2012 Jeep Patriot Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
43/100
#5 most-complained of 8 Patriot years
The 2012 Jeep Patriot has 354 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 43, and ranks 5th worst out of 8 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Patriot years. Engine problems are the top complaint area at 38%.
- Complaints
- 354
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 9 / 5
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 22 city / 27 hwy
Top 2012 Jeep Patriot problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine133 (38%)
- Fuel System102 (29%)
- Transmission & Powertrain63 (18%)
- Airbags57 (16%)
- Electrical System47 (13%)
- Seat Belts37 (10%)
- Other30 (8%)
- Brakes18 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (5%)
- Structure & Body16 (5%)
What owners report
- Engine stalls suddenly and without warning while parking or driving at low speed, in some cases leading to a crash.
- Engine stalling at highway speed has been reported along with loss of power steering and brakes, forcing drivers off the road.
- The plastic rear bumper has caught fire near the exhaust pipe, with melting reported at both low mileage and around 149,000 miles.
- Airbags failed to deploy during frontal and side-impact crashes at speeds near 25 to 35 mph.
- Transmission RPMs have stayed above 4,000 during deceleration accompanied by a burning clutch smell.
- Fuel system issues include hesitation and stalling at both low and high speeds, especially on inclines.
2012 Jeep Patriot recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V668000Sep 15, 2016Airbags1,435,625 vehicles
Air bags
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
- NHTSA 13V233000Jun 4, 2013Electrical System254,396 vehicles
Electrical system:software
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.
Risk: In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
- NHTSA 13V120000Apr 3, 2013Fuel System20,799 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012 Jeep Patriot and Compass vehicles manufactured October 18, 2011, through May 7, 2012. Due to an incorrectly manufactured transfer tube, the transfer of fuel from the secondary side to the primary side of the fuel tank may be interrupted, causing the engine to stall.
Risk: If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank transfer tube free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 30, 2013. Owners were notified by Chrysler on July 19, 2013, that parts are now available. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N17.
2012 Jeep Patriot fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2012 compared with other Patriot years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot reliable?
- Compared to other Patriot model years, the 2012 has a complaint index of 43 and ranks 5th worst of 8 years tracked, which earns it a "Good" verdict relative to other Patriot years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Jeep Patriot?
- NHTSA complaints point to the Engine as the top problem area, making up 38% of complaints, followed by Fuel System at 29% and Transmission & Powertrain at 18%.
- Does the 2012 Jeep Patriot have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2012 Jeep Patriot, covering airbags, electrical software, and two separate fuel tank issues.
- At what mileage do 2012 Patriot problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all complaints is 55,000 miles, with engine complaints showing a median of 42,100 miles.
- How does the 2012 Patriot compare to other years?
- The 2012 model's complaint index of 43 is better than the 2014 (100, Avoid) and 2016 (86, Avoid) but worse than the 2013 (14, Best) and 2017 (0, Best).