NHTSA Complaint #11179913 — 2011 JEEP PATRIOT

WE HAVE HAD THREE INCIDENTS SO FAR OF OUR 2011 JEEP PATRIOT LOSING SIGNIFICANT POWER AND STRUGGLING TO ACCELERATE. THE FIRST INVOLVED OVERHEATING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD AFTER A LONG ROAD TRIP. ALLOWING THE CAR TO REST ALLOWED US TO MAKE IT TO OUR DESTINATION WITH NO FURTHER SYMPTOMS DURING THE REMAINDER OF OUR TRIP. TWICE IN THE LAST WEEK RPMS DROP UNLESS BURYING THE ACCELERATOR INTO THE FLOOR, AT WHICH POINT THERE IS A LOUD WHINING SOUND WITH LITTLE TO SHOW IN TERMS OF SPEED. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE SPEED OVER 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 70. WE ALSO LOSE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE GEAR MANUALLY. AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE CAR CONTINUES TO BE SLOW TO GAIN SPEED AT LIGHTS, AND WORSE MAKING IT UPHILL TO OUR HOME, EVEN AT 25 MPH. AFTER RESTING THE ISSUE SUBSIDES UNTIL RETURNING WITHOUT WARNING. SEARCHING GOOGLE FOR "JEEP CVT FAILURE" YIELDS DOZENS OF RESULTS FOR JEEP PATRIOT AND COMPASS, AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES USING THE SAME JATCO CVT TRANSMISSION. THIS FAILURE MAKES THE VEHICLE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE "SOLUTION" TO THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE TO CONTINUALLY REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST $5000 PER INCIDENT TO THE OWNER WITH THE SAME FLAWED PRODUCT. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF MY SPEED CUT OUT ON ME WHILE OVERTAKING A FREIGHT TRUCK, OR MAKING A LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC ON A BUSY STREET. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, AND LET'S GET JATCO TO AT LEAST SWAP OUT THE TRANSMISSION FOR A RECONDITIONED ONE WHEN THESE FAILURES OCCUR.