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)

2 of 353 complaints match · Body & structure · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Aug 11, 2015Body & structureFire

THE REAR BUMPER ON MY PATRIOT CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE EXHAUST PIPE APPEARS TO HAVE RISEN BEHIND THE BUMPER CAUSING MY BUMPER TO MELT AND CATCH FIRE. I REMOVED THE MELTED/BURNED PLASTIC AROUND THE PIPE TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE

NHTSA ODI 10747929

Aug 21, 2012Body & structureFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 20 MPH WHEN BLUE FLAMES AND BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE PLASTIC REAR BUMPER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE REAR BUMPER AND CONFIRMED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A HANGER IN THE MUFFLER THAT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE BUMPER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,200. ....UPDATED 10/11/12 *BF UPDATED 10/15/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10471732

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 →