[Steve Poff]

My issue was the oil cooler was leaking. I have talked to several Chrysler Mechanics and they all say the same thing about they don't know why there isn't a recall yet. I was quoted $12k for an engine replacement on mine and it's been at the dealership since May 5th and it is still there.

 

[M0Par]

My issue was the oil cooler was leaking. I have talked to several Chrysler Mechanics and they all say the same thing about they don't know why there isn't a recall yet. I was quoted $12k for an engine replacement on mine and it's been at the dealership since May 5th and it is still there.

Of course it was. It's designed to fail. Chrysler copied the German manufactuers who use plastics in the cooling system. Plastics anywhere near the heat cycling of an engine is one of the dumbest engineering decisiones ever made.

Those of us with experience maintaining the BMW E46 engine know the biggest threat to grenade that engine is due to the plastic cooling system components.

At least BMW required you to actually overheat the engine. Chrysler isn't that smart.

 

[Mexglx]

Just did the preventative cooling system replacement on my e46 at 95k miles. Radiator, wpump, hoses, tstat. Although to be fair, there is no 24mm hex on the coolant or oil cap to tighten it. Its hand tight only. Also on the oil cap on my e46 the filter housing is aluminum not plastic so really, not at all the same as the Pacifica. No other plastic parts require a socket wrench to tighten.

 

[M0Par]

Just did the preventative cooling system replacement on my e46 at 95k miles. Radiator, wpump, hoses, tstat. Although to be fair, there is no 24mm hex on the coolant or oil cap to tighten it. Its hand tight only. Also on the oil cap on my e46 the filter housing is aluminum not plastic so really, not at all the same as the Pacifica. No other plastic parts require a socket wrench to tighten.

Nice! Which model? Hopefully aging very well for you.

 

[damon.gard.pastor]

Well to be fair an oil cooling housing made of plastic is just cheap and is waiting to be destroyed. It is almost like they designed this car so that you would take it back in for repairs on purpose. I watched a video on it and it is an hour long job for a mechanic to do breaking the engine down and putting a new one on.

 

[Steve Poff]

One of my best friends works at a Chrysler dealership and he said there probably isn't a recall because it is a consumable item.

 

[M0Par]

One of my best friends works at a Chrysler dealership and he said there probably isn't a recall because it is a consumable item.

Thanks for that insight.

If that's true, then they got confused between the oil housing filter and the filter itself.

It also would be great to hear them say that in court. Would open them up to huge liability.

 

[Steve Poff]

There's also a star report about the oil cooler

 

[M0Par]

The Pentastar Problem: Oil Leak Issues in Chrysler V6 Engines

The Pentastar V6 oil filter housing design flaw causes oil leaks in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, & Ram models. Learn about the issue and potential solutions.

www.ecogard.com

Yup. I've seen that suggested on these forums. It's all bunk. Chrysler is the source of all these issues.

 

[PacificaMinivanFan]

Interesting article. I will add a reference to it in the 2017+ Pacifica Engine Failure Owners List thread.

 

[Mexglx]

Nice! Which model? Hopefully aging very well for you.

She is still crazy after all these years.

 

[M0Par]

She is still crazy after all these years. View attachment 54544

Oh yeah, you're the other E46 M3 afficionado on this site.

 

[PacificaMinivanFan]

The Pentastar Problem: Oil Leak Issues in Chrysler V6 Engines

The Pentastar V6 oil filter housing design flaw causes oil leaks in Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, & Ram models. Learn about the issue and potential solutions.

www.ecogard.com

Yup. I've seen that suggested on these forums. It's all bunk. Chrysler is the source of all these issues.

The article had this interesting tidbit:
"There have been so many complaints – with the OE replacements even, that Chrysler has discontinued the manufacturing of the Pentastar oil filter housing and cooler assembly."

Is this really true? This was published in September of 2021. My '21 Pacifica was built in October of 2021, and it appears to have the same plastic oil cooler as wife's '18. Are oil coolers built in later months built by someone else, and are they of an improved design?

The article goes on to say, "Even more surprising is that Chrysler has known about this problem for a long time and has never issued a recall."

 

[92549]

I have a 2018. Same issues. Water loss with no identifiable leak. Holds pressure. Lots of errors that look towards lifter failure and overheating. The dealer said the engine was "full of sludge" because it had been a rental car and that it would cost about $12,000 to replace it. There are so my other things that they got right, and I desperately want to like this car. I just can't believe there's never been a recall. Clearly the dealer is either being told to lie or just does on their own.

 

[PacificaMinivanFan]

Hi @dleland. So sorry to read of your Pacifica engine issues. One would think that the cooling system should not be holding pressure if there is loss of coolant. Maybe the engine is running so hot that coolant is basically cooking away?

Can you share what diagnostic codes were found by the dealer? Any mention of failed head gaskets, warped cylinder heads, cracked block or the like?

The sludge found in the engine by the dealer is telling. This basically points to maintenance neglect by the rental company which would not be the fault of the manufacturer and not worthy of a recall.

 

[stlbarbiegirl]

If you have a 2017+ Pacifica that has required a motor replacement in under 100,000 miles please list the following in this thread. Regardless if it was covered under warranty.
1. Year model
2. Trim level
3. Milage

I’m preparing a list to provide to an attorney for a class action lawsuit. I currently have 53 confirmed cracks in engine blocks due to a possible casting error in the blocks itself with milage less than 70k miles.

2017
Touring
86,000
blown head gasket, never overheated.

2017 Touring 65000 feels like transmission is jumping

 

[damon.gard.pastor]

Or water in the engine

 

[92549]

Hi @dleland. So sorry to read of your Pacifica engine issues. One would think that the cooling system should not be holding pressure if there is loss of coolant. Maybe the engine is running so hot that coolant is basically cooking away?

Can you share what diagnostic codes were found by the dealer? Any mention of failed head gaskets, warped cylinder heads, cracked block or the like?

The sludge found in the engine by the dealer is telling. This basically points to maintenance neglect by the rental company which would not be the fault of the manufacturer and not worthy of a recall.

I'm fairly sure they were lying about the sludge. They showed me pictures of the valve covers removed, but they'd already put the engine back together, and I never saw the exposed parts themselves. When I took a careful look at those covers they didn't even look as if they'd been removed. I certainly didn't see anything that indicated a huge buildup. I asked him why they couldn't just drop the pan, clean it out, and run some engine cleaner. They hemmed and hawwed about that.

I was getting codes that first said cylinder 6 was misfiring. Then they gave valve timing errors. now it's showing cylinder 6 injector is running low pressure.

As for the coolant, it never ran hot except one time when it was a little low and the sensor kept getting exposed. It wasn't for long, and I see no signs of a blown head gasket. I used to have a 1989 Ford Taurus with the 2800cc V6. That one really was notorious for blowing head gaskets, and it was very obvious: steam trails from the exhaust, coolant leaks around the engine. The Pacifica isn't doing any of those things. The oil is clear. No signs of water in it.

This has all been a crazy mess. I've worked on cars for decades on the side but I just don't want to do it anymore, I want to concentrate on my artwork and the book I'm writing. I was very rigorous about maintenance on this car.

 

[PacificaMinivanFan]

As for the coolant, it never ran hot except one time when it was a little low and the sensor kept getting exposed. It wasn't for long, and I see no signs of a blown head gasket.

How much time passed from the time you last saw the coolant tank at the MAX or MIN level and the time you noticed the engine was overheating?

Also, do you (or any forum members) know what the level of the coolant in the tank is at the point when the sensor is exposed? Is the tank all but empty? Is air getting into the pressurized cooling system?

 

[PacificaMinivanFan]

The article had this interesting tidbit:
"There have been so many complaints – with the OE replacements even, that Chrysler has discontinued the manufacturing of the Pentastar oil filter housing and cooler assembly."

Is this really true? This was published in September of 2021. My '21 Pacifica was built in October of 2021, and it appears to have the same plastic oil cooler as wife's '18. Are oil coolers built in later months built by someone else, and are they of an improved design?

The article goes on to say, "Even more surprising is that Chrysler has known about this problem for a long time and has never issued a recall."

To answer my own question about an updated oil cooler, I found this video.