2008 Jeep Patriot Fwd

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP PATRIOT FWD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE TUNE -UP WHEN THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIE ROD, LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED ONLY THE BALL JOINTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,242 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,892.

ON 9/23/2011, I WAS DRIVING 15-20 MPH WHEN A DODGE CHARGER STRUCK MY JEEP ON MY DRIVERSIDE DOOR CAUSING MY JEEP TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL COMPLETELY. MY SIDE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING A CONCUSSION. I HAVE SOME MEMORY LOSS AND BACK AND NECK INJURIES. MY JEEP ROLLED ONTO A MEDIAN CAUSING THE ROOF TO CAVE IN FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE DURING THE ROLL OVER. *TR

OUR VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAKING CREAKING/GROANING NOISES FOR A FEW WEEKS. WE TOOK IT TO PEPBOYS FOR IT'S ANNUAL INSPECTION, WHEN THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE BAD, ALONG WITH THE DRIVER-SIDE OUTER TIE ROD. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 20,058 MILES AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION, AND I'VE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AS WELL AS HERE ON SAFERCAR.GOV REGARDING THESE PREMATURE BALL JOINT FAILURES, AND THE RELATED PARTS THAT HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED. I OPENED A CASE WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE, AND AFTER HAVING THEIR OWN PEOPLE INSPECT THE VEHICLE, THEY'VE REPLACED ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT AND THE FAILED TIE ROD. AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE (AND PAYING FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIR SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED $150 FOR THE 'EXTENDED WARRANTY' CO-PAY AND A $69.95 ALIGNMENT) THE VEHICLE IS STILL MAKING SOME SQUEAKS, INDICATING THAT THE DRIVER-SIDE BALL JOINT MAY ALSO BE FAILING. I GUESS SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE A SAFETY RECALL IS ISSUED, OTHERWISE THERE'D ALREADY BE ONE BASED ON THE CURRENT LEVEL OF COMPLAINTS. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WILL TAKE THE STEPS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT A SAFETY RECALL OF ALL MK49 CHASSIS CODE SUSPENSION PARTS (JEEP PATRIOT AND COMPASS, AND DODGE CALIBER) BEFORE THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF ONE OF THESE PREMATURELY FAILING BALL JOINTS CAUSES ANY DEATHS DUE TO WHEEL DISCONNECTION AND LOSS OF CONTROL.

SEVERE RATTING IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2008 JEEP PATRIOT. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD THE VEHICLE HAS 66000 MILES. AFTER RESERCHING IT ONLINE AND OVER A 500 COMPLAINTS IN CHAT FORMS FOR THE SAME THING I FOUND THAT CHRYSLER HAD A RRT 08-070 FOR IMPROPER TORQUE ON THE LOWER A ARM BOLT. I FURTHER RESERCHED IT AND FOUND THAT THIS BOLT IS AN MVSS BOLT THAT WAS INCORRECTLY TORQUED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THE RRT AND THE SAID MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. I CALLED CHRYSLER AND GOT THE RUNAROUND THAT THE VEHICLE MILAGE COULD OF BEEN THE ISSUE. THERE WERE MANY POSTS ON JEEP PATRIOT.COM STATING THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS ON THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE MODELS. ONE POST STATED THEY PULLED OUT OF THE DEALRSHIP AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FRONT TIRE FELL OFF. MY WIFE AND GRANDSON DO ALOT OF TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE AND I WOULD HATE FOR THEM TO BE TRAVELING AND HIT A POT HOLE AND THE BOLT SHEAR OFF BECAUSE OF CHRYSLERS NOT WANTING TO MAKE A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. I WORKED 14 YEARS AS A QUALITY ENGINEER IN THE AUTOMOVTIVE BUSINESS FOR A TEIR 2 SUPPLIER AND CHRYSLER WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM ON MAKING A RECALL ON A PART THAT WAS PRODUCED BY OUR COMPANY AND MAKE US PAY FOR IT. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE AT HAND WITH THE FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY A ARM BOLT BREAKING AND THE ASSEMBLY FALLING OFF. *TT

IN OCTOBER OF 2009, I NOTICED AN ODD CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE AREA OF MY TIRES. THE JEEP STARTED TO MAKE LOUDER CRANKING SOUNDS AND GRADUALLY BECAME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO STEER. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE JEEP TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE THE SOUND. I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE OR COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE JEEP IN THIS CONDITION. UPON TAKING THE JEEP TO BOB BOYD, A CERTIFIED JEEP DEALER IN LANCASTER, OHIO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AXLE NUT RETAINER WAS RUSTED AWAY. THE RUST WAS CLEANED FROM THE AXLE AND THE NUT, PER THE SERVICE REPORT, AND THE AXLE NUT WAS RETORQUED. THE CHARGE OF THIS "REPAIR" WAS $157.47, WITH NO OTHER REPAIRS BEING MADE. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD NOT BROUGHT THE JEEP IN AT THE TIME I DID, THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE AXLE NUT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE TIE RODS AND WHEELS TO COME APART FROM MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. AT THAT POINT, THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE GONE. MY HUSBAND ASKED IF THIS COULD CAUSE ANY OTHER TYPES OF PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE WITH MY STEERING AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND HE WAS TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM. IN AUGUST OF 2010, I WAS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE MY TIE RODS REPLACED, AS THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM MY TIRES AGAIN. UPON HAVING MY CAR TAKEN TO BOB BOYD AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT MY LOWER CONTROL ARM AND BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WITH AN ALIGNMENT, THE TOTAL COST WAS $694.60 FOR THIS VISIT. I UNDERSTAND THAT TIE RODS ARE A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THE RUSTED AXLE ROD IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS JUST OVER A YEAR OLD AT THE TIME IT WAS FOUND. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM, AS A RUSTED OUT PART THAT COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE TO "COME APART WHILE DRIVING" SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU. *TR