Used Vehicle Review: Chrysler Pacifica, 2004-2008

By Chris Chase
Photos by Greg Wilson and Chris Chase

When I reviewed a 2007 Chrysler Pacifica, I think it was clear I wasn’t terribly impressed. It might be telling that, despite the Pacifica being one of the oldest names in the crossover segment, the company decided to stop building it, and give its Dodge brand a crossover instead (the Journey).

But I get the feeling that the Pacifica’s failure isn’t because it was a bad vehicle. The problem, I think, is that Chrysler didn’t invest enough effort to keep it current. The result was that when GM and Ford (and about a million import brands) launched their own crossovers, they did it better, and made the Pacifica look and feel out of date.

The first Pacifica (it was introduced as a 2004 model) was powered by a 3.5L V6 (250 hp) engine that was also used in Chrysler’s old LH (Intrepid/Concorde/LHS) sedans. That motor was paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. In 2005, a new, lower-priced base model got the company’s older 3.8L V6 (210), sourced from Chrysler’s minivans.

2007 Chrysler Pacifica; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge

In 2006, the 3.8L disappeared, and in 2007, it once again filled the role of the base engine (with 200 hp), while a new 4.0L V6 (253 hp) became the new uplevel motor. The 4.0L also came with a six-speed automatic transmission; you’ll find this powertrain in some versions of the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.

Chrysler doesn’t have the strongest reputation for durability, but while the Pacifica has its share of quirks, the basic mechanicals seem stronger here than in other models, particularly Chrysler’s minivans.

The Pacifica page over at Allpar.com mentions that the front power seats can fail due to a build-up of static electricity. This can be fixed by adding a jumper wire to the power seat module (apparently, this is only an issue in Pacificas with cloth seats).

2004 Chrysler Pacifica; photo by Greg Wilson. Click image to enlarge

This page also states to use only the type of automatic transmission fluid recommended in the owner’s manual. In other words, this is the best way to avoid transmission problems. Going by Consumer Reports data, however, it seems that the transmission is a pretty solid part of the Pacifica. There are reports of a driveline “shudder” in vehicles both with the old four-speed automatic and the newer 2007-and-up six-speed. Some owners posting in the Pacifica forums at Topix.net say Chrysler’s fix for this was to pull the transmission to replace the torque converter and make some other adjustments. There’s another thread at Edmunds.com with general discussion around the Pacifica’s reliability.

Engine oil consumption is another common complaint among Pacifica owners.

Water leaks into the interior appear to be common; Chrysler (in the U.S.) has issued a few Technical Service Bulletins (TSB) related to this.

Noises emanating from the Pacifica’s front end – clicks or clunks, in particular – can be traced to either bad motor mounts, or quick-wearing front suspension components.

2007 Chrysler Pacifica; photo by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge

Also, watch for rear brake rotors that wear abnormally quickly.

It also looks like the “electronic vehicle information cluster” or EVIC for short is prone to failure. One member at Allpar.com fashioned his own fix that avoids the need to replace the instrument cluster altogether. There are even photos, which can be found here.

Consumer Reports gives the Pacifica, at best, an average used vehicle rating (2005 and 2006) and at worst, a much-worse-than-average rating (2008 models).

While few vehicles are able to easily meet Natural Resources Canada’s fuel consumption ratings, many Pacifica owners complain of much higher than normal fuel use. For the record, NRCan’s ratings are about 14.1 L/100 km (city) and 9.4 L/100 km (highway) for a front-wheel drive 3.5L model. The older 3.8L is a little more efficient, at 13.4 L/100 km (city) and 8.7 L/100 km (highway), and the 4.0L rated 14.4 L/100 km (city) and 8.8 L/100 km (highway). Opt for all-wheel drive, and consumption increases by a few percentage points in most cases.

Top: 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, by Greg Wilson; Bottom: 2007 Chrysler Pacifica; by Chris Chase. Click image to enlarge

Where the Pacifica does excel, at least in the eyes of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is in crash safety. That organization gave the Pacifica five stars all around in its frontal and side impact crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) was equally complimentary, giving the Pacifica a “good” rating in that organization’s frontal offset crash test. The IIHS didn’t conduct side impact tests.

At the start, the Pacifica came standard with side airbags, but these were made optional in lower-priced models in the following years.

Low prices or not, I would shop very carefully for a used Pacifica, especially when there are other crossovers available now, domestics and imports, that perform better, even if not all are necessarily more durable than this Chrysler. Not to mention minivans, which carry three rows of people in more comfort (generally speaking) and can be found even cheaper. Don’t buy a Pacifica that doesn’t include detailed service records; the only examples of these crossovers that will last reliably are the ones that have been well cared for.