Home · 2012 Jeep Patriot · Complaints

What 353 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Patriot

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (353)Crash / fire / injury (15)Engine (114)Fuel system (101)Transmission & drivetrain (63)Airbags (56)Electrical system (44)Seat belts (36)Speed control (29)Body & structure (14)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (12)Suspension (12)

114 of 353 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 5 of 5

Oct 22, 2012Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP PATRIOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THERE WAS A CONCURRENT INVESTIGATION UNDER NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE12032 (ENGINE) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,400.

NHTSA ODI 10481452

Oct 22, 2012Transmission & drivetrainEngine

STOPPED AT RED LIGHT ON INCLINE, WENT TO GO CAR WOULD ONLY ROLL BACKWARDS WITH NO ENGINE RUNNING. TURNED OFF KEY, RESTARTED VEHICLE. STOPPED AT SAME LIGHT INCIDENT WAS REPEATED 2 MORE TIMES. ENTERING HIGHWAY AT STOP LIGHT CAR APPROXIMATELY GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. TURNED KEY OFF AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481471

Oct 21, 2012Engine

ACCELERATING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE ENGINE DIED. WOULD NOT START FOR THE NEXT 2 1/2 HOURS. DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING WRONG THE NEXT MORNING. ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ALL APPEARED FINE, CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER. NO "ERROR CODES" APPEARED WHEN DIAGNOSTICS WERE PERFORMED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481279

Oct 20, 2012Engine

ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT RESTART. ELECTRICAL SEEMS TO KEEP WORKING AND ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT NOT RESTART. LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND IT MAY RESTART. HAPPENED 3 TIMES AND EACH TIME HAD THE JEEP TOWED TO DEALER AND DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. ON THE 3RD BREAKDOWN THE DEALER INSTALLED THESE NEW PARTS MODULE FUEL PUMP, MODULE FUEL PUMP LEVEL UNIT, LEVEL UNI-AUXILIARY UNIT, TUBE-FUEL TRANSFER, FUEL MODULE SEAL. I HAVE DROVE THE JEEP A COUPLE THOUSAND MILE SINCE THE REPAIR. ITS HARD TO TELL IF ITS ACTUALLY REPAIRED BECAUSE THE JEEP WOULD RUN OVER A THOUSAND MILES BETWEEN FAILURES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481222

Oct 20, 2012Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngineFuel system

THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS VERY SIMILAR. THIS TIME I WAS COMING BACK FROM ARIZONA INTO CALIFORNIA AND I WAS ON THE 15 SOUTH BETWEEN BARSTOW AND VICTORVILLE. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS PREVIOUSLY, BUT HAD BEEN CANCELLED AND I HAD TRAVELED APPR. 10 MILES AFTER CANCELING IT. WITHOUT WARNING THE THROTTLE REVVED AND BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR STALLED AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I PULLED OVER TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. THE FUEL GAUGE READ HALFWAY BETWEEN 1/4 AND 1/2. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER IN VICTORVILLE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN OFF THE TOW TRUCK, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN. I DROVE HOME THE REST OF THE WAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 2 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN AT ALL SINCE THE INCIDENT. THE DEALER RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND CONCLUDED THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING DUE TO MUD. I WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESIGNED TO SHUT OFF IF IT GOT TOO HOT WITH LITTLE TO NO WARNING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE NOT OBSERVED ANY WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481257

Oct 20, 2012Electrical systemSpeed controlEngineFuel system

THIS IS THE FIRST OF 2 INCIDENTS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I WAS COMING BACK INTO CALIFORNIA FROM ARIZONA ON THE 40 WEST WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON AT 75 MPH. WITHOUT INDICATION, THE THROTTLE REVVED TO 4500 RPM AND THE CAR LOST SPEED. THE ENGINE WAS UNRESPONSIVE TO THE GAS PEDAL. I CANCELLED CRUISE CONTROL, AND FROM THE LEFT LANE WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. WHEN WE CAME TO A STOP, THE ENGINE DIED. THE FUEL GAUGE READ JUST OVER 1/4 OF A TANK. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WE CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED AND WE HAD TO STAY THE NIGHT IN A HOTEL. THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TECH FOUND NO ISSUES AND WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR WITH NO INCIDENT. THE DIAGNOSTIC REVEALED NO CODES OR ERRORS. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE HOME THE REST OF THE WAY. MY JEEP IS A 4X4 WITH THE TRAIL RATED PACKAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10481254

Oct 7, 2012Engine

I WAS ON THE LAST STRETCH OF MY TRIP COMING INTO RENO NEVADA ON INTERSTATE 80 WEST AT THE SPEED OF 70 MPH, WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE MY 2012 JEEP PATRIOT SHUT OFF. IT WAS NOT OVER HEATING NO WARNING LIGHTS. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO MANEUVER MY VEHICLE SAFELY OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OCCURRING. A STATE TROOPER CAME UP FROM BEHIND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THANKFULLY. HE ASKED ME TO SIT IN HIS VEHICLE WHILE A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WAS CALLED BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN A SAFE PLACE FROM THE CURVE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND ONGOING TRAFFIC. MY JEEP WOULD NOT START AND WOULD STICK WITH THE KEY ON THE ON START POSITION CONTINUALLY TURNING OVER WITHOUT ENGINE STARTING. IT WAS AFTER HOURS BY THE TIME MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN TO A JEEP LITHIA DEALERSHIP. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS CALLED TO PICK UP MY JEEP AND THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, AND THAT THE MECHANIC STARTED IT RIGHT UP SEVERAL TIMES. I ASKED IF IT WAS PUT ON THE DIAGNOSTICS MACHINE AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE SAID YES, THAT IT DID NOT KICK OUT ANY CODES OF ANY PROBLEMS HAPPENING TO IT. I DROVE A COUPLE HOURS MORE INTO CALIFORNIA WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS HAPPENING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10478934

Aug 27, 2012Engine

ON A SATURDAY, MY WIFE WAS ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING ABOUT 70MPH, AWAY FROM HOME, HEAVY TRAFFIC AND 3 KIDS IN THE PATRIOT. THE JEEP LOST ALL POWER (SAW THE RED LIGHTENING BOLT INDICATOR ON THE DASH), THEN STALLED AND SHE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY TRANSITION TO THE EDGE OF THE FREEWAY, WHICH HAD A VERY NARROW SHOULDER. SHE ATTEMPTED FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF TO START THE JEEP. A STATE TROOPER SHOWED UP ADVISED IT WAS UNSAFE FOR THE KIDS. THE TROOPER TOOK THE KIDS TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALER. THE JEEP WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER. THE SALES MANAGER, AFTER THE JEEP CAME OFF THE TOW TRUCK WAS ABLE TO START THE JEEP. HE SAID MAYBE SHE ACCIDENTALLY ACTIVATED THE 4WD, THEN PROCEEDED TO TAPE IT DOWN AND TOLD HER IF IT RUNS OK ON SUNDAY SHE SHOULD BE OK TO DRIVE HOME. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE PATRIOT SUNDAY AND STARTED HOME ON MONDAY. ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THE LIGHTENING BOLT, LOST ALL POWER AND IT STALLED. SHE WAS ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH AND HAD TO MERGE TO THE SHOULDER WITH MEDIUM TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. SHE TRIED TO START THE PATRIOT FOR 40 MINUTES, IT DID NOT START. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK A CHP OFFICER STOPPED, STATED AS THE TROOPER HAD PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS UNSAFE FOR THE KIDS TO BE ON THE FREEWAY. HE TOOK THEM TO THE LOCAL CHRYSLER/JEEP DEALER SO THEY WOULD BE SAFE. BOTTOM LINE "THE JEEP LOST ALL POWER (SAW THE RED LIGHTENING BOLT INDICATOR ON THE DASH), THEN STALLED" TWICE IN 3 DAYS. CHRYSLER/JEEP TO DATE HAS STATED, IF THERE ARE NO CODES THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS INDICATED BY MY WIFE'S EXPERIENCE AND 7 OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON THIS SITE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE CONDITION BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10472705

Aug 10, 2012Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. THE FAILURE HOWEVER, RECURRED TWICE AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK AT THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,100. ..UDATED08-30-12 *BF UPDATED 09/07/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10470121

Jul 18, 2012Engine

TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON STATE HIGHWAY IN WYOMING ABOUT AN HOUR OUT OF CASPER WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 80S AND SKY WAS PARTLY OVERCAST. THERE WAS NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE, BUT A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER STOPPED AND ASSISTED. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR THE ENGINE DID RESTART AND WE WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL ON WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN A MONTH THAT THE ENGINE HAS SHUT DOWN WITHOUT ANY ASCERTAINABLE REASON. THIS TIME THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OFF THE TRAVELED PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON INTERSTATE 25 IN UTAH, THE TRAFFIC WAS VERY HEAVY AND WE WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. THE PRIOR TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOWED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10466357

Jul 9, 2012Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ESC WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,475.

NHTSA ODI 10464745

Jul 6, 2012Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THE ENGINE STARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,300. UPDATED 8/6/12 *CN

NHTSA ODI 10464449

Jul 3, 2012Engine

I-15 OUTSIDE ST. GEORGE, UTAH. OUTSIDE TEMP 110. 4:30 P.M. DRIVING SINCE 11 A.M. DRIVEN 275 MILES ON A FULL TANK OF MID GRADE GAS WITH OVER 1/4 TANK LEFT. ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. TRIED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE NEXT TWO HOURS. ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT FIRE. TOWED INTO STEPHEN WADE JEEP DEALERSHIP AND LEFT OVERNIGHT. VEHICLE STARTED THE NEXT MORNING. REPAIR SHOP COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. HAVE DRIVEN 600 MORE MILES SINCE THEN WITH NO PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO CRASH BECAUSE WE WERE FORTUNATE TO GET OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT ALTHOUGH TRAFFIC WAS VERY HEAVY. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10464135

May 23, 2012Engine

5/21 1ST, 5/22 2ND, LOSS OF COMPLETE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. WHILE DRIVING A WEDDING GIFT OF A NEW 2012 JEEP PATRIOT ON THEIR HONEYMOON CROSS COUNTRY TO THEIR NEW HOME IN CA, THE NEW WEDDING GIFT CAR DIED AT 65 MPH ON OHIO HIGHWAY. FIXED IN OHIO (NEWLEYWEDS LEFT FROM RI), THEY PROCEEDED JOURNEY TO CA. IN ILLINOIS, HIGHWAY DRIVE AGAIN SAME SCENARIO, CAR DIED. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10459383

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Working with the data? Download all 353 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Jeep Patriot verdict →