What 548 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Jeep Patriot

On a fateful day, I, [XXX] , found myself in a harrowing situation on the interstate. While driving, my car unexpectedly flipped over, tumbling four times before coming to a jarring stop. The chaos began when my engine backfired violently, which was followed by the alarming sight of smoke rising from under the hood as flames erupted. To make matters worse, my four-wheel drive system malfunctioned, leaving me helpless and unable to regain control. Despite my efforts, the seatbelt that is supposed to ensure safety failed to hold me securely, and the airbag system did not deploy, adding to the sense of dread I experienced during the crash. As I tried to process the unfolding nightmare, I found myself unable to unbuckle my seatbelt due to the shock and disorientation of the accident. The dashboard's sensors were unresponsive, and my speed monitor flickered as though mocking my plight. In that moment, the overwhelming fear and confusion turned into a painful reality as I was left with a broken left shoulder blade and a fractured left forearm, the break occurring in the upper arm, just adding to the turmoil of the incident. This life-altering experience not only left me physically injured but also sparked a deep reflection on my life and the importance of safety measures in vehicles. On a fateful day, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11725402

THE PARTRIOT RANDOMLY STALLS WHILE TRAVELLING AT ANY SPEED. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND CAR HAS TO COAST TO A STOP. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED. MULTIPLE MECHANICS AND THE JEEP DEALERSHIP HAVE NO CLUE AS TO HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE FOR MANY JEEP OWNERS, NOT JUST PATRIOTS. JEEP / CHRYSLER HAS A MAJOR ISSUE AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR ADDRESS IT. IF THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING, THEY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO PAY FOR THEIR LACK OF ADDRESSING THIS CRITICAL ISSUE. IT TAKES LESS THAN A MINUTE TO SEARCH AND SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED WITH ENGINE STALLING ISSUES WITH JEEP AUTOMOBILES. I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL CONDUCT A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THESE ISSUES AND FORCE MORE ATTENTION TO BE GIVEN TO THE SERIOUS ISSUE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER AND NOW WE CAN'T LET HER DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $2K TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR OTHER ASSISTANCE THAT JEEP CAN OR WILL OFFER.

NHTSA ODI 11291937

I HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS EVERYONE ELSE. THE THROTTLE LIGHTNING BOLT FLASHES, CAR WONT SHIFT OR DO MORE THAN 35. IT WONT RESPOND TO ACCELERATING. IT JERKS ALL OVER THE PLACE WHEN AT A LOW SPEED. I WENT OFF OF THE ROAD IN THE SNOW BUT WAS OK. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT KICKED INTO A LOWER GEAR, JERKED AND THE CAR SLID. YOU ARE GOING TO GET PEOPLE KILLED IGNORING THIS AND NOW HERE IS WRITTEN PROOF THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. DO HEAR THAT, CHRYSLER? BECAUSE YOURE ABOUT TO.

NHTSA ODI 11192825

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 JEEP PATRIOT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES AND BLACK SMOKE APPEARED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING COMPANY LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,500. UPDATED 06/28/17*LJ *AS

NHTSA ODI 10984840

MFG AND DEALER INDICATE THAT ALL JEEP PATRIOTS HAVE TRANSMISSION METERING/SENSORING SYSTEM THAT FAILS AND THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THE THE DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS. THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT ISSUING A SAFETY RECALL BECAUSE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ENOUGH CRASHES OR FATALITIES. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LIGHT GOES ON, THE VEHICLE WILL SLOW DOWN SWIFTLY (EX 70MPH TO 20MPH OR FULL STOP) AND THIS IMPACTS VEHICLE SAFETY - PUTTING SAFETY AND LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF JEEP DRIVERS AT RISK, ALONG WITH PASSENGER AND THEIR FAMILIES. ALL MFG AND DEALER TRY TO DO IS COLLECT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING FEE FOR VEHICLE DEFECTS THEY'RE AWARE OF AND HAVE NO FIX FOR. BASICALLY, THEY'RE WILLING TO COLLECT MONEY AND LET PEOPLE CRASH OR DIE. I WAS LAST AFFECTED ON MAY 31, 2014 AND WAS LEFT STRANDED ON THE I-10 IN AZ AT 115 DEGREES IN THE DESERT. I HAVE TO STEER OFF HIGHWAY TO AVOID TRUCKS CRASHING INTO ME. I SUFFERED HEAT EXHAUSTION AND CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANYMORE DUE TO SAFETY, STRESS, AND ANXIETY. JIM CLICK DEALERSHIP AND THEIR MFG CUSTOMER CARE MGR STILL TRY TO COLLECT MONEY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT FULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NO FIX. I'VE DEMANDED THAT THEY RECALL THIS VEHICLE, BUT THEY REFUSE. JIM CLICK SERVICE MGR DAVID SAGERS INDICATES THAT THE MFG IS "TOYING" WITH A SENARIO WHERE THEY LOWER THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS IN THESE JEEPS, BUT THAT THEY DON'T REALLY THINK THAT WILL BE A FIX. HE SAYS OTHER MODELS ARE ALSO AFFECTED. PLEASE ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL AND IF THERE IS NO FIX, PLEASE HELP GET ME INTO A NEW VEHICLE. PREVIOUSLY, I WAS STRANDED FOR ANOTHER RECALL ISSUE - THE ACTUATOR FLOW CONTROL VALVE 36016 AND THE TECH FOUND CODE P2017 AND A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD VALVE SENSOR. THIS JEEP IS A DEATH TRAP. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10598053