Home · 2016 Jeep Patriot · Complaints

What 455 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (455)Crash / fire / injury (33)Engine (222)Electrical system (97)Transmission & drivetrain (74)Speed control (47)Fuel system (42)Airbags (33)Brakes (25)Steering (24)Seats (20)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (19)

4 of 455 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 22, 2025BrakesFire

I changed my brakes, and caliper myself because it was time for my brakes, and the caliper was hard to get off, so I replaced it. It felt like my brakes were still sticking, I took it to three repair shops and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Finally I took it to a repair shop because my brakes were making noise by this time. They replaced the pads, rotors, and caliper. When I picked it up from the shop and was driving home I smelled a burning smell and pulled over and my car was on fire. I had to put it out before it spread to the rest of my car. They had to replace the brake line and now it’s okay. I didn’t have any warning lights on my dash go off, I have receipts for the repair shops and parts. This is definitely a safety concern because if I would have associated that smell with the new brakes and didn’t pull over, it could have been a lot worse. Ignore the receipt for the ford brakes, I couldn’t delete it.

NHTSA ODI 11662657

Mar 12, 2020AirbagsSeat beltsBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AN UNKNOWN VEHICLE VEERED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND CUT HER OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS UNCONTROLLABLY, SWERVED ACROSS THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO THE HILLSIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE PASSENGERS SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY COMPLETELY. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,300. *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11317673

May 20, 2019BrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK IN HER DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED A PARKED VEHICLE THAT WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 11208690

Sep 16, 2016Electrical systemBrakesFire

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AROUND 2:30 PM WHEN I NOTICE SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I PULLED OFF TO A SAFE SPOT AND BY THIS TIME II COULD SEE THE FIRE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT OF MY JEEP. THREE FIRE INSPECTORS LOOKED AT IT AND ARE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. HOWEVER, A JEEP MECHANIC ALSO LOOKED AT IT AND BELIEVES THE FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE BATTERY. THE JEEP IS TOTALED. STILL WAITING ON REPORTS FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY. CYNTHIA I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. WE DID HIRE SOME PEOPLE WHO WENT OUT AND ALSO WERE NOT ABLE TO FULLY DETERMINE THE FIRE. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IN CONTACT WITH CHRYSLER. I WILL KEEP TRYING AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY TELL ME. DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY TELL ME WE MIGHT MOVE FORWARD WITH MORE INVESTIGATION. I WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED. FROM PROGRESSIVE CLAIM #161737586 AGENT AMY ETTA PH. 503-495-4507

NHTSA ODI 10907300

Working with the data? Download all 455 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 2016 Jeep Patriot verdict →