Patriot 6Spd Auto traditional versus CVT - identify?

RossoRacer · Mar 13, 2018

Jeeper81, if you don't wanna trust CVT maintenance to your dealer, but have a space to work in and don't mind getting your hands dirty, you can change the CVT fluid yourself. There's threads on the topic here and in JPATW on facebook. Seems from stories here they'd just assume it's a CVT anyways though....but I don't blame ya for being worried about dealer knowledge. https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a30505/new-car-service/

Tomp, there's a Haynes manual for the Patriot now. Just released last week. And you'll only find the 6-spd conventional on 2014+ models, mostly on 2.4L autostick where it was the only automatic option for that time frame. All 2007-2013 were either CVT or manual. Check my earlier post in this thread. My CVT didn't come with a dipstick, just a notorious-for-breaking filler tube labeled "CVT fluid only". Not everybody's breaks, but the replacements are easy enough to find, and I think the problem is less common in later years.

Bwpakk, don't worry, the Patriot does at least have an engine oil dipstick for sure....just not a transmission fluid dipstick.

tomp · Mar 13, 2018

RossoRacer, can you confirm with certainty that the 2014+ 2.4L vehicles that had automatics were only traditional automatics and not CVTs? If i can verify that, then I will simply make sure I buy a 2016 2.4L. Then my problem will be solved - thanks to the knowledge of this forum! Tom

Ignatz · Mar 13, 2018

Without a dipstick, how does the owner know if its leaking? My CVT had a leak that my dealer spotted and fixed under the lifetime warranty. However, IDK how much fluid was lost before the leak was noticed and the gasket was replaced. Maybe that's why my CVT died at 170,000. Sure they refilled it, but might a low fluid level before that have permitted premature wear? I have no idea how long it was low . . . because I couldn't check it!!! We wouldn't run our engines low on oil, but we have a dipstick to check. IMO, anything with a reservoir ought to have a means of checking its level. Heck, we can even check our w/s/w reservoir! Why not something important like transmission fluid? Anything with a seal is going to leak sooner or later.

IMHO there ought to be a recall to install dipsticks.

I once had a 1929 Hupmobile and that had a little floating gizmo on a long wire that went down a long hole into the crankcase. I could push down on the wire and figure how much oil I had by how much the float was floating. Clever, huh? And that was 90 years ago. Ya'd think today's engineers could come up with something as simple. Instead they'd probably have a computer program with an electronic sensor! OK, LOL, but . . . it beats having no way to tell until a $4000 unit fails.

nordraw · Mar 14, 2018

Yeah I found that it means they put an extra 6.2 gallons of gas more than they normally do. Don't know why.

Sandstone · Mar 14, 2018

tomp said:
RossoRacer, can you confirm with certainty that the 2014+ 2.4L vehicles that had automatics were only traditional automatics and not CVTs? If i can verify that, then I will simply make sure I buy a 2016 2.4L. Then my problem will be solved - thanks to the knowledge of this forum! Tom

Yes, again, with the exception of the trail rated model.

"New for 2014 A six-speed automatic transmission is newly available. Additionally, side-impact airbags for the front seats are now standard."
https://www.cars.com/research/jeep-patriot-2014/whats-new/

"2014 Jeep Patriot and Compass ditch CVT for six-speed auto"
https://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/07/2014-jeep-patriot-and-compass-ditch-cvt-for-six-speed-auto/

"A new six-speed automatic transmission helps the 2014 Jeep Patriot take on urban errands and weekend adventures with a little more smoothness and quiet than before."
https://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/jeep_patriot_2014

ralphfr · Mar 14, 2018

The sales people at the dealerships are useless when it comes to having technical details. Personally I think you have already answered your question when you linked to the build sheet. A 6 speed auto should be a traditional auto trans unit. If it is a CVT it will say CVT. Here is the build sheet info for my Patriot's trans:

Cont.Var. w/Off-Rd Crawl Ratio Trans

RossoRacer · Mar 14, 2018

tomp said:
RossoRacer, can you confirm with certainty that the 2014+ 2.4L vehicles that had automatics were only traditional automatics and not CVTs? If i can verify that, then I will simply make sure I buy a 2016 2.4L. Then my problem will be solved - thanks to the knowledge of this forum! Tom

Like I've mentioned 2-3 times in this thread alone, 2.4L AUTOSTICK models are conventional automatics for 2014+. FD2 Trail Rated was the last remaining model to combine the CVT with the 2.4L, sadly. Even a FWD 2014+ Patriot has that thing hooked to the engine if it's 2.4L with autostick.

But again, the CVT is worth looking at. They just need more maintenance than Chrysler is willing to admit in the owner's manual.....fluid changes at 60k. And to my knowledge, that 6-spd you seem set on requires the same interval. Plus it drives pretty nice. So if you happen on a Patriot with 2.0L autostick, or perhaps a Trail Rated badge on the fender and "L-offroad" instead of autostick on the shifter, maybe at least test drive it and check the maintenance records? You might be pleasantly surprised.

Charles Kline · Apr 30, 2019

The CVT is an absolute piece of garbage, making sure to get the traditional 6 speed transmission is a MUST when buying a Patriot.

I junked our 07 because of its capitalistic CVT but we've missed the car. We're actually considering picking up a '14 or '15 as long as we can find one with a 6 speed auto.

RossoRacer · Apr 30, 2019

Hey now, just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean it's always bad. You just admitted yourself to having a 2007. That's just before the infamous "cash for clunkers", when Chrysler was still reeling itself out of bankruptcy, desperately trying to put a good econobox together so they could still meet some fleet standard law so they could still sell Wranglers, albeit 90% of them not actually Wranglers because they had 4 doors rather than 2. But that's a story for another time. The first year or three of ANY new automotive design is going to have problems. Early Chevy K1500 3-door models leaked. Early Cherokars caught fire from that 9-spd that everybody oozes praise for with no good reason. There's more I'm sure, but I don't know them all.

Many other 2007 Patriot CVT's likely lasted alot longer than you might think. I'm not gonna go through all your old posts to check, but my guess is that you or(if you bought used) the previous owner of your Patriot didn't maintain it well. Most CVT horror stories begin that way. Even if it was checked and changed like it should have been, your problem still isn't as common as you think...less so if maintained properly.

Charles Kline · May 3, 2019

RossoRacer said:
Hey now, just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean it's always bad. You just admitted yourself to having a 2007. That's just before the infamous "cash for clunkers", when Chrysler was still reeling itself out of bankruptcy, desperately trying to put a good econobox together so they could still meet some fleet standard law so they could still sell Wranglers, albeit 90% of them not actually Wranglers because they had 4 doors rather than 2. But that's a story for another time. The first year or three of ANY new automotive design is going to have problems. Early Chevy K1500 3-door models leaked. Early Cherokars caught fire from that 9-spd that everybody oozes praise for with no good reason. There's more I'm sure, but I don't know them all.

Many other 2007 Patriot CVT's likely lasted alot longer than you might think. I'm not gonna go through all your old posts to check, but my guess is that you or(if you bought used) the previous owner of your Patriot didn't maintain it well. Most CVT horror stories begin that way. Even if it was checked and changed like it should have been, your problem still isn't as common as you think...less so if maintained properly.

How many miles are on your Patriot?

breadtruck · May 3, 2019

Some people just dont like the CVT. They feel unresponsive and sound unpleasant.
Accelerating from a stop can be downright painful, which is why they are coming with a launch gear now.

RossoRacer · May 4, 2019

Charles Kline said:
How many miles are on your Patriot?

118k. Had to replace the CVT at 97k, thanks to the fact I changed the fluid too late, having neither the knowledge nor funding for getting it done right when it was newer. It's not about to beat anything off the line at the local dragstrip, but I don't expect an econobox to come terribly close to the acceleration capability of even my 3.8L Impala, much less a 6.2L Camaro or Challenger. As it is, I'd say it's quite quick for the baby of the Jeep family.

Needmorenoise · Jun 12, 2022

RossoRacer said:
2007-2013 all CVT or stick shift
2014-2017 2.4L autostick all conventional
P-R-N-D-L is CVT for all years
2.0L engine will have CVT or manual

Colonel_Reb has a build sheet debating that last tidbit, though there is some question about it on the Jeep Patriot Around the World facebook group(yes, I mentioned it on there as an update to the transmission identification sheet....you're welcome to look it up). All the knowledge we have of Patriot transmission options points to 2.0L not having a conventional automatic available....though I'm wondering if it was a lightly-used option for 2014-2015.

As for not wanting a CVT, it's a good smooth transmission that can work well for you if you give it a chance. Ya just need to keep the fluid changed at 60k mile intervals(or less, with Valvoline or AMSoil CVT fluid...NOT ATF). An auxiliary transmission cooler may also be a wise investment, especially in southern climates....your only post so far doesn't mention where you live. I waited until 82k miles to change my CVT fluid, and that lapse in proper maintenance resulted in me having to shell out $2500 all told for a replacement transmission and some labor. But, there's also many cases of CVT transmissions lasting well beyond 130k with proper maintenance. Yes, there's cases of dealers throwing CVT after CVT into a Patriot that won't stop "transmission whining"...you yourself said dealers don't know anything anymore....those cases were probably actually faulty AC units, which make the same whining noise when they go out...much cheaper than a transmission, as I understand it.

Your call of course, I just wanna help reassure you that if it is a CVT, it's probably not a bad deal, especially in the last two years of an eleven-year run. Your daughter may even like the way the CVT drives...I got used to mine very easily, and work very well with it.

Well my experience with a 2008 Patriot was the fourth transmission was needed when I scapped it at 300000KMS.

RossoRacer · Jun 13, 2022

Needmorenoise said:
Well my experience with a 2008 Patriot was the fourth transmission was needed when I scapped it at 300000KMS.

You're sure it was the CVT and not the AC, throttle body, spark plugs, etc.? Or was it a manual? I hear the 5-speed stick had a few problems too.

Ibmikey · Jul 8, 2022

My Patriot has 105,000 and just had the transmission fluid changed for the third time ( also changed the 4x4 fluids) it still runs like new, looks new and drives like new because of a constant maintenance program. Interior leather treated each month, exterior paint has three coats of ceramic finish and rubber and plastic parts treated to best preserve them in Texas sun.

Patriot 6Spd Auto traditional versus CVT - identify?

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tomp

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nordraw

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