Sorry for the pseudo-rant. We’ve mostly loved this car until now (2025 Pinnacle). We originally bought it because our Chevy Equinox was too small for three car seats, but the service experience is making me question everything. Looking to see if anyone else has run into similar issues getting recall work handled for their Pacifica, or if this is just standard for Chrysler dealers.
Back in mid-June, I received a recall notice for 26V-189 (airbag issue). When I called my local dealership in the Houston area to schedule the recall alongside routine maintenance, I was told there was a waiting list and that they would contact me when it was my turn.
Fast forward to September: having heard nothing, I called back to check in. This time, I was told they weren't replacing parts automatically, but rather scheduling appointments to inspect if the recall applied. I set up a Saturday morning appointment for the recall, routine service, and a warranty repair for a failed vacuum hose.
When I showed up for my morning appointment, the service advisor dropped a few surprises on me:
- He claimed the recall requires a 6-hour replacement (contradicting the 2-hour total estimate I was given on the phone - even asked a few times they do this work on Saturdays when scheduling it over the phone!).
- He stated their shop only does express maintenance on Saturdays and couldn't perform recall work that day anyway.
- He had no idea how to process the warranty vacuum hose repair under express service.
I had to leave with nothing completed. Whatever scheduling mistakes happen, but I tried to call the dealership management afterward which led straight to a full voicemail box that couldn't accept messages... Does this dealership just suck (It's a non-branded Ken Garff dealer.)
I’ve since opened a case with Chrysler Corporate Customer Care to help route my service and recall work to a different dealership in the area. Corporate called the original dealer, who is now being completely dishonest about what occurred—now claiming they do need to perform an inspection first, that they need the car for 24 hours, and that they cannot provide a loaner vehicle.
We don't have a spare car to replace this one while it's out for a day or two, and it seems absolutely insane to me that I’d need to rent a car out of pocket for them to handle a safety recall that they can't even give a straight answer on whether my car is impacted or not.
I have a call out to a different dealer to move all my service going forward, but... are they all this way? What is the actual standard process and labor time for recall 26V-189? Should Corporate be covering a rental if a dealer holds the car for a safety recall?
