NHTSA Complaint #10467488 — 2012 JEEP PATRIOT

WE WERE DRIVING THE 2012 JEEP PATRIOT FROM MICHIGAN TO NEW MEXICO, HAD JUST CROSSED NM STATE LINE. WE WERE TRAVELING AT 80 MPH ON A 95 DEGREE DAY WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY QUIT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THE EXPRESSWAY MEDIAN (BARELY!) AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE--NOTHING! WE HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATIONS OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE; IT HAD JUST OVER 1800 MILES ON IT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NM DEALER WHO TOLD US HE HAD ANOTHER PATRIOT IN THE PRIOR WEEK WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. DEALER DID NOT KNOW THE "FIX" FOR OUR ENGINE FAILURE --EVEN SUGGESTED WE JUST DRIVE THE CAR (IN THE DESSERTS OF NM) AND IF IT DIED AGAIN WE COULD JUST WAIT UNTIL IT MIGHT RESTART! WE HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR IN CLOVIS, NM AND RENT A CAR TO COMPLETE THE TRIP. THE 2012 JEEP PATRIOT PREVIOUSLY WRITTEN ABOUT HAS HAD A SECOND ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CLOVIS, NM CHRYSLER DEALER ASSURED US THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE AFTER THE FIRST ENGINE FAILURE; WE DROVE THE CAR LESS THAT 250 MILES AND THE ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED ON THE EXPRESSWAY AGAIN! VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TOWED AFTER STRANDING DRIVER IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE CHRYSLER WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM? THERE ARE SEVERAL INCIDENTS REPORTED AT NHSTA BETWEEN MAY AND JULY OF 2012. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN AND DIDN'T REPORT IT AT NHTSA. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO GET THIS RESOLVED--THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP!