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2021 Chrysler Pacifica problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 85% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 232 of 372 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (140). For comparison, the 2020 scores 49% and the 2022 scores 62%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Chrysler Pacifica years
Of the 7 Chrysler Pacifica years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the worst on engine and transmission share (63%). The best is the 2019 (44%). By volume, the 2021 drew 372 complaints (232 drivetrain), against 170 for the 2020 and 214 for the 2022.
Chrysler Pacifica years to avoid and best years →
2017 Pacifica problems · 2018 Pacifica problems · 2019 Pacifica problems · 2020 Pacifica problems · 2021 · 2022 Pacifica problems · 2023 Pacifica problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 232 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Chrysler Pacifica engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
7 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Chrysler Pacifica? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 232 of 372 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica is electrical system: 152 of 372 complaints (41%) name it, followed by engine (140) and power train (119). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 63% of the relevant total.
Is the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 63% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 85% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 7 Chrysler Pacifica years we score, it ranks worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica?
No. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Chrysler Pacifica years are better?
Among the Chrysler Pacifica years we track, the 2019 (44%), the 2020 (49%) and the 2018 (55%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chrysler-pacifica
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.