Reliable Auto DB

2012 Jeep Patriot reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Patriot over 15 years — 29 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Patriot years here — over the median of the other years, which is 17. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Pretensioner, Side and window, and Fuel system, gasoline.

2012 Jeep Patriot
Photo by JamesYoung8167, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

354

Per year

29

Recalls

4

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (114 of 354), then Fuel and propulsion system (86) and Powertrain (63). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Patriot has 120 complaints, 9 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Jeep Patriot. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall seat belts, pretensioner 2016-09-15 · NHTSA campaign 16V668000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. 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.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Recall air bags, side and window 2013-06-04 · NHTSA campaign 13V233000
Summary Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
Recall Fuel system, gasoline 2013-04-03 · NHTSA campaign 13V120000
Summary Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012 Jeep Patriot and Compass vehicles manufactured October 18, 2011, through May 7, 2012. 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.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank transfer tube free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 30, 2013. Owners were notified by Chrysler on July 19, 2013, that parts are now available. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N17.
Recall gasoline fuel system, storage, tank 2012-04-03 · NHTSA campaign 12V142000
Summary CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 JEEP PATRIOT AND COMPASS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 17, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 2, 2012. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY CONTAINING A DAMAGED ROLL-OVER VALVE.
Remedy CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 25, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Complaints by component (354 total)

Engine
114
Fuel and propulsion system
86
Powertrain
63
Air bags
57
Electrical system
44
Seat belts
37
Speed control
29
Fuel system, gasoline
15
Structure
14
Electronic stability control (ESC)
12
Suspension
12
Steering
11
Service brakes
7
Exterior lighting
6
Engine and engine cooling
5
Wheels
4
Tires
3
Seats
2
Fuel system, other
1
Interior lighting
1
Visibility
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1201130201233201322201424201522201661201736201851201925202016202111202292023220247202542026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V668000 (Seat Belts, Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken…"
    Air bags, Seat belts · filed 2026-08-26
  • "Certified dealership service department omitted structural safety complaints from official service invoices, left vital diagnostic findings and performance metrics off paperwork tracking paths, cleared a compromised…"
    Suspension, Powertrain · filed 2026-07-14
  • "I was crossing an intersection with a green light the opposing vehicle ran the northbound red light therefore slammed into my driver rear side going at an unknown speed. The force of the impact caused my glasses to fly…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-02-14
  • "The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that on several occasions, while attempting to refuel the vehicle, the gas pump shut off and only worked manually. The vehicle was taken to an independent…"
    Fuel system, gasoline · filed 2026-01-09
  • "Car dies as I’m driving wiring issue"
    Electrical system, Exterior lighting · filed 2025-12-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Jeep Patriot SUV 2WD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2012 Jeep Patriot SUV 4WD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Patriot two-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $2800
Patriot two-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Front-wheel drive 23 28 25 MPG $2600
Patriot two-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Front-wheel drive 23 29 25 MPG $2600
Patriot two-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 23 27 24 MPG $2700
Patriot four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Manual 5-speed Four-wheel drive 22 27 24 MPG $2700
Patriot four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Four-wheel drive 21 25 23 MPG $2800
Patriot four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Four-wheel drive 20 23 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

MK74 generation, 2012–2018
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-20 (2.0L and 2.4L) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 215/65R17 (typical)
Towing capacity 2,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 16V668000. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. 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. If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.

Compare

Next year 2013 Jeep Patriot See every Jeep Patriot model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot reliable?

Owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Patriot over 15 years — 29 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Patriot years here — over the median of the other years, which is 17. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Pretensioner, Side and window, and Fuel system, gasoline.

What are common problems with a 2012 Jeep Patriot?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (114 of 354), then Fuel and propulsion system (86) and Powertrain (63). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Jeep Patriot more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Patriot has 120 complaints, 9 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Jeep Patriot been recalled?

The 2012 Jeep Patriot has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Jeep Patriot?

Owners have filed 354 complaints about the 2012 Jeep Patriot with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Jeep Patriot get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Jeep Patriot is 23.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Patriot take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner’s manual.

What generation is the 2015 Jeep Patriot?

MK74 generation (2012-2018) for the US years this site tracks.

What tire size does a Jeep Patriot commonly use?

A typical US fit on this generation is 215/65R17.