Ok guys..can we cut to the chase?
What is the outcome of the flapping hood.
1. Is it only specific to the 2007 Models?
2. If i walk into a dealer, will they be well aware of the issue and change the hinge without issue?
3. I read something about the black piece of foam within the hinge area, are they suppose to be on both sides?
Any other information all us owners should be aware of?

I have found it is the 08 also. I have gone to the dealer and ck it out for myself. You can go about 40 MPH lean over and look at the hood were it hinges and you will see it does lift up (THEY ALL DO IT). Depending on cross wind…other vehicles passing usually large trucks… or large trucks going in the other direction. The hood will osculate violently. There is no repair for this at this time except adjusting the hood hinges up then it looks like crap because the hood and fender body lines are out of wack. Make sure you have the dealer write it up so there can be record of the problem (not just telling them about it). Oh ya the dealer will act like there is no problem. PLEASE HAVE THEM WRITE IT UP!

A dealership fixed mine by installing new hinges. It didn't flap for a while and was nice and tight...that was a few months ago...maybe 3,000 miles-ish.

It's starting to loosen up again now though. I'm pretty much convinced it's a faulty design in the hinge. Too flimsy.

KFC: You appear really stressed by this. To see for yourself, I would suggest going to a Jeep dealer around town and checking out a Patriot in the showroom. Let the sales guy approach you and chat him up. While you are chatting and doing the kick the tires thing, meander your way over to the driver's side of the car to where the hood meets the wipers. Grab the hood right where the opening is and where the hood starts to fold over and down. With a firm grip, cup that radius and pull the hood straight up. If it lifts up, that's the issue. Mine lifts about a full inch.

I have 10,000+ kms on my 07. The issue only appears on these conditions:

The winds are significant (they would be strong enough to buffet the Jeep)
The Jeep is truly exposed to those winds (nothing between the Jeep and the wind like a big truck or a series of buildings)
The Jeep is going 70+ kmh.
The winds are coming at the Jeep at an angle - not straight on.

An actual case study for me and the ONLY place where I have experienced the flappen hood is on the high off-ramp from the 427 North to the 407 West (sorry for those who are not familiar with the north Toronto area). When I round that high curve (it's gotta be about 30 - 40 feet from the ground on concrete pedestals) AND there is high wind AND I am going a fair speed, THEN and ONLY while negotiating the ramp do I experience the flappen hood. Once I am down on the 407 and now going 120 kmh, the flappen is either non-existent or really minimal. By minimal I mean at 120 kmh in wind, there will be something shaking somewhere - but nothing like I experience on the ramp. The air pressure appears to be so low over the hood that the hood lifts both hinges and strains against the front clasp. Time interval for traversing that ramp is about 15 - 20 seconds. Wind velocity over the hood would roughly be 140kmh (70k wind 70K Jeep speed). That's pretty windy.

Is the situation ideal? Nope. Do I keep an eye open for it? You betcha. It hasn't bothered me enough to seek repairs for I think there could be a greater risk to My Patriot from taking it in for service (read as the mechanics would cause some other damage in fixing the flappen hood or put some other wheels in motion that would cause some other badness to occur once I left the shop). Kind of an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" thing. They might screw something else up.

Just my .02 big guy.

My Pat 08 has the same problem. I took it to Jeep and they ordered new hinges. They tell me they are on back order. The parts person mentioned to me that it looked by the revision numbers on the part , that manufacturing is on their 4th change to the hinges. I await patiently for their arrival. Jeep did like many of you have said, they cranked the hood up high, high enough that i could slide my fingers into the engine compartment from the front by the grill. My engine quickly became coated with road grim, slush and salt etc.
I will post again re this when the hinges are installed.

Thanks Quasi, and all....on my next oil change, I intend to talk to the service manager, once I grab the hood and show him the play. I will then play a game of chess with them until I get the repairs I need.

After watching the video, I see mine is flexing diffently than all of yours. Mine seems to be flexing and pushing down at the front corners rather than lifting up in the back. Not a problem with the hinges but rather a problem of lack of front support at the corners.

JeepJim: I will have to watch for the opposite situation though my hood really is flat to the body. I will keep an eye on it.

sitting still mine looks flat. However while driving mine tends to flex or bounce as my wife calls it at the front corners.

Just got my Pat from the dealership. The hood and the whole car is made from some cheap light material. When lightly putting pressure on the hood or roof with your hand, the car material "flexes" inward. I understand that this lighter material brings all sorts of benefits such as greater fuel economy, but for crying out loud a bit of good old hard composites would be much appreciated.

I could with ease lift the hood with my hand, so i assume it will have the effect that is discussed in this thread. I will do a test run over the weekend and get back with the results.

Quasimodem: I think testing it on the high 427/404 off-ramp should do the trick. If it wobbles, flaps or whatever i`m going straight to the dealer.

Well...I just got back from a business trip from Calgary last night...and the 1st thing I did while waiting for the car to warm up at the Park and Fly, was check out the front hood. Indeed, I can grab the hood up by the gap up by the windshield, and it moves up and down no probs.
Next oil change is due in 1,000 more KM...and this is 1st on my list of complaints.
Totally unacceptable!!

The flappen hood issue raised its ugly head big time for me yesterday. I had to get my wife to an appointment and had to face the high winds. Wow! Does the hood of my 07 Pat ever flap in those high winds. I was westbound on the 403 in Mississauga and the hood was just dancing. I suspect the wind speed over the hood considering the Pat's speed and the wind's speed to be ~160kmh. It was actually straining against the front latch pin and the rear hinges. The whole hood was lifting a full inch from its resting position. It would have flow right off if it could.

Its only a matter of time that this hood flexing will cause issues with your paint..Mark my words

I had not thought of the paint issue. Mine flexes just a tiny bit. It never bugged me. The paint may make it a bigger problem than I thought......