NHTSA Complaint #11481107 — 2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID

Recall Z11 was announced in early February 2022 due to fire risk which prompted Chrysler to issue a recommendation that owners not charge their plug-in hybrid Pacifica Hybrids and to park them outside until the fix was completed. More than six months have passed without subsequent update to resolve this recall, and not only is no part or remedy identified, the underlying cause has yet to be identified. This is after two previous recalls, U94 in October 2018 and W46 in June 2020, which were also announced by Chrysler due to fire risk for the Pacifica Hybrid. Chrysler's guidance of parking the vehicle outside and not plugging it in to charge is unsatisfactory and illogical. The normal operation of the plug-in hybrid system leads to the gasoline engine and regenerative braking charging the high-voltage battery during its "Hybrid Mode" operation even when the vehicle has not been plugged in to charge the high-voltage battery. Based upon other recent fire risk recalls related to vehicles with high-voltage batteries such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV--which has led to numerous manufacturer repurchases and complete battery replacement for all affected models--Chrysler's response is neither timely nor sufficient. It is past time that definitive resolution be provided to owners of vans that have already been affected by two prior fire risk recalls and now have been waiting six months with recommendation to not use the vehicle as designed, marketed, and advertised at the time of sell. Given the unresolved nature of recall Z11, I request action be taken to require manufacturer buybacks of the affected products at this time.