The plastic skid plate is a standard now at least on FDI and FDII has the real deal. FWD may be standard now. I don't know. Air coming into the front bumper and going down to the skid plate would create drag instead of lift. Which should keep you grounded. Yes the skid plate is part of the aerodynamics of the patriot. When does this happen? Are there any related factors? Certain speed, RPM, type of driving situation. All these will help figure it out. Good luck!

If you provide all these little questions I am sure someone on here will have more enlightening information that I.

 

They do move in high winds, flat sides and light vehicle.

Oh and Welcome to the forum.

 

Front wheel drive vehicles do that, the wheels pull the car along and any little variation brings the car with it.

You'll get used to it.

 

Thanks for the welcome guys.Yes i would assume the skid would cause drag,but it think it causes lots of drag.It may keep you TOO grounded to the ground.So much so that all the wind is captured under the engine compartment and pushes you side to side since the air has no where to go.This is just a theory.So i take it im not the only one that experiences these strange handling habits of the Patriot?

I only seem to come across this handling issue when the Jeep is up over 40mph.The tires feel just like they are riding on a ridge of the road at all times.Just like the feeling you get coming up behind a big rig on the road.How its "jet-wash" blows you around.Has anyone ever driven around with the skid plate off?The Compass doesnt have a skid plate does it and it seems to be fine.

 

Could be dips in the road, changing wind conditions, low tire pressure, or torque steer if its when you are accelerating. My money is on the splash shield removal not having any affect

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AutoGuide App

 

I have never experienced such behavior. The splash guard is for aerodynamics and to some degree protection from road debris.

 

this driving condition has been happening on any road.My tires are inflated properly with nitrogen.Just had it done with the new Bridgestones i had put on.The only way to explain it is, it just feels like driving on the edge of a road when the tires cant decide which way to go.The original tires did it and my new ones do it too.I may keep the shield off the rest of the week to see if i get any MPG change like i see one person was claiming on another thread.Maybe the Jeep is just suppose to be this way.This is my first suv.Im used to driving 1/2ton 4wd pickups so it may be something that i just cant get used to right now.

 

You know, I can relate to the sensation you are describing. And that feeling came from 3 completely different types of vehicle.
1st- '74 corvette stingray. Manual steering. The steering gearbox had so much play in it that at freeway speeds it felt as described. Replaced gear box. No problems.
2nd- '96 1/2 ton 4x4 lifted suburban w/35" tires. Again, steering box became worn out causing the same sensation. Again, replaced gear box. No more problems.
3rd- '92 Jaguar, power rack & pinion just like the patriot. Tolerance between rack & pinion gear excessive. Bought a new rack. Problem solved.

Only noticeable at freeway speeds in all vehicles.
Try to see how much your steering wheel will turn without making the wheels move.

 

They say the alignment is "in specs" but the specs are pretty wide for any given angle. They can be off in different directions but still "in specs", but with huge cross-angles. Ask them for a print out next time (or if you have one handy) and post up the numbers. Sometimes you can also have the angles set so your steering is on a razors edge and any steering wheel movement means you're going to drift one way or the other.

 

I still have the spec papers somewhere.My steering is super sharp.Ive never had a vehicle respond so quickly to any movement of the wheel than my Patriot.My Mustangs or trucks never had this touchy of a steering system.

 

How severe is the ghost-walking effect you're noticing? I notice it slightly, but it's only started only happening to me very recently.

In my case, I can only pin down three possible factors:

1) the tires, which have been worn about 20k mi;
2) the plastic engine shroud, which is missing two clips (possible screwing with the aero under the engine compartment);
3) torque-steer, which has always been there, but i'm just suddenly hypersensitive to it again.

I will say, when i first started with the Patriot (mine is a 4X2), the torque steer seemed excessive, but i've since become used to it. If you're just starting out, that may be the bulk of what you're feeling.

 

mine did that for a while also. I inflated the tires to the spec max and got an alignment. Problem solved

 

I put my splash shield back on and have come to the conclusion that the Patriot just seems to be very very sensitive to wind change.This has to be the strangest aerodynamically challenged vehicle i have driven!LOL! Now that the hurricane winds are no longer affecting Ohio,i had a chance to drive the vehicle during calm weather.Didnt have a problem but the slightest gust of wind will push my Pat from side to side.I bet a mouse fart would blow my Pat off the road!LOL!

 

That's strange. My patriot handles great with the wind. I drive 90 on my trips between school and home, and we've been having quite the wind down here in Florida.

Sent from my Galaxy S III using Autoguide. Please excuse my spelling.

 

you guys are awesome.I finally got fed up with the way my Pat was handling so i played around with the tire pressure.Just had new B-stone Ecopias 215/65/17 put on a couple weeks earlier.I checked the tires pressure and each had about 32psi which i thought was fine.I decided to add a bit more air and bumped all 4 up to 37psi. WOW what a difference that made!The Pat drives 10 times better now!Never figured my Pat would be so temperamental on minimal air pressure change.Thanks again guys!

 

My silly dealership that sold me my Jeep had filled the tires with N2 and they put in 44-45+ psi in each tire!! I lowered it back down to under 40 and the ride was a lot more natural.

 

Glad upping the pressure helped. I was gonna say your tires. The stock tires are pretty poor, and mine had a terrible wandering problem with the old tires, got new ones and it drives way better.