Anyone own or ever work on any Chrysler Pacifica's

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 10:13 PM

Been searching for a family hauler the past couple months and wanted to get any input on the Pacifica.

From the reviews I see they have a few issues, 15-17mpg, ABS sensors going out every 30k, some report massive oil consumption.... >1qt every thousand miles

, Tie rods at 40k.

These aren't anything overwhelming to me other than the oil eating. I can throw some parts at one now and then. I wanted to see if there were any owners or family members that had one, maybe any Chrysler techs that have the inside scoop on any big things that should concern me.

I can't say I have ever worked on one other than maybe an oil change.

Any input would be helpful.

I'm comparing these against things like Explorers/Mountaineers, Highlanders/RX3xx, Pilot/MDX, Freestyle.... etc.... Third row seating types.

Looking under $10K, under 100K miles and all wheel drive.

JuicedH22 · 10-16-2009, 10:19 PM

Hey man, I have been looking at family haulers too. I REALLY like the Freestyle, test drive one if you havent yet.

apocalypse · 10-16-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuicedH22

Hey man, I have been looking at family haulers too. I REALLY like the Freestyle, test drive one if you havent yet.

Yea, x2. Those transmissions are AWESOME....

Anywho, a close family friend had a Pacifica at one point, and they hated it. It was just one problem after the other....

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 10:34 PM

We are probably going this weekend to drive a few different things. I want to look at the Freestyle some more. All of the ones under $10k have a ton of miles on them. They have good reviews, I'm a little leery about the CVT but I don't see any complaints even with 150k on them.

I'm so unsatisfied with about every car out there now. I see everything at our shop so I have a good idea on what the normal issues are on most cars.

I drove an '03 Mountaineer the other day with 70k miles and it had everything wrong with it that normally happens, one or two wheel bearings were growling, the left rear spring was broken, the brakes were shot and rotors rusting off of it......

I like the Pilot/MDX but I'm afraid of the trans issues. I can handle a couple hundred bucks here and there but even at my "buddy" price i don't want to drop $1600 on a rebuild that its probably going to need.

Idk... it seems like everything is fucking garbage.

apocalypse · 10-16-2009, 10:49 PM

Please please PLEASE don't buy a Freestyle. The CVT is beyond dog shit. I can't remember the lady's name. She's a waitress at Skyline in Springdale. Always comes into my work. She's put 3 valve bodies in hers in the last 2 years. She's also had a new chassis wiring harness in recently. That car's had thousands dumped in it in recent months. Take it from me, I see it on a weekly basis. The Freestyle and 500 are trash.

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 10:54 PM

There are no good cars out there anymore...... I'm sad :(....

JuicedH22 · 10-16-2009, 10:55 PM

I disagree with Andy. Partly.

In 05, the first year, the CVTs were pretty overdesigned, pretty damn robust, most specifically the AWD version. If you have one w/ over 50k miles that hasnt had any of hte 'normal' problems, it will pretty much be bullet proof. Most of hte problems came in 06 when they tried to cut costs/and "improve" the process, which actualy caused more problems.

How do I know about these transmission? They were built right here in Cincinnati, at the Batavia plant... where i worked as a manufacturing engineer.

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 11:01 PM

Shay dizzle...... so look for '05's..... any build date cutoff or other tell tale signs on the good ones you know of Juicy?

meatmarket · 10-16-2009, 11:02 PM

I debuted the Pacrapsica in 03, and an updated version in 04, they sucked then, and had major tranny issues, even in their 2nd year of production. They are very under powered, and have body control module issues, like possessed car type shit... I haven't seen many issues on the freestyle or the 500's other than a few tranny issues under warranty at my (Ford) dealership... But then again I don't deal much with rode hard and put away shit, most of the stuff I work on has less than 50k on the clock... Personally I want a Sport Trac with the 4.6. I don't think you can go wrong with a 4.6 xploder either... Just my .02....

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 11:10 PM

Yea a 4.6 Ploder wouldn't be bad.... they still have wheel bearing issues, not a big deal though.... I can't believe the corrosion issues that chassis has.. the brakes rust off before they are half gone from wear.

You can bet I'm pulling out the borescope on whatever I'm looking at too......haha

Bunjiro · 10-16-2009, 11:20 PM

Pacifica's seems to have a long list of problems from the ones I have worked on, over and over again. I know the Mountaniers have an issue with wheel bearings not lasting very long either, but they are easy to replace and very cheap so that is not a big deal. The e-brake shoes like to rust off also. The others you listed I do not have much of an opinion with.

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 11:30 PM

There are a lot of Explorer/Mountaineers out there. I just don't want to buy one that is all fucked up... although I could prob use that as leverage...... but at the same time I don't want a 60k mile one that will need all the shit next year too..

I'm looking at another Mountinqueer next week. It's a 4.0 witch I don't really want but it's supposed to be clean.

So the Pacifica is an '04 with 96k, it's loaded to the gills; nav, 4 heated seats, premuim sound blah blah.... asking price is $7995....

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/ctd/1422612449.html

????????

Kisor · 10-16-2009, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meatmarket

I debuted the Pacrapsica in 03, and an updated version in 04, they sucked then, and had major tranny issues, even in their 2nd year of production. They are very under powered, and have body control module issues, like possessed car type shit... I haven't seen many issues on the freestyle or the 500's other than a few tranny issues under warranty at my (Ford) dealership... But then again I don't deal much with rode hard and put away shit, most of the stuff I work on has less than 50k on the clock... Personally I want a Sport Trac with the 4.6. I don't think you can go wrong with a 4.6 xploder either... Just my .02....

Hey Tim, is that a Chrysler based engine or Benz?? something i ran across said it was a SOHC? EDIT: nevermind... I forgot those were SOHC's... thinking of the 2.7's

And anything on oil consumption issues?? edmunds is full of people bitching

meatmarket · 10-16-2009, 11:54 PM

If I remember correctly it is a Benz "based" motor they had planned on making a "world" motor.. it went 3.5, 3.8, (07 and later is a 4.0, the 3.8 was also put in the Jeeps replacing the 4.0 i-6, all SOHC If my memory serves me right, and for some reason I think I even had a few FWD models that had the 3.3 too, but they may have been left over mule cars), but anything later than an 05 I can't speak for, as you know I stopped doing car tours in 04 due to injury... (but now I am fully recovered.. yay!!)

The Benz C class wagon and the Pacifica shared the same chassis design, at least that was the pitch they gave all the salesmen that were being trained. Personally I think it is just look alike benz suspension components on a Chrysler chassis... Kinda like chinese knock off stuff you see for sale in NY on the street corner...

apocalypse · 10-16-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuicedH22

I disagree with Andy. Partly.

In 05, the first year, the CVTs were pretty overdesigned, pretty damn robust, most specifically the AWD version. If you have one w/ over 50k miles that hasnt had any of hte 'normal' problems, it will pretty much be bullet proof. Most of hte problems came in 06 when they tried to cut costs/and "improve" the process, which actualy caused more problems.

How do I know about these transmission? They were built right here in Cincinnati, at the Batavia plant... where i worked as a manufacturing engineer.

Good point. It just seems like every time I turn around our trans tech has another Freestyle/FiveHundred on his rack. I'd say its a one-per-week average.

P.S. I didn't know you used to work at the Batavia plant...