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Federal filingsHome›Recalls› 18V740000
NHTSA campaign 18V740000 · manufacturer recall U94

2017–2018 Chrysler Pacifica: engine and engine cooling recall

The improperly started engine could result in a loss of motive power increasing the risk of a crash or the unburned fuel in the catalyst may ignite increasing the risk of a fire.

critical 10,260 vehicles affected 98% reported repaired

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573
Problem Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicles (PHEV). After the vehicle has been operating in PHEV propulsion mode, the gas-fueled engine may not restart properly resulting in unburned fuel entering the exhaust catalyst. Risk The improperly started engine could result in a loss of motive power increasing the risk of a crash or the unburned fuel in the catalyst may ignite increasing the risk of a fire. Fix FCA will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain controller module software, and inspect and replace the catalytic converter as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U94.

Reported to NHTSA Oct 19, 2018 by Chrysler (FCA US LLC), owners notified Nov 15, 2018.

What that means, in plain English

Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wording

The defect presents two distinct hazards: loss of motive power (high) and unburned fuel igniting in the catalytic converter, which is a fire/thermal event risk that meets the critical threshold.

Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.

The fix, from the dealer bulletin

Source: NHTSA remedy instructions and dealer notice
Stop-sale Not stated in the dealer documents
Remedy Instructions filed: the dealer bulletin exists

Parts named

Part numberDescriptionQty
68093232AA
68271967AACrossUnder Pipe
68235531AG
68235532AD
05149171AA
05149180AA
06509298AA
06512105AA
06510676AA

Special tools

  • are required to reprogram the PCM  NPN wiTECH micro pod II  NPN Laptop Computer  NPN wiTECH Software  NPN Bore Scope

Torque

  • torqued to the proper specification 43 N·m (32 ft.lbs.)

Read from NHTSA’s copy of the manufacturer’s dealer documents (manufacturer campaign U94). The procedure itself is in the bulletin; a franchised dealer has the current copy on the manufacturer’s portal, and that copy governs. Working a lot or a fleet? Recall Watch carries this line on every VIN it checks: remedy status, hours, stop-sale.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 18V740000

Vehicles built Aug 16, 2016 to Aug 7, 2018 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.

Model yearClassSafety SignalRecalls on file
2017 Chrysler PacificaMinivanF17
2018 Chrysler PacificaMinivanF16

Those are the model years inside WhichTrim's range, 2016 onward. The campaign may cover others outside it, and the only thing that settles whether one specific vehicle is included is its VIN.

How much of it has been fixed

Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7
Reported repaired 98%

of the campaign

The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.

This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.

It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.

Campaign 18V740000 · the manufacturer calls it U94

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

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A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.

Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.

Photo: Taiga Miyamoto / Unsplash

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is U94 the same recall as 18V740000?

Yes. U94 is the number Chrysler (FCA US LLC) uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 18V740000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Aug 16, 2016 to Aug 7, 2018. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.