NHTSA Complaint #10535894 — 2009 JEEP PATRIOT

WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2009, WATER CAME IN THROUGH THE MAP LIGHT AND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE PILLAR AFTER FIRST RAIN. RETURNED TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SEAL BUT PROBLEM RE-SURFACED DURING NEXT RAIN. WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO CLEARED THE DRAIN LINES WHICH SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH, FOR A NEW VEHICLE, IT SEEMS ODD THE DRAINS WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOGGED. DID NOT OBSERVE ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS OTHERS HAVE INDICATED EXCEPT FOR THE LED FLASHLIGHT IN THE CARGO AREA DYING. THIS WAS REPLACED BY DIED AGAIN (POSSIBLY THE RE-CHARGING MECHANISM HAD BEEN CORRUPTED BY THE LEAK?) BUT I DO NOT USE THE LIGHT SO DID NOT PURSUE FURTHER. WINTER OF 2012-13 (AFTER 3 YEAR WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED), SAME LEAK RE-APPEARED WHENEVER WOULD HAVE PRECIPITATION AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOLLOWED BY A THAW. SINCE IT DIDN'T OCCUR DURING "NORMAL" PRECIPITATION AND BEING IN THE SOUTH WHERE WE DON'T HAVE FREEZES VERY OFTEN, DID NOT SEEK REPAIR. QUOTED $100-$300 FROM ALL DEALERS IN AREA SAYING THE DRAIN LINES CANNOT SIMPLY BE BLOWN OUT WITH COMPRESSED AIR SINCE THE PRESSURE CAN DISCONNECT THEM AND INSTEAD THEY MUST REMOVE THE HEAD LINER AND CLEAR THEM MANUALLY. WHILE TRAVELING IN JULY OF 2013, EXPERIENCED HEAVY RAIN WHILE VEHICLE PARKED LEVEL OR FACING UP ON AN INCLINE (AT HOME, NORMALLY PARK SLIGHTLY FACING DOWN ON AN INCLINE) AND LEAKS WERE MUCH WORSE WITH DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LINER BECOMING WET. THIS INDICATED THE REAR DRAINS WERE THE ONES CLOGGED. I RARELY USE THE SUNROOF, HAVE NEVER LEFT IT OPEN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD AND ESPECIALLY AVOID OPENING IT DURING THE HEAVY POLLEN SEASONS OF THE SOUTH, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE DRAINS CAN GET CLOGGED AND WHY THEY CANNOT EASILY BE CLEARED (THIS SEEMS LIKE A DESIGN FLAW). *TR