Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Jeep Patriot FWD submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TERRIBLE CRUNCHY SOUND. THE JEEP DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE. LOUD CRUNCH AND CRACKING SOUNDS WHEN CAR IS BARELY EVEN MOVING AND I TRY TO TURN EITHER DIRECTION. A MECHANIC SAID THE CROSSMEMBER IS RUSTED THROUGH. (HE SAID THE JEEP NEEDED TO CO TO THE JUNK YARD)
FRONT END CROSS MEMBER COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND AXLE NUTS AND LUG NUTS FROZEN IN PLACE. M JUST TOTAL RUST IN FRONT END RESULTING IN FRAILER TO BE DERIVABLE. I WAS ON THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END WOBBLED AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME
ON JULY 13, 2016, I TOOK MY JEEP IN TO OUR LOCAL DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. WHEN PICKING UP MY JEEP, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE WRITER THAT THEY DISCOVERED THE K FRAME (CROSSOVER IN FRONT OF VEHICLE) WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND WOULD VERY SOON NEED TO BE REPLACED. IF IT WAS NOT REPLACED, IT WOULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD! I AM AWARE THAT CHRYSLER EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE 2007 JEEP PATRIOT TO 10 YEARS FOR THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE 2007 AND 2008 MODELS USE THE SAME FRAME AND DESIGN. THEY DID NOT EXTEND THE COVERAGE FOR THE 2008 MODEL. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 105,000 MILES ON MY JEEP.
MY JEEP PATRIOT CUTS OFF AND TO THIS DATE, I HAVEN'T RECEIVED AN ANSWER ON THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I PURCHASED A NEW ALTERNATOR AND A BATTERY AND THAT DID NOT SOLVE THAT ISSUE. ON NOVEMBER 29, 2013, I DROVE THE CAR FROM STAMFORD, CT TO BRIDGEPORT, CT. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR STARTED MAKING A NOISE AS IF SOMETHING WAS CLOGGED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE OVER A SPEED OVER 15 MPH. THE VERY NEXT DAY, I HAD THE CAR CHECKED AND THERE IS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT ONLY A JEEP DEALER WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME. THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 14, 2014 AND THE CAR DID THE SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH THE NOISE (CLOGGED) AND THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK. AT THE TIME, I WAS IN NEW ROCHELLE, NY AND I DROVE STRAIGHT TO ADVANCE AUTO LOCATED ON MAIN STREET. THE TECHNICIAN ASSISTED ME AND HOOKED THE CAR UP TO THE SCANNER AND IT GAVE ME A CODE OF P2017. I PURCHASED SOME FUEL INJECTION CLEANER TO SEE IF THAT COULD HELP ME OUT. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MILES AND THE CAR DIED. I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO SEE IF I CAN GET THE CAR TOWED TO STAMFORD, CT. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN AND MECHANIC THAT JEEP PATRIOT HAVE A RECALL ON THE FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM. I'VE ALSO HAD SUSPENSION ISSUES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IT BEGAN IN JULY OF 2013. THE CAR HAS POOR STEERING AND I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY GET WHEEL ALIGNMENTS AND CHANGE THE FRONT TIRES. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THE JEEP PATRIOT HAVE A TON OF SAFETY RECALLS ON THE 2008 MODEL. I HAVE A SCHEDULED TOW TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED AT THE JEEP DEALER. I WOULD LIKE THE RECALL ISSUE TO BE HONORED. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION ON ANY RECALLS BY THE MANUFACTURE. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. I DO WANT TO INCUR ANY INJURIES OR FATALITIES. I AM PAYING A CAR NOTE ON THIS VEHICLE AND I FEEL AS I'VE BEEN ROBBED! *TR
PASSENGER BALL JOINT / LOWER CONTROL ARM SHOT AT 28,500. JEEP WON'T TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM! *TR
I ONLY HAVE 46,000 MILES ON MY 2008 JEEP PATRIOT AND I ALREADY NEED BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT TIE RODS. I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY TYPE OF OFF-ROADING IN THIS VEHICLE, IT'S ONLY BEEN DRIVEN ON THE STREET. I'M AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO MAKE SOMETHING SO CHEAP ON A VEHICLE! *TR
AT 62K MILES I HAD TO REPLACE MY DRIVER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY COSTING ME $300 AND NO HELP FROM CHRYSLER OR MY DEALERSHIP. NOW AT 93K MILES AND A YEAR AND HALF LATER, I NEED BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. THE ESTIMATE FOR THEM BOTH REPLACED IS $715. THAT'S OVER $1000 FOR SOMETHING THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT AND DOES NOTHING TO ASSIST THEIR CUSTOMERS. I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW, EVEN ORDERED FROM THE FACTORY, USING THE DISCOUNT MY COMPANY HAS WITH THEM, WE GET THE PREFERRED PRICE BEING A SUPPLIER FOR THEIR BEARINGS AND THIS IS THE QUALITY I GET? WHY EVEN PUT THE BEST BEARINGS IN THE WORLD ON THE JEEP IF YOU USE GARBAGE TO SUPPORT THE WHEEL? *TR
SEVERE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION AT ELEVATED SPEED. FRONT BALL JOINTS SHOT AND CANNOT BE SERVICED DUE TO DESIGN. REPLACED FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, PLUS 2 TIRES WITH ONLY 11K MILES. PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE SUDDEN/RAPID DETERIORATION AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SINCE ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 50K MILES WITH ZERO EVIDENCE OF ABNORMAL WEAR AND NO STEERING ISSUES. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR DRIVEN OFF-ROAD. NUMEROUS JEEP FORUMS AND BLOGS WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2008 JEEP PATRIOT FRONT SUSPENSION. LOCAL JEEP DEALER SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMED NEVER SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE OR REPLACED ANY LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. HAD WORK DONE AT INDEPENDENT GARAGE SINCE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WAS APPARENTLY NOT TELLING THE TRUTH OR WITHHOLDING FACTS. *TR
I PURCHASED A USED JEEP PATRIOT WITH 32,952 MILES ON IT. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD BEEN TOLD TO REPLACE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS. I WAS TOLD THE FRONT WHEELS COULD FALL OFF AT ANY TIME. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THEM FOR ME ALONG WITH ROTORS. ORIGINAL TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS, BUT THE NEW ONES ARE ALREADY SHOWING WEAR.THE DEALER & 2 OTHER SHOPS SAID WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE IT SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. AFTER BALL JOINTS/ROTORS WERE REPLACED THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE. NOT ONLY WAS A BALL JOINT STILL BAD BUT I WAS TOLD THAT BOTH CONTROL ARMS ARE BAD AND NEED REPLACED. NOW, AFTER BEING REPLACED ONCE (NOW JUST OVER 33,400 MILES ON THE JEEP) I AM TOLD IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE OVER ABOUT 40MPH BECAUSE STILL A WHEEL COULD FALL OFF. *TR
LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND OUTER TIE RODS WORE OUT 54,000 MILES. SEEMS KIND OF LOW MILEAGE FOR THEM TO WEAR OUT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. REPLACED 2/7/12 FOR $690.15. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP PATRIOT FWD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE TUNE -UP WHEN THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIE ROD, LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED ONLY THE BALL JOINTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,242 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,892.
ON 9/23/2011, I WAS DRIVING 15-20 MPH WHEN A DODGE CHARGER STRUCK MY JEEP ON MY DRIVERSIDE DOOR CAUSING MY JEEP TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL COMPLETELY. MY SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING A CONCUSSION. I HAVE SOME MEMORY LOSS AND BACK AND NECK INJURIES. MY JEEP ROLLED ONTO A MEDIAN CAUSING THE ROOF TO CAVE IN FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DURING THE ROLL OVER. *TR
FAILED TIE ROD ENDS AND BALLJOINTS CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR AND LOOSE STEERING. *TT
OUR VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAKING CREAKING/GROANING NOISES FOR A FEW WEEKS. WE TOOK IT TO PEPBOYS FOR IT'S ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHEN THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD, ALONG WITH THE DRIVER-SIDE OUTER TIE ROD. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 20,058 MILES AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION, AND I'VE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AS WELL AS HERE ON SAFERCAR.GOV REGARDING THESE PREMATURE BALL JOINT FAILURES, AND THE RELATED PARTS THAT HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED. I OPENED A CASE WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE, AND AFTER HAVING THEIR OWN PEOPLE INSPECT THE VEHICLE, THEY'VE REPLACED ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT AND THE FAILED TIE ROD. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE (AND PAYING FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIR SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED $150 FOR THE 'EXTENDED WARRANTY' CO-PAY AND A $69.95 ALIGNMENT) THE VEHICLE IS STILL MAKING SOME SQUEAKS, INDICATING THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE BALL JOINT MAY ALSO BE FAILING. I GUESS SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE A SAFETY RECALL IS ISSUED, OTHERWISE THERE'D ALREADY BE ONE BASED ON THE CURRENT LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WILL TAKE THE STEPS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT A SAFETY RECALL OF ALL MK49 CHASSIS CODE SUSPENSION PARTS (JEEP PATRIOT AND COMPASS, AND DODGE CALIBER) BEFORE THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF ONE OF THESE PREMATURELY FAILING BALL JOINTS CAUSES ANY DEATHS DUE TO WHEEL DISCONNECTION AND LOSS OF CONTROL.
2008 JEEP PATRIOT FRONT BALL JOINT NEEDED REPLACED AT 46,000 MILES. *KB
SEVERE RATTING IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2008 JEEP PATRIOT. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD THE VEHICLE HAS 66000 MILES. AFTER RESERCHING IT ONLINE AND OVER A 500 COMPLAINTS IN CHAT FORMS FOR THE SAME THING I FOUND THAT CHRYSLER HAD A RRT 08-070 FOR IMPROPER TORQUE ON THE LOWER A ARM BOLT. I FURTHER RESERCHED IT AND FOUND THAT THIS BOLT IS AN MVSS BOLT THAT WAS INCORRECTLY TORQUED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THE RRT AND THE SAID MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND GOT THE RUNAROUND THAT THE VEHICLE MILAGE COULD OF BEEN THE ISSUE. THERE WERE MANY POSTS ON JEEP PATRIOT.COM STATING THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS ON THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE MODELS. ONE POST STATED THEY PULLED OUT OF THE DEALRSHIP AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FRONT TIRE FELL OFF. MY WIFE AND GRANDSON DO ALOT OF TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE AND I WOULD HATE FOR THEM TO BE TRAVELING AND HIT A POT HOLE AND THE BOLT SHEAR OFF BECAUSE OF CHRYSLERS NOT WANTING TO MAKE A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. I WORKED 14 YEARS AS A QUALITY ENGINEER IN THE AUTOMOVTIVE BUSINESS FOR A TEIR 2 SUPPLIER AND CHRYSLER WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM ON MAKING A RECALL ON A PART THAT WAS PRODUCED BY OUR COMPANY AND MAKE US PAY FOR IT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE AT HAND WITH THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY A ARM BOLT BREAKING AND THE ASSEMBLY FALLING OFF. *TT
IN OCTOBER OF 2009, I NOTICED AN ODD CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE AREA OF MY TIRES. THE JEEP STARTED TO MAKE LOUDER CRANKING SOUNDS AND GRADUALLY BECAME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE JEEP TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE SOUND. I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE OR COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE JEEP IN THIS CONDITION. UPON TAKING THE JEEP TO BOB BOYD, A CERTIFIED JEEP DEALER IN LANCASTER, OHIO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AXLE NUT RETAINER WAS RUSTED AWAY. THE RUST WAS CLEANED FROM THE AXLE AND THE NUT, PER THE SERVICE REPORT, AND THE AXLE NUT WAS RETORQUED. THE CHARGE OF THIS "REPAIR" WAS $157.47, WITH NO OTHER REPAIRS BEING MADE. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THE JEEP IN AT THE TIME I DID, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE AXLE NUT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TIE RODS AND WHEELS TO COME APART FROM MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. AT THAT POINT, THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE GONE. MY HUSBAND ASKED IF THIS COULD CAUSE ANY OTHER TYPES OF PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE WITH MY STEERING AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM. IN AUGUST OF 2010, I WAS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE MY TIE RODS REPLACED, AS THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM MY TIRES AGAIN. UPON HAVING MY CAR TAKEN TO BOB BOYD AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT MY LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WITH AN ALIGNMENT, THE TOTAL COST WAS $694.60 FOR THIS VISIT. I UNDERSTAND THAT TIE RODS ARE A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE RUSTED AXLE ROD IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD AT THE TIME IT WAS FOUND. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM, AS A RUSTED OUT PART THAT COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE TO "COME APART WHILE DRIVING" SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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