@ChryslerCares

 

@DJLisso check this out. I’m having almost the exact same problem with the exact same time line and mileage

 

This seems to be EXACTLY the same situation I'm having.

Mine was at 77k miles.

I've been without my Pacifica now since 8/19. This last round they've had it since 9/27. Over a MONTH now. There has been ZERO Movement.

I went in on 10/20 to discuss a loaner vehicle and they had me authorize an Engine teardown... It has now been 12 days, and they havent even STARTED it.

@ChryslerCares Has been involved, but my dealership doesn't seem to care...

I feel for your situation COMPLETELY... This is my THIRD Chrysler/Dodge vehicle... and my Experiences have been middling at best...

 

I see a trend beginning on higher milage Pacificas. Report your finding to NHTSA | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

 

Well, this is certainly discouraging, but not sure this is a widespread problem. I've seen used 2017 and 2018 Pacificas for sale with well over 70k miles. Moreover, the Pentastar 3.6L V-6 has a pretty good track record for reliability.

I am curious, though, if the dealer found anything that could trace the problem back to, say, improper maintenance. Was the vehicle purchased new or used? I would hope there are records somewhere of oil changes using Chrysler-approved oil and filter, or of topping off coolant if needed with the proper Chrysler-approved coolant. Remember the early rollout of DexCool? It was always the case that if you put anything other than DexCool into a GM vehicle that required DexCool, head gaskets would fail.

Another angle is to know if the motors in question were all built during the same time frame. Maybe an insect flew into a master mold casting process for the block allowing coolant to leak into a cylinder. Who knows? If it turns out to be a manufacturing defect, I agree that Chrysler should take care of all those affected.

Not mentioned by OP is the conversation, if any, they had with the dealer regarding goodwill assistance. For now, though, ThisSuckersElectrical offers the best advice and that is to report the problem to NHTSA at the link provided. DJLisso might do the same.

I'll be following this thread with hopes that Wesg1989 will keep us up to date with any new developments. Same with the similar thread started by DJLisso.

In the meantime, fingers crossed that both cases are resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

 

What’s your mileage

 

Title of thread says 70,000 miles.

 

Sometimes pays to dig up service history as well . If it’s same common denominator than you’d see more cases of motors , esp how widespread the 3.6 was utilized in majority of fca vehicles .

 

I'm finding an unusual bump in these issues while browsing PacificaForums. I think this is more common than it should be.

Our 2018 Pacific has 82k miles and the left bank (1,3,5) head gasket appears to have just failed. We have our service appointment Tuesday to find out for sure.

These engines run, even when they begin to fail catastrophically. I don't know where the OP lives, but if I drove my Pacifica in its current condition to the beach, I'd guarantee the engine would seize.

 

Its not just pacificas.. anything using the 3.6 liter gas engine is suspect. The biggest issue is poor hardening of the rocker arms. You can hear a "tick, tick..tick" that sounds like a bad lifter or exhaust leak. Mine died in my 2015 TC at 60K miles. Took out the entire engine which was replaced under warranty. The service writer didn't even bat an eye when I pulled in. Knew exactly what it was without opening the hood. Took a month to get a new long block. The trans died 20K after that. I had extended warranty and I think after 2 months they are finally giving in this week to OK the work to fix it.

The 4 Most Common FCA Pentastar 3.6L Engine Problems

Learn about the 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine. 3.6 Pentastar reliability and common problems including the cylinder head, rocker arms, & oil pump.

tuningpro.co

Chrysler 'Pentastar Tick' Lawsuit Says Warranty Is Faulty

A Chrysler "Pentastar tick" lawsuit alleges certain vehicles were excluded from a Chrysler extended warranty for the V6 engines. The lawsuit alleges the 3.6-liter Pentastar engines were designed in a way that causes excessive wear on the left cylinder heads which causes the left cylinder heads...

www.carcomplaints.com

 

Its not just pacificas.. anything using the 3.6 liter gas engine is suspect. The biggest issue is poor hardening of the rocker arms. You can hear a "tick, tick..tick" that sounds like a bad lifter or exhaust leak. Mine died in my 2015 TC at 60K miles. Took out the entire engine which was replaced under warranty. The service writer didn't even bat an eye when I pulled in. Knew exactly what it was without opening the hood. Took a month to get a new long block. The trans died 20K after that. I had extended warranty and I think after 2 months they are finally giving in this week to OK the work to fix it.

The 4 Most Common FCA Pentastar 3.6L Engine Problems

Learn about the 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine. 3.6 Pentastar reliability and common problems including the cylinder head, rocker arms, & oil pump.

tuningpro.co

I guess I read the article a little differently. It says the "biggest issue" is cylinder head failures on the left bank in 2011-2013 Pentastar V-6s. Rocker arms came second. The article says, "Rocker arm failures likely aren’t as common as the internet may suggest. At the same time, it’s an important topic as rocker arms are one of the more expensive 3.6 Pentastar problems." Third is cooling system issues stemming from residual sand from the casting process, and fourth is oil pump problems that may be related to the same sand clogging issue.

The writer asks near the end if the Pentastar 3.6L is reliable. "Short answer – yes. The FCA 3.6L Pentastar engine is reliable. We’ll give the Pentastar above average marks for reliability. Again, there is a reason this engine is powering so many flagship vehicles from Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, and Ram; the same reason it’s been around for a decade. The FCA 3.6L engine is reliable and efficient all while providing solid performance.

"That said, it’s not hard to continue Googling the 3.6L Pentastar engine and finding plenty of owners with problems. As far as we’re aware, some 10 million plus Pentastar engines were produced to date. That’s a lot of engines. All engines are prone to problems, especially with that volume of production. Mistakes happen. No machine or person is completely perfect. Sometimes reliability simply comes down to the luck of the draw.

"Fortunately, it appears the overwhelming majority of Pentastar V6 owners have great experiences with the engine. One of the things we can control is maintenance. Maintain your FCA 3.6L well and chances are it will be an excellent engine that you can enjoy trouble free for years and years. There are even a few cases of the Pentastar holding up to 500,000+ miles. How’s that for longevity?"

The writer then summarizes, "Reading about common problems is always scary. At least it is for us; suddenly we start thinking and assuming the worst. That’s the last thing we want when writing common engine problem posts and it’s especially true with the 3.6L Pentastar. It truly is a sound engine, overall. Reliable, efficient, smooth, and solid performance. There’s not much to complain about, but no engine is perfect.

"Some early examples of the 3.6L Pentastar ran into problems with the cylinder head due to overheating valve seats on the #2 cylinder. Rocker arms, cooling system parts, and oil pumps are among a few other well documented issues. However, we believe they’re well documented thanks to the 10 million plus Pentastar engines. The 3.6L FCA Pentastar really is a great, reliable engine. No engine is perfect, but there’s a reason so many Pentastar’s are out there. We believe that reason is this: it’s pretty **** good at its job."

In my particular case, zero problems with the motor existed ( aside from it starting to idle rough ) until AFTER they did the maintenance, including plug change and oil cooler replacement...

I drove it into their service department on 8/19, and have had this problem since the day I paid for those repairs And it failed to start In their service lot...

Ok, well, this sounds like you may be the victim of a problem that was caused by the service department and not necessarily by an inherent problem with the engine itself. Hope you can get to the bottom of it.

Wesg1989 and DJLisso, please keep us updated!

 

I didn't have the coolant issue.. I guess thats a good thing :/ My rocker arms ended up shedding metal and taking out the bearings. It was ugly ..

 

Just got off the phone with the dealership... Looks like they're going to be requesting a new motor. They said they THOUGHT it was going to be a head gasket, but it appears one of the Cylinders Cracked. They don't know HOW that happened... ( My guess is, as someone alluded to earlier, that the mechanic who went to change the plugs perhaps dropped a portion of the plug into the hole and then put the new plug on top of it.. but I might be a BIT Cynical/Jaded at this point...)

So they're going to wait for an inspector to come look at it, and then go from there... Looks like i'm still at LEAST another 2-3 weeks out... Happy thanksgiving to me, I guess... grumble

 

You brought it up.

 

Quote me where I said NHTSA does warranty claims.

 

Getting back to the topic at hand, was the featured vehicle of this thread purchased new or used? With a cylinder filled with fluid, was it known before the failure if the coolant or oil levels were low? Any sign of leaks under the vehicle where it is parked? Sorry, I'm just trying to get a more complete picture of the problem here.

 

If you cannot back up what you post, And do not want to be called out, then do not post bad info.

 

Guys let's get back on topic. The are two forum members that seem to be having pretty serious issues with their engines. We don't need to do the thread with posts that don't help them out. Keep on topic.

 

3, count me in

 

Digging into the previous NHTSA data from the last round 2011-2013 it has been reported cylinder 3 or 5 some times both as the point of failure. Multiple brands, Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler being they all used the same engine as most of them do today. The investigation revealed it had something to do with sand and casting causing defects from the foundry making the engine blocks. The top reported complaints were engine tapping, misfiring, head gasket failure, coolant in the combustion chamber, engine stalling, and total engine failure.

This is why it is important to report problems to the NTSHA to get the ball rolling for investigations.

Report a Vehicle Safety Problem, Equipment Issue | NHTSA

This problem would be reported as:

Engine: includes the internal combustion engine and related systems that power the vehicle such as cooling (fan, radiator, hoses, coolant) and exhaust (catalyst, pipes, muffler) system components, fan/drive belt components, turbo/superchargers, and other related engine components for gasoline, diesel, or other internal combustion engines that may present a safety hazard.

A recent problem with RAM trucks only took 22 complaints to begin an investigation last month. While this is not engine-related and possibly a fuel pump issue, it doesn't matter. It began an investigation into the problem.

NHTSA Investigating Ram HD Diesel Trucks over Stall Reports

NHTSA Probes Cummins-Equipped Diesel Ram HD Trucks Over Fuel Pump, Stalling Issues

DOT NHTSA ODI Document

 

Yes I was wandering same engines are used in cars vans and trucks and having same problem, good posting.

 

Which engine?

 

Same issues for me. Coolant in cylinder 5. Needed new head gasket. Problems started at around 80,000 miles. Car had regular oil changes and maintenance.

 

Did you go to the dealer? What did they charge you?

 

All right, with so many complaints of the same failure, now it's time to be really concerned that there is a systemic problem with Chrysler's Pentastar engine. I hope everyone with the issue files a report with NHTSA and writes a letter to Chrysler. Contact info s/b near the back of the owner's manual. This sounds like it could be class-action lawsuit material.

 

We’re experiencing this same issue as well. 2017 with 69k miles 😞

 

Has anybody contacted Chrysler Cares when they reach out? Do they just get data for their records, or actually help?

 

Yikes. I have had zero issues with my 2005 Odyssey but this thread has me seriously concerned with my 2021 PACHY. Hoping Toyota comes out with a plug in Sienna before my PACHY warranty expires so I can trade it in.

 

I wouldn't be concerned. I am not. If there is a manufacturing issue it should be addressed and not left on the backs of the owners for the mistake.

 

Most Engines will out last the vehicle these days. If you want to feel protected purchace an extended Warranty direct from the manufacture and use the proper parts and lubricants . I owned a service center for 32 years and serviced 60-100 vehicles a day with very few failures. Most of my customers did 100k over a 10 year period and I had very few failures. Statistically most engine failures are Korean and Japanese. American cars fall apart very slowly and steadily but last much longer. Asian brands are trouble free and then self-destruct At about 100,000 miles. I have tracked that data with over 8000 customers for 32 years. And I know it to be true. That’s why police cars in Taxis are generally American built . NYPD purchased Asian cars years ago for police use and they fell apart within two years. I had a fleet of 50+ Lincoln town cars and from victorious that ran for over 500,000 miles without a single major mechanical failure.

 

Same exact issue I am having on my 2017 Pacifica with 100,740 miles on it. I took my car in for regular service oil change and recommended tune up. Ever since this was done my car was misfiring P0305 code. I brought it back 4x. The dealer called today to say I have coolant leaking in the cylinder. It can be anywhere from a head gasket to a new engine. They won’t know until they take the engine apart. My question is should I even proceed with the engine tear down and possible new engine or cut my losses.

 

I would cut your losses and ditch it now. Its a vehicle with a poor reputation for reliability anyways, I wouldn't put money into it I would trade it now.

In my opinion it's extremely rare to have one of these pacifica's engines torn down at 70,000 miles

There are like 5 people here on the forum right now that are in this situation, I would say this isn't as rare as you might think nor is this issue as "solved" as you might think.

 

A power steering pump failure is nowhere near as serious as an engine failure, nor is a transmission failure really. Ford Explorers are well known for transmission issues. And again, we're not making comparisons here, I'm just saying that this is something the Pacifica community needs to watch as more of these vehicles get to this level of mileage, and something someone shopping for this vehicle used or with the intention of keeping it for 100k+ miles needs to watch too. Just looking at the posts over the last 2 months or so here on this subject we're hearing more and more about this and it raises concerns for me. These issues are not normal, if they are a common issue for Pentastars of this build as they reach these mileages thats a big deal.

The insinuation that concerns discussed on forums shouldn't be worried about because "people just post on forums to complain" is total hogwash. It certainly doesn't mean EVERYONE will experience those issues, but it does clue you in to what potentially to look out for. Certainly I would tell anybody looking for an Explorer to be cognizant of transmission issues, as I would people with mid 2000s-2010 or so Honda products that had a lot of failed transmissions. Those links you posted aren't even to forums. The Explorer community has a very active forum.

 

I'm using transmissions and power steering pumps as mere examples, if you'd like to see blown engines on Fords, Chevys and other makes that are two years old on forums I can gladly post them and will gladly sign up on all those other forums just to prove a point to you. Would you like me to do that??. You are very dense and or difficult because you think you have to have the last word and you think you know everything. I've already told you 4 times now "most" people sign up on auto forums when they are having problems and they need ADVICE AND OR HELP ON SOMETHING THATS BROKEN!.. I'm sure most people will agree with me so you don't have to fight it. Of course there's going to be conversationalists and enthusiasts but that's not the main audience on here. Do you understand now? Go to Ford forums and type in blown engines on new Expeditions and they'll be 10+ people with blown engines on that thread with their new Expeditions.. The 3rd generation 3.6 Pentastar is not known for motors blowing at 70k miles that's not their reputation at all. If its happened then its rare, coincidental and sh** happens with many variables in between. Again No need for a debate any further there's nothing you're going to tell me that I haven't heard already from you now...
And for you to tell someone to ditch their '17 with 100,000+ miles on it that it's got a bad reputation is rediculous. Alot of vehicles have head gaskets go out at that mileage it's very common That's not what that guy wants to hear right now negative Nelly... Might just be a head gasket and not the best news but it can be fixed or just go on Ebay and get a used engine for $2k with 50k miles on it and have it dropped In for $500. With those kind of miles just drop in another engine and keep going. I've done that on other vehicles problem solved...

 

From a quality, independent mechanic shop:

2019 Engine Replacement Costs | Labor Costs - Bridwell Automotive

www.bridwellautocenter.com

 

You're preaching to the choir buddy I don't care about your little ad about what replacement cost is and their opinions,, it depends on who you take it to, there are private shops that are starving that would gladly do that for very cheap... it's funny how you cut and paste things that I say and throw it back to me like you're teaching me a lesson like I don't know what I just wrote. LOL. Get a life buddy go find something to do it's a nice Saturday out

 

Since its cheaper to replace an entire engine than to replace head gaskets, we should just all replace our engines instead of making most repairs right? Why does anybody even bother replacing spark plugs? Just replace the engine. Changing the oil for $100 a pop, huge ripoff. Just replace the engine every couple of years right?

 

A head gasket is extremely intense and expensive you have to split the motor, a lot of times when those go bad most people elect to just change out the engine for the same cost sometimes even cheaper with half the miles as exactly in this situation. Or didn't you know that

 

Saying something over and over again doesn’t make it true. Neither of those statements are true.

 

The 3.6 Pentastar 3rd generation for the 3rd time is not known for this its an extreme rarity. Just because 4 people are on this forum with a problem doesn't hold alot of water. We shouldn't be talking about replacing an engine in a 17 Pacifica but other new makes and models such as Chevy, Ford etc are prone to serious engine damage to.

 

Then please show us the posts about engine failures from forums for 2017 or newer Chevys and Fords.

And hence why I said we don’t know if this is a common issue yet or not, but it’s certainly concerning.

 

The 3.6 Pentastar for the 3rd time is not known for this its an extreme rarity. Just because 4 people are on this forum with a problem doesn't hold alot of water. We shouldn't be talking about replacing an engine in a 17 Pacifica but other new makes and models such as Chevy, Ford etc are prone to serious engine damage to.

 

Was hoping to see some updates here. But… Wow. In the time you two ladies spent finger fighting, I had taught my daughter how to ride her bicycle today. I think both of you have decent points to make. I’d encourage you to go live your lives lol. No one has to be 100% right, all the time.

I am tracking this because I have a genuine concern for my ‘20. My coolant keeps dropping small increments when I drive and I’m thinking it may have a head gasket issue as there are no obvious external leaks. I checked on autotrader for fun and saw there were Pacifica’s with well over 200k on them. With no crazy data in the car fax (not that it’s all that reliable). My coolant level has dropped from the max to min line in a week. When I caught it, it was maybe 3cm below minimum after a trip. Needless to say, it is concerning. I’ve never had to keep an eye on my coolant like this before 😂

 

This is purely entertainment for me lol

I am tracking this because I have a genuine concern for my ‘20. My coolant keeps dropping small increments when I drive and I’m thinking it may have a head gasket issue as there are no obvious external leaks. I checked on autotrader for fun and saw there were Pacifica’s with well over 200k on them. With no crazy data in the car fax (not that it’s all that reliable). My coolant level has dropped from the max to min line in a week. When I caught it, it was maybe 3cm below minimum after a trip. Needless to say, it is concerning. I’ve never had to keep an eye on my coolant like this before 😂

It would be truly astonishing if your 20 had a blown head gasket, but if it does at least you are still under warranty. Have you taken it in to the dealer? They're going to top it off probably and tell you its fine, but I would do that anyways just to get the concern on record in case you ever do have an issue.

Some coolant use is not necessarily indicative of a problem.

other new makes and models such as Chevy, Ford etc are prone to serious engine damage to.

No proof, got it.