The Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid minivan, which is the third-best-selling PHEV in the United States, is being recalled by parent company Stellantis because of a potential fire risk caused by the high-voltage battery.
In total, 19,516 U.S.-market units, 2,912 cars sold in Canada and 1,683 vehicles sold outside North America are part of the recall which is not yet live on the National Highway Traffic Administration’s website. According to Stellantis, the recall is limited to certain model-year 2017-20121 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids, including some cars that have been part of a similar previous recall.
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Stellantis PHEV fire recalls
Stellantis makes the best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicles in the United States. The first on the list is the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which, just like the Pacifica Hybrid, has also been recalled for a potential fire risk related to the high-voltage battery. The Pacifica Hybrid is the third-best-selling PHEV in the U.S. after the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.
The automaker said that it discovered seven fires related to the issue through warranty data. All fires occurred when the vehicles were turned off and some occurred while the vehicles were charging. As a result, Stellantis advises owners to park their cars away from structures or other vehicles until it comes up with a fix. However, the PHEVs can still be driven.
The investigation is still ongoing, but initial data points to “a rare abnormality in individual cells of the model’s high-voltage battery pack,” the carmaker said. Engineers are still in the validation phase of the fix, but once it is ready, customers will have to go to a dealership to have their cars’ software updated. The software is designed to detect the abnormality in the battery cells and, if found, dealers will replace the high-voltage pack for free.
A similar recall was carried out by Stellantis two years ago when almost 20,000 Pacifica Hybrids received a similar software fix. Back then, 12 fires were recorded, eight of which happened while the cars were charging.
Owners will get notified via first-class mail, but until that happens, they can go to recalls.mopar.com or checktoprotect.org after July 24 to check if their vehicle is affected by this recall or not. Stellantis also offers a customer care line at 1-800-853-1403.
