NHTSA Complaint #10547712 — 2008 JEEP PATRIOT 4X4

WHILE DRIVING CROSS COUNTRY FROM OHIO TO NEVADA THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING QUIT RUNNING. THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON; THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL; I WAS CONTINUALLY WATCHING THE DASH TO TRY TO KEEP THE RPMS STEADY (WHILE CLIMBING GRADES) AT APPROX. 3000 RPM MAX. FOR FUEL ECONOMY. THIS OCCURRED ON I-80 IN THE MIDDLE OF WYOMING. FORTUNATELY ( LUCKILY) I WAS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE BERM. WHILE WAITING 1.5 HOUR FOR A TOW TRUCK I OCCASIONALLY TRIED TO START THE ENGINE. IT WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START. AFTER A 30 MINUTE DRIVE ON THE TOW TRUCK TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP, APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM COOLED AND THE ENGINE DID START. THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP GRADE THE VEHICLE LURCHED. I TOOK IT THE DEALERSHIP IN RENO NV. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ALREADY IN EXISTENCE TO UPDATE THE SOFTWARE IN THIS VEHICLE'S COMPUTER AND TO INCLUDE A NEW FLASH DRIVE FOR THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID. THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE DRIVEN NEARLY 3000 MILES SINCE THEN WITHOUT A PROBLEM. HOW COULD MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ( BRUNSWICK OHIO) NOT HAVE ALERTED ME TO NEEDING A SOFTWARE UPDATE? I HAD THE JEEP THERE 4 DAYS BEFORE LEAVING ON THIS TRIP FOR THE "LIFETIME POWERETRAIN WARRANTY" INSPECTION. THEN, 300 MILES AFTER THE SOFTWARE UPDATE IN RENO. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED. WHY DIDN'T THAT DEALERSHIP CHECK FOR WHEEL WOBBLE WHILE THEY PERFORMED THEIR COMPLIMENTARY 22 POINT SAFETY CHECK? WHAT'S UP WITH JEEP? MY 2000 CHEROKEE WITH 170,000+ MILES HAS NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS; ONLY NORMAL WEAR REPAIRS. *TR