2017 Pacifica here. Around 50k miles on it. It has the auto start stop feature. Wife just notified me today that is exact issue has happened twice on the past week. Steering wheel gets stuck when going around a turn, and requires some force to get it unstuck. We need to make some noise on this, because this WILL cause an accident and possibly even worse. This is absolutely unacceptable for a vehicle this new to be having an issue that can easily kill someone.
2017 Steering Problems
Hi, all. First time poster here. We have a 2017 Pacifica Touring L Plus that we bought used in March 2020. Over the summer we noticed the steering frequently sticking when driving around curves, and long story short the problem happens at various speeds 30-80mph. Ay first it seemed to only stick slightly off center, but on a longer road trip it stuck even closer to center repeatedly. When the weather got colder here in Iowa it seems to have be happening as frequently...
And now, we started getting a stuttering on the steering when making tighter turns at low parking lot speeds.
This van has been inspected at a local independent shop and two different Chrysler dealership service shops this year! All three places say they cannot find anything wrong with the vehicle. One replaced the passenger side CV joint and axle after finding the CV boot was leaking, but that did not fix the steering problem.
We're very frustrated with this and at a loss of what to do. A web search shows that many people have experienced both of these issues, but there is no recall issued for vans without the electonic start/stop feature. Any advice?
Thanks!!
-Steve
And now, we started getting a stuttering on the steering when making tighter turns at low parking lot speeds.
This van has been inspected at a local independent shop and two different Chrysler dealership service shops this year! All three places say they cannot find anything wrong with the vehicle. One replaced the passenger side CV joint and axle after finding the CV boot was leaking, but that did not fix the steering problem.
We're very frustrated with this and at a loss of what to do. A web search shows that many people have experienced both of these issues, but there is no recall issued for vans without the electonic start/stop feature. Any advice?
Thanks!!
-Steve
61 - 75 of 75 Posts
Exact same issue here. Early 2017 Pacifica Touring L, 64k miles. I'm not the most knowledgeable car guy. But there is no way this is a tire issue, and almost certainly not a suspension issue. It's got to be related to the electronic power steering (oh what I wouldn't give for a good old fashioned reliable Hydraulic Assist...).
I liked the thinking about the recall (V-53 off the top of my head) about the bad ground. My van, not having the ESS feature, was not covered, but I performed it myself anyway, and it was about the cleanest ground contact I have ever seen! The problem persists.
Mine sticks primarily on Right turns, above 35mph, Driving with your hands at 10 & 2, it is not very noticeable, but driving with just my left hand, with my arm on the window sill, there is a decent "jerk" to bring the wheel back to center. It seems to happen almost every time I drive the van. I have not been to the shop yet. Two little kids at home & a full plate. Trying to do all my research first.
It is crazy that Chrysler has not tackled this issue yet. I would encourage everyone to fill out the NHTSA form. The more reports they get, the more likely Chrysler will fix it.
If anyone does have any success replacing steering parts, please update the group!
I liked the thinking about the recall (V-53 off the top of my head) about the bad ground. My van, not having the ESS feature, was not covered, but I performed it myself anyway, and it was about the cleanest ground contact I have ever seen! The problem persists.
Mine sticks primarily on Right turns, above 35mph, Driving with your hands at 10 & 2, it is not very noticeable, but driving with just my left hand, with my arm on the window sill, there is a decent "jerk" to bring the wheel back to center. It seems to happen almost every time I drive the van. I have not been to the shop yet. Two little kids at home & a full plate. Trying to do all my research first.
It is crazy that Chrysler has not tackled this issue yet. I would encourage everyone to fill out the NHTSA form. The more reports they get, the more likely Chrysler will fix it.
If anyone does have any success replacing steering parts, please update the group!
2017 with 17k miles. We’ve been having this issue with steering sticking around 40-60mph as well. Like another posted mentioned way back, it is typically around the 10-2oclock area. No one I mention this to seems to take it seriously at the dealership. They won’t even look into it.
Hi, all. First time poster here. We have a 2017 Pacifica Touring L Plus that we bought used in March 2020. Over the summer we noticed the steering frequently sticking when driving around curves, and long story short the problem happens at various speeds 30-80mph. Ay first it seemed to only stick slightly off center, but on a longer road trip it stuck even closer to center repeatedly. When the weather got colder here in Iowa it seems to have be happening as frequently...
And now, we started getting a stuttering on the steering when making tighter turns at low parking lot speeds.
This van has been inspected at a local independent shop and two different Chrysler dealership service shops this year! All three places say they cannot find anything wrong with the vehicle. One replaced the passenger side CV joint and axle after finding the CV boot was leaking, but that did not fix the steering problem.
We're very frustrated with this and at a loss of what to do. A web search shows that many people have experienced both of these issues, but there is no recall issued for vans without the electonic start/stop feature. Any advice?
Thanks!!
-Steve
Steve I know this is an older post but we have a 2019 Chrysler Pacifica and are experiencing the exact same issue. We come off a highway here in FTL 2 times a day - same curve - speed 40-50 mph and steering sticks. We have had the vehicle in many times for service and they can not seem to figure it out. Was there ever a resolution for you?
Has anyone found a solution to the sticky steering wheel issue on the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica?
Hi. I'm having the exact same issue with my 2917 chrysler pacifica. I found your post by searching Google. Did you ever get it figured out. You described exactly what I'm experiencing. I've had my van almost 2 years and this is a recent issue.Hey, if I'm curving off to either direction, usually just before the 1-o'clock or 11-o'clock positions, then let go of the wheel assuming it will return to center (like any normal vehicle) it stays stuck and needs a noticeable force to jerk it loose. It doesn't get stuck during sharper curves or turns... Tires are 235/60 R18.
I have a 2018 Pacifica Limited and over the past 6 months the steering wheel sticks when making a long right hand turn like getting on an off ramp. It's requires me to use some force to move it and it can be felt by all in the car. My van is at 60500 miles.
I have a 2017 with same issues. 130k miles. Sticks in both directions at speed. Did anyone find a fix?
Hello I have a 2017 and I am having the same issues with the steering around turns and in the parking lot at low speeds. I have bin battling these issues for a few years but they seem to be getting worse. Has anyone had any luck with any type of fix? Thanks for any info
Two years of people reporting the same issue but still no solution? Did anything ever come of the private messages with FCA?
I have a 2017 non-hybrid Pacifica Limited. It has had an off-again on-again steering wheel sticking problem noticed most frequently at highway speeds. I have reported it to the NHSTA but never received any response...presumably because it did not cause an accident...yet. My wife and I live with it but constantly remind each other to be aware of this issue while driving. It is disheartening to hear that no fix has been forthcoming.Two years of people reporting the same issue but still no solution? Did anything ever come of the private messages with FCA?
I have a 2017 Touring L (45K miles on vehicle) and it started this nonsense in September of last year. My tires show no sign of damage nor wear - tread is good. I initially thought it was grooved pavement so I mostly shrugged it off, and it didn't reappear until a recent 150-mile trip. It seems to only occur when I've been travelling at highway speed for at least 1/2 hour, and start making a slow sweeping turn to the right. The steering seems to lock in that position, and it takes a hard movement to unlock it, then everything is fine (until the next sweeping turn to the right). Oddly, on the return from that trip, I couldn't re-create the problem.
I just had the steering rack and gear replaced on 5/30/2023 for this problem.
I had the same symptoms described in this thread (sticking steering in turns, shimmy/rattle in steering wheel when making hard slow speed turns). The steering wheel felt like it had slack in it when moving it back and forth while stationary with engine running. It started occurring a few years ago with the sticking after driving about an hour on the highway but it was so intermittent, I knew it would be hard to replicate. Symptoms were occurring more often and consistently, so I took it to the dealer on 3/30/23. The problem was diagnosed as a worn steering rack and gear. It took Mopar 4 weeks to approve the repair under my lifetime extended warranty and another 3 weeks for the repair appointment.
I have not driven it enough to verify all symptoms are resolved but noticed a tighter steering feel immediately.
BTW, the repair bill was about $3200 of which I paid $100 deductible. The Mopar lifetime extended warranty cost about $2400. 64,000 miles currently on the van.
I had the same symptoms described in this thread (sticking steering in turns, shimmy/rattle in steering wheel when making hard slow speed turns). The steering wheel felt like it had slack in it when moving it back and forth while stationary with engine running. It started occurring a few years ago with the sticking after driving about an hour on the highway but it was so intermittent, I knew it would be hard to replicate. Symptoms were occurring more often and consistently, so I took it to the dealer on 3/30/23. The problem was diagnosed as a worn steering rack and gear. It took Mopar 4 weeks to approve the repair under my lifetime extended warranty and another 3 weeks for the repair appointment.
I have not driven it enough to verify all symptoms are resolved but noticed a tighter steering feel immediately.
BTW, the repair bill was about $3200 of which I paid $100 deductible. The Mopar lifetime extended warranty cost about $2400. 64,000 miles currently on the van.
Thank you Shawnee for following up with this group. I've been following these threads for years now! lol. I wouldn't hesitate to pay $3k to fix this problem, but I hate to hand it over to the Mechanic without really knowing what is wrong! Please follow up again in a month or two. I really hope this fixes your problems! Glad to hear that the dealerships are at least trying to fix these problems now.
I will follow up. If you are not doing the repair under warranty, the cost can be less than the $3200 the dealer would have charged. I looked up the part on one of the mopar online parts sites and the discounted price was around $1600. An independent mechanic should be able to do the job at a lower labor rate than the dealer.Thank you Shawnee for following up with this group. I've been following these threads for years now! lol. I wouldn't hesitate to pay $3k to fix this problem, but I hate to hand it over to the Mechanic without really knowing what is wrong! Please follow up again in a month or two. I really hope this fixes your problems! Glad to hear that the dealerships are at least trying to fix these problems now.
The down side, my doors now auto lock. They must have done some type of software update. I had auto lock turned off in the menu settings. I no longer have that choice in the menu. I have not followed up with dealer. It is not that big a deal, just a preference on my part only because the van will not auto unlock when put in park.
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