repaired · 2018 Q4
Air bags
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…
2012 Jeep PatriotProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 354 owner complaints about the 2012 Jeep Patriot, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-668 the manufacturer reports only 38% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 26, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz, releases all rights but a photo credit would be appreciated if this image is used any, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2012 Jeep Patriot has problems
354 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
114Engine1 crash/fire/injury
86Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
63Power train2 crash/fire/injury
57Air bags7 crash/fire/injury
44Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
37Seat belts3 crash/fire/injury
29Vehicle speed control
15Fuel system, gasoline
14Structure
6512 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 114 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 86 | 1 |
| Power train | 63 | 2 |
| Air bags | 57 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 44 | 3 |
| Seat belts | 37 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 29 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 15 | 1 |
| Structure | 14 | 2 |
| 12 other systems | 65 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2012 Jeep Patriot recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Air bags: side/window
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…
no report yet
Fuel system, gasoline
Risk. If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Storage: tank assembly
Risk. IN THE EVENT OF AN IMPACT OR ROLL-OVER, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Jeep.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
43kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 101 engine complaints. 87% were reported before 100,000 miles.
43under 30k miles88under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2012 vs. every other Patriot year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Patriot median. How we score
'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2012 Jeep Patriot safety ratings
2012 Jeep Patriot SUV 4WD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2012 Jeep Patriot, and the recalls they led to.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
- Engine stall, fuel delivery failureLed to recall 13V-120
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent DeploymentNo recall
In owners' words
What Patriot owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the lights inside the vehicle were flickering and the vehicle shuddered. Additionally, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and then stalled. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed…
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled again. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was undrivable. The…
I cannot put gas in my car, continuously shuts off and spits fuel back out like its full. It takes about 20 minutes to get enough gas in it to feel like I can drive a little distance without worrying I will run out since It always acts as if its full. It also seems as if it wants to stall out at…
Own a 2012 Patriot?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.