Another year of Pacifica Hybrid ownership is flying by. Time to report on what’s happened in the past few months.
Our air-conditioning compressor had been noisy and largely ineffective for a while. As reported in the February update, we had booked the car into Crowfoot Dodge to investigate, but they reported “normal pump operation”. However, it didn’t sound right to us – definitely louder than when the car was new – and as we moved into summer and the temperature rose, the cabin was an increasingly unpleasant place to spend time. The A/C was clearly failing to cool the air.
Our air-conditioning compressor had been noisy and largely ineffective for a while. As reported in the February update, we had booked the car into Crowfoot Dodge to investigate, but they reported “normal pump operation”. However, it didn’t sound right to us – definitely louder than when the car was new – and as we moved into summer and the temperature rose, the cabin was an increasingly unpleasant place to spend time. The A/C was clearly failing to cool the air.
A rare shot of Baymax rear-first into the garage, to load up for our camping trip. That's rainwater on the floor, not fluids from the car – it's been a wet summer in Calgary
After sweating it out on the three-hour drive each way to Waterton Lakes for the annual camping trip – still love the ability to charge up at the campsite and drive around the park on electric – we decided to get a second opinion. A mammoth road trip to Vancouver was looming and 2,000km (around 1,200 miles) seemed a lot more appealing in a cool cabin.
Plugged in at Waterton
Our friends at OK Tire Northmount were unable to accommodate Baymax at short notice but we were recommended to KDF Imports in Calgary’s northeast. The service advisor asked all the right questions and suggested the car came in for an A/C leak test and recharge as a first step. If that didn’t help, then they’d look into it further.
For now, the recharge has done the trick. The blower is delivering much colder air than we’ve felt in quite a while and the system easily dealt with temperatures of 30°C+ (86°F+) on our drive through the BC interior. Initial impressions are that the compressor is quieter, too, but I need to spend more time running on electric to assess that properly.
KDF were great to deal with. They got the car through the workshop at short notice and within an exact time window to minimize the hanging around. It was fun to see Baymax among the BMWs and other premium vehicles that they typically service, too. Thanks very much – we’ll be back!
For now, the recharge has done the trick. The blower is delivering much colder air than we’ve felt in quite a while and the system easily dealt with temperatures of 30°C+ (86°F+) on our drive through the BC interior. Initial impressions are that the compressor is quieter, too, but I need to spend more time running on electric to assess that properly.
KDF were great to deal with. They got the car through the workshop at short notice and within an exact time window to minimize the hanging around. It was fun to see Baymax among the BMWs and other premium vehicles that they typically service, too. Thanks very much – we’ll be back!
Carving through the Rockies
During the three-day trip west, we covered 1,980km, most of it on the highway, and with no plug-in battery charges after we left home. That still yielded average fuel economy of 6.54L/100km (36mpg), which is not bad at all, and well in line with what we recorded on a trip to BC that we undertook in 2021.
Almost home. Vermilion Lakes Viewpoint, just west of Banff, AB
In other news… It’s been interesting to watch the blizzard of publicity emerging from Chrysler through the summer relating to its Century of Innovation events, which included the brand dusting off some of its great designs from the past.
1934 Chrysler Airflow sedan during the Chrysler historical vehicle drive on Detroit’s Belle Isle, June 2025 (credit: Stellantis)
It’s a shame that the Pacifica remains the only current car to carry such a storied name. The latest spin-off is the just-announced Grizzly Peak concept, a 4x4, overlanding-style Pacifica built for the 2025 Overland Expo.
Pacifica Grizzly Peak concept, “builds on four decades of minivan leadership and a century of innovation,” says Chrysler. Maybe it’s time to look to the future, rather than the past? (credit: Stellantis)
I think it looks sharp, a testament to the Pacifica’s elegant form. Whether it foreshadows a similar, raised-height production version, or related accessories, I have no idea. But I would prefer to see some all-new models breathe new life into the Chrysler marque. Now, that would be worth celebrating.
More next time, thanks for reading!
More next time, thanks for reading!