Over several weeks I had been smelling something burning upon exiting my Patriot. Finally I noticed my rear bumper was misshapen. It was melting! my local car service shop took a look and figured out my exhaust pipe had moved and lodged into my bumper. All the heat melted the bumper. I'm honestly surprised there wasn't a fire started. The man who looked at my Patriot told me this is a very common issue with Jeep.

- Bear Lake, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated that every time it rained, the driver's side floorboards became flooded with water. The vehicle was taken to quality motors (2022 w main St, independence, ks 67301) where the dealer stated that the factory should have sealed the vehicle properly. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where the technicians were unable to fully seal the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

- Independence, KS, USA

Driving at 70 mph, interstate 57, near marion, Illinois. Driver alerted by passing vehicle. Driver immediately pulled off the highway onto shoulder when driver saw flames coming from rear of vehicle. When stopped, all people exited vehicle. Driver and Navigator immediately began trying to put out flames coming from rear hatch area. With the aid of several passing motorists, flames were nearly put out by the time the fire department arrived on scene. Police were immediately there, before fire department. Lost most of the clothing and camping equipment that were riding in the plastic storage containers in the bumper-mounted hitch carrier. When we first stopped, flames were shooting out and melting plastic body panels and plastic bumper parts, and plastic rear wiper parts, and plastic storage containers in the hitch carrier. Standing behind vehicle, flames seemed to originate from the lower right hand bumper area, and spread rapidly up and over the rear of the vehicle, smoking and melting everything plastic. Driver & Navigator suffered minor burns on hands of the kind caused from various melting plastics. By some miracle, the gas tank did not explode. Damage seemed extensive but confined to rear 1/4 of vehicle. Vehicle was drivable, but deemed unsafe to move under it's own power. So up on a tow vehicle to a repair facility it went. At this writing, damage assessment/repair is taking place. Outcome unknown, but probably grim.

- Houston, TX, USA