Minivans · model years 2017 to 2019
Dodge Grand Caravan vs Chrysler Pacifica: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Grand Caravan looks better on 5 and the Pacifica on 1, with 1 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2017 to 2019 | Grand Caravan | Pacifica |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 2.2% | 3.1% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 3.0% | 1.4% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 62,000 | 30,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 1.7 | 6.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 5 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Grand Caravan owners complain about most is electrical; for the Pacifica it is engine. Complaints citing structure make up 20% of all Grand Caravan complaints, against 3.4% on the Pacifica. The Pacifica leans the other way on engine: 36% of its complaints, against 14% for the Grand Caravan.
Dodge Grand CaravanChrysler Pacifica
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Grand Caravan is misfire (10% of its complaints). On the Pacifica it is stalling (25% of its complaints), against 7.2% on the Grand Caravan.
| Problem | Grand Caravan | Pacifica |
|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 7.2% 67most in 2017 · 70k mi | 25% 666most in 2017 · 19k mi |
| Check engine light or misfire | 10% 95most in 2019 · 70k mi | 14% 385most in 2017 · 68k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 2.7% 2575k mi | 9.9% 269most in 2017 · 30k mi |
| Engine overheats or leaks coolant | 0.5% 5 | 12% 312most in 2018 · 73k mi |
| Battery dies or the car will not start | 1.2% 1168k mi | 8.8% 238most in 2017 · 32k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 1.3% 12 | 8.4% 226most in 2017 · 20k mi |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 3.0% 2843k mi | 6.4% 174most in 2017 · 29k mi |
| Doors, latches or locks fail | 8.8% 81most in 2017 · 60k mi | 0.4% 118k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Pacifica owners report problems earlier. Half the Pacifica complaints that give a mileage come before 30,000 miles; for the Grand Caravan the halfway point is 62,000. 30% of Grand Caravan reports and 67% of Pacifica reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Dodge Grand CaravanChrysler Pacifica
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 414 for the Grand Caravan and 1,395 for the Pacifica.
Worst and best years
The 2016 Grand Caravan draws 3.0 times the complaints of a typical Grand Caravan year for its age. The 2017 Pacifica draws 3.8 times the complaints of a typical Pacifica year for its age.
Chrysler Pacifica
Dodge Grand CaravanChrysler Pacifica
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Pacifica draws more recalls: 6.0 campaigns per model year against 1.7 for the Grand Caravan. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Dodge Grand Caravan
5 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (1), fuel system (1) and equipment adaptive/mobility (1).
- 20V-278 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
- 25V-876 (equipment adaptive/mobility) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE19014: Active head rest inadvertent deployment (closed)
Chrysler Pacifica
18 recall campaigns and 5 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (6), transmission and drivetrain (3) and backup camera (3).
- 19V-348 (electrical) covers 3 model years
- 23V-010 (electrical) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- PE25009: Intermittent loss of electric power steering (open)
- RQ24004: Loss of motive power due to an internal wiring connector short. (open)
- RQ24001: Ignition-off high voltage battery fire (remedy effectiveness of recall 22v-077) (open, led to a recall)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Pacifica complaints report a crash: 3.1%, against 2.2% for the Grand Caravan. Fire reports: 6 for the Grand Caravan and 27 for the Pacifica. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Grand Caravan and 0 in the Pacifica for these model years.
Dodge Grand CaravanChrysler Pacifica
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Dodge Grand Caravan or the Chrysler Pacifica more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Grand Caravan looks better on 5 and the Pacifica on 1, with 1 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Grand Caravan has 925 complaints and the Pacifica 2,706 for model years 2017 to 2019, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Grand Caravan or the Pacifica?
The Grand Caravan has 5 recall campaigns and the Pacifica 18 across model years 2017 to 2019. The Pacifica draws more recalls: 6.0 campaigns per model year against 1.7 for the Grand Caravan.
What are the most common problems on the Grand Caravan and the Pacifica?
The most reported problem on the Grand Caravan is misfire (10% of its complaints). On the Pacifica it is stalling (25% of its complaints), against 7.2% on the Grand Caravan.
More comparisons
- Honda Odyssey vs Chrysler Pacifica2018 to 2026
- Toyota Sienna vs Chrysler Pacifica2017 to 2026
- Dodge Grand Caravan vs Honda Odyssey2014 to 2019
- Dodge Grand Caravan vs Toyota Sienna2014 to 2017