Chrysler is launching a massive recall
Stellantis has recalled up to 250,651 Chrysler Pacifica and Voyager minivans built between 2022 and 2025 over a side curtain airbag defect. According to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), some of these vehicles may have been built with a curtain airbag that does not retain sufficient pressure during deployment, potentially reducing passenger protection and increasing the risk of partial or complete ejection of an occupant through a side window during certain crash types. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards also require side curtain airbags to hold passengers’ heads in place during some crash scenarios.
FCA noted that the solution for this condition isn’t currently available, but the recall is estimated to launch in Q3 2025, and owners will receive a letter when the final fix is ready. The remedy will include Chrysler inspecting and replacing the side curtain airbags, which may be located on either the right or left side, as necessary, when parts arrive. Chrysler’s recall applies to 209,668 Pacificas and 40,983 Voyagers.
Chrysler
How authorities discovered the defect’s underlying cause
Chrysler determined that some of the side curtain airbags can leak at the seam because of improper seals, potentially causing the airbag to lose pressure during a crash. The suspect period began on May 10, 2022, when certain curtain airbags were introduced into production and continued through the end of the production period on November 3, 2024. While Chrysler became aware of the issue in April 2023, its underlying cause wasn’t pinpointed until April 2024 due to Canada’s repeated non-compliance tests.
A deeper investigation at Chrysler occurred between September 2024 and April 2025, with official non-compliance confirmed on May 1. The NHTSA wrote: “Curtain airbags, which do not have proper pressure retention, may reduce occupant protection and increase the risk of partial and complete ejection of an occupant through a side window during certain types of crashes.” Chrysler isn’t aware of any injuries attributed to the defective airbags, and the NHTSA estimates that 14% of the 250,651 Pacifica and Voyager units are at risk of airbag failure.
Stellantis
American-Swedish company Autoliv is the supplier of the suspect airbags, autoevolution reports. Chrysler produces both the Pacifica and Voyager at the Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada, and its Pacifica was the U.S.’s best-selling minivan of Q1 2025 with 32,409 deliveries. The Voyager sold far fewer models during Q1 at 2,319 units. The 2025 Pacifica starts at $42,450, while the 2025 Voyager has a base price of $39,995. Other recalls published by the NHTSA from June 23 to June 29 include the Ford Motor Company recalling certain 2020-2025 Lincoln Aviators over trim that may detach on up to 132,914 vehicles and up to 70,852 BMWs being affected by drive motor software causing power loss on 2022-2025 i4, 2022-2024 IX, 2023-2024 I7, and 2024 I5 models.
Final thoughts
Owners of Chrysler minivans in the NHTSA’s published recall can check their vehicle identification number (VIN) if a notice hasn’t arrived yet by mail. These models’ VINs start with the number two since they’re Canadian-made, whereas U.S. VINs start with 1, 4, or 5. Chrysler’s recall highlights the importance of compliance testing, as this protocol helped Canadian authorities identify the underlying cause of the defect before the automaker.