2012 Jeep Patriot problems & reliability
353 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Patriot, alongside 4 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
5 complaints report injuries (6 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Jeep Patriot vehicles were involved in 26 fatal crashes with 8 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 114 | 32% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 86 | 24% |
| Power Train | 63 | 18% |
| Air Bags | 56 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 44 | 12% |
| Seat Belts | 36 | 10% |
| Unknown OR Other | 30 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 8% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 15 | 4% |
| Structure | 14 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 57,000 miles (middle 50% between 22,125 and 85,344 miles), based on 250 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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 execute a driving…”
Suspension · filed Jul 14, 2026
“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.”
Air Bags · filed Feb 14, 2026
“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 due to a faulty fuel…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jan 9, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Preliminary Evaluation PE19014 · opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026
- Engine stall, fuel delivery failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE12032 · opened Oct 15, 2012 · closed May 3, 2013 · led to recall 13V120000
Technical service bulletins
100 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. The 10 most recent:
Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11)
U67 Combo Rev11 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Jun 18, 2026
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
9100653 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2025
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
9100645 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2025
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
103954 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
ACTUATOR - A/C AND HEATER
104087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.
9100229 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used
9100196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 27, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Jeep Patriot has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Jeep Patriot?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 57,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.