Basically, what are the symptoms of bad ball joints? Heard that this is a common problem with the Patriot, and mine is making a noise. Sometimes when I drive really slow in a parking lot, I hear a creaking sometimes ticking from the front end (noise is definitely coming from the wheel well area). I need to know quick I am at 29,500 and have the 30,000 warranty.
MiddleburgJeep
What are the symptoms of bad ball joints?
Did you buy it new? At bare minimum you should have a 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty... but either way, if it's making abnormal noises I would just take it in
Took mine 07 in at 55k this last week, loud popping sound from right front ball joint area. I cannot find anything wrong, neither can they, but I suspect it's coming time. Great dealer though, out of warranty and didn't charge me anything. Even took a look at my whining CVT for free.
One option would be to take it to an independent shop for a front end component check. It'll cost a few bucks but at least it won't be the dealer saying it's ok until after the warranty expires. Speaking of which, it should be 3 Yr/36,000, and as I understand it, so long as you still have warranty, you can still purchase the extended warranty.
Very easy to tell the ball joint was bad. We have a gravel drive and it felt like a wheel was loose. I could feel a slight knocking in the floorboard on the gravel or on bumpy roads. Ended up the passenger side ball joint was broken. Felt like the drivers side but ended up being passenger side.
Just replaced both lower control arms on our 2007 Jeep Patriot. $160 shipped total from RockAuto (look for a 5% off coupon online). Took approx 3 hours. No alignment needed -- drives straight and true.
Crazy part is that the local Jeep dealer wanted $900 to replace. Independent shop wanted $750. I did it for $160 ($80 each!), three hours of work, and a couple of dirty hands. Same Dorman Control Arms that Advance Auto wants $199 each + tax for. RockAuto saved me big $$$.
I really don't understand the crappy design of the lower control arms. It just seems that the rear of the arm with the one bolt through a rubber bushing really limits suspension travel. I could understand this on a Buick or Honda car but not on anything with the word Jeep on the hood. I hope no one uses their Patriot for any hard off-roading. Those control arms are too feeble for much abuse. Just my opinion...
Just replaced both lower control arms on our 2007 Jeep Patriot. $160 shipped total from RockAuto (look for a 5% off coupon online). Took approx 3 hours. No alignment needed -- drives straight and true.
Crazy part is that the local Jeep dealer wanted $900 to replace. Independent shop wanted $750. I did it for $160 ($80 each!), three hours of work, and a couple of dirty hands. Same Dorman Control Arms that Advance Auto wants $199 each + tax for. RockAuto saved me big $$$.
I really don't understand the crappy design of the lower control arms. It just seems that the rear of the arm with the one bolt through a rubber bushing really limits suspension travel. I could understand this on a Buick or Honda car but not on anything with the word Jeep on the hood. I hope no one uses their Patriot for any hard off-roading. Those control arms are too feeble for much abuse. Just my opinion...
I agree. I'm not really worried about it, I put a pry bar on the ball joints and couldn't get any movement other than thin metal control arms. The popping has since stopped after the dealer looked at it anyway. I have a great local shop that I'll take it to once it gets worse, or I'll just do it myself. I have the tools and skills. Just thought I'd give the dealer a chance first, since I had a question about the CVT whine anyway, which they looked at for free under powertrain warranty.
Just waiting for the next POP.
Just waiting for the next POP.
This is the only issue that I´m afraid with my pat.
I had a problem few years ago with my Liberty (1st gen). Chrysler call me (well, send me a letter) telling me about a problem with the ball joints and they needed to be repleaced. The deaelr change that parts and few months later, in a parking lot very very slow speed I felt like my jeep lowed the right front end with a big CLUNK! yes, my front wheel was loose, only connected with the brake cables and stuff!!! Chrysler fix it under warranty. since that day, 0 problems with my Liberty (and we love it at home).
Now, with the pat, I started to read in the forum about this issues! and i said OMG ! not again!! in my last service, the dealership manager told me that all suspension, wheels, tie rods, ball joints etc were correct in good shape and said "is a new SUV, everything is 100%".
8 months ago, I started to feel a weird sensation at the steering wheel, in the first start in the morning. Let me explain: in the morning, 1st start when I start to move the steering wheel I felt a weird thing, like a very tiny little click (not sound, only the sensation at the stearing wheel). The dealer checked and said "we cannot locate that issue, everything is fine".
A week later, the manager tested my jeep and said OH!! yeah, I feel it, let me check... they change the steering rack and something called "clock ..."
Now, started again!!! but now with other weird issues: first start: the same with a little metallic noise, like if something is rubbering with a sheet metal thing... and the weird sensation sometimes appear when I´m driving.
A friend who drives a 2008 feels the same... it is normal?? it is a ball joint problems ?? btw, my friend changed the steering rack too under warranty :S
Sorry friends, I don´t know if I explained my situation correctly...
I had a problem few years ago with my Liberty (1st gen). Chrysler call me (well, send me a letter) telling me about a problem with the ball joints and they needed to be repleaced. The deaelr change that parts and few months later, in a parking lot very very slow speed I felt like my jeep lowed the right front end with a big CLUNK! yes, my front wheel was loose, only connected with the brake cables and stuff!!! Chrysler fix it under warranty. since that day, 0 problems with my Liberty (and we love it at home).
Now, with the pat, I started to read in the forum about this issues! and i said OMG ! not again!! in my last service, the dealership manager told me that all suspension, wheels, tie rods, ball joints etc were correct in good shape and said "is a new SUV, everything is 100%".
8 months ago, I started to feel a weird sensation at the steering wheel, in the first start in the morning. Let me explain: in the morning, 1st start when I start to move the steering wheel I felt a weird thing, like a very tiny little click (not sound, only the sensation at the stearing wheel). The dealer checked and said "we cannot locate that issue, everything is fine".
A week later, the manager tested my jeep and said OH!! yeah, I feel it, let me check... they change the steering rack and something called "clock ..."
Now, started again!!! but now with other weird issues: first start: the same with a little metallic noise, like if something is rubbering with a sheet metal thing... and the weird sensation sometimes appear when I´m driving.
A friend who drives a 2008 feels the same... it is normal?? it is a ball joint problems ?? btw, my friend changed the steering rack too under warranty :S
Sorry friends, I don´t know if I explained my situation correctly...
replace the sway bar bushings and your jeep will be quiet again. I wasted time with the ball joints and stabilizer links only to find out it was $20 bushings. The old ones still -looked- good on inspection, but it was only after I replaced those that the car became silent again. Yes mine sounded like they were coming from the wheel, but it wasnt
i had a similar problem, and just had to replace it. The same creaking noise, and 'clunk' sound when going over bumps or potholes. Turnes out it was bad ball joint, and i got both front lower control arms replaced (took it to a private shop, not the stealership which quoted me almost 300% more than this place......but thats a whole different story). Now the patriot drives as smooth as when i got it, and the noise is gone.
The thing that concerns me is this. The ball joints/control arms where already replaced by the original owner around 25K miles. i just replaced them again just shy of 40K. THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I don't want to fix this every 25K miles or so. I've only ever taken it off road a few times, but i know it has it's limitations. Jeep has to be aware of this early failure, and i really wish they would address it somehow.
After the repair, i've now placed the patriot in a mentality of daily driver. I did have grand thoughts of getting the STU lift, some bumber mounted lights, 235 tires and making it more aggressive. But if the vehicle can't really handle light wear and tear of trail use, i figure to not put the money into it. Better to save up for a used YJ or old Cherokee and have off road fun with one of those. With all that in mind, the patriot is still the perfect vehicle in my mind. Great fuel economy, large storage capacity, 4x4 capaibilty to get thourgh ANY incliment weather (just dont mud bog with it....) and super cheap purchase price. But i guess that cheap purchase price comes with some tradeoffs in the quality of the parts/materials used.
The thing that concerns me is this. The ball joints/control arms where already replaced by the original owner around 25K miles. i just replaced them again just shy of 40K. THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I don't want to fix this every 25K miles or so. I've only ever taken it off road a few times, but i know it has it's limitations. Jeep has to be aware of this early failure, and i really wish they would address it somehow.
After the repair, i've now placed the patriot in a mentality of daily driver. I did have grand thoughts of getting the STU lift, some bumber mounted lights, 235 tires and making it more aggressive. But if the vehicle can't really handle light wear and tear of trail use, i figure to not put the money into it. Better to save up for a used YJ or old Cherokee and have off road fun with one of those. With all that in mind, the patriot is still the perfect vehicle in my mind. Great fuel economy, large storage capacity, 4x4 capaibilty to get thourgh ANY incliment weather (just dont mud bog with it....) and super cheap purchase price. But i guess that cheap purchase price comes with some tradeoffs in the quality of the parts/materials used.
ball joints!
i was having new tires put on yesterday,i'm in the waiting room and the service guy comes out and says you have a loose balljoint. what !!!??.
a little while back i had a jeep dealer check out all the goodies and i was told everything was good. i'm not a happy patriot owner right now,and we have 2 of them,both 08's... i droped a dime to chrysler, got to talk to someone in person,got a case #. i said this is a big problem with the pat's and i'm sure calibers also. this a safety issue ... we'll see...
i was having new tires put on yesterday,i'm in the waiting room and the service guy comes out and says you have a loose balljoint. what !!!??.
a little while back i had a jeep dealer check out all the goodies and i was told everything was good. i'm not a happy patriot owner right now,and we have 2 of them,both 08's... i droped a dime to chrysler, got to talk to someone in person,got a case #. i said this is a big problem with the pat's and i'm sure calibers also. this a safety issue ... we'll see...
moog ball joints(greasable)+
moog tie rod ends (greasable)+
moog sway bar bushings+
moog sway bar links+
energysuspension greasable sway bar links(F+R)=
END OF ALL WORRIES
just did it (although didn't need to,they were all ok-except for very little play in the right tie rod end-,but wanted all doubts out of the way after reading about it here)
moog tie rod ends (greasable)+
moog sway bar bushings+
moog sway bar links+
energysuspension greasable sway bar links(F+R)=
END OF ALL WORRIES
just did it (although didn't need to,they were all ok-except for very little play in the right tie rod end-,but wanted all doubts out of the way after reading about it here)
Worn Ball Joints...
...symptom would be knocking over bumps, wandering on highway. Creaking is possibly the lower control arm bushing. Have the same problem, spray some lube on the rear LCA bushing and see if the problem subsides (for a time). You'll have your answer - either way it's probably a new LCA with bushings. It's amazing how quickly these go bad.
BP
...symptom would be knocking over bumps, wandering on highway. Creaking is possibly the lower control arm bushing. Have the same problem, spray some lube on the rear LCA bushing and see if the problem subsides (for a time). You'll have your answer - either way it's probably a new LCA with bushings. It's amazing how quickly these go bad.
BP
Yep!
Don't believe the dealership's nonsense either, if they tell you the replacement parts from the factory are "redesigned" or "revised" and won't break like the originals did.
I have an '07 Patriot and just had the Chrysler dealer redo both of my front control arms/ball joints after hearing the clunking/knocking sound when going over rough pavement (or sometimes, just turning the wheel fairly sharply while backing up). I mentioned the Moog replacements that were available and supposed to be superior to the Chrysler parts, but they shrugged it off, telling me "I'm really better off sticking with the Chrysler parts, as there are usually reasons the original parts are designed the way they are, vs. 3rd. party stuff." (Hah ... only if the reason is to ensure more money for Chrysler on regular replacements!)
Anyway, I have less than 10K miles on my Patriot since the replacement and the other day, I started feeling a slight vibration/bumping of the wheels, transmitted through the steering wheel, as I drive. Pretty sure it's the first sign of the replacements starting to go bad already! (We have a road by my work that's all torn up and getting re-done, and I'm forced to drive over it regularly. It's pretty good at beating up on your vehicle's suspension -- so wouldn't be surprised if that's what's tearing these up right now.)
Don't believe the dealership's nonsense either, if they tell you the replacement parts from the factory are "redesigned" or "revised" and won't break like the originals did.
I have an '07 Patriot and just had the Chrysler dealer redo both of my front control arms/ball joints after hearing the clunking/knocking sound when going over rough pavement (or sometimes, just turning the wheel fairly sharply while backing up). I mentioned the Moog replacements that were available and supposed to be superior to the Chrysler parts, but they shrugged it off, telling me "I'm really better off sticking with the Chrysler parts, as there are usually reasons the original parts are designed the way they are, vs. 3rd. party stuff." (Hah ... only if the reason is to ensure more money for Chrysler on regular replacements!)
Anyway, I have less than 10K miles on my Patriot since the replacement and the other day, I started feeling a slight vibration/bumping of the wheels, transmitted through the steering wheel, as I drive. Pretty sure it's the first sign of the replacements starting to go bad already! (We have a road by my work that's all torn up and getting re-done, and I'm forced to drive over it regularly. It's pretty good at beating up on your vehicle's suspension -- so wouldn't be surprised if that's what's tearing these up right now.)
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