Wish I had a solution! I do however have the same problem, took it in to get it repaired. It is broken again

 

Sorry, don't have a permanent solution nor never had it broken. Maybe it should be added to regular service maintenance schedule and be changed every 6k miles.

 

I've had this happen on both the driver & passenger sides now, and I ended up removing the plastic entirely. The plastic itself could probably be reinforced, but then would likely break at another location near the reinforcement, due to the nature and direction of the load being applied. The long and short of it - it's a shoddy design exacerbated by shoddy materials.

For what it's worth, it doesn't look horrible with the plastic cover removed, but it's certainly noticeable.

 

I could have typed your reply, word for word.

Despite my dealer installing a new, firmer cushion while replacing the trim piece under warranty, the second one still cracked away...at exactly the same spot. The forward most attachment point. I just didn't bother to go back, no use.

so I'm running nekkid there, it doesn't look too bad and I'll maybe replace it when I'm not using the vehicle for work anymore, which will eliminate about 30 "sit down, get out" cycles a day.

 

My passenger side cover failed on the clasp. I just drilled a hole into the seat bottom and used a countersink (trim) washer to hold in place. Haven't actually split one in half like some of you--perhaps it's the attachment that's the problem.

 

Mine is holding up fine...must be flawed on only some?

unless you boys are a little on the heavy side?

 

Nah, I weigh 160 when I'm heavy. Weight isn't an issue in my case, moreso than use, i think. I think it;s the repeated flexing that kills it, more than weight being placed down upon it.

My far-less-used passenger side trim piece took longer to give up, despite my regular passenger weighing 200+.

 

at least get a new part under warranty for when you eventually sell/trade it

 

I'm 250 and broke mine a while back on the drivers side. Haven't fixed it yet. Was going to find a permanent fix for it. But it's from my big butt sliding in and out of the seat

 

I think butt size is not the problem. I think its the sliding...

 

SAS - Sliding Ass Syndrome

If you are doing that be careful not to roll a nut, it can be painful.

 

Haha, I just read that. I really just LOL in my office.

 

Mine just broke on Friday. This is ridiculous this should be a recall item. If we all are having the same issue


Does anyone know if dodge caliber or Mitsubishi outlander sport seats are better quality and bolt right in since there the same chassis design ?

 

I have had the same issue with my driver seat. Does anyone know if they would actually fix this under warranty?

 

Yes, I just had mine replaced under warranty 2 weeks ago. They had to ordered one with the correct color (only 1 day) and when I came back a couple of days later replaced it in a few minutes.

Talking with the service manager here this is a common problem for them.

 

Ok cool! I'll have them fix mine when I take it in for an oil change

 

This happens to a lot of cars. Caravans and journeys mostly because they sit higher. Not the cars fault. People need to pick their behind up and not slide out the seat.

 

Well, yes and no. Those are all Chrysler vehicles, so they all likely have a similarly-designed trim piece that fails in a similar manner. The two vehicles you mentioned, having a higher seating position than a sedan, necessarily mean you're more likely to put pressure on that poece when you enter and exit the vehicle.

I don't think the issue is people being lazy and not lifting themselves out of their seats. I think the higher seats and the trim piece being what it is (poorly designed or not) contribute to the problem more than that.

 

I had three Caravans over the past 26 years, the last one a 2005, and the seats held up like iron.

This is about poor design, not human cause. On the Patriot, us folks with shorter legs have to consciously think about exiting the vehicle to avoid putting weight on the edge.

I had my second replacement done last week under warranty and expect to do several more. I am going to hound them about this. I love my Pat and predict that the major items like drivetrain will have excellent reliability. But, there's just a couple of these minor annoyances that give me grief.

You can see how the seat cushion edge puts direct pressure down and out on the Plastic piece. Wake up engineers!

AND, FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT WANDER HERE LOOKING FOR PATRIOT RELIABILITY QUESTIONS: If you dig into other car makes and models, there are all kinds of complaints, even for Hondas and Toyotas. Often, the problems are much more serious.....i.e. the current Forester engine oil consumption problems that involve engine rebuild or replacement.

A simple google search turned up this current GM seat problem "GM issued a metal support bracket kit for the failing plastic seat side trim panels."

I think it's time we turn up the heat on Jeep to address this minor, buy annoying fault. Maybe JeepCares can point us in the right direction????

 

Our shuttle van is a caravan and the trim has never broken. We have another guy who breaks them every 10k miles in his caravan. My 300m has trim that sticks way out and is easily broken, but I pick my butt up and not slide out so it is intact. Is it the greatest design? No.

 

Mine has broken 6 times since 2009. Three on each side . I think the dealer broke the passenger side last week though. Maybe the detail vacuum guy leaned on it?

 

well I guess the common consensus is to take it off and forget about it. unless someone finds an answer because I have been diagnosed with a bad case of SAS!

 

My sister had an Avenger, it didn't break in the 2 years and 40k miles she had it.. My grandmas Town & Country is holding up well, but she's a little lady (4'9 ~100#) but some how she managed to break it on her last car, a Caliber. My Pat is all good, however my moms Dart which uses a different style trim has broken twice.. In the 2 years and 32k they've had the car.

 

it's actually a combination of that plastic piece digging in AND the fact that the seat cushion itself on the side edges doesn't provide any support, of why i was unable to go with the Patriot. literally 5 mins into the test drive my left butt cheek was starting to hurt and i couldn't figure out why until i got out of the vehicle and saw how much this plastic piece sticks in AND how thin the seat cushion is. it makes absolutely no sense to me why they did this. if they were smart, they would have gone with the Wrangler seats which are nice and wide with thick cushioning and low side panels that don't get in the way of anything.

it's a real shame that i couldn't go with the Patriot due to such an elementary shortfall. i'm not even that heavy. i'm 5'11" and 205lbs. it really has nothing to do with weight per se, it's just a really poorly designed seat.

 

Message quote: Mine just broke on Friday. This is ridiculous this should be a recall item. If we all are having the same issue.

Mine broke during last Spring 2015. I had just been to the car wash and thought maybe the people there caused it but now I know otherwise. Couldn't believe that so many others have had the same problem. I am 65 years old, 5'1", 135 lbs. I have not taken it in but I agree with the person above, it should be a recall item if all of us have had the same issue.

 

By all means, take it in for repair. If out of warranty, use this forum for ammunition to seek a gratis, good will repair.

With well over a year on my last seat trim repair, it has not broken anymore. PAY ATTENTION TO THIS: My last repair receipt stated that the seat frame was bent and they replaced both the seat frame and the plastic trim. Maybe some Patriots are coming from the factory with defective seat frames which results in the plastic trim failure????

Just passing on my results, with the hopes of assisting others. Also, recalls are only required on safety related situations. Otherwise, it is up to the manufacturer.

Maybe JeepCares can inquire if there has been any TSB's on this issue.

Take care.

 

Interesting, this is broken on the passenger side, and I thought it was something we had done. I am thinking the design issue might be where the load sits based on how far forward / back the seat is pushed. On the driver side mine seems find, and I have it all the way back. On the passenger my wife has her seat forward as the rails dig into her legs if she is all the way back - which I think allows the cushion to put more pressure on the plastic.

I am going to schedule a warranty visit to fix this issue. It is too bad it is breaking at a point that it would not be easy to just ziptie something in place - that way we would only have to replace zipties instead of the plastic.

 

Yeah, mine broke on my '12. I just tore them off (better than having passengers get their butt cheeks pinched by the plastic).

 

I had this EXACT issue on the drivers side seat of my 2012 patriot it was fixed under warrenty. Unfortunately it took a full day for them to fix it. Now on my 2016 something in either my center console or in my passenger seat keeps creaking. Anyone have this before?

 

I've read this thread shortly after purchasing my 2014 and have been self-conscious about it since. Every time I exit my Patriot I could understand how easily that piece can break if someone slid right off the seat. Im sure mine will break sooner or later but so far I've been cognizant of it as much as I can and try to alleviate any weight in that area.

I tried adding thick butt cushions to add height to the seat thereby relieving any weight added to the side piece, but it didn't help much because of improper shape of the cushion wouldn't prevent the weight transfer to the sides....and it looked silly too