NHTSA Complaint #10162872 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE, 2006 I NOTICED A FEW THINGS THAT SEEMED TO ALL BEGIN AT THE SAME TIME. MY PACIFICA WOULD NOT START RIGHT AWAY WHEN I FIRST ATTEMPTED TO START IT AFTER IT HAD BEEN SITTING OVER NIGHT, IT WOULD HESITATE WHEN I TOOK OFF FROM A STOP IF I HAD BEEN ON A DOWNHILL INCLINE AND THE GAS GAUGE WOULD DROP TO EMPTY AS SOON AS THE TANK WAS DOWN TO FIVE-EIGHTHS FULL. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AS SOON AS I FILLED THE TANK, BUT THE NEXT WEEK IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN THE TANK GOT DOWN TO FIVE-EIGHTHS. I CALLED THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THE EARLIEST THEY COULD TAKE IT WAS JUNE 21ST. THE PROBLEM GOT MUCH WORSE BY THE TIME THE 21ST CAME AROUND. EVERY TIME I CAME TO A STOP THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. IT WOULD START BACK UP IF THE CAR WAS PUT IN DRIVE, BUT IF IT WAS ON A DOWNHILL INCLINE IT WOULD NOT RESTART. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON JUNE 21ST AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. THEY CALLED ME LATER THAT DAY AND SAID THE PART WAS BACK ORDERED, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE IT IN A DAY OR TWO. WELL, TODAY IS JULY 19TH AND MY CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALER WAITING FOR A PART. EVIDENTLY THE PACIFICAS HAVE A PRIMARY FUEL PUMP AND A JET PUMP. SO MANY OF THE CARS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM (THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS LISTED ON EDMUNDS.COM FORUM) THAT EVIDENTLY THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR THESE PUMPS. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE CHRYSLER CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER ON JULY 11TH. I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS DONE ANY GOOD, BUT THEY DO CALL THE DEALER EACH TIME I CALL THEM WHILE THEY HAVE ME ON THE PHONE. I AM TRYING TO BE PATIENT BECAUSE I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. IT IS ALSO HAVING A NEW POWER SEAT MEMORY MODULE INSTALLED BECAUSE BOTH POWER SEATS STOPPED WORKING AND IT HAD A NEW TRANSFER CASE INSTALLED BECAUSE OF A CLICKING/CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END DURING TURNS. *NM