How reliable are these cars and what are the common problems so far?
Common problems???
wantboost
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Search the forums, but the biggie seems to be leaks. I suppose its only a minority, but if you're in that minority, its not a pleasant experience. I owned leaky '94 Wrangler in the past -- fried the radio. Check the headlining for stains, and do your test drive after a good soaking rain.
Mine is at 50,000 and no leaks at all, no repairs either. Comfortable on the highway, good in the snow even with FWD, excellent fuel economy (30ish mpg). Big enough; small enough. Couldn't be happier with it. :smiley_thumbs_up:
Mine is at 50,000 and no leaks at all, no repairs either. Comfortable on the highway, good in the snow even with FWD, excellent fuel economy (30ish mpg). Big enough; small enough. Couldn't be happier with it. :smiley_thumbs_up:
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I honestly hope to get to 50,000km (I assume yours is miles) without needing repairs. That would be a lot better than the Volvo s40 that the Jeep replaced. Every little thing you could think of would break in that thing.
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4,653 Posts
very vague
can only speak for myself,
at 20k miles needed tranny fluid, with some arguing done under warranty,
at about 70k miles front ball joints replaced,(considering i do some off roading, logging roads, and time on the beach, cant really blame the Pat for that)
at 80k miles just had error P2004 intake manifold runner, NY dealers gave me a hard time, took it to a PA dealer fixed under warranty without a problem,
while some have had issues of leaks early on, dont know how common that is now, i have no sunroof and no leaks,
front suspension seems to be a weak point right now for some,
can only speak for myself,
at 20k miles needed tranny fluid, with some arguing done under warranty,
at about 70k miles front ball joints replaced,(considering i do some off roading, logging roads, and time on the beach, cant really blame the Pat for that)
at 80k miles just had error P2004 intake manifold runner, NY dealers gave me a hard time, took it to a PA dealer fixed under warranty without a problem,
while some have had issues of leaks early on, dont know how common that is now, i have no sunroof and no leaks,
front suspension seems to be a weak point right now for some,
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4,018 Posts
I'm at 110,000 km driven pretty hard on pavement, logging and industrial roads and stop and go in town daily. My route takes me all over the place every day.
Nothing but oil changes and tires.
Nothing at all.
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4,018 Posts
I can't see where you are getting that.
Folks come here to find out solutions to their problems, the forum members help out.
If that is telling you this vehicle has too many problems then you are willfully missing all the positive posts.
For the money its a great cheap ride that performs pretty good.
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75 Posts
1st time Jeep owner here and I'll give it to you straight with no chasers. I give it a thumbs up and so far we're more than happy with our 2014 Patriot 4x4.
I was a little hesitant buying it @ 1st but after doing a little web research here and a few other sites on the net before giving the wifey the okay and agreeing to the purchase which I'm sure it saved us some hassle. Buck to buck / pound to pound our Patriot actually surprises me daily. Small enough for her to drive and more than large enough to be the grocery getter / soccer mom go getter. Very easy on gas with just enough power for the wife's type of driving. No leaks, no squeaks, no ball joint issues. The only issue we had so far is a small crack in the drivers side seat panel mounting hole that was more my fault caused do to me backing the Jeep up & sitting on the edge of the seat with the drivers door wide open. You have to remember that these are fairly inexpensive so don't expect luxury or a super smooth ride. Comfort is okay for me and the interior gizmo's are purely simple not requiring a college degree to understand or operate. I personally think Jeep did very well on the 2014 models. Can't speak on the previous years because we never owned 1.
I was a little hesitant buying it @ 1st but after doing a little web research here and a few other sites on the net before giving the wifey the okay and agreeing to the purchase which I'm sure it saved us some hassle. Buck to buck / pound to pound our Patriot actually surprises me daily. Small enough for her to drive and more than large enough to be the grocery getter / soccer mom go getter. Very easy on gas with just enough power for the wife's type of driving. No leaks, no squeaks, no ball joint issues. The only issue we had so far is a small crack in the drivers side seat panel mounting hole that was more my fault caused do to me backing the Jeep up & sitting on the edge of the seat with the drivers door wide open. You have to remember that these are fairly inexpensive so don't expect luxury or a super smooth ride. Comfort is okay for me and the interior gizmo's are purely simple not requiring a college degree to understand or operate. I personally think Jeep did very well on the 2014 models. Can't speak on the previous years because we never owned 1.
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970 Posts
I've had my Patriot now just over 2yrs. Not a single issue with mine. If you look around the forum I've got some pics doing a lot of offroading. I just wish it had more power that's all. It's been lifted for about 1.5yrs/30,000km. Finally after that long I've began to notice a slight sag in the rear but I knew that was going to happen from the abuse I put mine through. I test drove and researched for awhile before I got my Patriot because it was my first big "new to me" purchase on a vehicle. Didn't realize until after joining the forum how much research I still hadn't got to. But was even happier after doing more research on my specific model compared to others. Nothing else was as comfortable or had the styling I liked. A year after I bought it I thought about trading it in and getting something brand new, test drove a few more vehicles and researched some more.
I have no plans to get rid of my Patriot anytime soon. Best vehicle I have ever owned. In my mind it brings a new definition to "Winter Beater".
I have no plans to get rid of my Patriot anytime soon. Best vehicle I have ever owned. In my mind it brings a new definition to "Winter Beater".
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3,366 Posts
My '08 has not been into the dealer for a single repair. I have at this time--100,000 miles replaced the battery, at least one set of tires, and most recently replaced all 4 struts. My brakes are original with 40% left. I don't have a sun-roof, so no leaks. But, my car was ordered from the factory and came with my name on the window sticker. Perhaps the factory took better care to make a good car...?
I think you should go for a Patriot!
I think you should go for a Patriot!
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783 Posts
So now after more than 4 years when you originally posted your query above (09-29-2010, 06:17 PM), you are now "starting to detour" away from the Patriot? Perhaps you should wait four more years to complete your evaluation and decide then. What gives?
No the ride isn't super smooth, but its way better than the Wrangler. For that matter, I think it rides better than the Avenger and Caliber I first considered. I was waiting to give the keys back to the salesman when I saw lonely Lil Ignatz sitting there on the showroom floor. Maybe because the seat position is higher in the Patriot and the suspension have more room, but I think the Patriot rides better than its siblings. (I've never tried the Compass, but I'll bet its similar to the Patriot).
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241 Posts
Just read my signature.
Oh, by the way, I just had to clean my sunroof drains ~AGAIN~ with the weed-wacker line trick last weekend, because I got a shower from my dome light on Christmas eve when it rained heavily here.
Patriots would make great childrens toys if for example you live on a large ranch with lots of off-road trails for the kiddies to drive. Kind of like the electric Gator toys. Although, the Gator toys are less likely to break down.....
Oh, by the way, I just had to clean my sunroof drains ~AGAIN~ with the weed-wacker line trick last weekend, because I got a shower from my dome light on Christmas eve when it rained heavily here.
Patriots would make great childrens toys if for example you live on a large ranch with lots of off-road trails for the kiddies to drive. Kind of like the electric Gator toys. Although, the Gator toys are less likely to break down.....
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I recently bought a 2008 Patriot. I found melted plastic in the hatch area. The drain cap and even the plastic on the hatch door was melted. It appears there is no heat shield under that area. I am now afraid of fire. Should I get a heat shield installed? Has anyone else had this problem?
I also have a 2008 but I've not had that problem.
Is this something that's happening now, or just the condition of the vehicle when you bought it?
I don't think what you're experiencing is normal or typical. Look at any other Patriot on the road -- none of them will look like that.
If you bought it in that condition, my first guess is that your catalytic converter has overheated sometime in the past. (That big metallic-looking thing under your rear hatch is not the gas tank, its the catcon).
If its happening presently I'd say you have a BIG problem. That should not be happening. Yes indeed, I would be afraid of fire. If you dare drive it, have a dealer or a reputable exhaust shop look at it pronto.
Oh I see you are new here. Welcome! Please hop on over to the newbie threads and introduce yourself to the others. Great bunch on here. You're sure to find helpful folks and good advice.
Also, please realize when you buy a 10 year old vehicle you are buying someone else's problems. The previous owner sold it for a reason, so you'll have to do what needs doing. Once you get past that you can enjoy your Patriot. Don't be discouraged! I've got 250,000+ miles on my 2008 Patriot and its still running strong. Only a couple repairs in all those years & miles.
Typical problems in the early years were sunroof leaks, and sometimes the rear hatch. Many complain of lousy front ends, but I've had none of those problems. One thing to watch for is a rusty subframe -- not all but some of the early years were built with defective components and FCA extended the warranty on those affected, but I think only for the original owner. You shouldda had the vehicle (any vehicle) checked before you bought it. Also, if you have an automatic transmission (CVT) get the tranny fluid & filter changed every 50,000 not the recommended 100,000 stated in the manual.
On the bright side, Patriot are pretty durable & reliable machines. The brakes seem to last forever. Engine is rock solid. They're easy on tires. Fuel economy is great. You'll have to make a big mistake to get stuck anywhere.
Best of all you've got this site! If you do have any problems, there's probably someone on here who can help you think it through.
Also, please realize when you buy a 10 year old vehicle you are buying someone else's problems. The previous owner sold it for a reason, so you'll have to do what needs doing. Once you get past that you can enjoy your Patriot. Don't be discouraged! I've got 250,000+ miles on my 2008 Patriot and its still running strong. Only a couple repairs in all those years & miles.
Typical problems in the early years were sunroof leaks, and sometimes the rear hatch. Many complain of lousy front ends, but I've had none of those problems. One thing to watch for is a rusty subframe -- not all but some of the early years were built with defective components and FCA extended the warranty on those affected, but I think only for the original owner. You shouldda had the vehicle (any vehicle) checked before you bought it. Also, if you have an automatic transmission (CVT) get the tranny fluid & filter changed every 50,000 not the recommended 100,000 stated in the manual.
On the bright side, Patriot are pretty durable & reliable machines. The brakes seem to last forever. Engine is rock solid. They're easy on tires. Fuel economy is great. You'll have to make a big mistake to get stuck anywhere.
Best of all you've got this site! If you do have any problems, there's probably someone on here who can help you think it through.
Thanks for the replies. It was there when I bought it, but I didn't look there beforehand. I will have my shop look at it asap.
As for the leaks problems, I have one of those too in the rear hatch coming in through the light. Have to get at that asap too.
Thanks for the advice about the tranny too.
As for the leaks problems, I have one of those too in the rear hatch coming in through the light. Have to get at that asap too.
Thanks for the advice about the tranny too.
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40 Posts
I've had mine for about 3 years (2010), not had any problems with it at all, other that the current problem I'm having with the horn, currently on around 65k miles, which is an annoying problem and makes it a bit undriveable at the moment ... but it's not a catastrophic failure or anything, she's just getting grumpy in her old age 
Last year I did have a clunking noise from the front driver side when turning left but I mentioned it to my local independent garage when I was putting her in for a service and he just welded something up which fixed the problem... I don't remember what he said it was, didn't really pay much attention to be honest but it was an easy fix and he only charged me an extra £25 on top of the service.
Last year I did have a clunking noise from the front driver side when turning left but I mentioned it to my local independent garage when I was putting her in for a service and he just welded something up which fixed the problem... I don't remember what he said it was, didn't really pay much attention to be honest but it was an easy fix and he only charged me an extra £25 on top of the service.
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11 Posts
I have a 2008 2wd Patriot that I bought new in 08. Paid $18,000 for it. It now has 60,000 miles on it. It is not built very well from a technical standpoint. The suspension is crap. Many have had to replace bushings, upgrade to grease-able ball joints, tie rods, etc. My tie rods in the front were shot so I upgraded to moog rods with grease-able fittings. I got rid of the stock air box and have a permanent open K&N type up front. Cost me 50 bucks. Didn't do much except make the noise a little louder under hard acceleration but now I have all this extra space uinder hood and can actually get to the battery. I have a manual 5 speed which gives you better acceleration. I drove one with a CVT and it felt like a rubber band, waiting for the transmission to catch up to the engine. The rear brakes are also crap, had to replace them at 35,000 miles. The front brakes are very good though. I don't drive it off road but if you are looking to buy a used one (since they don't make them anymore), you will more than likely have to replace suspension components. I was also told mine came wiht a full size spare tire when I bought. Wrong. I took out the doughnut and put in a full size spare. I had to take out the lining under the tire but it fits. Forget the lifetime warranty on the drive train. You have to show proof of previous inspections and dealers will do anything to keep from having to take care of problems without you having to pay for it. If you follow your maintenance schedules and take care of things BEFORE they become a problem, your Patriot should last you a long time. Mine is now a tow vehicle for my motorhome.
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