Incident: Chrysler Pacifica Minivans Recall Due to Engine Control Software Glitch

Published Date: 2018-01-12

Postmortem Analysis
Timeline 1. The software failure incident with the Chrysler Pacifica minivans happened in 2017 [Article 67687, Article 67690]. 2. The incident occurred in 2017, as mentioned in the articles published on January 12, 2018.
System 1. Engine control module software in select 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivans [Article 66837, Article 67687, Article 67690, Article 67704]
Responsible Organization 1. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [Article 66837, Article 67687, Article 67690, Article 67704]
Impacted Organization 1. Owners of Chrysler Pacifica minivans [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704] 2. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV 3. Center for Auto Safety 4. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Software Causes 1. The software cause of the failure incident was a glitch in the engine control module programming of select 2017 model-year Chrysler Pacifica minivans, which could result in a stall [Article 67687]. 2. Under rare conditions, the minivan’s engine control module could incorrectly assess the operating status, potentially causing the engine to stall [Article 66837]. 3. A software glitch in the engine control module may cause the vehicles to stall due to incorrectly assessing the engine’s operating status [Article 67690, Article 67704].
Non-software Causes 1. Under rare conditions, the minivan’s engine control module could incorrectly assess the operating status, potentially causing the engine to stall [Article 66837]. 2. A glitch in the engine control module programming of select 2017 model-year vans could result in a stall [Article 67687]. 3. A software glitch may cause the vehicles to stall due to the engine control module incorrectly assessing the engine’s operating status [Article 67690]. 4. A software glitch may cause the vehicles to stall due to the engine control module incorrectly assessing the engine’s operating status [Article 67704].
Impacts 1. The software failure incident in the Chrysler Pacifica minivans caused some vehicles to stall suddenly while being driven, leading to potential safety risks for drivers, passengers, and others on the road [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. 2. Owners reported experiencing stalls primarily when the vehicle was being started, idling, or driven at low speeds, indicating that the issue occurred under specific conditions [67687, 67690]. 3. The stalling incidents prompted Fiat Chrysler to recall nearly 154,000 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivans in the United States and thousands more globally to address the software glitch [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. 4. The recall process involved updating the engine control software in the affected vehicles to prevent further stalling incidents, with the fix being provided free of charge to customers [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. 5. The software glitch potentially led to at least one accident, although no injuries were reported as a direct result of the stalling incidents [66837, 67690]. 6. The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group, petitioned the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate the issue after receiving complaints from owners, highlighting the seriousness of the software failure incident [67690, 67704].
Preventions 1. Thorough testing and quality assurance processes during the development of the engine control module software could have potentially prevented the software glitch that caused the Chrysler Pacifica minivans to stall unexpectedly [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. 2. Implementing more robust monitoring and reporting systems to quickly identify and address any emerging issues related to the engine control module software could have helped in detecting the problem earlier and preventing widespread incidents [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. 3. Conducting proactive software updates and patches to address any potential vulnerabilities or bugs in the engine control module software before they lead to critical failures could have mitigated the risk of stalling incidents in the Chrysler Pacifica minivans [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704].
Fixes 1. An update to the minivan's engine control software [Article 66837] 2. Dealers installing updated engine control software on affected models free of charge [Article 67687] 3. Dealers updating the engine control software to fix the glitch causing the vehicles to stall [Article 67690] 4. Updating the engine control software to address the software glitch causing the vehicles to stall [Article 67704]
References 1. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704] 2. Center for Auto Safety [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704] 3. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) [66837, 67690, 67704] 4. Owners who reported safety complaints [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]

Software Taxonomy of Faults

Category Option Rationale
Recurring one_organization, multiple_organization (a) The software failure incident related to stalling in Chrysler Pacifica minivans has happened again within the same organization, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The company had previously recalled nearly 50,000 Pacifica minivans from the 2017 and 2018 model years over a possible seatbelt issue [Article 67687]. (b) The software failure incident of stalling in Chrysler Pacifica minivans has also occurred at other organizations or with their products and services. The Center for Auto Safety, a consumer advocacy group, petitioned the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in November to investigate the stalling issue after at least 50 owners had reported similar problems with new Pacifica minivans [Article 67690].
Phase (Design/Operation) design, operation (a) The software failure incident in the Chrysler Pacifica minivans was primarily due to a design issue. The articles mention that the problem stemmed from a software glitch in the engine control module programming of select 2017 model-year vans, which incorrectly assessed the engine's operating status, potentially causing it to stall [67687, 67690]. The issue was identified as occurring under rare conditions during specific phases such as starting, idling, or driving at low speeds, indicating a design flaw in the software. (b) The software failure incident was also influenced by the operation of the vehicles. Most incidents associated with the glitch took place at low speeds or when the vehicles were starting up, indicating that the operation of the vehicles triggered the stalling issue [67687, 67690]. Additionally, drivers found that they had to shut the vehicles off and restart them to resume driving, suggesting that the operation of the vehicle was affected by the software glitch.
Boundary (Internal/External) within_system (a) within_system: The software failure incident with the Chrysler Pacifica minivans was due to a glitch in the engine control module programming, specifically in the engine control software. This glitch caused the vehicles to stall under certain conditions, such as when starting, idling, or driving at low speeds. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles identified the issue as originating from within the system and stated that an update to the engine control software would fix the problem [66837, 67687, 67690]. (b) outside_system: There is no information in the provided articles indicating that the software failure incident with the Chrysler Pacifica minivans was caused by contributing factors originating from outside the system.
Nature (Human/Non-human) non-human_actions (a) The software failure incident occurring due to non-human actions: - The software glitch causing the Chrysler Pacifica minivans to stall was due to a rare set of conditions where the engine control module incorrectly assessed the engine's operating status, leading to stalling incidents [66837, 67687, 67690]. - The glitch was described as occurring primarily when the vehicle was being started, idling, or driven at low, steady speeds, and most incidents were singular events that occurred over thousands of miles of travel [67687]. - The recall involved updating the engine control software to address the issue, indicating that the failure was a result of a non-human factor in the software programming [66837, 67687, 67690]. (b) The software failure incident occurring due to human actions: - There is no specific mention in the articles of the software failure incident being caused by human actions. The focus is on a software glitch in the engine control module programming leading to stalling issues in Chrysler Pacifica minivans [66837, 67687, 67690]. - The recall and solution provided by Chrysler involved updating the engine control software to fix the problem, indicating that the root cause was a software issue rather than human actions [66837, 67687, 67690]. Therefore, based on the information provided in the articles, the software failure incident in the Chrysler Pacifica minivans was primarily attributed to non-human actions related to a software glitch in the engine control module programming.
Dimension (Hardware/Software) software (a) The software failure incident in the Chrysler Pacifica minivans was primarily due to a software glitch in the engine control module programming. This glitch caused the engine control module to incorrectly assess the engine's operating status, leading to stalling while the vehicle was being started, idling, or driven at low speeds. The recall involved updating the engine control software to address this issue [67687, 67690]. (b) The software failure incident was specifically attributed to a software glitch in the engine control module programming. The glitch caused the engine to stall under certain rare conditions, indicating that the contributing factors of the failure originated in the software itself. The solution provided by Chrysler involved updating the engine control software to rectify the issue [67687, 67690].
Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) non-malicious (a) The software failure incident related to the Chrysler Pacifica minivans stalling issue was non-malicious. The issue was caused by a software glitch in the engine control module programming of select 2017 model-year vans, which could result in a stall under certain circumstances. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles initiated a recall to update the engine control software to address the problem. The company stated that the glitch occurred under a rare set of conditions and most incidents happened at low speeds or during vehicle startup [Article 67687, Article 67690, Article 67704].
Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) (a) poor_decisions: The software failure incident related to the Chrysler Pacifica minivans stalling was not due to poor decisions but rather a software glitch in the engine control module programming. The glitch caused the engine control module to incorrectly assess the engine's operating status under rare conditions, leading to stalls while starting, idling, or driving at low speeds. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles responded by issuing a recall to update the engine control software to address the issue ([66837], [67687], [67690], [67704]). (b) accidental_decisions: The software failure incident related to the Chrysler Pacifica minivans stalling was not due to accidental decisions but rather a software glitch in the engine control module programming. The glitch caused the engine control module to incorrectly assess the engine's operating status under rare conditions, leading to stalls while starting, idling, or driving at low speeds. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles responded by issuing a recall to update the engine control software to address the issue ([66837], [67687], [67690], [67704]).
Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) accidental (a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is not explicitly mentioned in the provided articles. Therefore, it is unknown whether the failure was due to contributing factors introduced due to lack of professional competence by humans or the development organization. (b) The software failure incident related to an accidental glitch in the engine control module programming of select 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivans is mentioned in the articles [67687, 67690]. The glitch was described as occurring under a rare set of conditions and was not intentional but accidental.
Duration temporary (a) The software failure incident in the articles is temporary. The issue with the Chrysler Pacifica minivans stalling was described as occurring under a rare set of conditions, primarily when the vehicle was being started, idling, or driven at low speeds. Most incidents were singular events that occurred over thousands of miles of travel, and affected models were able to be restarted right away [Article 67687]. (b) The software failure incident in the articles is also temporary. Fiat Chrysler mentioned that under a rare set of conditions, the engine control module may incorrectly assess the engine's operating status and cause it to stall. Most incidents associated with the glitch took place at low speeds or when the vehicles were starting up [Article 67690].
Behaviour crash, value, other (a) crash: The software failure incident in the articles can be categorized as a crash. The Chrysler Pacifica minivans experienced stalls while being driven, requiring drivers to shut the vehicles off and restart them to resume driving. Some drivers reported experiencing stalls in intersections or on highways, indicating a failure of the system to maintain its operational state [66837, 67687, 67690]. (b) omission: The software failure incident does not align with the omission behavior as there is no indication that the system omitted to perform its intended functions at any instance [66837, 67687, 67690]. (c) timing: The timing behavior is not applicable to this software failure incident as there is no mention of the system performing its intended functions too late or too early [66837, 67687, 67690]. (d) value: The software failure incident can be classified under the value behavior. The engine control module incorrectly assessed the operating status of the minivan's engine, potentially causing it to stall. This indicates that the system was performing its intended function incorrectly, leading to the failure [66837, 67687, 67690]. (e) byzantine: The byzantine behavior does not apply to this software failure incident as there is no mention of inconsistent responses or interactions by the system in the articles [66837, 67687, 67690]. (f) other: The other behavior observed in this software failure incident is that the stalls occurred under rare conditions, with most incidents happening at low speeds or during vehicle startup. This indicates a specific set of circumstances triggering the failure, which can be categorized as a unique behavior not covered by the other options [66837, 67687, 67690].

IoT System Layer

Layer Option Rationale
Perception None None
Communication None None
Application None None

Other Details

Category Option Rationale
Consequence delay, theoretical_consequence, other (a) death: People lost their lives due to the software failure - There were no reports of deaths related to the software failure incident in the articles [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (b) harm: People were physically harmed due to the software failure - The articles did not mention any physical harm caused to individuals due to the software failure incident [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (c) basic: People's access to food or shelter was impacted because of the software failure - The articles did not indicate any impact on people's access to food or shelter due to the software failure incident [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (d) property: People's material goods, money, or data was impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident did not result in any direct impact on people's material goods, money, or data as reported in the articles [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (e) delay: People had to postpone an activity due to the software failure - The software failure incident may have caused inconvenience to drivers as they had to shut off and restart their vehicles to resume driving, potentially leading to delays in their journeys [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (f) non-human: Non-human entities were impacted due to the software failure - The software failure incident primarily affected the functioning of the Chrysler Pacifica minivans due to the engine control module glitch, with no mention of impact on non-human entities [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (g) no_consequence: There were no real observed consequences of the software failure - The software failure incident did have observable consequences, such as the vehicles stalling suddenly while being driven, leading to potential safety risks for drivers and passengers [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (h) theoretical_consequence: There were potential consequences discussed of the software failure that did not occur - The potential consequences discussed included the risk of accidents and safety hazards due to the stalling of vehicles, but no actual deaths or serious injuries were reported as a result of the software failure incident [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. (i) other: Was there consequence(s) of the software failure not described in the (a to h) options? What is the other consequence(s)? - The software failure incident led to a recall of nearly 154,000 Chrysler Pacifica minivans to address the issue, causing inconvenience to owners who had to bring in their vehicles for the software update [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704].
Domain transportation (a) The failed system was intended to support the transportation industry. The software glitch in the engine control module of the Chrysler Pacifica minivans caused some vehicles to stall suddenly while being driven, posing a safety risk to drivers and passengers [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. The recall of nearly 154,000 Chrysler Pacifica minivans was initiated to address this issue by updating the engine control software [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. The glitch primarily affected gas-powered 2017 Pacifica vans, with hybrid models being unaffected [66837, 67687, 67690, 67704]. The incidents of stalling were reported to occur when the vehicle was being started, idling, or driven at low speeds [67687]. The recall covered vehicles in the United States and other countries, with dealers offering the software update free of charge [67690, 67704].

Sources

Back to List