NHTSA Complaint #11041498 — 2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID

THE REAR VIEW BACKUP CAMERA FAILS TO FUNCTION (GOES VIRTUALLY DARK) UNDER CERTAIN LIGHTING CONDITIONS, PRESENTING A CONDITION THAT IS FAVORABLE TO COLLISIONS WITH VEHICLES, OBJECT, OR PEDESTRIANS. THE WEB HAS PLENTY SUCH COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THE PROBLEM MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC TO THE HYBRID. TWO SPECIFIC SCENARIOS WHERE I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM: 1) IN A PARKING GARAGE, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, WHEN BACKING OUT OF A SPACE, AND 2) WHEN BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE IN MY HOUSE AT NIGHT. TO SPECULATE ON THE CAUSE: IN BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS, LIGHT (EITHER FROM THE SUN OR A LAMP) WAS HITTING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHILE THE AREA BEHIND THE VEHICLE WAS RELATIVELY DARK. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LIGHT SENSORS ON THE VEHICLE MISCALCULATE THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE LIGHT AND SO FAIL TO ADJUST THE LIGHT LEVEL ON THE CAMERA. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS ON IT.