Chrysler Pacifica 2018 having problems to start

My 2018 (18K miles/ 1.5 years old ) Pacifica was having problems to start. First day Needed to press push to start button a second time for it to crank and be able to start, but was able to use it the whole day following same approach. Next morning it was not starting at all, it had to be towed by Chrysler Roadside Assistant provider and taken to a Chrysler service place. Two different providers try to jump start and it didn’t work. Battery and charging system tested good at service place. The problem was the secondary (smaller) start/stop battery having a bad cell. It was hard to identify by service tech because main and secondary battery are connected together so needed to disconnect the smaller one to be able to find it was defective. All service labor and part were covered by basic 3 yr/ 36K miles warranty.

[@nickoudie7531]

Just changed my auxiliary battery myself. Easy to do. I paid $115 + tax from O'Rilley Auto Parts. This video really help me diagnosed what was wrong. Dealership wanted to charge me $185 to diagnose. Local car shop (popular and good shop) wanted to charge me $99 to diagnose. Both were too busy to look at my car when I took it in. Praise God for the internet. This is what the internet should be for; to help one another. Car started up right away just like new.

[@SeviDad]

Well done, I wish I knew that I should have changed the battery back then!

[@janaebronson7941]

Wow omg thank you ALL for the information! I’m having the same issue (2018 Chrysler Pacifica) right now I replaced the Big Battery still same issue so now I’m going to replace the small battery hope it works 🙄

[@SeviDad]

Hi, I hope replacing the small battery fix your problem with the Pacifica!

[@sarahklinedishman]

Its the auto start/stop battery. There are two batteries and the one for the auto start/stop is the same one that cranks the engine.

[@ashleymielke8487]

How do you fix it?

[@matthouston1975]

Umm, this is completely wrong. The small ESS battery DOES NOT start the engine, and in fact does not even have enough voltage to do the job by itself. Don't believe me? Disconnect the negative terminal on the small ESS battery so it is totally bypassed, then try to start your van. It will fire up instantly, because the large 12 volt battery is responsible for starting the engine. You can even leave the ESS battery disconnected and drive the van forever, if you hate ESS as much as I do!

[@AlexSkies777]

So my rental 2019 Pacifica with 48k miles did the same thing on 8-8-2021 up in the mountains in CA. The AAA came out and just hooked up their jump cables (although the main battery was good) and the car started right up! The problem was that bad auxiliary battery. They towed it anyway cause it still had multiple service messages like "Service Shifter" (before jump start it would turn and after it would not light up), ABS, Tracking and some other service intermittent errors. So trying jump start may start your car to get it at least moved to service location guys!

[@SeviDad]

Sorry for my late reply, thank you so much for your comment!

[@TheClimb511]

There's a class action lemon lawsuit with this particular model. 2018 Pacifica Touring L is one of them. Not sure what other models are included. I currently have the same issue, but i just carry my portable car battery jump charger, and it starts up just fine. We shouldn't have to do that with any vehicle. My Auto Start/Stop doesn't even work. It use to, but then the little A with the circle around it on the instrument panel cluster stayed lit up, so...whatever!

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

The stability control is from low voltage. The whole dashboard will light up if you have low voltage.

[@SeviDad]

You are right, they told me exactly that at the dealership shop back then!

[@carolinagiraldo3679]

So cool

[@johanmagnusson2672]

Sitting in my drive way with exactly the same problem, waiting for a tow would love to know what the solution to your problem was Had the damned thing just had a manual gear box, I could probably run-start it .

[@glens5362]

Cut your losses and sell the car, I had chrysler, dodges for the past 20 years and they have gotten worse over time not better. Only reason I kept them because they were cheap to fix, but always had electrical gremlins.

[@SeviDad]

Sorry for late reply, mine was still in warranty at the time and they changed different parts on every occasion I took it to the dealership: 1st time: Small (auxiliary) Battery 2nd time: Cranshaft sensor 3rd time: Main baterry Ended up trading in for a Sienna

[@ataata1202]

Is it possible for the car to work without the little battery?؟؟ Relying entirely on the big batii ?؟؟

[@jamezbond78]

I read that you can disable the Start/Stop garbage by disconnecting the negative from the little Aux battery.

[@SeviDad]

I did used the Pacifica with the start/stop disabled for a few months but after a while the check engine came in and the same issue no start issue started happening.

[@alissabell8695]

Me too. I’d love to know what the fix is.

[@whereswill1]

I just got the same exact issue that you're describing. What was the outcome of all of this? Thanks for the video.

[@whereswill1]

I figured it out. Two batteries in the Pacifica now. A full size battery and a small motorcycle size battery that is used for auxiliary power. The stupid ESS (Electronic Start/Stop) which makes your car engine turn off while stopped is draining the aux battery faster than usual and more than likely putting more wear and tear on your engine. This then drains the main battery faster which makes all of the sensors act weird. Hit the button to turn off the ESS every time you start the car. This feature was installed only so the manufacture can claim better MPG for the EPA. A total sham!!

[@kristeneaton-lang2085]

@@whereswill1 I normally turn that off and lately I've had this problem every now and then. Can the smaller battery still be draining from something else, by chance? Also, seems to only do this when it's colder out? Thank you in advance for any insight!

[@staceystorey9096]

Same issue as the video. What was the resolution?

[@19sxfr]

Our battery small one went bad. Same issue. Tow truck driver jumped it started and moved onto flatbed. Same issue as the video

[@billywhite4290]

Is your battery dead? I’m having the same problem

[@SeviDad]

Sorry for my late reply, the auxiliary battery was the problem.

[@TGT4508]

It's the big battery that needs to be changed

[@SeviDad]

Sorry for my late reply! Thank you for your comment!

[@rocketrodlover]

Best way to solve this problem NEVER BUY CARS FROM FIAT CHRYSLER. They are the worst junk ever made

[@SeviDad]

Sorry for my super late reply, I posted this video but then forgot about it, thanks for your comment! I agree with you, I traded this Pacifica for a Sienna since the Pacifica kept having similar issues.

[@mysteryexplorer556]

@@SeviDad and yet car manufacturers get their parts from the same vendors. It is more a vendor issue than the car manufacturer. We have had a long line of Chrysler products, for decades, reliable carefree products.

[@SeviDad]

@mysteryexplorer556 I agree, parts can be an issue many times. Also sometimes the design of certain features in a car, although well intended, they become the culprit. For the specific issue in my Pacifica, the design for the battery system, one primary and one auxiliary made it difficult to diagnose what was the problem as no proper warning message was showing up.

[@tlynnhernandez]

Same problems here

[@carolinagiraldo3679]

Upload more

[@SeviDad]

Thank you for your comment!

[@jaskaranghuman4166]

Looks like I bought a lemon Worst trash cars to buy Chrysler

[@Granola8Lavender]

i changed the auxiliary battery and still NOTHINGN

[@SeviDad]

What symptom is it having? Is the main battery ok?