NHTSA Complaint #11277493 — 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

I WAS DRIVING IN MY 2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA ON A RURAL STREET WHEN IT SUDDENLY FELT LIKE THE FRONT PASSANGER SIDE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT. THE CAR WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL & AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT, PUSHING UP AGAINST THE CURB. THE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. CONCERNED IT WAS GOING TO GO ON FIRE, MY DAUGHTER & I RAN OUT. WHEN WE WERE OUT OF THE CAR I SAW THAT THE FRONT AXLE CONNECTING THE TIRE HAD COME COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED AND DROPPED TO THE STREET WHILE DRIVING. I CALLED 911 FOR HELP. THE FIREMEN ARRIVED FIRST. THE CAR WAS STILL REVVING & SMOKING BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO SHUT IT MANUALLY SO THEY HAD TO LIFT THE HOOD & CUT THE WIRES. THE POLICE ARRIVED & INVESTIGATED THE AREA. THEY SHOWED ME THE GAUGE MARK FROM WHERE THE TIRE AXLE DROPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF STREET WHICH WAS BEHIND WHERE THE CAR STOPPED AGAINST THE CURB. THERE WERE ZERO INTERFERENCES IN THE AREA (POTHOLE, DEBRIS, SIGNS, RAILGUARDS ETC.). IT WAS A SMOOTH STREET WITH A LOW, GRADUAL CURB. THE OFFICER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT MY FAULT & DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE ON THE CAR. HE WROTE THAT IN HIS REPORT AS WELL AS ON THE NOTEPAD PAPER WITH HIS INFO & PHONE # TO GIVE THE THE DEALERSHIP. 2 2018 RECALLS THAT MAY EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH MY VIN IS NOT AFFECTED - WHICH I WOULD LIKE FURTHER INSPECTED, SO I'M CONTACTING THE NHTSA TO HOPEFULLY EXPAND THE RECALL VIN #S. *2018 CHRYSLER PACIFICA RECALL, THE FRONT-AXLE HALF-SHAFTS MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY ASSEMBLED, PREVENTING THE SHAFT FROM BEING PROPERLY SECURED TO THE CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT. IF THE AXLE SHAFT DISENGAGES FROM THE CV JOINT, THE MINIVAN WILL HAVE A LOSS OF DRIVE OR ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. *CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 47,771 OF THE 2018 PACIFICA AND PACIFICA HYBRID MINIVANS BECAUSE PARTS THAT CONNECT KEY SUSPENSION AND STEERING COMPONENTS ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL MAY FAIL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. *DT*JB*DT *AS