[Dubai]

It rained in North Texas last night. The water leak is back again it seems. Although I did not see water dripping from the dome light this time, the cargo area was completely wet. The last time this happened , I took my Jeep to Huffines Jeep in Plano and they kept it for a day. They claimed nothing was wrong with it.

 

[johnda]

Gosh. This may go down as the Patriot's Achilles heel. My Pat is over a year old and I have never had a problem, but enough others have that make me wonder about the design. You have no sunroof, but have you ever used your roof rack to carry gear on it? I have a feeling that the roof rack, combined with a flat roof design may be a design problem. I have never put anything on the rack up to this point. The other weak point was the seal for the tubing in the rear hatch, if I remember correctly.

I wonder just what is going on?

 

[Dubai]

No , I have never used the roof rack for any purpose.
I could not see where the water was coming from. But the inside lining was wet and dripping near the dome light. I am furious.

 

[johnda]

There was a long batch of posts regarding a leak from above the rear hatch in the section where the tubing goes through a grommet. Many folks found water in the dome light. You SHOULD be furious. It started with the 2007 model and I thought they had gotten a handle on it for the 08's. Search out the posts, print the suckers out and hand them to your dealer. Their claim that there's nothing wrong is idiocy since there is a long list of this problem happening. Give em' hell!

 

[deres]

I'm wondering...has the leak to do with the short black antenna that some Patriots have on the roof (and not at the side)?
I noticed in this forum that mostly Americans complain abt leaks (who have antenna at the side).
Maybe, just maybe, short roof antenna works as a sealer? Can anybody confirm it?

 

[Rends]

I'm wondering...has the leak to do with the short black antenna that some Patriots have on the roof (and not at the side)?
I noticed in this forum that mostly Americans complain abt leaks (who have antenna at the side).
Maybe, just maybe, short roof antenna works as a sealer? Can anybody confirm it?

I don´t think so. There is nothing at the roof mounted antenna location on US models. No hole or so.
If you ask me it´s lack of quality control.
But the numbers of postings about the leak are much fewer than 3/4 year ago so they may change something in the production in the meantime.

 

[stldrum]

I think he might mean the Sirius antenna. I do not have a leak on my 09 (so far) but I was looking at the Sirius antenna mount on the roof by the hatch and it has to have holes drilled into the top to get the cabling to the radio.

I would think the water was coming in there.

Any thoughts?

 

[craig03]

Well mine has been leaking and been in the shop 4 times. This is the 5th and they are replacing the entire sunroof. But if others have leaks with out the sunroof, I dont think this is going to help.

 

[ChiefWilnel]

reading the many posts about this I think one person mentioned the the roof is sandwiched together, 2 metals, and they are not bonded correctly, so no matter what siliconing you do its probably a temp fix.

 

[demolaysgirl]

I think they finally fixed mine...after a LOT of trips in. (Yesterday was my one year anniversary of ownership!)

I really do need to take pics...we've had a few good rains come through in the past couple of weeks and my Pat has stayed dry.

They rewelded some areas, replaced some tubing, applied black caulking to seal the whole back end and beefed up my weatherstripping back there. It is so much bigger than the old weatherstripping that it covers up that little round cap that is dead-center in the top of the hatch. They even replaced my sunroof.

Anyone having these leak issues should have their dealer contact Fresno Chrysler Jeep in Fresno, CA. (559) 225-2100. Ask about the Sullivan Steel Blue Patriot and what their final fix was - they actually brought out a technician from the plant to look at it. I really think they got it fixed for me. Jim Redding is the Service Manager, and I've dealt with Eddie a lot, too.

 

[johnda]

Wow, demoslaysgirl, that is REALLY something! They had to REWELD some areas? This is a major problem, much more than the simple tubing leak I was thinking about. Sounds like the robotic welders on the assembly line didn't do their job. I do remember vaguely that someone said something about the assembly line quality having problems way back when the 07's were coming out.

Dubai, print out what Demoslaysgirl wrote and bring it to your dealer. This is really a terrible thing to have happen. I hope they will make the proper fix to your car.

 

[NewJeepGuy]

it seems this issue is isolated in US only, I never see anyone complain from Canada
by the way wife and me love the jeep so much, no issue at all:smiley_thumbs_up:

 

[ChiefWilnel]

um they are all made in the US as far as I know

 

[mustyjeep]

Mustyjeep.The name says it all.

My dome light leak started a few weeks ago and I have the ultimate standard 08 Patriot 4x4 vehicle.So no antennas sunroof etc.Sadly I never realised that "waterproof" was an option.
Could anybody let me know what the long term effects to the wiring harness and body could be after water intrusion?
I have been coming up with a few extras that Mopar could produce for 09.
I guess that passenger and driver "Bucket Seats" could be advantageous.
I live in BC Canada .

 

[larry c]

You call it a dome light leak but you say you see no water coming from the dome and the cargo area is wet.

I might be able to help. I once lifted my Patriot's tailgate after an unusually heavy rain and when I lifted it up a few drops of water trickled out from inside of the rear hatch door frame through the holes in the frame that are on the side edges of the door frame. I concluded that the only possible place water got in was through the rear-mounted brake light on the hatch door. I removed it and inspected it. My impression is that the black foam seal used to seal between the light and the steel frame could probably leak if overtightened, misaligned, not tightened enough and debris gets sandwiched in etc. I very carefully re-installed the seal and light to keep the seal in place with what I think is not too much or too little compression on the seal, and I applied a very small amount of silicone to the seal. I did it a few months ago and after a few heavy rains I inspected it very carefully--- not a drop of water gets in the frame now.

So maybe that is how water gets into your cargo area. Worth a try - took me less than 5 minutes. It required a torx or hex-- forgot already-- and no other tools.

 

[Dubai]

Later on during the day, I physically removed the dome light and there was water all over my hands. The inside roof lining was dripping wet too. It appears the water gets in thru somewhere, I just cannot see where!
But the first time I had a water leak, I actually saw water dripping from the dome light when I made a sudden stop after exiting my drive way! It was surreal. I don't understand how they could spoil such a nice vehicle with poor workmanship like this..

 

[larry c]

Must be the holes that attachd the roofrails--- what else could it be?

 

[Dubai]

Well, after the downpour last night the whole Dome light area plus the cargo area was soaking wet. I have to call the dealership. This is getting ridiculous .

 

[KemnitZ]

reading the many posts about this I think one person mentioned the the roof is sandwiched together, 2 metals, and they are not bonded correctly, so no matter what siliconing you do its probably a temp fix.

Probabbly it was me...had the same issue...problem was found and solved: there is a plastic molding on roof in both sides, at the rear end they took it off and found that on the corner of 2 or 3 metal sheets (roof, side wall and something else) that has to be welded together and coated with special sealing had a hole uncovered. So all water that comes from roof leak in that hole. Check my post with pictures and good luck: http://www.jeeppatriot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9838&page=2

 

[Dubai]

You call it a dome light leak but you say you see no water coming from the dome and the cargo area is wet.

I might be able to help. I once lifted my Patriot's tailgate after an unusually heavy rain and when I lifted it up a few drops of water trickled out from inside of the rear hatch door frame through the holes in the frame that are on the side edges of the door frame. I concluded that the only possible place water got in was through the rear-mounted brake light on the hatch door. I removed it and inspected it. My impression is that the black foam seal used to seal between the light and the steel frame could probably leak if overtightened, misaligned, not tightened enough and debris gets sandwiched in etc. I very carefully re-installed the seal and light to keep the seal in place with what I think is not too much or too little compression on the seal, and I applied a very small amount of silicone to the seal. I did it a few months ago and after a few heavy rains I inspected it very carefully--- not a drop of water gets in the frame now.

So maybe that is how water gets into your cargo area. Worth a try - took me less than 5 minutes. It required a torx or hex-- forgot already-- and no other tools.

Well, it rained last night in Texas and you guessed it... a leak from the rear dome light ...this is after two trips to the dealership..
I will print all the suggestions here and take it to them. I wonder what the Texas Lemon Laws for New Cars has to say about this ..how many trips must I make to the dealership? Who will compensate me for the lost time spent at the dealership?