Woman’s plug-in hybrid minivan is driving ‘funny.’ Then the dealership takes it for 5 months

A woman says her Chrysler has been sitting at the dealership for nearly five months. To make matters worse, she says the replacement vehicle she’s been driving in the meantime is costing her almost as much in gas each month as her minivan used to cost her in an entire year.

Meara Habashi (@mearahabashi) says she dropped off her 2020 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid for service on June 9 and hasn’t seen it since, a months-long ordeal she says is “ruining” her life.

Habashi says she bought the Pacifica sight unseen during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawn in part by its fuel savings. She recalls Chrysler advertising an average annual fuel cost of around $1,000 — a figure she says proved fairly accurate during the years she drove it.

But about five and a half years into ownership, Habashi says the minivan started “acting funny.”

While driving, she says the Pacifica would suddenly enter “turtle mode,” aka limp mode. The dashboard would light up like a Christmas tree, and the vehicle wouldn’t accelerate normally, rev, or travel faster than about 30 mph.

“You’re a sitting duck, and you are in slow mode,” Habashi says.

After the problem happened repeatedly, she took the Pacifica to the dealership. Habashi says a diagnostic test pointed to a transmission issue and a roughly $600 repair, which her insurance covered. She expected the minivan to be gone for a few weeks and received a Jeep Wrangler as a loaner.

Minivan repair work drags on for months

Instead, the part took months to arrive.

Habashi says she eventually opened a case with Chrysler as the delay dragged on. Meanwhile, she says the Wrangler barely accommodates her children and everything they need — and has dramatically increased her fuel costs. Habashi estimates she has spent as much as $1,000 a month on gas for the loaner, compared with roughly that amount over an entire year in her Pacifica.

She says she asked Chrysler to reimburse her for the extra fuel expenses but was denied.

Eventually, the long-awaited part arrived, and the dealership repaired the transmission. But Habashi says technicians were still getting error messages afterward.

That meant another repair kit had to be ordered—the same type of kit she says took months to arrive the first time.

Habashi says she has also struggled to reach the Chrysler case agent assigned to her. In subsequent videos, she continues documenting the prolonged repair process.

As of this writing, her initial clip has more than 17,900 views.

Is this a common issue with Chryslers?

Habashi says her Pacifica went into turtle mode and started losing power to avoid further damage, similar to a problem Chrysler has already recalled in Pacifica plug-in hybrids. Still, her story by itself doesn’t prove her van has the same defect.

Consumer Reports says that in 2023 Chrysler recalled over 67,000 Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles from model years 2017 to 2023. The recall stemmed from an internal transmission wiring connector that could short-circuit and cause the engine to shut down without warning.

The problem didn’t end there. In 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began investigating whether the manufacturers’ recall fix worked after owners complained about persistent issues.

NHTSA mentioned reports of Pacifica Hybrids going into “limp mode” or “hav[ing] a complete loss of motive power.” The investigation includes 2017-2023 Pacifica Hybrids.

The overlap suggests that Habishi’s 2020 Pacifica may have been affected, though we can’t know that for certain without verifying her VIN, diagnostic codes, or repair records. 

Meanwhile, her model year has had other recalls unrelated to the transmission. In June, Chrysler recalled some 2020-2022 Pacifica PHEVs because their high-voltage battery packs could catch fire. Dealers were told to update the battery-control software and check or replace affected battery pack assemblies for free.

Chrysler’s current warranty says the powertrain limited warranty lasts five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Reports indicate that recall repairs are done regardless of the vehicle’s warranty status.

For Habashi, the main question is whether the long repair time and repeated error messages stem from a known Pacifica Hybrid defect or a different transmission problem, and where she goes from here.

People blame Chrysler for minivan problems

The comments quickly filled with people offering their own theories about what was wrong with Habashi’s Pacifica — and plenty of skepticism about the vehicle itself.

“You know, it sounds like it’s your TIPM, not transmission. I’d ask if they checked that first,” one viewer suggested.

Others were less interested in diagnosing the problem and more focused on the fact that it is a Chrysler.

“Welcome to Chrysler ownership,” one commenter wrote.

Another was even harsher.

“First mistake, you bought a Chrysler,” they said.

One viewer blamed the powertrain choice instead, writing, “You lost my sympathy at plug-in hybrid.”

Others argued that Habashi’s five-year-old Pacifica was simply old enough that she should consider replacing it.

“It’s old as heck… like time to buy a new one. You need to take some responsibility here,” one commenter argued.

Habashi pushed back, saying the vehicle is still being repaired under warranty.

“It’s under warranty, so they have to fix it. They won’t give it back to me, and I’m not taking a loss as long as it’s under warranty and their responsibility to fix it,” she replied.

Chrysler parent company Stellantis didn’t respond to an email seeking comment.

What about lemon laws?

Lemon law protections also came up.

“Hey, by the way, lemon law does not protect a five-year-old vehicle,” one person noted.

Habashi said that isn’t the process she’s pursuing.

“Yup, but it’s a warranty repair,” she responded. “I asked for a Goodwill Repurchase Program, which is not their lemon process, and something I am learning they have done a lot for my make and model”

Another commenter took a broader view of the complaints surrounding the brand.

“Everybody has a story about a bad experience with different car dealers. The amount of bad stories, however, around Chrysler products makes me wonder how they are still in business,” they wrote.

Via TikTok direct message, Habashi told Motoring Chronicle, “I just feel like I am stuck in limbo. Dealer tells me it’s up to Chrysler. Chrysler tells me it’s up to the dealer to fix. And because they put a forever warranty on it I am trapped. I can’t get the car back until it’s fixed, I can’t trade it in or sell it because it’s worth nothing until it’s fixed, and Chrysler keeps saying they won’t talk hypotheticals. It’s nuts.”

“And to be honest, I planned on driving it payment free for another handful of years because my oldest needs a car and I need a second driver in my house. This has really put a lot of stress of my finances, and my household at a time when we have so much going on.”

@mearahabashi How Chrysler Is Ruining My Life Part: 1 #cartrouble #chrysler #singlemomlife #gasguzzler #customerservice @chrysler ♬ original sound – Meara Habashi