- Chrysler is recalling 26,776 Pacificas and Voyagers from the 2024 model year.
- The traction control software in these vehicles only considers pedal position, not throttle position, making it ineffective when cruise control is in operation.
- Chrysler is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue. It will fix the problem with a software update.
Another day, another recall for Chrysler’s minivans. Yesterday, we published a story about an issue with the windshields in 223 Pacificas and Voyagers that might pop out in a crash. Today, the problem affects many more vehicles, and has to do with the traction control system.
Chrysler reports that the traction control software in the 2024 Voyagers and Pacificas only checks pedal position, and ignores the actual throttle position. That’s fine when the driver has their foot on the gas, but as soon as they turn on cruise control, traction control stops functioning.
Read: Chrysler Pacifica And Voyager Windshields May Pop Out In A Crash
That’s the kind of bush league oversight you might expect from a startup, but it’s surprising to see it from a longstanding brand like Chrysler. Although it might not seem like a serious problem, it could increase the risk of a crash occurring in low grip conditions.
In fact, this is a good opportunity to remind readers of an under discussed safety tip. Driving experts, like AAA, warn that you should not use cruise control in slippery conditions, regardless of whether or not your traction control system is functional. Cruise control’s job is to maintain a speed, not to respond to road conditions, so you should be in control of the vehicle when the weather is bad.
Back to Chrysler, it is not clear why only model year 2024 minivans are affected by this issue, but the automaker says it looked back at its software change history to find the population it believes to be at risk of experiencing this problem.
The bad software can be found in 22,956 Pacficas and 3,820 Voyagers, or a total of 26,776 vehicles, all from the 2024 model year. Fortunately, the fault hasn’t led to any accidents or injuries, and may be invisible to the driver.
To remedy it, Chrysler plans to reach out to the owners on May 17, and will implement a software update to the traction control system. The new code will take throttle position into account to prevent this issue from occurring, and will be installed free of charge. If you own a Voyager or a Pacifica and want to know if it is affected by this recall, you can check your VIN number on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
