2008 Jeep Patriot Fwd

MY 2008 JEEP PATRIOT JUST TURNED 39000 MILES AND DEVELOPED A POPPING/CREAKING IN THE FRONT END THAT GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE DAY-TO-DAY. IT APPEARS TO BE THE BALL-JOINTS. AFTER A BIT OF RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE PATRIOTS, AND IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WITH WINTER COMING. BEING A LOW-INCOME SINGLE DAD, I SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE RIDICULOUS COST TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF CHRYSLER TRYING TO SAVE MONEY BY USING CHEAP PARTS. *TR

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP PATRIOT. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL CREAKING NOISE. SOON AFTER, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN EXHIBITING THE SAME NOISE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIE RODS, CONTROL ARMS AND PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. THE FAILURE DID NOT PERSIST HOWEVER; THE REAR SHOCKS BEGAN TO SQUEAK. THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,500 AND THE CURRENT WAS 35,750.

WATER LEAKING UNDER THE DASH WHICH CAUSES THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS TO BECOME VERY SLIPPERY. IT IS ALSO A HORRIBLE DISTRACTION SINCE IT HAPPENS ON EVERY TURN OR HILL. THERE IS ALSO A HORRIBLE CLUNKING NOISE THAT IS COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED AS THE A ARM BOLTS BUT THEY CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE SERVICE BULLETIN JUST BECAUSE MY VIN # IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF CARS BUT MY MAKE AND MODEL AS WELL AS THE YEAR IS INCLUDED. *TR