Chrysler Pacifica: Problems & Solutions

mrus1 · August 2003

I have been having the flapping noise also. The Dealer thinks I am crazy. I have had it there twice and they never hear it when we take it for a test ride. Did the TSB listed above fix your problem? To make sure I have the same noise mine happens off and on especially once you hit a bump and the works itself out. You can hear it well at 30 -40 miles and on the freeway. Sounds like front passenger tire area. Any info a help!

pssimon · August 2003

I had the noise, the dealer heard the noise, the dealer said there was a TSB for the noise, the dealer said they fixed the noise, the noise is still there! It has to go back!

I think that sums it up <G>!

grndefx · August 2003

My Pacifica (Mid Blue AWD) is in the shop for loud A/C Blower noise. On recirc, it's like a jet landing, low output from vents... Also while I was there i check the windshield cowling and it had a missing screw as previously mentioned. I mentioned the fan shield problme, even though i havent actully had a problem, and she said it was becasue people parked too close to the curb stone and it gets caught. hmmm not usre about that one. Of course, picked up a great Mitsubishi Galant at Enterprise (as per the Service writer) "Chrysler only pays for midsize." Wife's car and she's not too happy. Traded a 2001 Tribute EX 4WD (which had a lot of production problems, fortunateley ours was in the shop only a few times over the 3 years we had it. Twice was cause she hit a bucket on the highway (Wheel sensors, etc). Pacifica definately tighter fit and better materials, just hope this is it's last visit to dealer. They sure are pushing the Pacifica Ads on TV too.

I'm also not thrilled with the seating. Had 6 adults (ok most will say you can only put kids back there), but my probem isn't with once your inside, its getting in and out. I first have to move the drivers seat forward to get the 2nd row to fold and give the 3rd row enough legroom. Its like you have to adjust every seat to get someone in. Its only rare that we have 6, but having three 21+ yr old kids. we like the flexability of taking 1 car. instead of 2, if we have 5 or 6 passengers (could never fit 5 comfortably in the Tribute - too tight in back seat. Looked at the Honda Pilot, too much of a box, like the Tribute.

russklass · August 2003

"To make sure I have the same noise mine happens off and on especially once you hit a bump and the works itself out."
BINGO!
Same strange problem!
You hit a sharp bump, and there is a dramatic increase in road noise. It goes away eventually, only to come back with the next sharp bump. Weird!
Mine has a bad left front wheel bearing which may or may not be the culprit ... will know when they get the part to replace it.

mrus1 · August 2003

Glad to hear, well correct that, I am unhappy to hear others have similar increased road noise problems after hitting bumps but happy to know I am not alone. If anyone is able to solve the problem please let us know! Maybe if we stir the pot enough they will correct the problem. I am going to call the dealer about the TSB today!

sigmari · August 2003

My Pacifica has 3080 miles on it and I was just driving on the freeway when it just got loud.
By the time I drove 12 miles into town it sounded like a jet taking off. Turns out the right passenger wheel bearings were bad. From other postings this sounds like a problem. I work for the auto industry and bad bearings at 3000 miles is unheard of.

kalathiparambi · August 2003

WHAT is that ANNOYING clicking noise when you shift from drive to reverse (or reverse to drive) and move the vehicle slightly?
I remember that there was a post re this. Does everyone experience this? Hope its not indicative of a problem..

jimsfastls1 · August 2003

Just picked one up and love it. Went through the car very thoroughly, and read the manual.

The only question I have is does the steering wheel lock? Mine doesn't, and I thought it was a manufacturing defect. However, I've been through the manual twice looking for anything referring to the steering wheel locking and found nothing. Did I overlook it?

It's just any new car I've ever had has had a locking steering wheel and I was annoyed (why, I guess it's what I'm used to) that the wheel didn't lock after shutting the car off and removing the key.

ruski · August 2003

clicking noise or whirring noise? Chrysler's trannies whirr. That's normal.

kalathiparambi · August 2003

defintely a clicking noise. see msg 44, 45. seems to exist only at low speeds. and it's pretty loud & sharp...

maxmom · August 2003

I recognize what you're talking about as I have experienced the same thing. This may sound weird and over attentive, but after studying this sound for 3,000 miles, I have concluded that it comes from the minuscule shifting of the vehicle (under no acceleration) when changing into gear.

Getting more specific, I have decided that mine sounds like the tires adjusting against the concrete or pavement.

I'm sure there are those of you who will think this sounds crazy. Please don't post me back to offer that sentiment. You'll have to get in line.

I have had 3,000 problem-free miles. I still love the Pacifica and think we made the right choice.

I have yet to see only one other on the road while driving back south from a vacation in Chicago. My husband did see another, in a town about twenty five miles away, last week.

kalathiparambi · August 2003

i'm not sure if the noise comes from the tires. it sounds more like something under the vehicle.
in either case, i'm glad someone else has noticed this. i will ask the dealer - i plan to take it in next week to fix the ATS problem (msg 75-77, which is happening very reguarly now).

as an aside, i am still quite pleased with my choice. in toronto, i have seen only 3 others over the last few months and 3000 km of driving.

cluelesspa · August 2003

if you talking about when you drive slowly in a tight turn and you have the AWD Pacifica that is probably the transmission adjusting ... that is why the 4WD vehicles that all wheels go at the same speed when engaged are not recommended for dry driving.. they say to only use the 4WD setting when not on dry pavement because in a turn the outside wheel have to turn faster the the inside wheels to make the turn and so in an AWD vehicle the transmission adjust to allow this

sigmari · August 2003

I thought the AWD Pacifica was always set to AWD and it just engaged when needed. Is there a switch to turn it on? Four wheel drive vehicles have a switch but AWD is different and I've never seen a switch on my Pacifica to turn AWD on or off.

maxmom · August 2003

That's not it. My Pacifica is FWD and this tiny, tiny click is when I engage into reverse or drive with my foot off the accelerator.

It is very slight and not a problem. I would never have mentioned it, but it sounded as if it might be the same thing kalathiparambi was hearing.

kalathiparambi · August 2003

i hear the clicking noise that maxmom describes.
i also hear a sharp clicking noise when accelerating slowly either in drive or reverse. it seems to go away at higher speeds. i think.

clueless, do you know if the transmission also 'adjusts' (as you mentioned) in the scenario i described above.. just curious.

also does anyone know when AWD is engaged. Does a light come on to indicate this?

cluelesspa · August 2003

AWD is always on and usually like 80% front wheel and 20% rear until the wheels start slipping and the gear in the transaxel adjust to provide more power to the rear as this occurs or I think even between wheels. thats why I love AWD .. just drive and it takes care of everything.

Here is a link to Subarus Description of AWD: http://www.subaru.co.nz/AWD/awd_works.html

should give you an idea... not all work the same but close enough. So no it wouldnt be clicking if going straight the only time is if you are in a tight turn in a parking lot or other dry pavement where you may feel or hear the AWD haveing to make adjusments. Like turning sharply up and uphill driveway ...

deltoid4 · September 2003

Well, where do I start. First I must say that, overall, I really do love my 2004 "Inferno Red" AWD Pacifica. My particular vehicle has all the fun toys minus the DVD Screen, heated seats (don't really need them in Atlanta), and sunroof.

Carmax was offering outstanding deals on them in July and, after much hesitation about buying my first "American-sort-of" car in many years, I drank the Pacifica Punch. After the POS Nissan Exterra I had been driving since 2000, the Pacifica is a serious step-up in ride, options, and...of course PRICE! I have almost 5500 miles on it as of today and have gotten more looks, compliments, and "what is that?" while out and about than I ever had with any other vehicle.

That being said, I wish I read this message board before making my purchase, not to be swayed from buying the car, but to be more informed about all the "issues" that you folks have been writing about recently. I realize several, and in some cases dozens, of posts have been listed regarding the problems I am about to mention, but I will post my specific problems here anyway and invite any fellow Pacifica owners for feedback and/or possible solutions.

1st- At speeds above 65 I notice a significant amount of wind/road noise that seems to be coming from the driver side near the wheel well. I know all cars/SUV's have some amount of wind noise, but this seems to be more pronounced than normal. Has anyone had this problem and actually had it resolved to their satisfaction? Have any of "flapping noise" problems I've read about ever really been resolved?

2nd- Although the standard 6 speaker sound system has a really nice sound to it, I've noticed a distinct buzz coming from the front passenger speaker. Now, I know what a speaker sounds like when it's "blown" and this buzzing (on certain vocals or lower-frequency music) sounds like the speaker was either not installed "snug" enough or is beginning to go bad. I've read about how some owners have had speakers that sound like they are out of phase and/or buzz and I'm wondering if a speaker replacement has solved the problem for you?

3rd- My car has developed a weird clunk/rattle that seems to come from the front wheels or rack-and-pinion area when I am doing the following: turning the wheels semi-hard left/right at slow speed, going straight at low speed and then hitting the brake, or when I am backing up and turning the wheel left/right.
At first I thought the brakes were grabbing, but now I am beginning to think something is loose or out-of-whack in the front wheels (sometimes I can even feel the "clunk/rattle" with my hand on the gear shift or steering wheel). Has anyone else had this problem, and were the TSB posts I read about the cause? If not, have any of you with a similar problem had it resolved?

Any help with the above issues would be much appreciated so I have some "Ammo" when I bring the car to the dealer tomorrow to address these items.

Some final observations...I too have experienced the "soft paint" issues and my brand new car had a few spots on the doors with "fish eyes" and swirls. Rather than have the dealer take care of them, I did it myself with Turtle Wax scratch/swirl remover and a power buffer.

The buffeting from driving with only the rear windows down is extreme in this vehicle. Although I know it is "normal" and my Exterra, CR-V, and RAV-4 all did the same thing...the Pacifica, however, is substantially more pronounced and will actually cause pain if going fast enough. I believe this stems from the sleek design of the Pacifica (more aerodynamic?) and can be minimized or eliminated by cracking one or both of the front windows until the buffeting disappears or has been reduced to an acceptable level.

Finally, Chrysler "5 star" shops, in my humble opinion, refers to what you see spinning in the eyes of mechanics/service managers when you ask them any specifics about the Pacifica. I was actually told by two "certified" dealer mechanics that my car was not due in for its first service until 6000 miles because "All Pacificas come from the factory with synthetic oil already in the engine." Needless to say, after doing my own research, I found that standard SAE-30 oil is what indeed comes in the Pacifica when it leaves the factory. However, I had them replace the 30 oil with synthetic after 4000 miles (thank goodness I didn’t wait until the 6000 like I was told) and as a bonus I seem to be getting 2-5 more mpg. My advice is to get a second or 3rd opinion from several "5-star" mechanics before you take anything as fact regarding Pacifica maintenance, labor, pricing, etc. Chrysler did a really poor job in rushing to get this car to market before bringing their mechanics/service advisors up to speed (and many still are not)!

Hopefully all of these "minor" issues will be taken care of and I will continue to enjoy my Pacifica. This weekend will be my first weekend towing the boat with the newly installed hitch and I’m curious how she will handle

)

russklass · September 2003

I had the "road noise after hitting a sharp bump" issue that developed into a "cho-cho" grinding noise from the left front wheel well, accompanied by the ABS warning light coming on intermittently.
Today my (real) 5 Star replaced the left front wheel bearing and wheel speed sensor. So far so good; the true test will be an 800 mile round trip to Cincinnati later this week.
Otherwise the 1st 10,000 miles has been uneventful and thoroughly satisfying.

ruski · September 2003

my RX300 hurts my ears when only rear windows are lowered.

pssimon · September 2003

Let's see... after 3500 miles

1. My gas mileage still stinks. I still have yet to see 19.5MPG for extended trips (I drive 45 miles each way to work with almost all of it highway speeds and very few lights). VERY unpleased about that. I just took a family vacation with a bag carrier on the roof and I didn't get 16.5MPG for the trip, again all highway mileage! How long do I need to wait before it is "broken in" and the mileage starts to come up?

2. I still have the flapping noise coming from the front passenger wheel well. This is AFTER I had it to the dealer at 2300 miles and they said they corrected it because of a TSB for it. Guess not!... and this is from a dealer I have been dealing with since 1986 and have been very pleased with their service and service department.

3. I find that the headlights in the auto mode don't come on as soon as I would like. I would like to adjust them, or have the dealer adjust them so they come on sooner than they do as it get's dark. Anyone know if this is possible?

4. So far, no problems with the paint job. Seems smooth throughout the car. I'm sure there is a spot that isn't, I just haven't found it yet.

5. The gasket around the edge of the passenger front door is a little smooshed as it goes around one of the curves. I haven't decided whether it is worth having the dealer fix it, because it could end up being worse than it already is! You never know how those things will turn out.

I think that covers it for now. It looks to me like my issues aren't as bad as some folks. By the way, my Pacifica is a FWD vehicle with almost everything in it except for the Sirrus, block heater, and HIDs.

sigmari · September 2003

The headlights are on a timer that you can reset. There are 4 buttons next to the clock that say menu, set, etc. My headlight timer was factory set to a 90 sec delay. Using those buttons you can change the timer to less. I set mine to 0 sec.
Gas mileage. I'm getting almost 20 mpg most of the time. However, I'm disappointed too. Did you read the message that said they switched to sythetic oil and got 4-5 more miles/gallon?

pssimon · September 2003

For the headlights I am not referring to how long they stay on after you leave the car. I am referring to when they decide to turn on as sunset approaches. I would like for them to come on sooner than they do, and would like them to stay on longer in the morning during sunrise. Also, when it clouds up for a storm, they don't come on soon enough for my liking.

Bottom line, I am trying to control their sensitivity to ambient light.

oedipus1608 · September 2003

I think that some of you are nit picking at the Pacifica a little too much because of its price tag that could be some what high and assumed that it would near perfect when you bought it.

imidazol97 · September 2003

I think for $35K and being touted as
the car designed by Daimler (Mercedes)
if should have few if any quirks/flaws.

mrus1 · September 2003

Just wanted to get an update from Russklass whether the new bearings and sensor helped the road noise situation.

monark49 · September 2003

The pacifica was not designed by Daimler. It was designed by Chrysler at the Pacifica studios in California. We love ours and a slightly loose headliner in one spot does't change the fact that it handles beautifully on the road and looks great. This is our 4th. Chrysler product in a row and a whole lot less problems than the prev. brands.

adp3 · September 2003

russklass: sorry to hear about the bearing. Yikes.

I'm not sure if it is a good or bad thing that the Pacifica design did not involve MB. I know plenty of folks with MBs that are just plain unhappy and will never buy another one. Most of these folks were Lexus owners that went over to the dark side, but are getting or have gotten out of their MBs (all company car folks). I do liek the looks that Mercedes offers, but the cost of ownership is simply too high. There's always somethng wrong. My Dodge (Grand Caravan) has been in the shop far far less than any of my friends' MBs. But my Dodge has also needed a new tranny and a new trip computer. It wasn't in the shop long for those fixes, but those are big ticket items.

I don't know how you buy anything other than a Lexus or Acura without buying an extended warranty. Since the Pacifica costs have dropped, that is probably a good use of the saved money.

aviate · September 2003

We have noticed an interesting item with our Pacifica. After we wash the car or after it rains, there is water in the rubber seals under the doors. When you open the doors, the water drains out. We are concerned that if we do not open the doors for some time that the water may cause damage to the vehicle. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks

russklass · September 2003

Replacing the left front wheel bearing solved all the road noise problems ... thank God, because it was driving me nuts!

prasanna777 · September 2003

My Pacifica is 1200 miles and one and half months old. Issues so far are:
1. Vibration from roof. Dealer says they need to replace 'broken pins' on the A pillar. They ordered the spares and waiting to be fixed.

2. Gear shift program (bug fix??!! Hope there is no virus vulnerability!) has been updated. This seems okay.

I am getting 15.8 MPG with mostly city and little highway driving. Hoping that this would improve to Chrysler's stated levels of 17-22 MPG.

Prasanna

cluelesspa · September 2003

I have found that the A/C hits my mileage by over 1 mpg alone ... turning off the A/C and adding air to the tires to max cold pressure has added about 2.5 mpg on avg....

FYI

mostlyhappy · September 2003

Agree with #132, aviate; after washing the Pacifica, water literally gushes from the drivers door the first time it is opened, even hours after the washing. I have 4,000 miles in the Pacifica and LOVE it! Lots of stares (we have the onyz green, chrome wheels) which is gratifying. Drove in roundtrip from Northern Va to Dallas, Texas area and loved the experience, cruise control works fine, quiet, smooth ride, etc. Mileage is GRADUALLY rising, only up to 18.4 highway after 4,000 miles but I am being patient. Forgot to ask the dealer when got first service but noticed that liftgate has several holes inside the weatherseal rim that are covered with a scotch tape swatches---seems obvious that the tape should be pulled off---anyone else find this as well? Bottom line---love the car/minivan/SV/crossover/touring sports car!

mostlyhappy · September 2003

I am have been retired 8 years this coming December. As a 61 year old (yes I got an early retirement) I have purchased 17 cars during my adult life (10 new, others used). Buying the Pacifica was the absolute least-tension/anxiety experience I have had. There was absolutely no pressure, the sales rep was suprisingly professional. After 6 weeks I am totally pleased with the Pacifica, a vehicle that can carry 6 people or fairly large cargo loads yet rides like a luxury car and has a styling quotient to boot; it does turn a head. The only unusual experience I have had seems to be remarkably constant---after taking my spouse to dinner (and having the requisite pre-dinner cockails, wine with meal and post-dinner brandy), whilst driving home I hear what sounds unbelievably like screams from the passenger seat area. On a few occasions, similar sounds seem to come from figures darting in front of our windshield. We shared these experiences with the dealer and got no viable remedy. We know it just has to be some flaw in the mechanics of the Pacifica, and want to know if other Pacifica owner (or pedestrians) have shared this experience.

rosie19 · September 2003

I have heard the same horrible screams from the passenger seat area and wild creatures on the wind screen on my pacifica,Lexus, Merc. and my 64 tBird.Caused by too much wine before and after dinner. The screams would stop after my wife/and/or girl friend opened her door and got her foot back in the car. The wild creatures on windscreen turned out to be valets hanging on to the wipers, at the next town and first red light they will fall off. Hope this helps.

chryslerdlr · September 2003

I just had one of my customers Pacificas come back with a flapping sound in the front. What it looks like to me is the liner inside the fender. On the top side tap the liner and see if one side rattles more than the other. This might be a cure for you owners with the flapping noise in the front. Let me know if that is what it is.

cluelesspa · September 2003

the tech builitin already mentions that as the problem. They use 3m double tape I think to hold it down but doesnt seem to help

jagceo · September 2003

Just took my Pacifica to the dealer for a 3500 mile oil change. I complained about the weird chuk-chuk-chuk flapping noise coming from the front at speeds over 60 MPH +. Service Manager took for a test drive, but did not think there was anything he could do about it.

Anyone have any solution that will fix this? Its driving me crazy!! Will take back to the dealer next week.

pssimon · September 2003

Cluelesspa, I, too, had mine to the dealer, they knew about the TSB, claimed to fix it, yet I still hear it. Have they given you an alternate solution? I am about to go down that road too.

I also noticed that the hood liner is missing 3 of it's plastic mounts that hold it in place. Consequently, it is vibrating under the hood, and leaving a shiny mark on the plastic shield as well as on the liner! Need to get that fixed as well. Oh boy!

russklass · September 2003

The noise in mine was a "cho-cho" sound. It got much worse with time.
Turned out to be a bad front wheel bearing. I bet Chrysler got a bad batch from their supplier.
Replacing the bearing fixed that, plus the bump/noise problem which must have had the same cause.
Otherwise, the first 11,000 miles have been great!

rodut · September 2003

Guys,

Am I wrong or your expectations are too high ? I'd say you are complaining about minor stuff only. No broken transmissions (Ford or Honda's style), no oil converting into jello and melting engines (like Toyota / Lexus), just hood flap-flap or bearings cho-cho sounds. I hope that's all and you don't hide some heavy stuff ...

In fact all of you have very low odometer readings ... I wonder what this discussion group will see when Pacificas will reach 150,000 miles.

I certainly am a potential Pacifica customer (didn't have one yet). I am not too young to be easily excited, but I must say that the thing looks spectacular. I am looking forward so see the NHTSA rollover rating. I hope it will be 4 stars.

The only thing who concerns me is the bad reliability reputation Chrysler vans built.

russklass · September 2003

We have had 2 Chrysler 300Ms, drove them a total of 130,000 miles, with NO problems.
Our 2001 Sebring LXI sedan has had 2 minor HVAC problems in 36,000 miles.
So far, at 11,500 miles, our Pacifica has had 2 small weatherstrip problems, and a bad front wheel bearing.
After a total Chrysler experience of 175,000 miles we are well satisfied with the reliability of Chrysler products!

monark49 · September 2003

Weve had 4 in a row with only minor problems compared to the mileage driven.

jerrykoh · September 2003

dealership called about a software upgrade for the transmission - bought it in for the upgrade. Before, in auto-stick mode, i could feel the 2nd gear loose power, now, after the upgrade, it's fixed! While it was in there, i got them to also look at the other TSBs.. search http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm for pacifica TSBs

And this is the TSB for the transmission software upgrade

Make : CHRYSLER Model : PACIFICA Year : 2004
Service Bulletin Num : 1800703 Date of Bulletin: MAR 14, 2003
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
GNERIC POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROCEDURE. *TT

cluelesspa · September 2003

heres all the TSB that came up for the pacifica:

Make : CHRYSLER Model : PACIFICA Year : 2004
Service Bulletin Num : 2301703 Date of Bulletin: JUN 13, 2003
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY
Summary:
FRONT SPLASH SHIELD TO FENDER RATTLE SOUND. *TT

Make : CHRYSLER Model : PACIFICA Year : 2004
Service Bulletin Num : 2200203 Date of Bulletin: MAY 30, 2003
Component: TIRES
Summary:
VEHICLE VIBRATION/SHAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TT

Make : CHRYSLER Model : PACIFICA Year : 2004
Service Bulletin Num : 1802003 Date of Bulletin: MAY 09, 2003
Component: POWER TRAIN
Summary:
OVERDRIVE (OD) CLUTCH WEAR. *TT

Make : CHRYSLER Model : PACIFICA Year : 2004
Service Bulletin Num : 1800703 Date of Bulletin: MAR 14, 2003
Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM)
Summary:
GNERIC POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROCEDURE. *TT

cluelesspa · September 2003

well this weekend (Before my trip for the weekend) ... the driver door controls all went dead... I shut the door or open the door and it cant tell either. the radio still plays after I stop the car and open the door.

in the shop tonight, hope its something simple. i did track the circuit on which it was by pulling fuses until the door reset. after reset it works fine... then repeats every 2 days to the same problem !!

driving my loaner Dodge Ram pickup for now

cluelesspa · October 2003

Can you give me more details on how it felt before you had the update. what do you mean losing power in 2nd gear only. was it only when you used the auto-stick mode? or also in normal Drive Mode ?

thanks ... the dealer did not want to do it unless I was experiencing the problems. want to know what to look out for.

also they replaced my door module for the drivers door. hopefully fixed my driver door sensor problems

pssimon · October 2003

I have a question about the 6 six disk changer. I tried hooking up my IPOD to the audio inputs. I noticed that every time a track finished, the changer thought the IPOD went away and started to play a CD. After the next track started to play, it took about 10 seconds for the changer to realize the IPOD was there. In the mean time, the CD would play.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions?

Thanks....

pssimon · October 2003

Your questions regarding the transmission software upgrade were the same as mine. How do I know I need it? Mine seems to be functioning fine. I haven't noticed anything funny.

Mine was made in June. Maybe the manufacture date has some bearing on whether the s/w upgrade is needed.

jerrykoh · October 2003

that i noticed a drop in power in 2nd gear. The transmission update solved it - and it's been working great. It's much more lively to drive now - even in normal full automatic. My dealership actually called me up to inform me of the update - a few days after the sold me the car - they actually thought they had the update available - but it took a few months before they called me again.I bought my pacifica in early may - so it could be that mine was an early model issue. Check your dealership!

Chrysler Pacifica: Problems & Solutions

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Chrysler Pacifica: Problems &amp; Solutions

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Chrysler Pacifica: Problems & Solutions