We just bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The towing capacity is rated at 3600 lbs. My wife wants to get a popup and all of them she wants are about 2500lbs or more empty. I don't want to tow up to capacity and she doesn't see the problem.Anybody out there towing with a Pacifica? What's your experience and how much do you tow? Have you had any vehicle problems? I'm especially concerned about the transmission because I can't choose the gear with Chrysler's spin-the-dial gear shift.

sprintstream wrote:We just bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The towing capacity is rated at 3600 lbs. My wife wants to get a popup and all of them she wants are about 2500lbs or more empty. I don't want to tow up to capacity and she doesn't see the problem.Anybody out there towing with a Pacifica? What's your experience and how much do you tow? Have you had any vehicle problems? I'm especially concerned about the transmission because I can't choose the gear with Chrysler's spin-the-dial gear shift.Pacifica Limited owner - no towing. But I agree with your concerns - a popup is much wider than the vehicle, acting like a parachute; not to mention by the time it's loaded up for camping, scarily-close to top tow weight. Even unloaded and not towing, my tranny can act like the Wheel of Fortune in its attempts to find the right gear. I suppose for short trips it would be fine, but I sure wouldn't want to tow in any mountains....Of course, camping in a popup is fun - even more fun when you can bring bikes/kayaks/fishing gear, etc. I think you need a nice full-sized pickup truck - then there would be no worries ;-)On edit: or better yet, tow with what we use: a full-sized Transit with the Ecoboost motor - woohoo!!! It won't fit in your garage, but it WILL haul just about any heavy thing you can think of....LOL!

You'll be over on max tow weight. What is the Pacifica's payload?"even more fun when you can bring bikes/kayaks/fishing gear, etc"Deb & Ed's comment is right on! I'd add horseshoes.

sprintstream wrote:We just bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The towing capacity is rated at 3600 lbs. My wife wants to get a popup and all of them she wants are about 2500lbs or more empty. I don't want to tow up to capacity and she doesn't see the problem.Anybody out there towing with a Pacifica? What's your experience and how much do you tow? Have you had any vehicle problems? I'm especially concerned about the transmission because I can't choose the gear with Chrysler's spin-the-dial gear shift.Towing capacity is only one thing to consider. What is the GVWR for the vehicle? GVWR is the maximum weight capacity of a vehicle without a trailer attached. Towing capacity, on the other hand, is the maximum weight capacity of the vehicle, specifically in terms of how heavy of a trailer it can tow. How much will the Pacifica weigh with everyone in it and loaded to go camping and how much weight will hooking up the pop-up add to the Pacifica - i.e. the tongue weight?

sprintstream wrote:We just bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. The towing capacity is rated at 3600 lbs. My wife wants to get a popup and all of them she wants are about 2500lbs or more empty. I don't want to tow up to capacity and she doesn't see the problem.Anybody out there towing with a Pacifica? What's your experience and how much do you tow? Have you had any vehicle problems? I'm especially concerned about the transmission because I can't choose the gear with Chrysler's spin-the-dial gear shift.Does your Pacifica have the factory tow package? If not, it doesn't have the 3600lbs towing capacity.You also need to look at popup GVWR numbers, NOT the fictional dry numbers. Popups generally have low CCC numbers so the GVWR is a more realistic number.

What is your towing experience with Chrysler Pacifica

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Oct 19, 2019
Terryallan wrote:
sprintstream wrote:
Thanks to all replies. I believe we do not have the tow package but can make it work. I plan to keep it as light as I can. May add a larger tranny cooler and a bolt on sway bar.

Pretty much, the tow package for that vehicle is in fact, a External trans cooler in the return lines from the radiator to the trans, and a full size spare tire.

And load leveling shocks, which you can install air bags or timbrens in The rear.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Oct 19, 2019
sprintstream wrote:
Thanks to all replies. I believe we do not have the tow package but can make it work. I plan to keep it as light as I can. May add a larger tranny cooler and a bolt on sway bar.

Pretty much, the tow package for that vehicle is in fact, a External trans cooler in the return lines from the radiator to the trans, and a full size spare tire.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Oct 19, 2019
I wouldn't be worried towing around a moderate sized popup with a new Pacifica.
I would take some precautions like you're saying with trans cooler if it doesn't have an adequate one.
The big question is duty cycle. Few weekend trips to the state park, low miles, low altitude, not in the mountians, I wouldn't hesitate.
Major family trips, loaded for bear, X country, dead of summer bucking a head wind across SD before climbing the bighorns , Snowies and hitting Colorado for some back country? I would want a more capable tow rig without a doubt.
In between those scenarios? Judgement call and take it easy on the car if you're trying to make it last many years.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Oct 19, 2019
Here is a link to a write up I did concerning my experience with a 2014 Town & Country towing a PUP.

Towing with a Minivan

YMMV.

Thanks

Jeremiah
drsteve
Explorer
Oct 19, 2019
sprintstream wrote:
Thanks to all replies. I believe we do not have the tow package but can make it work. I plan to keep it as light as I can. May add a larger tranny cooler and a bolt on sway bar.

Without the factory towing package, your tow limit is 1500 lb.
sprintstream
Explorer
Oct 19, 2019
Thanks to all replies. I believe we do not have the tow package but can make it work. I plan to keep it as light as I can. May add a larger tranny cooler and a bolt on sway bar.
Terryallan
Explorer II
Oct 19, 2019
2500 dry means you will have 1100lb before you hit the max tow. Pups don't have a huge carrying capacity. Doubt seriously you will ever load more than 500lb in the pup. there just isn't enough room in there for it. Unless of course your wife is like Lucy and collects rocks.

folks have been towing large pups with Caravans for years, and years. they too are rated for 35 to 3800lb towing. Also "many" not "all" front wheel drive vehicles have the same towing capacity loaded or empty. Meaning it doesn't matter if there is 2 or 5 people in the vehicle. it still tows the same weight

A pup has almost no frontal area while towing. So that is not really a question. Me. I'd do it. but then I towed pups with CJ5s, Grand Cherokees, and Rangers. I don't see the problem.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Oct 19, 2019
Oasisbob wrote:
We towed our 3.500 pound loaded trailer for many years with our Dodge Caravan. Same tow capacity as your pacifica. We went all over Oregon, Washington, some of Canada and even Colorado. People with more money than us would scoff at our rig though, barely, we are within factory specs. Your pacifica will do fine. Figure 500 aditional pounds for water, camping gear and what you need to camp. Be sure to get a brake controller and we did run Firestone air bag assist suspension. Our mileage was around 14 MPG

I agree. The OP will be fine. I towed a 25ft TT with a 95 Explorer the trailer had a 5k lb tow rating with a 3850 dry weight. Yes we were at max but I never had an issue.
Oasisbob
Explorer
Oct 19, 2019
We towed our 3.500 pound loaded trailer for many years with our Dodge Caravan. Same tow capacity as your pacifica. We went all over Oregon, Washington, some of Canada and even Colorado. People with more money than us would scoff at our rig though, barely, we are within factory specs. Your pacifica will do fine. Figure 500 aditional pounds for water, camping gear and what you need to camp. Be sure to get a brake controller and we did run Firestone air bag assist suspension. Our mileage was around 14 MPG
We_ll_See
Explorer
Oct 19, 2019
You have plenty of engine and plenty of wheelbase for a stable platform. However that transmission shifts all over the place and you can't lock out gears. What does your yellow payload sticker say on the drivers door jam? If you keep that loaded popup under 3,200 pounds, get trailer brakes, and keep your tongue weight at about 12% you should be good.