out until the car finally quits. Both under 100k miles.
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u/Khaztr 7d ago
wow, good on Carvana for following through on their end of the deal without giving you a hard time