Model year report

2004 Chrysler Pacifica: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica

On the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, the failure owners report most often is other body or interior problem, and the reports cluster around 104,000 miles. The earliest to appear is seat belt or retractor failure, reported by a median of 20,000 miles. Overall it scores 67 out of 100, high risk for a 2004.

High risk for a 2004 — 171st riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. 1,332 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 65 named failure modes on the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, and the three most-reported carry 39% of everything filed.

Other body or interior problem leads with 217 reports, about 6.3 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 74k to 130,000 miles.

Other engine problem follows with 170 reports, usually reported between 75k to 125,000 miles. 12 of those reports mention a fire.

Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure follows with 139 reports, usually reported between 87k to 127,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into body (333), engine (243) and suspension (206).

When these failures get reported

1,101 of the reports on the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 98,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 20% by 50,000 miles, 51% by 100,000 miles and 86% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 33 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 110,000 and 120,000 miles, which alone holds 9% of the dated reports.

15% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: seat belt or retractor failure around 18k, other visibility problem around 28k, no-start or intermittent start failure around 34k and other powertrain problem around 51k.

Median

Other body or interior problem

104k
Other engine problem

107k
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure

111k
Rust or structural corrosion

117k
Other suspension problem

109k
Other powertrain problem

51k
Other electrical problem

63k
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure

95k
No-start or intermittent start failure

34k
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure

70k
Other fuel system problem

83k
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure

84k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 65. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 98.1k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 33 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 40 mention a crash, 36 a fire, 17 an injury and 3 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.88, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, control arm, ball joint or bushing failure at $400–$2,200 and rust or structural corrosion at $500–$6,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

25% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other body or interior problem	body	217	183	74k	104k	130k	6.3	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Other engine problem	engine	170	149	75k	107k	125k	4.9	$300–$4,000	High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	139	130	87k	111k	127k	4.0	$400–$2,200	High
Rust or structural corrosion	body	107	99	83k	117k	145k	3.1	$500–$6,000	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	60	54	67k	109k	143k	1.7	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	58	44	9k	51k	118k	1.7	$400–$4,500	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	50	39	12k	63k	130k	1.4	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	39	24	73k	95k	128k	1.1	$700–$3,000	High
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	38	30	34k	34k	80k	1.1	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	28	27	52k	70k	83k	0.8	$700–$2,600	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	28	20	45k	83k	118k	0.8	$300–$2,200	High
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	27	20	67k	84k	150k	0.8	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	24	16	53k	58k	111k	0.7	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	24	17	2k	28k	75k	0.7	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	23	20	69k	83k	97k	0.7	$250–$2,000	Critical
Other steering problem	steering	22	16	62k	84k	126k	0.6	$350–$2,400	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	21	18	55k	98k	138k	0.6	$600–$2,600	High
Stalling while driving	engine	17	17	49k	98k	110k	0.5	$300–$2,500	Critical
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	14	12	6k	18k	150k	0.4	$200–$900	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	14	10	29k	61k	94k	0.4	$200–$1,500	High
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	12	7	—	134k	—	0.3	$450–$1,600	High
Oil leak	engine	11	0	—	—	—	0.3	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Differential or transfer case failure	drivetrain	11	4	—	43k	—	0.3	$900–$4,200	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	9	5	—	48k	—	0.3	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	8	8	97k	109k	120k	0.2	$300–$1,600	High
Blower motor or climate control failure	hvac	7	7	—	82k	—	0.2	$250–$1,200	Moderate
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	6	5	—	129k	—	0.2	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Sunroof failure or glass breakage	body	6	3	—	900	—	0.2	$700–$4,500	High
Water pump failure	cooling	5	0	—	—	—	0.1	$500–$2,200	High
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	5	5	—	65k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	5	5	—	100k	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Engine sensor failure	electrical	5	5	—	149k	—	0.1	$180–$900	Moderate
Cruise control failure	adas	5	3	—	29k	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Tire pressure monitor failure	wheels	5	4	—	109k	—	0.1	$80–$600	Low
Wiper or washer failure	glass	5	4	—	150k	—	0.1	$120–$800	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	5	5	—	52k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Other lighting problem	lighting	5	5	—	50k	—	0.1	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Misfire or rough idle	engine	4	4	—	75k	—	0.1	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	4	4	—	90k	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Loss of braking	brakes	4	4	—	78k	—	0.1	$400–$3,000	Critical
Harsh or jerky shifting	transmission	3	3	—	160k	—	0.1	$600–$4,000	Moderate
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	3	3	—	110k	—	0.1	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	3	2	—	101k	—	0.1	$250–$1,500	High
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	3	3	—	83k	—	0.1	$500–$2,400	High
Parking brake failure	brakes	3	3	—	30k	—	0.1	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Loss of power steering	steering	3	3	—	105k	—	0.1	$600–$2,800	Critical
Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure	body	3	3	—	3k	—	0.1	$250–$1,500	Moderate
Air conditioning failure	hvac	3	3	—	118k	—	0.1	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Other driver assistance problem	adas	3	2	—	85k	—	0.1	$250–$1,800	High
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	2	2	—	130k	—	0.1	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Complete transmission failure	transmission	2	1	—	63k	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Transmission fluid leak	transmission	2	2	—	88k	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	Moderate
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	2	1	—	50k	—	0.1	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	2	2	—	46k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	Critical
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	2	1	—	133k	—	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
Other seat belt problem	airbag	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure	engine	1	1	—	78k	—	0.0	$1,800–$7,000	High
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	1	1	—	159k	—	0.0	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	1	1	—	54k	—	0.0	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	1	1	—	178k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	1	1	—	14k	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Power steering pump or fluid leak	steering	1	1	—	1	—	0.0	$350–$1,600	Moderate
Alignment fault and uneven tire wear	suspension	1	1	—	57k	—	0.0	$150–$1,200	Moderate
DPF, EGR or DEF system failure	emissions	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$800–$5,000	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	1	1	—	123k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	High
Unclassified problem	other	35	27	28k	86k	132k	1.0	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica draws about 39 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 94th percentile of complaint rates among 2004 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 34,561 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2004 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure

After having my pacifica for 1.5 years and experiencing 19 problems (54 days in the shop!); 2-3 of which are recurring (I.e. The engine light coming on), even the service department at my dealership stated that they would stand behind my efforts to get a vehicle replacement! We are completely happy with the dealership's service as they have stood behind this "lemon" better than the manufacturer appears to be able to. After talking with the chrysler representative, mr. Craig kishner, I was informed that the "best" chrysler could do was to refund my extended warranty price. I pushed back and my boyfriend also called to announce our dismay at the manner in which we are being treated after being tremendously patient for 1.5 years to see if this "lemon" could be repaired to a reasonable level of usability. Mr kishner then came back with the answer that chrysler would only "step up" for the previously laughable answer. We had hoped for a laudable answer. I find it difficult to believe that a manufacturer, with the questionable track record of chrysler, would want to create more adverse publicity than they already have chalked up over…

2,682 miles NHTSA complaint 526464 filed 2005-03-17

Dt*: the contact stated the rear control arm fractured. It was driven on the faulty control arm to an independent repair shop. The vehicle was inspected by the mechanic and repaired. It was taken for state inspection and failed due the inner tie rods needing replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs.

67,900 miles NHTSA complaint 575581 filed 2006-03-13

Recalls on the 2004 model year

NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica, affecting an estimated 44,140 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/t and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fitt. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

04V113000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

34,561 vehicles 2004-03-04

Defect: On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with a ngc-1 powertrain control module, the software protocole used to test the vehicle exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system may lead to engine stalling under certain operating conditions.
Consequence: This could cause a crash without warning.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module software. Owner notification began on march 15, 2004. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

03V471000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

9,579 vehicles 2003-11-10

Defect: On certain sport utility vehicles, the chassis fuel supply tube may have been incorrectly manufactured.
Consequence: Under certain engine and vehicle dynamic conditions, the fuel line may separate, resulting in a fuel leak and an increased risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install a secondary retention clip to the fuel line quick connect. Owner notification began on december 15, 2003. Owners should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-992-1997.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2004 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2004 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

Better and worse years of the same car

High risk for a 2004 — 171st riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.

Across the 15 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2008 comes out best at 60 and 2018 worst at 84, with 2004 itself at 67.

If the model year is negotiable, 2008 scores lower than 2004 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2003–2008 generation specifically, 2008 is the strongest year at 60 and 2006 the weakest at 67.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2003-2008 generation, 2008 Chrysler Pacifica scores best at 60 and 2006 Chrysler Pacifica worst at 67.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other visibility problem from about 2k, seat belt or retractor failure from about 6k, other powertrain problem from about 9k and other electrical problem from about 12k.

On a 2004 Chrysler Pacifica with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other visibility problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

What this page cannot tell you

1,332 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 1,332 reports, 1,101 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 83% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica?

The most-reported failures are other body or interior problem (217 reports, median 104,000 miles), other engine problem (170 reports, median 107,000 miles) and control arm, ball joint or bushing failure (139 reports, median 111,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2004 Chrysler Pacifica problems start?

Seat belt or retractor failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 20,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 5,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 98,000 miles.

Is the 2004 Chrysler Pacifica reliable?

It scores 67 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 171st riskiest of the 329 2004 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2004 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Chrysler Pacifica is best?

Within the 2003–2008 generation, 2008 scores best at 60 out of 100 and 2006 worst at 67. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed