Otherwise known as electronic stability control, traction control became mandatory in the United States for the 2012 model year. Even though most vehicles allow the driver to disable this nanny, traction control shouldn't deactivate by itself when engaging cruise control. Chrysler has issued a recall affecting 26,776 minivans due to said problem, which affects the 2024 model year Chrysler Pacifica and fleet-only Voyager.
Documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that Beijing West Industries Group of Michigan is the supplier of the subject electronic stability control unit. FCA US LLC started looking into the suspect calibration back on February 8. Thankfully, the Auburn Hills-based automaker couldn't find any customer assistance records, field reports, or warranty claims potentially related to unintended electronic stability control deactivation after engaging cruise control.
The recall population comprises 22,956 units of the Pacifica and 3,820 examples of the more spartan Voyager. Production dates range from April 2023 to March 2024 and September 2023 to March 2024, respectively. The question is, why does activating cruise control turn off the traction control system?
According to the American automaker, the Pacifica- and Voyager-specific traction control system was programmed to use the accelerator pedal position rather than the calculated throttle position as the input for activation. When cruise control is on, the accelerator pedal isn't depressed, therefore leading to unwanted wheel slip in low-traction conditions.
As you might have already guessed, an update for the traction control system's control unit is the remedy for the aforementioned concern. Dealers will be informed no later than May 17, the day when owner notifications should arrive by mail. Owners can take matters into their own hands by running the 17-character VIN on the automaker's recall portal.
Photo: Chrysler
The Pacifica and Voyager feature VINs beginning with 2, indicating vehicles assembled in Canada. 3 is used for Mexico, whereas the numbers 1, 4, and 5 represent vehicles produced in the United States of America. The minivans in question hail from the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario. Said facility is also tasked with producing the all-new Dodge Charger three-door coupe and five-door sedan.
Previously based on the L platform, the Charger was produced at Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario. As opposed to Windsor, the Brampton facility will be retooled for the STLA Medium platform. Due in late 2025, the next-generation Jeep Compass will be underpinned by said platform.
It's not clear whether Chrysler intends to redesign the Pacifica and Voyager on either the STLA Medium or STLA Large. In any case, the Stellantis-controlled marque sold 120,554 units in the United States in 2023, putting the Pacifica and Voyager well above the Honda Odyssey (74,738 units), Toyota Sienna (47,753 units), and Kia Carnival (43,687 deliveries during calendar year 2023).
At the moment of reporting, the Voyager starts at $36,560 sans freight. Pacifica, on the other hand, starts at $39,400 for the internal combustion-only version or $53,620 for the plug-in hybrid sixer.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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