2008 Jeep Patriot 4X4

I WAS LEAVING WORK AND THE CAR STARTED JUST FINE BUT THEN AS I WAS STARTING TO DRIVE IT STALLED OUT. IT STARTED BACK UP JUST FINE AND THEN DID THE SAME THING. THIS WENT ON SEVERAL TIMES. AND WHEN IT STALLS OUT, MY POWER STEERING IS GONE AND IT IS HARD TO GET IT TO A SAFE STOP. I AM WORRIED IF I TAKE IT OUT ON THE ROAD IT WILL STALL OUT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ SEVERAL REVIEWS OF THIS PROBLEM WITH RECALLS ON THE 2009 MODEL BUT NOT THE 2008. *TR

I HAVE READ MANY OTHER PEOPLE ON HERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND MY MECHANIC SAID MY MODEL JEEP WAS KNOWN FOR THIS, BUT AFTER HITTING A CURB MY WHEEL AND SUSPENSION PARTS HOLDING IT ON LET THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, RIM AND ALL FALL COMPLETELY OFF. AFTER GETTING IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HAVING HIM PUTTING IT ON THE LIFT HE TOLD ME I COULDN'T DRIVE THE CAR EVEN AFTER THE FRONT RIGHT WAS FIXED B/C THE CAR WAS A DANGER TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. I WAS TOLD THE FRONT BALL JOINTS WHICH HOLD THE SUSPENSION TOGETHER AND KEEP THE WHEELS ON THE TIRES WERE COMPLETELY WORN OUT AND THE TIRES COULD FALL OFF AT ANY MOMENT. HE TOLD ME HE HAD THIS ISSUE MANY TIMES WITH MY MODEL CAR AND DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED A YEAR AND HALF AGO WITH 45,000 MILES OR SO. ONCE THE MECHANIC DID CHANGE THE BALL JOINTS, HE TOLD ME SOMETHING EVEN WORSE... HE COULD TELL SINCE THEY WERE NOT FACTORY BALL JOINTS, THAT THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THEREFORE, THE FACTORY SET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SOMETIME BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND A YEAR OR SO AFTER THE REPLACEMENT BALL JOINTS (THE PARTS THAT HOLD YOU TIRES ON SO THEY DON'T FALL OFF DRIVING 60 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND KILL YOU AND OTHERS) WERE PUT ON, A NEW REPLACEMENT SET HAD TO BE ADDED. THIS IS A SERIOUS AND SCARY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! *TR

HAD VEHICLE IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD BE DEALER THAT BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS WERE "WORE OUT" AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. OH AND THE BALL JOINTS ARE "BUILT IN TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM, SO BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS NEED TO BE REPLACED" THIS IS ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS ONLY 43,500 MILES ON IT! HOW CAN THIS BE! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO A HUGE NUMBER OF JEEP PATRIOT OWNERS AND THESE PART SHOULD LAST WAY LONGER THEN 43,000 MILES. THIS IS POOR QUALITY PARTS! THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO REPLACE THESE MAJOR SUSPENSION PART EVER 40,000 TO 45,000 MILES! THE COST OF THIS IS OVER $1,000.00. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND DEFINITELY MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. *TR

BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND TIE RODS FAILED AT 30,000 MILES AND UNDER. I JUST FAILED MY ANNUAL PA STATE SAFETY INSPECTION FOR THE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS. THIS YEAR IT WAS THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND OUTER TIE ROD. LAST YEAR, WHEN IT FAILED THE SAFETY INSPECTION, IT WAS THE OPPOSITE SIDE COMPONENTS. MY ODOMETER READ 30379 MILES AT THE SERVICE DATE. THIS IS LISTED ON THE CURRENT INVOICE FROM A REPUTABLE CHRYSLER SERVICE CENTER / DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD THE WORK DONE. LAST YEAR'S SAFETY INSPECTION FAILURE WAS AT ABOUT 23000 MILES. I AM OBVIOUSLY UPSET THAT I HAVE HAD TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE SO EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE. I AM ALSO VERY CONCERNED FOR THE WELFARE OF OTHER OWNERS WHICH MAY NOT HAVE REQUIRED STATE INSPECTIONS LIKE I HAVE WHERE I LIVE. I AM THANKFUL FOR THE INSPECTIONS AND THE MECHANIC WHO RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE AND POSSIBLY SAVED ME FROM A FUTURE ACCIDENT. I STARTED DOING SOME HOMEWORK FINDING THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES. I FOUND THIS BY LOOKING AT MANY DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT JEEP OWNER WEBSITES, BLOGS, AND EVEN COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I DO NOT DRIVE AGGRESSIVELY, GO OFF-ROADING OR ANY OTHER THING LIKE THAT WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT CHRYSLER HAS NOT TAKEN ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SAFETY CONCERN TO DATE. IN FACT, WHEN I SENT AN EMAIL TO CHRYSLER I WAS GIVEN A STOCK REPLY AMOUNTING TO "WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR TROUBLE BUT WE CAN'T MAKE A DIAGNOSIS ON YOUR VEHICLE. PLEASE GO TO A LICENSED CHRYSLER SERVICE CENTER. PLEASE REPORT YOUR SAFETY CONCERN WITH NHTSA. HAVE A NICE DAY!" ...AND HERE I AM. I WONDER IF THEY EVEN READ MY EMAIL BECAUSE I ALREADY HAD THE WORK DONE. HOPEFULLY SOMEBODY WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS BEFORE PEOPLE GET HURT OR HAVE TO PAY OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR REPAIRING SAFETY ISSUES CHRYSLER SHOULD BE ADDRESSING. *TR