Another class action has hit FCA US LLC, this time in Florida, over an alleged Chrysler Pacifica defect that leads to stalling and even causes vehicles to shut down.
Plaintiff Barbara Vaughn alleges in her class action lawsuit that Chrysler’s 2017 Pacifica minivans have a serious safety defect that results in the engine shutting off, idling, or preventing acceleration.
The Chrysler Pacifica, alleges the plaintiff, is advertised as a safe family vehicle, but the defect poses a serious risk of turning the minivans into “death traps.”
Vaughn says she purchased a 2017 non-hybrid Chrysler Pacifica in October 2017 under the impression that it was a safe and reliable vehicle. She says that she would not have purchased it had she known about the alleged defect and the potential safety risk it posed to her and her family, as well as other drivers.
According to the Chrysler class action lawsuit both hybrid and non-hybrid models of the 2017 Pacifica minivans are susceptible to the defect.
“Indeed, there are widespread reports of the defect in both models, and Chrysler has acknowledged the defect reports about both Pacifica models,” alleges the Chrysler class action lawsuit. “However, Chrysler has attempted to repair only the hybrid model of its Pacifica minivan. Chrysler has never publicly announced or done anything about the defect present in the more than 160,000 non-hybrid 2017 Pacifica minivans sold to date.”
The Chrysler Pacifica class action lawsuit alleges that the car maker has downplayed and covered up the defect and continued to use defective parts in the Pacifica.
“[M]ore than 160,000 drivers and untold numbers of passengers [are] unaware that they are riding in a vehicle that contains a defect that leads to sudden, unintended, and complete loss of motor power,” says the plaintiff.
This is not the first class action to hit FCA over the alleged stalling defect in Chrysler Pacificas. Earlier this year, a class action lawsuit in California alleged that 2017 and 2018 model year Chrysler Pacificas contain an engine defect that causes them to stall or shut off without warning. The plaintiffs in that class action alleged that their minivan stalled unexpectedly in the middle of traffic and they were nearly rear-ended.
The Florida class action lawsuit alleges that 2017 Chrysler Pacifica owners incurred damages – in addition to damages caused by an accident, their vehicle they purchased does not meet reasonable consumer expectations regarding safe and reliable operation.
According to the Chrysler Pacifica class action, more than 70 Pacifica owners have submitted complaints to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration over the alleged stalling defect. Further, alleges the plaintiff, the car maker has a history of producing vehicles that contain power defects resulting in complete power loss. In 2016, points out the class action lawsuit, Chrysler recalled all 2013-2016 model year Chrysler Fiat 500e vehicles for safety reasons.
Vaughn seeks to represent a nationwide Class of 2017 non-hybrid Chrysler Pacifica owners along with a Florida subclass. The plaintiff is seeking damages, as well as a court order requiring Chrysler to repair or replace the defect.
The plaintiff is represented by Timothy G. Blood, Thomas J. O’Reardon II, and Paula R. Brown of Blood Hurst & O’Reardon LLP, Ben Barnow and Erich Schork of Barnow and Associates PC, and T. Michael Morgan of Morgan & Morgan PA.
The Chrysler Pacifica Stalling Defect Class Action Lawsuit is Vaughn v. FCA US LLC, Case No. 5:18-cv-00065-JSM-PRL, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Ocala Division.
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24 thoughts onChrysler Pacifica Class Action: Defect Turns Minivans into ‘Death Traps’
I bought a 2017 Pacifica it had 48000 miles on it . I put 8000 miles on it and the shifter service light came on that’s when all the trouble started .I had it toed to the Chrysler garage July 25 got it back September 13. September 17 it broke down again . Is there anything I can do about it has a extended warranty .
We bought the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica and it’s been a lemon! Transmission problems from the start. Everytime we complained and had it back at the dealership they told us it needed a “software update”. Now it jerks and goes or will clunk. It did stall on us, but luckily we were in a safe place. Again “software update” they said. I was actually sick with cancer taking the darn van to the dealer. I am so mad about waisting my money on this van with all of the issues! I have a 9 yr old, but haven’t been working so can’t afford to trade in.
My 2017 Pacifica has been in garage 9 weeks. Dealer where I bought it cannot fix it. It will not shift out of Park occasionally. So cannot drive it. Around 60,000 miles. After reading some issues others are having makes me afraid to drive a 2017 Pacifica.
My 2017 Pacifica Hybrid, for which I paid full list price, is a lovely vehicle when it works. Unfortunately it has this stalling behavior (supposedly not a problem in the hybrid) and, in addition, has had to have a ball joint replaced for one recall and now is on the dealer’s lot indefinitely until they can find a fix for the corroded 12-Volt isolator post connection. There is currently no estimated time frame for this fix. In addition to the four recalls it has had since I bought it (the other two were relatively minor) it had a defective fuel line which took a month to get a replacement part.
Currently the “replacement” I have is a Grand Caravan, which has a lot fewer features and definitely does not get the gas mileage of the hybrid. When I call FCA i get “contact the dealer for updates” and when I talk to the dealer they tell me to “call FCA”. Meanwhile, this vehicle is still being advertised by Chrysler even though (according to FCA) they are not allowed to sell them.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hyrid is a lemon. I had so many problems in the shop all the time during the two years I owned and many times would not give me a loaner to drive and it was my only car. I have lost so much money on this vehicle I brought for my retirement present to myself to be my Grandma Mobile!! I have lost faith in Chrysler!! Buy American they say. I did look where it got me! In debt!!
My 2017 is constantly hard shifting and every time I take it to the dealership “nothing is wrong” well my back says different. Ouch!
Same problem with mine. Sometimes so hard that it feels like my car has been rear-ended.
What about the transmission issues- car is bucking and jerking randomly in lower gear. During this time it can’t accelerate and feels as if it would stall but hasn’t so far. Has to make a u-turn and I thought it was going to stall but bucked and jerked its way through.
My van has been doing thr same thing. The main problem is 2nd gear. I have taken it to DarCars multiple times and told nothing was wrong. The intial problem was not even diagnosed until I got a print out from Auto Zone stating my gear shift was not correct ratio. I was initially told i needed a new transmission but instead they replaced “a part”. Still had transmission issues and still brought it it. Nothing diagnosed. Tried to sell but everyone saw gear 2 was an issue. Took it back after warranty and told nothing was wrong with it. Lost so much money and faith in this brand.
What about the transmission issues- car is bucking and jerking randomly in lower gear. During this time it can’t accelerate and feels as if it would stall but hasn’t so far. Has to make anuturn and I thought it was going to stall but bucked and jerked its way through.
I have a chrysler pacifica 2017 limitted stalled while in freeway ramp on september 2018,i took the car to dealer and they said nothing wrong with that,on nov 2018 while driving we heard some jerking sound inside the car,car lost no connection with steering and wheel,car stopped hitting the curb,chrysler denied the claim since we hit the curb,actually car was at 20 mile per hour infront of the school
I have had the same problems with my 2017 limited also. I was going 15ish mph after dropping my kids off at school the steering went out and I hit a pole. The doors would just shut on my kids and would not stop shutting, I have had where I van would just shut off while driving, blu ray stopped working, the list goes on and on my van has been in the shop no lie 49 times. The transmission keeps hard shifting where at one time the Traffic came to a complete stop and it hard shift and about hit the car in front of us. We was in talks with Chrysler Resolution team. They kept telling us they was going to buy back the van. But as soon as the bumper to bumper warranty was up they said we will do Arbitration. And of course Arbitration couldn’t do anything because we was out of the bumper to bumper warranty. I would of not brought this van if I knew I would be putting my kids in a death trap
How do I get included in the lawsuit. I am an owner of the 2017 non hybrid Chrysler Pacifica mini van.
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