Used Jeep Patriot Buying Guide: 2007-2017 Gearboxes, Recalls and Checks

If you're shopping a used Jeep Patriot, decide on the transmission before you fall for the boxy looks: the 2007-2017 Patriot came with a CVT, a five-speed manual or, on later cars, a six-speed automatic, and they drive and wear differently. Then run the VIN for the air bag control module recall that covers 2010-2014 Patriots, and on a 2014 with the 2.4, check the balance shaft recall, because that one can end with a dead engine.

I went through NHTSA's recall API for every Patriot year, the EPA's fueleconomy.gov listings and Car and Driver's 2017 page on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Two things to know before you read on. The Patriot was dropped after 2017, so every one is a used car now, and the API returned no records when I queried 2007, 2008 and 2017 by year, even though NHTSA's product list shows Patriot recalls exist for them. Run the actual VIN, don't trust a blank year.

What the Patriot is, and what it isn't

The Patriot is a small, cheap, upright SUV, and it shares so many recall campaigns with the Compass of the same years that you can treat the two as close relatives. Car and Driver's 2017 Patriot page lists a 158-hp 2.0-liter or a 172-hp 2.4-liter four, a choice of five-speed manual, six-speed automatic or CVT, front drive as standard and all-wheel drive as an option, and a combined EPA range of 22 to 25 mpg. C/D's summary is short: the Patriot is no joy ride, but the styling recalls classic Jeeps.

The gearbox matters for mileage too. The EPA's figures for a 2016 Patriot 4WD with the 2.4 and five-speed manual are 22 city, 27 highway and 24 combined, while the six-speed automatic is rated 20/25/22 and the CVT 20/23/21. So the CVT 4WD car is the thirstiest of the three, which surprises people.

If you're torn between this and its twin, our used Jeep Compass buying guide covers the sibling and how it differs. And if you want a small Jeep with a more modern cabin and safety tech, the used Jeep Renegade guide is the next stop.

Patriot recalls to clear by VIN

• 16V668, 2010-2014: the occupant restraint control module may short circuit, so the front air bags, seat belt pretensioners and side air bags might not deploy in a crash. According to the NHTSA record, interim letters went out October 26, 2016, and the recall itself began August 15, 2017. Dealers replace the module.
• 13V233, 2010-2012: a software error could delay or prevent pretensioner and side air bag deployment on Patriots and Compasses built May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The fix is a software update.
• 13V552, 2014 with the 2.4: abrasive debris in the balance shaft bearings can cause a loss of oil pressure, possibly an engine stall or engine failure. The remedy is a replacement balance shaft module.
• 2012 fuel system recalls: 12V142 replaces fuel tanks that may have a damaged roll-over valve (a narrow build window around the 2011 holidays), and 13V120 replaces a fuel transfer tube that can interrupt fuel flow and stall the engine.
• Other single-year campaigns: 08V528 (2009, a powertrain control module circuit board that can break, 712 vehicles), 11V315 (2011, a missing or misinstalled steering column pivot rivet), 15V878 (2015, a power steering hose clamp in the wrong spot) and 16V907 (2016, a crank or cam sensor connector that can stall the engine).

Every one of these is free at a Jeep dealer. On a cheap Patriot, though, sellers often have no idea whether the air bag module was ever replaced, and "I think it was done" isn't an answer. Ask the dealer service desk to look the VIN up, or check it yourself.

How to check a used Patriot properly

First match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title. Our Jeep VIN decoder post walks through the positions, and NHTSA's vPIC decoder will confirm engine size and drive type, which helps when a listing calls a front-drive 2.0 a "4x4." Then follow our Jeep recall check by VIN walkthrough and search NMVTIS for salvage or junk brands. On the test drive, a CVT that drones and flares on hills, or a manual that grinds into second, tells you more than the seller will.

Then pay for a real history report rather than taking a texted screenshot; a cheap SUV is exactly where we see rebuilt titles and odometer gaps that someone cropped out. CarVins is a licensed reseller of CARFAX and AutoCheck reports, and we aren't affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Jeep. As of mid October 2026, expect about $5.50 per report as a guest, roughly $4.50 as a member, or about $6.75 for both together, versus retail that usually sits between $39.99 and $44.99. The total at checkout is the one that counts.

Sources

• Car and Driver: 2017 Jeep Patriot
• fueleconomy.gov: 2016 Patriot 4WD 2.4 manual (automatic and CVT ratings on the same site)
• NHTSA recalls 16V668 and 13V552; other campaigns from the recallsByVehicle API, read Oct. 17, 2026
• NHTSA vPIC and NMVTIS