Used car guide · 2007–2011

Jeep Patriot common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Jeep Patriot, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 4,009 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

4,009MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
2,030on the UK register
2008best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20112010200920082007

What usually goes wrong with a Jeep Patriot?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Jeep Patriot in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Jeep Patriot MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Sub-frame

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Steering rack inner joints

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Ball joint

    up to 2.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 2.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2010.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

Diesel

  • Sub-frame

    up to 3.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Ball joint

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Jeep Patriot MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2008 Jeep Patriot did best (50% passed first time, 7 points below all 2008 cars) and the 2010 did worst (48%, 12 points below all 2010 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201151%62% -11646
201048%60% -121,118
200950%59% -9642
200850%57% -71,223
200747%57% -10380 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Jeep Patriot

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the ball joint? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the Jeep Patriot as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the Jeep Patriot as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the track rod ends? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the Jeep Patriot as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Jeep Patriot?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score