Well its no Honda, but I can tell you I spent way more than this maintaing my Ford Windstar before getting rid of it and I didn't put anywhere near that amount of mileage on it.

Just saying.

 

This happens. When judging any vehicles, remember that happy owners never post. Newer Pats are better. I think Chrysler products are getting better overall but the older products were a hit miss.

 

Check to make sure that your brake lights are actually functioning. When my 07 wouldn't shift out of park there were no brake lights and the cause ended up being in the wiring harness in front of the left front wheel.

 

Jack - Sounds like you got a bad one, although your vehicle's 127k miles is relatively high. The '08-'09 time period was a bad one for Chrysler as they had an absentee owner, no $ and were teetering on bankruptcy. The quality of the newer Pats has improved dramatically.

At least you were wise enough to get the lifetime warranty. I'd utilize the warranty to get your tranny issue resolved with the dealership. Some persistence may be required, as well as a call or two to the Customer Hotline. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

The brake lights work. Stay on about 3 min after turning off. TIPM not covered under lifetime engine power train warranty. Warranty book has a list of things covered and that was the first thing I asked the dealer. Not covered.
Going to look at a 2005 RAV 4 with 151k now. If the Pat will make it to the dealer that has the Rav4 that is.

Cutting my losses with this vehicle as soon as possible while it is still running.

 

The brake lights work. Stay on about 3 min after turning off.

Are we talking brake lights or tail lights? Make sure it's the brake lights.

The problem I had--showed up on a cold day after a hot spell. The grease on the stop lamp switch had ran down the plunger, then when cold, caused the plunger to stick. Wiped the plunger down with a solvented rag and no more problems. The little white lever behind the plug saved me a tow job when this happened just a block from home while I was picking up my mail. Walked home, checked the forum, and found this fix. Then trouble shot the problem which I've described.

My '08 has over 75,000 miles, all gentle miles over 10 or so western states--meaning: mountain driving. I've yet to have a problem. Outside of my battery needing replacement last winter and of course new tires.

But, then, I ordered my vehicle to my specs and it came in with a window sticker that said, "Especially built for..." so I suspect I didn't get a Friday or Monday car...

I'd say with your high mileage, you're not too bad off...

 

Don't beat yourself up, trade it! Electronics are almost never covered. Even my C5 only covered part of the electronics, though it did cover the traction control sensors.

I would approach your dealer and work out a trade for a newer Pat, they really are past the hit-or-miss days. '08 was a bad year and the '09s were about the same.

'07s RULE! Still only one wheelbearing, and as most of you know, we beat the snot out this one.

 

One thing I would throw out there, if you are still taking your vehicle to the dealer to repair, you're paying the absolute most you could for your repairs. Most dealers charge more for parts and more for labor.

I had to do front and rear shocks on my DD this week, Dealer price over $1500 P+P, mechanics price 350 + I brought in my own parts I bought online for about 200 bucks. so $550ish.

I trust my mechanic to do the work at a higher quality than the dealer. So unless its a warranty item, take it to an independent shop. For example, the front suspension parts that were replaced, you can get after markets from Moog for about 80 bucks a side, which are a higher quality than the facotry parts, have an independant shop install at about 60 bucks an hour, say even an excessive 2 hours a side - 240 bucks + 160 for about 400 bucks vs 950 at the dealer (i assume you mean the dealer)

 

The suspension work on the front was done at an independent shop. I never even checked the dealer because I was sure it would be more. I have since gone with another independent shop which I trust 100%.
They are the shop that checked the brake light switch, put in a new switch and when the new one would not work took it back out and tested around the shifter narrowing it down to what they thought was the Trans modulator valve. They said the dealer would have to put that in and program it. They charged $0 to do all this.
Same thing done at dealer was $155
If the independent shop had put the switch in and that was the fix he said it would cost about $50 total. $105 more at dealer for same service

 

ah, sorry, from your post I thought you were going to the dealer.

I only have 8k on my patriot, and so far I've spent $0 on repairs and maintenance. and I hope that trend continues.

I have an olds alero I've had for just over a year, and I've spend over 1500 bucks in repairs on it... in 20,000 miles. hopefully I've done the last repairs for a while.... (that's what I get for buying cheap used cars for my dd)

 

Yes sir, It is the brake lights.
The dealership just called and wanted to know if I was satisfied with the service yesterday. I said since I still had the same problem I went in with and was out $155 and it took them 7 hours to determine they were not sure what it was, no. I was not satisfied. I was very nice to her and not hateful. No need in ruining her day since mine wasn't so great.

She is checking into why it took them so long.

I was really looking forward to a new engine or transmission at 400k but realize that was wishful thinking now.

Maybe $800-$1000 a year for repairs is still not as bad as $250 per month for 60 more months. I wanted so bad for this patriot to be a match in reliability for a Honda or Toyota but it just is not.

 

My wife's family has toyotas, corollas of different years, 4 of them to be exact, and they have all been the most unreliable pieces of junk in the world... and they keep up with the maintenance.

but they've had blown engines, bad transmissions and electrical problems on all of them... They will never buy any other car, and I have no idea why... I had 4 saabs that were all more reliable than those corollas... I think a lot depends on how they are driven, and who put them together that day at the factory.

 

Thank you for buying American. I never bought same car twice cept for Chrysler minivan. I wish you luck but remember that there's nowhere but up with next purchase. Even if American brand.

 

I did find something about stripped threads on heads of RAV 4s too. Well crap.

 

Read the comments at the bottom of this article and you might change your mind about the RAV4.

Then, of course, there was the Toyota engine sludge debacle circa 2000+: http://toyotasludge.com/victims I notice there are numerous RAV4's on this list also.


And, let me know when you start shopping for a Honda CRV, or just Google "Honda CRV air conditioner problem" .....estimated repair of $3,000 +


Subaru Forester??? The head gasket problems of the early 2000's seems to be licked, but check out today's Forester Forums and the MANY ongoing complaints of high oil consumption in the "new" (2011) FB engine. http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f183/[/QUOTE]



Comments read and mind changed about the RAV4. Point taken as well. I never heard of those problems until now. At least my water pump and head gasket are covered for life.
The last thing I need right now is a used car payment for 5 more years AND a major repair on top of that.

 

i say stick with the pat... especially if its paid off...

 

On the other hand, my 2009 has been pretty much trouble-free for over 4 years. Aside from several attempts at getting the hood adjusted correctly, and a torn shifter boot. No problems at all.

 

I found a Jeep dealer who now offers several months no interest on big repairs. Plus they sent me a 10% off coupon on parts and repairs. I am leaning toward giving it another chance and having the TIPM installed after reading some of the posts that have shown up here. A $78 coupon will help out some.

The dealer I went to is supposed to call me back over having to wait 7 hours for what I felt should have been half that time or less to determine. I did tell them I was considering going to another dealership for any more repairs. We'll see what they do.

I needed to vent and appreciate the advice and opinions offered. I had hoped to be closer to 180k before having to deal with the suspension, TIPM kind of problems but you play the hand you're dealt. I had not heard of so many bad experiences with Toyota before. How can you find out what day your vehicle was built? I believe mine must have been built on a Monday.

I absolutely could not weather buying another used car and then be hit with a repair of several hundred dollars or more.

Better the used car you know than the used car you don't kind of thing i guess. Plus the Lifetime power train/engine warranty is kind of like insurance which I would not have on another used car purchase without paying a lot extra. I did not pay extra for the Lifetime coverage, it was offered by Chrysler at the time of purchase and weighed heavily toward my purchase decision.

I hope this TIPM fix solves the shifter not going out of park problem and the slow shifting at stop lights.

 

I had not heard of so many bad experiences with Toyota before.

Not trying to start a political debate with the following comment. Just trying to sort of make an analogy you may be able to relate to. It is sort of like the way the main stream news media doesn't( tries not to anyway )cover/report on "negative issues" for the left while they pounce on every little thing done by the right like a starving dog finding a ribeye in the street. The media in this country is extremely left leaning and their reporting( I use that term loosely uke: )reflects their bias.

The same applies to the car "ragazines". They have a HUGE bias towards the imports and they gloss over as much negativiity as they can and try and make them look better than they are. Conversly they trash the Big 3 at every opportunity(IMO).

The ragazines are nothing but biased trash. I wouldn't believe a thing they wrote if it was a positive comment about a vehicle I liked. Just as with the TV news I don't believe a word they say these days. Look for a forum like this where you can see what the common problems are and hear from real owners who drive the vehicles daily. Not some ragazine editor who test drives a vehicle for a day or two and who goes into it with a pre determined bias. That is the only way you will hear about the good AND the bad of a vehicle.

 

I wish you the best of luck in getting things ironed out with your Patriot. Chrysler was in rough shape by 2008 and 2009 but I still think they made good products even then. Remember. Your Patriot has 127k miles on it. Things will start wearing out and more electrical things can let go due to age. Buying a Toyota is not the answer. I know a lot of people that own Toyota's, Honda's, and other Imports. When they do have problems it's 2 or 3 times the cost of my American cars to fix. Parts are outrageous. Stick with your Patriot. It won't let you down. Plus. It's paid for and has a lot of life left in it.

 

In the news there is a recall on tranny issues with Chrysler products. Make sure your issue wasn't a free fix.

 

Looking for reliability...go buy a Buick with a 3800 Series motor in it. Yes, it may be the most boring car you can buy. But they last forever.

Trading down to a 2005 Toyota doesn't make any sense either.

 

Love Buicks. I also have a 1994 Buick Roadmaster wagon with 168k. I am sure there are some horror stories on these floating around but I love this wagon. A factory Detuned LT1 corvette engine in it.
I am the second owner and have only put a new radiator and a/c compressor switch out aside from brakes and window regulators.
It really drinks gas in town.

 

Not trying to be political but...
Car reviewers get kickbacks from Honda and Toyota. Cars money women...you name it.
Not sure why Republicans fear monger. Even when they talk about negativity their negative. I don't vote. I stay away from the mainstream by living on the edge of America. Beautiful in the North Woods come up sometime.

 

If you don't vote you should not comment on politics. No vote = no voice.

 

i can tell you stories about bmw x5.
believe me,you don't want to know.
and that costs three times the pat.
every car has its probs.
i find the pat alright as of reliability.

 

Biggest problem with politics today, IMHO, is apathy of the People. Our system works with 4 parts to it, they try to not tell you about the forth, and want you to believe there is only 3, the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial, but the 4th is more important than those 3, and that's the People. When the People don't do their part, the other 3 run a muck, and take more and more power over our lives. In the worst case, they work together to take power over us, and in the best case they fight among each other, all while promising to do what's best for the People, but really just taking more and more power, which will be ab used at some point.

 

I'm afraid I have to second Patriotjack's feelings about the Pat. I have never had so many problems with a New vehicle.

 

Not to upset old Pat owners but I am thinking the older ones were hit and miss before Fiat took over. Interior looks like from the 80s.

 

Somebody buys the last car made on a Friday night, and somebody buys the first car made on a Monday morning. Sounds like you got one or the other. Overall, I've had good luck with cars, but I had a Cherokee that was pretty dismal and only lasted 1/2 a year before I punted it -- sure the repairs were under warranty, but I was a sales rep on the road and having my truck in the shop and having to move all my stuff into a loaner was a massive inconvenience. I had 3 Bravadas -- first was bulletproof, second blew its transmission at 50K, and the last one went through ball joints every 25K; when the fuel injectors started dying at 75,000 I sold it. Same machines 5 years apart. I had a Grand Prix last 250,000 with hardly a problem -- somebody's still got it on the road.

If I was you, I'd look for a new vehicle: cut & run -- don't throw good money after bad -- you're on 4th down so punt -- there are more cliches. Whatever you do, trade it; don't sell it privately or somebody will come to your front door with a clenched fist.

Myself, I'd buy another Patriot, but with the lifetime warranty, Lil Ignatz is good for a while yet.