This isn't the first time but it is the most significant. I have had problems during or after a rain storm where water has pooled up inside the sunroof housing and it comes out of the plugs for the pillars and out of the front dome light over the rear view mirror. I had my Patriot parked on a downhill slope to where the undersized drain lines couldn't handle the water getting past the sunroof seal. Now I can't move my vehicle because the water got into the wiring harness to the shifter assembly, as well as frying my OEM navigation/radio screen.
This has been absolutely horrible since the first rain after the car was purchased, I didn't know better at the time, but these vehicles are lemons. 8 years later it still leaks every time it rains.
This is the 2nd time I have had my sunroof leak bad enough to the point that water fills the dome light. It only happens when I am parked down hill. Once moved, the water pours from the dome light down into my Radio/CD/Navigation. This time, the water fried my Radio. After looking online, a replacement used radio is $800! Ridiculous!
Unfortunately, I have noticed that this seems to be a problem with the Jeep's design. Doing research about the problem of a leaking sunroof on my Jeep Patriot I have found many complaints. With as many complaints as I have found, I cannot believe Jeep has done nothing to rectify the problem. I am sure they are aware of the complications of water and electrical not really going together.
With water leaking out of the dome light, who knows what else or where else the water will find its way to. This for me is where it becomes dangerous... when it starts to effect the electrical of a vehicle, it could be a matter of time before my car shuts down on me while driving at who knows what speed. The car shuts down, guess what else happens....no more control of the vehicle....and of course this usually leads to what? Yup, you guessed it, an accident, possibly life threatening. So this is what it has come down to... by the looks of it, until someone is hurt or worse, a death occurs...it doesn't look like Jeep or Chrysler is willing to put their "engineers" to the test and find a fix for this problem. Too bad, because I don't hate my Jeep...but I am learning to hate its creators....probably my last Jeep!!!!
I am a first time Jeep owner, in the past I purchased from Chevy Dealers. This time I thought I would try Jeep so I purchased a Jeep Patriot and I loved it until the problems started.
It rained and my vehicle was parked in the driveway instead of the garage. When I got in the next day and started down the street I had a down pour of water coming from the dome light. I went to the dealership and they wanted to charge me to fix it. I was furious so I called the Jeep dealer, after several conversations they agreed to fix it. I believe I had 28,000 miles this time. They fixed the leak and the vehicle seemed fine.
I don't drive it often so I did not notice for a while that the problem came back. I returned to the dealership and they wanted around $350.00 to fix it. My vehicle has about 39,000 miles on it now and is out of warranty. I was so mad not to mention I do not have that kind of money to spend on fixing a problem they already supposedly fixed. Since then my radio stopped working for a day then luckily did work the next day (I guess it dried out.) Now I have to embarrassingly drive around with a towel folded up on my dash board and hold on to it in order to catch the water that POURS out of my dome light. About a month ago I notice a swimming pool on the back passenger floor board where the vehicle started to leak along the door jam.
I'm so disappointed. The Jeep Patriot is a great vehicle otherwise but due to this problem and them refusing to fix it when CLEARLY it's a manufacturer defect has made me miserable with this vehicle. CAN you say LEMON? I paid a lot of money for the vehicle (extra for the leaking sunroof and door jam). Jeep dealership you can try to get your lousy $350 from Jeep owners here and there but I promise it will cost you much more in the long run because I know not only will I not pay $350.00 for a problem you CLEARLY cannot fix, I also will not be shopping at your dealership again.
Update from Mar 31, 2014: I contacted Jeep and they opened a case and told me to bring my vehicle to the dealership for the problem. I did and it cost me almost 200.00 to have the tubes "rerouted" and the seal around the sunroof replaced. I called Jeep back and they said they will not assist in any way because the vehicle is out of warranty. They should own up and fix the problem. When I got home I noticed a swimming pool in the back of my vehicle this time with something that stained my carpet. I guess they just let it drain into my floor board and left it there. They told the repair only holds a one year warranty. Lets see how long before the leak returns. Oh, and just FYI it appears they did not fix the problem because the woman sitting next to me in the service department was there with her brand new Jeep Patriot with 4000 miles and she was having a water leak repaired imagine that!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This isn't the first time but it is the most significant. I have had problems during or after a rain storm where water has pooled up inside the sunroof housing and it comes out of the plugs for the pillars and out of the front dome light over the rear view mirror. I had my Patriot parked on a downhill slope to where the undersized drain lines couldn't handle the water getting past the sunroof seal. Now I can't move my vehicle because the water got into the wiring harness to the shifter assembly, as well as frying my OEM navigation/radio screen.
- mclever, Chambersburg, US