Problems with 2005 Chrysler Pacifica STEERING

Engine cradle rusted out an cost me $1600 for replacement major safety issue chrysler seemed to get away with an now i keep blowing power steering hose on front drivers side right next to transaxle i'm a big chrysler/mopar guy an it's a shame they are not even willing to look at or consider a recall or replacing these parts an fixing thelse issues someone is going to end up dead because the motor fell out or they lost there steering an killed someone or them selfs. i replaced engine cradle about 6 months ago from today's date 2/18/19 an been dealing with this steering issue for the last couple months now an ill replace the hose once again today 2/18/19 whicham cost me an my wife a day off work vary disappointed with how chrysler deals with safety issues

Recently bought a 2005 chrysler pacifica. after doing some research online i discovered that there has been thousands of complaints about the engine cradle rusting out due to chrysler improperly coating the framework. i naturally went out to look at mine to make sure it did not have the same problem. i was very disappointed. i bought this vehicle for a family vehicle and now do not feel safe driving it with my 4 children and cannot afford the repairs as my savings was used to purchase said vehicle. one would think after thousands of such dangerous claims that the nhtsa would do something about this

My 2005 chrysler pacifica started making noise in front passenger side in the suspension and wheel area while on the interstate. a short time later the front passenger wheel started shaking and wobbling uncontrollably at speeds of 65mph. their was no warning! thank god i was entering town and was close to home. i got the car home and had friend who is a mechanic investigate the problem. what he found was scary!!!!! the whole sub frame and engine cradle was almost completely gone due to severe rusting in the exact area where the suspension components attach to the frame. super bad day when i showed the pictures to 3 different local automotive shops with well over 100 yrs of experience combined and all informed me that the estimated cost to repair was 4000.00 up to 5500.00. completely absurd! car is worthless and only has 100,000 miles on it. you should make chrysler own up to every pacifica that has this problem, not just a few that was manufactured in a few months. their is overwhelming evidence that they didn't coat the frame properly. i will be sharing my pictures and when you see them ask yourself if you would want your family driving these cars and having to spend a very large amount of money to fix them properly. chrysler is doing nothing because the nhtsa isn't making them. please take my small portion of this ridiculous nightmare and consider at the least making chrysler be partially responsible for their lack of consideration for the human life and the well being of its customers. this is a dangerous hazard that should be immediately addressed. thank you!

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that the front end suspension was unstable. there were no warning indicators illuminated. an independent mechanic replaced the rack and pinion, provided an alignment more than three times, and replaced the shock absorber and upper and lower control arms on both sides; however, the failure continued. the vehicle swayed left and right, which caused the contact to apply force to maneuver the steering wheel to control the direction of the vehicle. the manufacturer had not issued any recalls for the suspension. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Front sub-frame has rusted through rendering the vehicle unsafe to drive. this is the exact same failure as many other reports you have received on this vintage, make and model vehicle. fca has refused to offer any assistance toward the repair and my local mechanic reported that new replacement sub-frames are not even available - leaving consumers with the choice of recycling the vehicle at a salvage yard, repairing it with what is obviously flawed oem components, or keep it as lawn decoration. i have taken the vehicle off the road and am thankful the problem was discovered prior to my wife or son experiencing a catastrophic failure while driving. it is only a matter of time before someone looses a life because of this defect. be proactive and force fca to repair these failures - regardless of mileage - or this organization is part of the problem.

My vehicle started making a clunk noise from the engine area and stopped shifting out of second gear. i took vehicle in to a repair shop for transmission service and was told by the repair shop that the vehicle is unsafe to drive because the engine cradle has corrosion and has rusted to the point that the engine is about to fall out the vehicle which most likely caused the transmission to fail. this was discovered while my vehicle was being lifted on the hoist. the repair shop said they are afraid to keep the vehicle on the hoist because someone could get injured while underneath it.

Sub-frame broke on me. it is the exact part that was recalled for the 2004 pacifica. however there is no recall for 2005? the sub frame broke while i was driving, with a children in car seats in the vehicle. this is a real safety concern, especially in the "salt belt" chrysler's self admitted insufficient protective coating on the sub frame of these cars, should be enough proof, to raise eyebrows and remedy this safety issue. i cannot afford to repair all the damage this caused, and pacifica's cannot hold a resell value, as selling this to another person, is just like handing them a ticking time bomb. why is there no solution or help on this issue? i am not alone with these issues. i suppose it will take deaths from this faulty part before any real action is actually taken. having a strong piece of metal to keep my motor from falling on the ground isn't to much to ask, or is it? the only option i have to keep my primary vehicle on the road, is to try welding the sub frame and hope for the best.

Dealer reported on 8/15/2017 that my car has an engine cradle problem. there are holes in the cradle now due to rusting. he also told me it is a safety problem.

The car under it is knocking and hitting against the car itself when you go over a bump in the road, the breaks slip unless the abs light is on and the power steering compartment is constantly empty which causes the steering to whine until you fill it back up.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph and attempting to turn right, the vehicle stalled without warning and the steering while seized. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 162,940.

Engine cradle is rotted out

Engine cradle rusted out

During an oil change, massive rust was found in the engine craddle, sub frame. failure of these parts would be catastrop. chrysler has acknowledged this problem with a small subset of these cars but clearly applies to all as similar symptoms are showing in cars outside the group sleected for relief. this is wrong, this is not safe, this is not fair.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. while driving approximately 5 mph and making a left turn, a clicking sound emitted from the steering column without warning. the failure recurred on several occasions whenever the contact made a left or right turn. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the engine cradle had excessive rust and was fractured. as a result, the engine cradle needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 137,000.

I only purchased my vehicle 1 year ago. the first month i had it, i tried to have it inspected and was told my sub-frame was rotted. i contacted the chrysler company and there were no recalls. i contacted the dealer and they wouldn't help me. my check engine light is on because the o2 sensors are bad and now my power steering is leaking and i was told the steering rack is bad. i've also had to replace my inner and outer tie rods on both sides and also replaced the sway bar links. i am a single mom with 3 kids and this car has been a huge burden on me financially. i made a huge mistake buying a chrysler. *tr

My wife was going 35mph in town. coming to an intersection she needed to turn. no brakes or steering, both stopped working. luckily no one hit her and she was able to stop before hitting the telephone pole. i have seen a number of people online with similar issues. *tr

Front frame is cracked and rusted out very common for this model can not find any that is not rusted out or cracked. *tr

I have just performed routine (10/03/20014) maintenance on my 2005 chrysler pacifica. the mechanic called to inform me of significant corrosion problem with the cross member (cradle) that supports the engine, transmission, front suspension and steering. his visual inspection, as well as mine, showed more then 75% of the passenger side cradle rusted away. an open case # 25736224 has been established by chrysler customer support. my pacifica was produced september 30, 2004 which is outside of the assembly dates established by chrysler for extended warranty coverage. failure of the cross member (cradle) would cause loss of steering, engine and transmission failure, and severed brake lines. because this is a major safety issue it should be repaired by chrysler corporation. *tr

On 9/10/2014 my wife was in a minor fender bender and our 2005 chrysler pacifica had to be taken away on a flatbed tow truck. upon inspection of damage to our front end from the accident the body shop informed they found that our vehicle was unsafe to drive. in addition to the damage and upon my shock and horror they found our passenger side subframe/engine cradle was almost completely rusted out!!! the cost to repair/replace the subframe and labor will be $1500!!! i am in the process of having them replace it because my wife and 2 small children are in this suv daily. i'm thankful that this was found now before it was too late and something god awful would have happened. i'm in the process of talking with chrysler and am looking for assistance in this matter. thank you for your help. *tr

I experienced violent vibration and or/shake in the steering wheel. with a thumping under my feet .when i got home i jacked up my car to see what was going on. and was shocked to see the rear motor mount had broken through the cross member and not much attachment remaining. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that while driving at speeds over 50 mph, a vibration was present. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered that the engine cradle and the sub frame had rusted. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 113,000. updated 06/27/14*lj the tie rods and lower control arms were replaced. updated 07/08/14

Took vehicle to mechanic for routine maintenance. upon inspecting the underside of the vehicle the subframe of the vehicle is rusting and has holes some as large as three to four inches in diameter. *tr

While operating my 2005 chrysler pacifica limited edition i heard a loud clunking, popping, sound coming from my front end, which was exacerbated when i turned either left, or right. also, i have a constant shaking which i feel through my steering wheel, which becomes more pronounced while i am braking. anytime i drive over any type of bump, pothole, or even just an uneven road surface it clunks. it sometimes makes a clunking sound even when i am operating on an even road surface. as i start pulling away from a stopped position, i often feel, and hear a jerking & lugging, which sounds like the engine is moving around inside the sub frame (engine mounts). i brought the vehicle to a local independent mechanic who informed me that the sub frame was so rotted, that the control arm has pulled off of the sub frame. he also stated that the part of the sub frame that holds the engine in place, is so rotted that the engine could actually break free from the vehicle, and could result in a serious crash. he showed me several holes, where the sub frame has actually rotted completely through, and i am able to see out the other side of the metal. he said that it would cost me thousands of dollars to replace the rotted parts. i am a stage 4 terminal cancer patient, and need my vehicle to travel back & forth, 60+ miles, for the treatments necessary to keep me alive. i am not able to work, and therefore cannot afford to pay the costs required to repair, and/or replace the rotted parts on my vehicle, as well as the damage that the rotted parts have caused to other parts of my auto. i had another mechanic check my vehicle, for a second opinion. he told me that there is no way that this is normal wear, rusting, or rot, for a vehicle that is not even 9 years old. he said exterior body panel rust, or rot could be very possible, but definitely not rot in the sub frame. *tr

While driving and turning the steering column makes a horrible whining noise, then stopped completely. i could not turn the wheel and the car stalled. i had fixed it once before. it cost $1,200.00 and now it is doing it again. the repair shop will not fix it again, they said it is a dealer problem. i have been round and round with the chrysler corp. and of course, they will not fix it or reimburse me. rusted undercarriage is also worrying me - just waiting for an accident and looking up lawyers. but money is so much more important to this company rather than human life. i had purchased insurance for this vehicle for just such an emergency - and when i called, both times, they denied the coverage. i cancelled the policy after paying $1,500.00 into it and got back 355.00. never, ever again with this company. *tr

Excessive rusting of engine cradle. possibility of front end of subframe falling out of the car. *tr

Numerous complaints from owners of chrysler pacifica (2004 - 2005). the sub -frame of the vehicle was not treated properly for rust or corrosion. the motor mounts to the sub-frame and if the sub-frame is compromised the engine could drop down and destroy all braking and steering capabilities; as well as, catastrophic issues including death. what does it take for chrysler to realize that this is a problem. how does chrysler issue an extended warranty and then rescind the letter. corporate greed at its best. this is a "family vehicle" that we afraid to drive because you do not know when the sub-frame will "give-way" and possibly kill everyone in side or someone else. can i get some help!! please !! *tr

When driving the vehicle it shakes on passenger side some awful, scary too feels like its gonna fall down on the street or the tire is gonna fall off. *tr

Vehicle was submitted to authorized new york inspection station for yearly state-required inspection. vehicle failed inspection. inspector cited multiple holes in the "cradle" frame member supporting engine, steering, and suspension parts. "cradle" was completely perforated in several places by corrosion, and showed signs of additional corrosion which would ultimately lead to more holes. cradle was judged structurally compromised. inspection station consulted ny dmv and it was determined and reported to me that vehicle is unsafe, and that replacement of cradle would be required to return vehicle to service and to pass new york state inspection. it was explained to me that a minor impact -- such as encountering a pothole at speed, or hitting an object with the frame or body of the vehicle -- could cause collapse of the front end structure of the vehicle, loss of steering control, loss of the engine from the engine compartment, collapse of the suspension system, and potential resultant fire, explosion, and injury or loss of life to occupants of vehicle or others in the vicinity. *tr the consumer stated the vehicle left his wife stranded. she was unable to steer or brake while driving many times, the previous year. on one occasion while driving, the engine light illuminated, and the vehicle just stopped, leaving his wife in the middle of the road. the consumer replaced a faulty sensor. updated 03/27/14

I was driving down the road to pick up my son. turned left at the light, my car stalled, completely shut down. i started it again and the steering started to pull or lose grip, then came back. i have put over 2,000.00 into this car after i paid for a warranty which they never honored. the frame has been replaced and will probably have to be replaced again. the electrical is faulty and the alignment is always off a little even though it has been re-aligned 3 times. the engineer that designed this car should be made to drive it. *tr

Violent shaking of 2005 chrysler pacifica. took 2005 chrysler pacifica in for inspection and was told the engine cradle crossmember was rotted and the bolts that hold the power steering rack and engine up were missing. mechanic told me he would not release the 2005 chrysler pacifica back to me because it was unsafe to drive. called chrysler and they told me they would do nothing to repair it. *js

Driving down the street and the car started shaking and then something sounded like it snapped and the steering wheel was almost locked and could not steer. had it towed to the mechanics and he said the under frame and the brackets attached from the chasis to the frame holding up the engine had broken off. i got home looked online and found out that there are a lot of complaints about rusting in the under frame and that it is a very unsafe condition. *tr

Multiple issues with this car! i will start with the problems that didn't almost kill myself and my children. the abs light would stay on and the dealer had no resolution. the car would stall while turning. i replaced the battery five times in four years. while idling in the driveway the drivers seat reclined by itself, would not respond to the controls and started smoking! the dealer claims they could not diagnose the problem! lastly, while driving my sons to school, the car was handling poorly and because it was dark and raining, initially i believed that it was wet road conditions. to maintain control of the car, i was traveling in the slow lane and my speed was approx. 30 mph. upon approaching the top of a small hill, the steering began to vibrate violently, at this time i believed that the car had a flat tire and that was what had caused the poor handling while driving. i immediately hit the button for my hazard lights and began to try to ease into the emergency lane and attempt to stop the car. it was instantly apparent that the car brakes and power steering were not working, which left me struggling at 30 mph and accelerating because of the i was now on the downward side of the hill, to try to maintain control of the car! i was able to keep the car from completely veering to the right and ultimately hit a 5 inch concrete curb that is a turn out for the corner gas station. upon hitting the curb the car then sprang to the left back into the highway lane. miraculously, no other vehicles were traveling in that lane at that moment! once, we were out of the car, i learned that the car did not have a flat tire but a part of the front end had broken and caused the passenger front tire to collapse into the wheel well...unbelievable! i believe this to be a defect of the car, in addition to he multitude of other defects of this car!! *tr

I was pulling into a left hand parking spot when the vehicle stalled/completely shut off. dashboard lights were still on. i was able to coast backwards down a slope and back into another open parking spot. i had no power steering, and brakes were very hard to depress. i looked up the problem on the internet and looked up open recalls. i found a recall similar to what happened, but when i called both daimler-chrysler and a local chrysler dealership and gave the last 8 characters of my vin, they informed me there were no open recalls for my vehicle. from what i researched, this might happen several times and i am quite concerned with my safety. *tr

I was traveling with my children down a state highway when i noticed that my "miles to next service" light was saying my next service was due in 4555 miles. how odd, i thought, but didn't have time to ponder it further as i was going around at curve at 45 miles per hour with cars both behind me and oncoming, when i realized that my steering had inexplicably given out. i attempted to brake, only to realize that my brakes, too, had malfunctioned and weren't working. i threw on my flashers and did everything in my power to get that car safely to a halt at the side of road. it was only due to my efforts that my children and i were able to safely evacuate the vehicle before more dire consequences occurred, because the chrysler pacifica was completely dead. thankfully, a kind passerby helped me push the car off the road before someone hit it, and i called aaa for a tow. i still don't know what caused this potentially lethal malfunction, but i had adequate fuel in the car and had the oil changed less than two weeks prior so it wasn't simple owner neglect. no, it was a chrysler malfunction that could have caused my children and i our lives today. *tr

Bought this car used from a dealer owned the car for approx 8 months we were making a right hand turn heard this really loud noise and the car would no longer run. we were told the subframe and motor mounts were broken. now 1 1/2 years later my car has been acting very strange the transmission is slipping the car wont go if you step on the gas and my mechanic has informed me that once again i have broken motor mounts. i have owned this car for almost 3 years and have only put about 30,000 miles on it this should not be happening. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that the fuel gauge malfunctioned, causing the vehicle to stall. the contact stated that there was fuel in the vehicle however, the fuel tank displayed a reading of empty and caused the vehicle to stall. the contact also stated that when she tried to fill the fuel tank, fuel would spew back out as if the tank was full. the contact also stated that the rack and pinion had to be replaced three times. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 150,000 and current mileage was 160,000.

A letter was sent to some 2004-2005 chrysler pacifica owners that the front engine cradle and suspension mount frame warranty was being extended to 15 years or 150,000 miles to owners in states that use road salt because off corrosion problems. they go on to carelessly explain that if your are not experiencing vibration and shaking you need to do nothing-- by the time its that bad its almost to late! mine was not shaking but i had my pacifica inspected any way and found rust holes in front frame, one was the size of my fist and on the other side may be three or four fingers wide. i stopped driving the vehicle immediately and called the phone # listed on the notification letter twice, both times they denied a problem because it was not listed as a recall on their web site and besides my vehicle did not fall into the vin block ?? there are cases listed on the internet where state dmv inspection stations have failed these vehicles because they were unsafe to drive because of frame corrosion. i am having the engine cradle replaced at my expense. how can a manufacturer have such a flippant attitude about a known serious safety issue? does this fall under a hidden warranty or recall.

2005 chrysler pacifica loses power steering when rains and wet. *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle vibrated violently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the tie rod was defective and needed to be replaced. the remedy failed to repair the problem. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage 67,000 and the current mileage was 91,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. while driving at any speed, the vehicle would abnormally veer toward the right. the contact also stated that the brakes would involuntarily engage when driving at any speed. once the brakes disengaged, the vehicle would surge forward momentarily. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 73,500. updated 5/24/11 *cn the vehicle stalled while in reverse, a water pump was installed and the vehicle surged forward

I was driving on the freeway, and all of a sudden the car turns of. i had my niece in the car. the steering wheel wouldn't move. i could've crashed and caused a major fatal accident. shortly after that i needed to replace the engine. luckily i had warranty. the dealership couldn't figure out why the car would turn off. this happened about 3 times. and still does. now im having problems with the motor. i've doesn't over 8000 dollars fixing this car out of my pocket. the car is almost paid off. i need help. i feel like chrysler has stolen money from me since i purchased this car. not fair. not right. *tr

Problem #1: abs light comes on. when brake is pushed down, grinding noise starts, and brake does not slow car down properly. occurs daily, multiple times. came within inches of crashing into people, property, multiple times. mechanic says it's wheel speed sensor & expensive to fix. we do not have the money. problem #2: gas pedal sticks. when changing car from park to drive, gas pedal will not go down. you have to press on gas hard, thus sending the car rapidly forward or backwards, just to get it to go. happens daily, every time i change it from park to drive. problem #3: power steering locks up while making a turn. while making a left hand turn at an intersection, power steering locked up and could not turn the car, when i hit brakes to stop, they did not work properly either, almost sending my children & myself over an embankment. this has happened 4 times in last 3 months. car has been looked at 3 times, with a diagnostic ran on it each time. response is that car is unsafe to drive, park it and never get behind the wheel again, is what i have heard from all 3 mechanics. would love to park it & save my family from harm, but it's necessary to have a car where i live, and we have no extra money to buy a new car, so there's no options. cost to repair is already at over $800. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chrysler pacifica. the contact stated that the steering wheel would shake when the vehicle reached 55 mph. when the contact took the vehicle to have the steering aligned, he was told that the vehicle needed new tie rods in the front. the vehicle was inspected at the dealership and the contact was informed that it needed a new rack and pinion system. the current and failure mileages were approximately 22,000.

2005 chrysler pacifica. consumer states defective airbag *tgw the consumer stated the air bag light illuminated in september 2009. also, there were problems with the transmission control module, brakes, wheel sensors, a clogged throttle body and for the past 18 months there has been a popping sound coming from the left side of the steering components. the dealership made repairs three times, but the popping sound eventually came back. the drive shaft was replaced three time and the rack and pinion was replaced three times. *jb

High pressure power steering hose burst. replaced twice by dealer where car was bought. replaces part burst and the car caught on fire. car was a total lost. *tr

Today i took my 2005 chrysler pacifica into the shop for new tires, i was told they could not do an alignment because the tie rods looked bad and to take it to the dealer, i did. i then found out from my local dealer that unfortunately that is all they see is chrysler pacificas...my car has less than 45k miles and i have been told that the entire front end suspension is worthless and right now i have bad gear boxes, a broken engine mount, and can count on having front axel problems as well. the dealer also had a 2004 brought in today and that car and mine were raised up and the repair men showed me and everyone else around the identical problems on both cars. *tr

Now i am in shock, we have a 2005 chrysler pacifica we purchased in march of this year, used 23,000 miles. thought it was a pretty nice vehicle until this week it lost steering while turning left (it may have stalled, am not sure because stereo was still on. was able to stop and restart it and it was ok. happened 2 times 1 day apart. took it to the dealer who kept it 2 days , could not duplicate it so cannot detect the problem. come on now. i just got on this site that listed all the problems in the 2005 pacifica, and out of 157, over 3/4 of them had the exact problem yet chrysler cannot figure out what is going on. and let me tell you this much, today my daughter took my 3 grandchildren to meet their dad 280 miles away on the busiest highways and mountains in the u.s. plus my son went with her for the company. now that is my whole family, thank the good lord they made it safe, but after getting on here this evening and reading how many times this has happened i am in total shock needless to say sick at my stomach. you better believe next week when she goes back to get them she will rent a car. and i will be on the phone all week until i get some answers. what are they waiting for, a whole family to get killed and a huge law suit before they do something about this. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated that while driving 25 mph on dry roads, the brakes failed to engage. during this incident the power steering would not respond to steering input. the vehicle was stopped by driving into a curb. when the vehicle was taken to a service dealer, they were unable to determine the problem.

My problems began on 10/03/05 @ 2,826 miles. since that time there have been a litany of problems through eighteen months. wheel sensors -6 were replaced. front end noise like a rubbing sound. returned to dealer several times. accelerator sticking. returned to dealer several times each time they lubricated the linkage but after two weeks the problem continued. at this point nothing else was done concerning the accelerator. next, problem a defective axle, replaced. power module replaced. doors would not lock and car would not start after installation of the power module. the car had to be towed to the dealer. it was repaired. parking brake assembly fell apart in the rear brakes as i was driving down the highway. parking brake assembly replaced by the dealer. front end vibration again brought to dealers attention. another wheel sensor replaced. on 5/24/07 brought my pacifica back to the dealer concerning the front end noise. they replaced the power steering pump on 5/30/07. on 6/04/07 returned to the dealer noise in front end still there. also, the accelerator still sticks. concerning the front end noise, they said that a power steering line was leaking and they repaired it. the accelerator butterfly was finally replaced after over a year of complaints. on 6/08/07 i returned the car because of the same noise in the front end every time you turn left or right. at this point they decided to replace the steering rack. i picked up the car on 6/14/07 the vibration rubbing noise was still there. i returned to the dealer on 6/15/07. the service manager told me that they could not fix the car and to take the car home and wait for chrysler to call. it has now been 6 weeks and they have not called. i have called the dealer several times for up dates , they say that they do not have any information. chrysler's letter, dated 6/26/07 states, " we consider this matter closed," even though the car has still not been repaired. *tr

On three occasions, while slowing down and turning, either into parking spots or parking lots, the oil pressure light came on and the power steering went out. it is possible that the engine died, but not sure because all three times we immediately put the vehicle in park and turned the key to the off position. once the car was restarted, the problem went away. the vehicle has been to the dealer twice, both times we were told that no codes were stored in the computer. both times we were told that they test drove the vehicle and could not duplicate the problem. *jb