Hi All

I've been milling around the forum for a while now and sadly i've been forces to register just to ask some questions regarding problems with my Patriot.

I'd appreciate any help you can give. My car is a December 2008 2.4 Limited manual and brand new when i got it. It's now done 5040 miles. I'm in Scotland.

1) I've had probelms with severe grinding when putting the car into 3rd (from 2nd or 4th). The dealer tells me it's a known faqult with the syncromesh and the gearbox needs to come out for a major repair.

2) The rear seatbelts have some kind of locking system that prohibits me from putting my son's baby seat in the car. Basically the baby seat uses a base that stays in the car and the seat then snaps in. You them simply stretch the seatbelt around the baby seat into some guide points and that's it. Problem is that if you don't manage to stretch the seatbelt to its maximum, it locks you out and you have to completelt de-install the baby seat and start again. Not easy and not safe for the wife when trying to secure the little man into place. How can i fix, can i retro fit a normal seat belt?

3) The bonnet lifts at speed as the design is fairly stupid and the leading edge allows for air to rush in and try to lift the bonnet up. I've tried fidgiting with the adjustable mounts inthe engine bay but haven't really improved things. Any ideas how to fix this?

4) Oh yeh and the brakes sqeak, the seat springs creak like a cheap Motel bed and the driver's door is not fitted correctly and doesn't line up!

What rights do i have as a consumer as i feel it might be a "lemon" and i may try to force Jeep to replace it or let me out the finance deal?

Thanks so much for any advice!

On your item no. 1, if they say it's a known fault they would have the "right" to attempt to fix the problem and I guess (I'm no lawyer now) you would have to give them that opportunity before attempting any form of claim.

No. 2 - I can't really say since I have no reason to attempt this. Son is 20, daughter (off limits! [sound of shotgun being cocked is heard in the background!]) is 18. Maybe some other member can give you more insight in this matter. I am sure they would both have a fit if I asked them to jump into their car seats.

No. 3 - Look through the forum using "hood" instead of bonnet. I am new here but I have seen a few posts regarding this issue. I have a 4 day old 2009 Pat and I do not have this problem. Not sure if someone has already posted a solution or not. One thing I will say... a bunch of very helpful people here from all over. Someone is bound to help you or guide you properly.

No. 4 - Break problems may be a bit more difficult to deal with since this is a wear and tear item BUT... not so early on in your ownership in my pinion. When you go in for the transmission thingy above, point this out to them and see what they have to say.

Maybe I am not helping much since I am no mechanic, but, these are things I would personally do before threatening to go to the media and putting up a real fuss until I got what I wanted from them... all though it may not be an all out effective tactic at this point in time.

Lets see what someone else has to say though.

Hi All

I've been milling around the forum for a while now and sadly i've been forces to register just to ask some questions regarding problems with my Patriot.

I'd appreciate any help you can give. My car is a December 2008 2.4 Limited manual and brand new when i got it. It's now done 5040 miles. I'm in Scotland.

1) I've had probelms with severe grinding when putting the car into 3rd (from 2nd or 4th). The dealer tells me it's a known faqult with the syncromesh and the gearbox needs to come out for a major repair.

There is a TSB on this and they will fix it under warranty.


2) The rear seatbelts have some kind of locking system that prohibits me from putting my son's baby seat in the car. Basically the baby seat uses a base that stays in the car and the seat then snaps in. You them simply stretch the seatbelt around the baby seat into some guide points and that's it. Problem is that if you don't manage to stretch the seatbelt to its maximum, it locks you out and you have to completelt de-install the baby seat and start again. Not easy and not safe for the wife when trying to secure the little man into place. How can i fix, can i retro fit a normal seat belt?

I'd ask my salesman to show me how to use the seat belt for this kind of car seat. Perhaps they will have a solution. We have never used the weird middle seat belt that winds into the far back pillar of the car. Are you trying to use that one or the side ones?


3) The bonnet lifts at speed as the design is fairly stupid and the leading edge allows for air to rush in and try to lift the bonnet up. I've tried fidgiting with the adjustable mounts inthe engine bay but haven't really improved things. Any ideas how to fix this?

Look at my thread called Hood Flapping cure, http://www.jeeppatriot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7269 and another "bonnet" movement cure by a member called Greenman.


4) Oh yeh and the brakes sqeak, the seat springs creak like a cheap Motel bed and the driver's door is not fitted correctly and doesn't line up!
A)Have the dealer check the brakes.
B)Unbolt the seat, Just loosen the bolts, don't remove them. Let it relax and
screw it back down.
C)Point it out to the dealer. Although if it does not leak or make wind noise I
doubt they will do anything about it. You can adjust the hinges and the
door catch yourself, but often it ends up worse rather than better.

Along with all that make sure you document EVERYTHING. This way if you do have to use the lemon law you have all the information as to what you did and what they did. Make sure whn you bring it in for service to try and remedy the situation that they also document everything on our work order.
Good luck
Rich

Get copies of EVERYTHING! Taking pictures wont hurt if at all possible. For example, if the seat is not seating well on the studs, picture this and then compare to when the return the vehicle and claim its fixed.

Thanks for your replies everyone. The car is with the dealer, we'll see what happens.......

I'll post an update when i know more.

The perfect cure for your Patriot is... walk into the dealer coughing and say "Man, I have had this (cough cough) nasty cough ever since I can back from Mexico!" They will fix anything and everything real quick just to get you out of there.

Hi

I hope they fix all of you're problems.

I've had a 'few issuses' too since getting my pat.... most recent being the creaky seat (but mine seams like its the seat adjustment bar that squeaks)and squeaky brakes(which they 'took the shine off' now is back and worse than ever!)

Look forward to hearing what the dealership said to you/did to your Pat.

Hello Mate , I bought my Pat. 4 momths ago , It was a One owner Sport with Tints & the Diesel Engine with 6 speed man. Box.........It had 11.000 mls on clock when I got it & I have added another 2000. I have to report Zero Problems , not a squeak, bang or rattle. Take yours back to the Dealer & demand all is Fixed under warranty!! I dont know what your dealer is like ?? but mine is fantastic & would bend over backwards to cure all ills & solve all problems.

Well, they've still got it and i've heard nothing at all. Going down there later for a chat and update. Getting bored of lifting the baby in and out of the wife's Mini Cooper but at least her rear seatbelts allow me to install the car seat thing.

I'm most concerned about the rear seatbelt issue as i onl have the car to transport the baby and the Labrador. If can't easily use my his baby seat, i have an issue as it's part of the pram travel system and ultimately i won't compromise on his safety in any way. Period.

We'll see what solution they come up with............

[QUOTE=outrun;147497]
1) I've had probelms with severe grinding when putting the car into 3rd (from 2nd or 4th). The dealer tells me it's a known faqult with the syncromesh and the gearbox needs to come out for a major repair.

I've not had this but I have the CRD so I don't know if it's the same gearbox or not.

2) The rear seatbelts have some kind of locking system that prohibits me from putting my son's baby seat in the car. Basically the baby seat uses a base that stays in the car and the seat then snaps in. You them simply stretch the seatbelt around the baby seat into some guide points and that's it. Problem is that if you don't manage to stretch the seatbelt to its maximum, it locks you out and you have to completelt de-install the baby seat and start again. Not easy and not safe for the wife when trying to secure the little man into place. How can i fix, can i retro fit a normal seat belt?

I noticed this and while it was a bit irritating I got used to it very quickly. The good news is that when you get to use a forward facing seat it's much easier. I had more problems in my old Renault Megane trying to get the seatbelt to go round at all.

3) The bonnet lifts at speed as the design is fairly stupid and the leading edge allows for air to rush in and try to lift the bonnet up. I've tried fidgiting with the adjustable mounts inthe engine bay but haven't really improved things. Any ideas how to fix this?

I've not had any issues with this.

4) Oh yeh and the brakes sqeak, the seat springs creak like a cheap Motel bed and the driver's door is not fitted correctly and doesn't line up!

I get a bit of brake squeal but not enough to annoy me, but then I have the stereo on most of the time.

I would say that 1 & 3 can be fixed under warranty though. I don't think you will be able to quote any lemon law here sadly.

QUOTE]

Ok, an update...

I collected the car today and the synchromesh has been replaced with some (apparently) modified parts. I assume they've made them from a different alloy as i have discovered that the gearbox oil corrodes the synchros as they are made of some poor quality alloy. I know that some have changed out the oil for a particluar Penzoil product that doesn't contain the corrosive elements so i hope that the upgraded parts are just that and we don't need more synchros anytime soon!

They've also cleaned etc the front brakes to cure the sqeaking (which is due definitly to them bindingvery lightly.

They've also repositioned the bonnet to try to cure the high speed lift and they have failed to fix the sqeaking seat which they could not find on a test drive! I'm only 13stone so i know it's not my sheer weight that makes the sqeak, no matter i'll find it and repair it myself.

HOWEVER, and it's a big however, even though they have replaced the n/s rear seatbelt, the very stupid Chrysler ratchet system is still preventing me from correctly installing my child's babyseat. The service manager spent 25 minutes in the pouring rain trying everything possible to get it in place but with no luck. It seems that the problem lies in 2 places - firstly the belt itself is not long enough, and secondly the ratchet system is preventing me from from being able to stretch the belt out and manipulate it as it locks in position and you have to completely release the belt and begin again (which is invariably pointless as it's too fidgety).

I've ordered a seat belt extension which gives me an extra 70cm of adjustability in the belt which i really hope works. We'll see when it arrives tomorrow or Thursday. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime i have contacted Chrysler UK customer services and suggested that the car is "not fit for purpose" as we cannot install a baby seat safely. They have passed the buck to the dealer and tell me that my contract is with them and i have to pursuade them to take the car back, only then and at the dealer's request would Chrysler get involved with aiding the dealer to take the car back. Interestingly the dealer tells me that they have had some complaints from 300C owners where the ratchet rear belts are "trapping" passengers causing them to panic. Clearly this seatbelt type must be binned for a normal system!

I hope it doesn't come to this and the seatbelt extension gives me a £13.99 solution! I'll post more when i know more...........

Whoop Hoo !!! :banana: Solved with a £13.99 seatbelt extension and a replacement belt under warranty from Jeep.

I've also solved the creaking drivers' seat with a whole bunch of WD40 into the hinge mechanisms.

Now all i need to do is tint the windows and get a decent Ipod adaptor kit.

Sweet

Here's a link the extension that saved me from having to reject the car (a path i didn't want to take as i like it and i can't be dealing with the hassle).

ww.bestautobits.com/cart.php?target=product&sns_mode=featured_product&product_id=746&category_id=241

So glad to hear yo've solved you're problems!! and you got to keep the Jeep!!

There is a TSB on the creaky seat it you have more problems take it in and they'll do it under warranty... TSB 23-008-08 I'm getting them to do mine when they replace my breakes next week.

I also have problems with the lenght od the seat belt with the baby seat so I'll be investing in one of those too! Thanks!

Glad to hear things are starting to go your way :)
Rich

Nice solution... the other option would have been to have older kids... ;)