NHTSA Complaint #10397041 — 2009 JEEP PATRIOT

IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING THE 2009 JEEP PATRIOT AN INTERIOR WATER LEAK WAS DISCOVERED. I HAVE A RECEIPT FOR VISITS TO DEALER ON 11/3/09 WITH 2282 MILES ON IT. NEXT VISIT WAS 11/17/2009. ANOTHER VISIT ON 1/6/10 WITH 5790 MILES ON IT. ANOTHER VISIT ON 9/14/10 AT 12170 MILES. YET ANOTHER VISIT ON 9/24/10 AT 12435 MILES. AGAIN ON 12/7/10 AT 14897. I KNOW THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER VISITS AND I AM AWAITING PRINT OUT FROM SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER OVER 7 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. EVERYTIME THEY SAY IT IS FIXED ONLY TO DISCOVER IT IS STILL LEAKING. THEY HAVE SEALED, CAULKED, CHECK DRAIN TUBES, ETC. THEY HAVE REPLACED HEADLINER TOO. WATER COMES INTO THE OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND RUNS OUT OF THE OVERHEAD LIGHTS LIKE A FAUCET OR WATERFALL. WATER PONDS ON THE REAR CARGO AREA AND THIS AREA IS COMPLETELY SOAKED. WATER IS EVEN DOWN IN SPARE WHEEL STORAGE. WATER COMES FROM ALL OVERHEAD LIGHTS DEPENDING ON PITCH OF VEHICLE. UNKNOWN IF WATER IS RUNNING DOWN INTERIOR SIDES OF VEHICLE OR WHERE ELSE WATER IS POOLING. CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD, RUST, WATER DAMAGE, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, ETC., THAT ARE BEING CAUSED BY WATER ENTERING VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS "FIXED" IT NUMEROUS TIMES ONLY TO NOT HAVE IT FIXED. VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED FOR RETURN VISIT TO DEALER FOR ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT FIXING THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONGTERM DAMAGE AND REPAIRS NEEDED AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES AND THE DAMAGE THE WATER IS CAUSING TO MY VEHICLE. SERVICE TECHS SAY DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE WATER, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR