2008 Jeep Patriot Fwd

I PURCHASED A 2008 JEEP PATRIOT NEW IN 2008. IN 2011 WITH 28,916 MILES ON THE VEHICLE THE BALL JOINTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. BECAUSE THE BALL JOINT WERE PERMANENTLY ATTACHED TO THE CONTROL ARMS, THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED AS A SINGLE UNIT. THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE WORN THROUGH TO THE STEEL BELTS DUE TO RUBBING FROM THE BAD BALL JOINTS. IF I HADN'T FELT THE CHANGE IN MY VEHICLE, I MIGHT WELL HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT FROM A FRONT END BLOWOUT, OR FROM ONE OR BOTH OF THE BALL JOINTS FAILING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE MECHANIC WHO FIXED THE VEHICLE AND THE JEEP SERVICE MANAGER THAT I SPOKE TO SAID THAT THERE IS NO WAY THE BALL JOINTS SHOULD HAVE NEEDED REPLACEMENT WITH THAT LOW MILEAGE ON THEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND SAID THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY. THE MECHANIC EVEN GAVE ME THE OLD PARTS TO PROVE THAT THE REPAIR WAS DEFINITELY NEEDED, AND IN CASE THERE WAS A RECALL IN THE FUTURE. *KB

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.

THE CAR WAS ON THE LIFT FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN MY MECHANIC CHECKED THE TIRES TO SEE IF I WAS HAVING ANY ISSUES WITH THE BALL JOINTS. HE HAS ANOTHER JEEP PATRIOT IN THE GARAGE WITH PROBLEM BALL JOINTS, THAT CAR HAS JUST SLIGHTLY LESS MILES THAN MINE DOES. HE THEN CALLED ME NOTIFYING ME THAT BALL JOINTS WERE BAD, ONE HE CONSIDERED DANGEROUSLY BAD AND HE WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. HE HAS SINCE REPLACED THE SEVERELY DAMAGED ONE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE OTHER AS THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO DO SO. THIS IS THE SECOND SUSPENSION PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I HAD TO HAVE TIE RODS REPLACED AT 15000 MILES ( COVERED BY WARRANTY). I DO NOT USE THE VEHICLE OFF ROAD AND I AM RIGOROUS ABOUT KEEPING UP WITH ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND, SO I CALLED CHRYSLER AND AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM. MY MECHANIC FEELS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT HAVE TO REPAIRED AT THIS STAGE, GIVEN THE MILEAGE AND THE CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE. DUE TO THIS ISSUE I HAVE SOME PRETTY SERIOUS WEAR ON TIRES I JUST REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

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

WEEK AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WE STARTING HEARING A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THEY LOOKED AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. IT WAS STILL DOING IT BROUGHT IT BACK IN AND THEY PUT IT UP ON THE RACK AND THEN TOLD US THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BACK AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT OUR COST (805.41) NOW WE HAVE A LEAK FROM THE SUNROOF AND I HAVE WATER STANDING IN THE FLOORBOARDS. *TR

LESS THAT 3 YRS OLD AND JUST OVER 44,000 MILES, MY 2008 JEEP PATRIOT'S FRONT BEARINGS & BALL JOINTS ARE BAD. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE HARD BY ANY MEANS, MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I COULD LOOSE A WHEEL JUST BY HITTING ONE BAD POTHOLE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME & MY CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE TRAVEL AT OVER 55MPH MOST OF THE TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE FAULTY . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,500.

2008 JEEP PATRIOT. BAD BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS. I DRIVE MY VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND CITY ROADS ONLY. NO OFF ROADING AT ALL. I RECENTLY PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AFTER LEASING IT FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS. AT 40K, JUST 4000 MILES OUT OF THE 3/36 WARRANTY, THE BALL JOINT ON MY DRIVER SIDE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OTHER VEHICLES LAST 100K MILES FROM MY RESEARCH, AND THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME. I HAVE CONTACTED CHRYSLER AND RESEARCHED THE WEB AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT AND ISSUE WITH THE JEEP PATRIOT. *TR