1st generation (crossover) · Chrysler CS · 4,826 complaints, 4,024 with mileage
Owners filed 4,826 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2008 Chrysler Pacifica, and 4,024 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
48% of failures occur beyond 100,000 miles — a wear pattern. The car generally reaches substantial mileage before trouble starts.
The most-reported areas are body structure (20.3% of complaints, typically around 112,000 miles), the engine (12.6% of complaints, typically around 114,000 miles), the engine and its cooling system (9.9% of complaints, typically around 58,900 miles).
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 981 | 20.3% | 112,000 | 88,000–138,000 |
| Engine | 608 | 12.6% | 114,000 | 91,000–140,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 479 | 9.9% | 58,900 | 27,000–88,581 |
| Power Train | 449 | 9.3% | 80,000 | 40,633–114,000 |
| Suspension | 431 | 8.9% | 110,000 | 82,144–134,000 |
| Electrical System | 341 | 7.1% | 77,500 | 26,000–118,779 |
| Unknown Or Other | 219 | 4.5% | 119,000 | 90,573–141,000 |
| Steering | 194 | 4.0% | 83,500 | 50,000–121,214 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 175 | 3.6% | 122,000 | 89,800–152,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 159 | 3.3% | 72,000 | 46,000–100,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,332 | 1,101 |
| 2005 | 1,802 | 1,489 |
| 2006 | 1,056 | 889 |
| 2007 | 481 | 409 |
| 2008 | 155 | 136 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 96,125 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Body structure accounts for 20.3% of complaints (981 reports, 848 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 112,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 88,000 and 138,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 12.6% of complaints (608 reports, 532 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 114,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 91,000 and 140,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (479 reports, 416 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 58,900 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 27,000 and 88,581 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 9.3% of complaints (449 reports, 379 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 80,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,633 and 114,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 8.9% of complaints (431 reports, 349 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 110,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 82,144 and 134,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.1% of complaints (341 reports, 274 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 26,000 and 118,779 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 1,802 complaints — while 2008 drew the fewest at 155. The median year sits at 1,056.
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Of the 4,826 complaints filed against this generation, 138 reported a crash; 89 reported a fire; 126 reported an injury; 14 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 2.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, a late-failure pattern shifts the question from whether to when. 48% of reported failures occur beyond 100,000 miles, so an example approaching that figure is approaching the range where other owners started reporting problems. The middle half of all failures falls between 58,000 and 128,000 miles.
On inspection, body structure and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 112,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
A broken retaining pin on the rocker arm shaft blocks the oil passage, producing a loud top-end ticking noise and eventual valvetrain wear. Affects the 3.5L, 3.8L and 4.0L V6 across the whole run; the single most-reported engine complaint for this generation.
Failure of the externally mounted input/output speed sensors and of the solenoid pack, dropping the transmission into limp mode (locked in 2nd gear) with a P0700 stored. Common enough that P0700 is the signature code for this platform.
Front engine cradle corrodes and can split apart in salt-belt states, in severe cases allowing the powertrain to drop. A structural rust failure mode, not a wear item.
Carbon buildup on the intake valves of the 3.5L and 4.0L V6 causing misfires and check-engine lights.