2012 Jeep Patriot Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Patriot years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Patriot. That ranks 3rd out of 12 Patriot model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (114 complaints, 32%), typically at around 42,700 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 5 fires, 6 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 354owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Jeep Patriot problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 114 | 32% | 42,700 | “engine stalled” (11%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 86 | 24% | 56,000 | “fuel tank” (20%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 63 | 18% | 57,000 | “cvt transmission” (13%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 57 | 16% | 49,579 | “seat belts” (42%) | — |
| Electrical System | 44 | 12% | 50,800 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 37 | 10% | 43,579 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 30 | 8% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 8% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 15 | 4% | 36,750 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 4% | 90,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 12 | 3% | 70,750 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 3% | 46,225 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 2% | 48,600 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 2% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 1% | 14,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 1% | 44,750 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 300 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 113,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 1,600 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 36,624 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 1,700 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Jeep Patriot recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags; seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:software; seat belts; air bags:side/window
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 jeep patriot and compass vehicles manufactured from december 17, 2011, through january 2, 2012. Some vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank assembly containing a damaged roll-over valve.
Risk: In the event of an impact or roll-over, fuel leakage could occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about may 25, 2012. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment (PE19014) — opened Sep 9, 2019, closed Feb 25, 2026.
- Engine stall, fuel delivery failure (PE12032) — opened Oct 15, 2012, closed May 3, 2013, led to recall 13V120000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V668000 (Seat Belts, Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the recall repair was not completed. The contact stated that…
Certified dealership service department omitted structural safety complaints from official service invoices, left vital diagnostic findings and performance metrics off paperwork tracking paths, cleared a compromised front suspension layout as safe, and actively instructed a vehicle operator to…
I was crossing an intersection with a green light the opposing vehicle ran the northbound red light therefore slammed into my driver rear side going at an unknown speed. The force of the impact caused my glasses to fly off my face landing on the passenger floorboard. No airbags deployed.
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that on several occasions, while attempting to refuel the vehicle, the gas pump shut off and only worked manually. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis, and it was determined that the fuel tank needed to be replaced…
Car dies as Iâm driving wiring issue
Other Jeep Patriot years
← 2011 Patriot · 2013 Patriot →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Patriot | 59 | 0 |
| 2016 Patriot | 458 | 1 |
| 2015 Patriot | 315 | 1 |
| 2014 Patriot | 548 | 2 |
| 2013 Patriot | 120 | 1 |
| 2012 | 354 | 4 |
| 2011 Patriot | 326 | 4 |
| 2010 Patriot | 136 | 2 |
| 2009 Patriot | 191 | 1 |
| 2008 Patriot | 186 | 0 |
| 2007 Patriot | 94 | 0 |
| 2002 Patriot | 3 | 0 |
See all Jeep Patriot problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Jeep Patriot?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, power train problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 114 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Jeep Patriot?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Jeep Patriot a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Patriot model years, the 2012 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.