NHTSA Complaint #10726887 — 2008 JEEP PATRIOT 4X4

I HAD JUST FILLED THE TANK AS USUAL AND DROVE ABOUT 500 YARDS TO A RED LIGHT. IN THE PAST AFTER A FILL UP, THE JEEP WOULD STALL AND "BUCK" AROUND 30 MPH, AS IF IT COULDN'T GET INTO GEAR, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A CVT. I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT IT DIDN'T THIS TIME, WHICH WAS CURIOUS. AT THE LIGHT, UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE THROTTLE, AND THE CAR REMAINED IN DRIVE, BUT REFUSED TO MOVE. I COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. A RED LIGHT IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE DASH CAME ON AND BEGAN TO BEEP, AND THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD LIT UP, WITH EVERY LIGHT COMING ON AND MAKING NOISE. EVENTUALLY, I LOST ALL POWER AND WAITED MORE THAN AN HOUR FOR A TOW TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A THREE LANE AVENUE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME A RELAY WAS ENTIRELY BLOWN AND BLACKENED, AND THIS HAD KILLED THE BATTERY. THIS WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME, BUT HE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND WHAT HAD CAUSED THE RELAY TO BLOW. ESSENTIALLY, WHAT OCCURRED WAS A SYMPTOM, NOT THE CAUSE, AND WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY SITTING, DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I ALSO HAD LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT 55,000 MILES, WHICH IS FAR TOO EARLY. I LOVE JEEP, BUT I HATE THE 2007-2010 PATRIOTS. BAD BUY.