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Patriot as a "Towed Vehicle"

54K views 56 replies 42 participants last post by  silverflash 
#1 ·
My hopes for towing a Patriot behind my motor home just went down the tubes. The Patriot was looking good until I got this news, now I have to look elsewhere for a replacement for my Wrangler.

A trailer for the Patriot would add more than a 1,000 pounds to it. The new Wranglers are over 4,000 pounds making them too heavy.

Below is Chryslers reply to my question: Can the Patriot be towed with four wheels down?

Thank you for contacting the Chrysler Group Customer Assistance Center
regarding the Jeep Patriot.

According to the owner's manual for this vehicle, while recreational
towing (behind an RV) all four wheels must be off the ground.

Do not flat tow this vehicle damage to the drivetrain will result

Thank you again for your email.

Sincerely,

Susanna
Senior Staff Representative
Chrysler Group Customer Assistance Center
 
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#5 ·
Then why put Tow Hooks on em if your buddy can't tow you out?

Doesnt matter to me anyway. Yoda tought me to levitate Jeeps. I practised on an Xwing for a while but space flight is soo boring compared to off roading.

Luke
LOL!!! :D :D :D Thats awesome! I wish I could use Jedi mind-trick when I go to the dealership. 'You want to throw in the sun-roof.'

You still need/want tow hooks though. Because they work both ways.

As for recovery, it sounds like if the engine still runs put it in neutral and pull it out. That way you should be able to tow it a short distance with little or no damage to the CVT. If the engine doesn't run (roll over/water ingestion) then...

May the Force be with you!!!
 
#15 ·
I'm wondering about this as well. Being able to tow behind the camper is one of the things i love about my Cherokees. I figured the CVT would be out so i'm looking at the manual transmission at this time. I also don't like that i can't shift from AWD to 2wd. Both systems seem to be all the time AWD, so i'm thinking about <gasp> going with the 2wd version. Hopefully this one can be towed on all fours.
 
#10 ·
The PTU and prop shaft are always spinning for an AWD Compass/Patriot/Caliber.

The AWD system works by the ECC (electronically coupled clutch) system that mounts between the prop shaft and the differential. I believe it never distributes more than 50% of the torque to the rear wheels. This torque transmittal varies per the signal sent to the ECC unit.

I wonder if towing is not recommended because the ECC is susceptable to damage. It would be turning the driveshaft, the power take-off unit, and some transmission internals - maybe even the CVT belt. That's a whole lotta stuff spinning during a tow.

Also, some transmissions need oiling to occur while it's internals are spinning, and perhaps this CVT doesn't receive proper lubrication unless the engine is running (input shaft is spinning).

With all that said, I do not know if it is any different for the manual transmission AWD. If the souce of concern is the ECC unit, then that would apply to the manual too.

(perhaps this leads to more questions than answers...)
 
#11 ·
OH NO!!!
My wife needs to replace her Cherokee (172,000 miles) and since the Liberty drivers seat is very uncomfortable to her we were hoping this would tow behind a motorhome. The 2007 Wrangler is too close to 4000 pounds to be comfortable for us to tow according to the motorhome people.
 
#13 ·
flat towing Patriot

Can someone repeat here what the owners manuel in the glove compartment says about flat towing the Patriot? I was wondering if any configuration would be able to be towed behind the motorhome.

To me Jeep really missed a key market for the Patriot by not designing it to be flat towed like the old Cherokees could be.:(
 
#56 ·
Can someone repeat here what the owners manuel in the glove compartment says about flat towing the Patriot? I was wondering if any configuration would be able to be towed behind the motorhome.

To me Jeep really missed a key market for the Patriot by not designing it to be flat towed like the old Cherokees could be.:(
The Jeep Patriot with manual transmission can be flat towed. You simply put it in neutral and put the key int he ACC position. At least, that's what the owners manual and RV Magazine's tow guide says.
 
#16 ·
Patriot motorhome Flat towing

I called Jeep's 800 number - they stated you cannot flat tow a Patriot, FWD or 4X4. I don't understand this since you can flat tow an Escape Hybrid which also has a CVT transmission? I have a Jeep dealer looking into this.

Maybe there will be an after market fix for this. I have seen where there is an after market fix that allows the Liberty FWD to be flat towed?

The Patriot would be an ideal dinghy vehicle based on MSRP, weight and mpg.

You can flat tow a Liberty 4X4 but weight is about a 1,000 lbs higher, cost is higher and gets poor gas milage.

Looks like Jeep is going to leave the bulk of the Dinghy towing to Ford and GM vehicles.

I had my heart set on a Patriot but looks like I might have to settle for a Chev HHR.
 
#17 ·
Patriot motorhome Flat towing update

I sent this to Jeep - New Vehicle Information - Jeep Brand Site Brief Description:
Flat Towing a Jeep Patriot FWD 4X2 behind motor home
Comments:
Can you flat tow (all 4 wheels on the ground) a Jeep Patriot FWD 4X2 Limited behind a motor home?

Received this from Jeep.com on line.

We are pleased to read about your interest in the 2007 Jeep Patriot.
Because this vehicle does not have a N (Neutral) position in the transfer case it can not be recreationally towed.

I sent this reply.

I understand you cannot recreationally tow the 4WD Jeep Patriot, but can you recreationally tow the FWD Jeep Patriot (it does not have a transfer case)?? It does have a Neutral position on the Shifter. You can flat tow a Ford Escape Hybrid which also has a CVT transmission like the Patriot.

Will post their reply when I receive it. It took 10 days the last time.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I stumbled upon a good article about towing tips in this month's (May) '4Wheel Drive & Sport Utility Magazine. To quote them:

"There is also the issue of disengaging your engine and drivetrain so they won't spin without lubrication. This can be achieved in many 4x4s by placing both the transfer-case shift lever and transmission shifter in Neutral. Some manual transmissions require the shift lever to be placed in gear to keep the mainshaft from spinning; however, if the shifter should accidentally fall into gear while towing, quite a bit of damage can occur. It's a good idea to use a bungee cord to secure the shifter in place to avoid such occurences. Vehicles with manual-locking hubs and full-floating rear axles with manual hubs can simply disengage the hubs so the wheels will spin freely. Many who flat-tow will also remove he driveshafts to completely disengage the drivetrain. You'll also need to leave the key in the ignition to unlock the steering wheel, or damage can occur. Some transfer cases, such as those used in full-time 4WD and AWD systems, cannot be flat-towed because they do not offer a true Neutral. Check with the vehicle manufacturer or consult your vehicle's owner's manual to find out if your vehicle is capable of being flat-towed before doing so."

So as far as I can tell the only way you could tow a Patriot would be to either disconnect the drive axles or to put on wheel hubs. Also, the FWD Patriot would have to have its front wheels off the ground for towing. Putting the transmission in Neutral only disconnects the transmission from the engine but it does not disconnect the transmission from the drivetrain so the tranny would still spin. Without the engine running there would not be adequate lubrication to the tranny.
 
#19 ·
Real Disapointment

I went in to look at the new Patriot and fell in love with it. A nice light weight 4 cyl vehical that I could get the family around with. I was ready to purchase one and then I found out from my dealer that this vehicle could not be towed 4-down. WoW I can't believe Jeep could make such a good looking car with out their transfer case.:(
 
#20 ·
Unless you have a "transfercase" with "N" for Neutral on it...you can't flat tow stock. You can get driveshaft disconnects for some vehciles but they are a pain. The Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Cherokee and Liberty all make great "toads" for towing behind motorhomes.
 
#22 ·
Flat tow ok for my FWD 5 sp manual 08 Pat!. So say today Chrysler Customer Service email reply to my question: inconsistency with online owners' manuals for Caliber & Patriot.

The document error is noted. In the Caliber manual on page 296, Fwd 5 sp manual Cali can flat tow; but other drivetrains (CVT, AWD) cannot flat tow.

The Patriot manual on pages 319, 333 simply warn against flat tow. No drivetrain differentiation mentioned.

The Chrysler email reply clarified that my simple Riot can flat tow; They acknowleged that the documentation will be updated. Wonder if this also apply to 2007's?

BTW my dealer's service manager said that the Riot can be flat tow a few days ago. I'm lucky that my dealer rep & service manager are young down-to-earth guys. Maybe they are too young to have yet developed the art of doubletalk.
 
#23 ·
This seems odd. In reality, unless the AWD is engaged, you are "towing" the rear wheels in normal driving. I could understand the flat tow issue with a CVT, but a dolly should work without problems. With the key off the electronics or more specifically, a mis-read by the electronics should not happen. I wonder if CRX could be more specific about exactly why? Next time I go to my dealer I am going to ask the service manager. He's a good-old-boy and won't BS me. I've known him for years.
 
#26 ·
As the Jeep email said that my VIN# pat can flat tow. it implies that during an emergency, my FWD 5 sp could be towed with rear wheels on the ground. We'll know for sure when Jeep updates the documentation.

In the meantime, look at the Caliber online documentation which explains in more detail the towing protocols for various drivetrains. The current document for Patriot advise flatbed emergency towing PERIOD, no further details. stay tune for revision.

For folks thinking of buying MK for flat towing behind their RV, there's light at end of the tunnel (for FWD manual tranny).
 
#27 ·
This whole idea of not flat towing does sounds a little fishy to me. The Saturn Vue, a similiar size vehicle with AWD can be flat towed with the following restriction: Vehicle must be started and idled for a few minutes every 1,000 miles. I guess that cycles the fluid in the drive train. Maybe that's why we're seeing GM vehicles as tow'd vehicles these days...

Sign on the back of a Vue behind a motorhome: "I only go where I towed!"
 
#29 ·
Good info Hitzy. I am still reluctant to ground tow, although they do say it is OK with the manual.

Also, it looks like you are getting ready for a summer BBQ with those burgers holding the page open. Really made me laugh !!
 
#31 ·
What about getting towed due to illegal parking or mechanical issues?
 
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