BUY WITH CARE

The head problem was not fully solved on the second-generation engine. On the 2017-2019 Chrysler Pacifica -- where the Pentastar 3.6 is the only gas engine -- ENGINE is the #1 complaint component, and 174 federal ENGINE complaints describe the same cylinder-head failure pattern: multi-cylinder misfires and ticking, with owners reporting failures clustered around 80,000-120,000 miles and out of warranty. Treat a 2017-2019 Pacifica's engine as a known risk, not a settled design.

Check — Same signature as the early cars: cold-start tick, a flashing check-engine light or rough running under load, misfire codes. On a Pacifica near or past ~80k miles, get a pre-purchase misfire scan or compression/leak-down check and budget for a possible head or engine repair.

A second, later Pentastar 3.6 failure mode is valvetrain wear: a rocker-arm roller wears, loosens and drops, throwing the rocker off the cam and producing a ticking or tapping that can escalate to a misfire or internal damage if driven on. 161 federal ENGINE complaints on the 2014-2019 3.6 models (Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, the vans, Charger and 300) name rocker arms or lifters. Owners report dealer rocker/lifter replacements and PCM reflashes, with the noise often appearing at highway mileage rather than when new.

Check — Listen for a persistent tick or tap that does not clear after an oil change and is not just cold-start injector noise; ask about any rocker-arm, lifter or valvetrain work and any PCM/ECM reflash. A tick left unaddressed can score the camshaft and turn a rocker job into an engine job.