Car · Jeep problems

2012 Jeep Patriot problems

354 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (34% of them). NHTSA also lists 60 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 6. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 354 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling119 · 34%
• Fuel system102 · 29%
• Power train (transmission and drive)63 · 18%
• Air bags57 · 16%
• Electrical system44 · 12%
• Seat belts37 · 10%
• Other or unknown30 · 8%
• Speed control and throttle29 · 8%

11 smaller areas not shown (73 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 60 repair bulletins from Jeep for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. U67 Combo Rev11Received July 2, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Emissions Recall U67 - Catalytic Converter Efficiency - Dealer Notification (Revision 11).

2. 9100645Received August 21, 2025

   Verify Reman part number availability.

3. 103954Received May 1, 2025

   Actuator - A/C and heater.

4. 9100226Received January 8, 2024

   Electrical system

   Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability.

5. 9100229Received January 8, 2024

   Equipment

   LIFTER, Hydraulic Roller Deactivating Please do not replace MDS lifters because the disconnecting pin is not lined up, this is normal and not a defect.

6. 9100196Received September 25, 2023

   Equipment

   Lubrication and Maintenance Fluids If MOPAR fluids and chemicals are not readily available, please review Service Library for specifications so a suitable alternative can be used.

7. 1804823Received May 30, 2023

   Equipment

   WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP system small leak.

8. 0500314Received January 17, 2023

   Service brakes

   Low Frequency Moan Noise Heard During First Brake Apply This bulletin involves installing an anti-vibration bracket to the rear brake caliper.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 13V120000April 3, 2013

   Fuel system, gasoline

   Due to an incorrectly manufactured transfer tube, the transfer of fuel from the secondary side to the primary side of the fuel tank may be interrupted, causing the engine to stall.

2. 12V142000April 3, 2012

   Fuel system, gasoline

   Some vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank assembly containing a damaged roll-over valve.

3. 16V668000September 15, 2016

   Seat belts

   The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Jeep Patriot, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Patriot will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 119 complaints · 34%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Fuel system 102 complaints · 29%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Power train (transmission and drive) 63 complaints · 18%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Air bags 57 complaints · 16%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Jeep Patriot: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Jeep Patriot?

Of the 354 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Jeep Patriot, 119 (34%) name engine and engine cooling, and 102 (29%) name fuel system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 9 of the 354 complaints as involving a crash and 5 as involving a fire. They also reported 6 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Jeep Patriot have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Jeep Patriot. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 60 repair bulletins for the 2012 Jeep Patriot.

More

• 2016 Patriot problems
• 2015 Patriot problems
• 2014 Patriot problems
• 2011 Patriot problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Jeep recalls
• Jeep problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.