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OzLover71

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi everyone! I just joined this site, as I'm hoping to get some good advice here.

I was a proud owner of a 2009 Jeep Patriot. I really liked it--especially the way it handled in the snow. Once the car was paid for, I thought I'd enjoy living life without a car payment for awhile. Well, then it seemed like the car started to fall apart and I then was enticed with a good trade-in deal and got some of those bells and whistles I wanted.

Well, since October of 2013, I have been the owner of a new 2014 Jeep Patriot. Other than being in an accident a month after I got it, I have enjoyed it. However, the last few weeks have been rather frustrating. I noticed the car started to wander and its been hard to keep straight--especially at higher speeds. Every time I go over a bump, I have to try and correct it. Even the steering seems goofy to me. I finally called the dealership and got it in last weekend. They called and told me my car was severely out of alignment and realigned the front and rear. When I asked what could have caused it (was it because all of the potholes from our terrible winter?), I got kind of a shrug and a "could be." I was happy it was fixed, but I'm finding that the car really isn't driving all that much better. I'm tired of white knuckling my way to work and irritating those driving behind me.

I've been doing internet searches on this wandering issue and I appear to be not the only one who has experienced this. I called and my car is going in again on Monday. Is it the tires? Steering? HELP! I just want this taken care of.
 
#2 ·
First question i have to ask is, tell us about the accident. where was it hit and how hard?

I've had a few cars in accidents get fixed and are never the same after. Has the repair work been verified? who's insurance paid for the work? a lot of insurance companies warranty the work done, and if it isn't right get back in touch with them, and make them fix it properly.

My guess, is that if you were hit in the front or on the side (t-boned) that its likely due to the accident repairs not being done 100% correctly.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
I was making a left hand turn and was hit towards the back. The back drivers side tire was totally pushed in. My insurance company paid for it, but the body shop had it for two months! All this talk about the car being so new and parts not readily available...
 
#4 ·
OzLover71 said:
I was making a left hand turn and was hit towards the back. The back drivers side tire was totally pushed in. My insurance company paid for it, but the body shop had it for two months! All this talk about the car being so new and parts not readily available...
Click to expand...
that's a bunch of bull ****** as all the body pannels and parts are exactly the same from 20011-2014...

I would take it to another shop, tell them where it was hit and ask them if the work was done correctly, and how far out of spec it is. I would bet money that they'll come back and tell you that it is out of spec.

Call your insurance company as well and say that you are having drivability issues since the repair has been done, that you took it in to get aligned and its still not correct, and see if they will send out an adjuster to to look at it too.


I assume its been off since you've had it back?
 
#5 ·
im with AIC,
i dont know how insurance handles repairs after the fact, and for how long,
but i would tell them problem still isnt fixed,
do not give them ideas or suggestions to possible causes like winter and potholes,
let their shop examine it and determine if previous fix was done correctly,
you mention potholes and all they will do is check suspension,
chassis could be off specs which only a shop can determine,
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
I got it back in early February. It's seemed OK. It's only been this month that I've noticed the wandering big time. I thought maybe it was caused by a pothole I ran over that couldn't be avoided. My ride to and from work was a bumpy one this winter. Could this be something that has just been getting worse over time?
 
#7 ·
take a good hard look at your tires. The tires they come with are not very high quality, and potholes and bumps can break chords or belts within the tires. Make sure tread wear is even all the way around and all the way across each tire. Have they been rotated properly?
Having a shop check the vehicle for previous repair work is a good idea, and good advice. But in my experience your tires are shot. The tires are the only point of you vehicle that makes contact with the road (at least I hope so), and if the tread or structure of a tire is compromised, it will "wander" all over the place.

accidents, pot holes, bumps, etc can all cause belt and chord breakage in tires. And they will still hold air. (at least until a large enough bubble forms that it finally pops).
 
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#8 ·
OzLover71 said:
I got it back in early February. It's seemed OK. It's only been this month that I've noticed the wandering big time. I thought maybe it was caused by a pothole I ran over that couldn't be avoided. My ride to and from work was a bumpy one this winter. Could this be something that has just been getting worse over time?
Click to expand...
got it back February,
so 3 months or so it was fine after repairs, and now been acting up?
i thought it was since repairs,
if problem seems severe, probably something up on front end,
to check if its tires, rotate front/back see if it changes the handling,
back tire up front will be more noticeable,
i would also jack each tire and inspect suspension, check for loose parts,
excessive play in toe links/ball joints, etc..
check for leaks/fluid near struts,
 
#9 ·
OzLover71 said:
I was making a left hand turn and was hit towards the back. The back drivers side tire was totally pushed in. My insurance company paid for it, but the body shop had it for two months! All this talk about the car being so new and parts not readily available...
Click to expand...
I was side swiped on the passenger side after 1 month of ownership. Body shop replaced the passenger side door panel, front fender and wheel. Had it back in 3 days! Doesn't make sense they had it for 2 months.
 
#10 ·
Terasec said:
got it back February,
so 3 months or so it was fine after repairs, and now been acting up?
i thought it was since repairs,
if problem seems severe, probably something up on front end,
to check if its tires, rotate front/back see if it changes the handling,
back tire up front will be more noticeable,
i would also jack each tire and inspect suspension, check for loose parts,
excessive play in toe links/ball joints, etc..
check for leaks/fluid near struts,
Click to expand...
All this. And don't forget the tie rods!
 
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#12 ·
Definitely have your insurance company involved. I'd bet dollars to donuts that this is because of the accident. When you had the alignment job did you tell them it had been in an accident? It might be that it can't hold an alignment anymore.

Yes, lousy tires will squirm, but in your case I doubt its the tires unless you recently changed them. (Snow tires to summer tires maybe?) Nor would the problem come on after only a few months. They'd be lousy from the start or the sidewalls might fatigue after awhile, but I doubt any tire would go south that soon.

If you make a credible complaint to your insurance company they should stand behind you. Especially if (as I gather) its the other vehicle's fault.

Not to brag, but my only alignment was the one time they did the ball joints. I'm at 148,000 miles, and the little guy is rock-solid on the highway -- no tug, no squirm. Yours should be too. Don't fall for the old, "Patriots have poor front ends" or whatever other excuse they come up with! God only knows NH has more than our share of white ice, pot holes and frost heaves!

Just a hunch -- does your Pat squirm all the time or just on a certain road? Some roads with a bad paving job will move vehicles around. If its only one road, check with friends who drive that road frequently and see if they developed the same problem. In NH the DOT has made contractors resurface new roads that had problem areas.
 
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