09 Jeep Patriot - Subframe, steering gear rusted; front and rear struts leaking
Repair estimate is at least $4,307. Trade-in value is not much more, especially in this condition, and I can't afford another car. Is it safe to drive for awhile?

Addressing an area where it fell below many of its competitors, the 2009 Jeep Patriot gets an updated, more refined interior this year. The redecorating includes a padded door armrest, softer and higher-grade plastic materials, illuminated gauges and cupholders, and smoother seams overall. A new center console with a split lid offers more storage than last year's makeshift iPod holder. Chrome accents dress up the shifter, door trim, and vents.
Other additions include a removable and reversible cargo floor, washable on one side and carpeted on the other. An optional UConnect system bundles real-time traffic navigation with a 30-gigabyte hard drive that plays movies and a wireless cellphone link. On the performance side, extra insulation around the engine and better exhaust resonators supposedly will reduce the irritating engine noise produced by the struggling four-cylinder engines. A retuned suspension improves ride comfort.
The rugged, retro 2009 Patriot comes standard with front-wheel drive, with the option to add two different all-wheel-drive systems. The full-time Freedom-Drive I lacks low-range gearing and is intended for slippery conditions and bad weather, while the Freedom-Drive II Offroad Group Package comes trail-rated. Low-range gearing, locking differentials, skid plates, 1 inch more ground clearance, and all-terrain tires provide superior backroad capability. This Jeep can go anywhere, up uneven rocky climbs (thanks to a Continuously Variable Transaxle) or through streams (thanks to body sealing).
Powering both the Sport and Limited trims is a 16-valve, 2.4-liter DOHC inline-four engine, pushing 172 hp, paired with either a 5-speed manual or CVT transmission. As a compact SUV, its 23/28 fuel economy impresses owners and critics. An optional 158-hp 2.0-liter inline-four improves fuel economy slightly with its variable valve timing. The entry-level Sport comes with basic features, such as a CD/MP3 player, tilt steering, and an anti-theft system, but moving up the to Limited increases equipment considerably, adding power accessories, heated leather seats, and wheel-mounted audio controls. The spacious interior offers plenty of leg and headroom for front and backseat passengers, with a high ride height that provides good visibility for drivers.
Rear seats split-fold 60/40, and the front passenger seat also folds flat, for up to 54.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which makes up for the minimal interior storage compartments. Roof rails are also included. In the Limited, a handy rechargeable lamp in the cargo area doubles as a flashlight in case of emergency. Combining its rugged versatility, ample SUV-like cargo and passenger space, affordable pricetag, and high fuel economy ratings make the 2009 Patriot easy to transition from family car to weekend adventurer. Getting beyond the weak engine and its noisy struggles with acceleration may be its only major challenge.
Repair estimate is at least $4,307. Trade-in value is not much more, especially in this condition, and I can't afford another car. Is it safe to drive for awhile?
Right rear turn signal does not blink. I have replaced the bulb. The brake light works but not the turn signal. The front right turn signal bulb blinks. What do I need to check now.
Went to have the oil changed was told I had a valve gasket leak. replaced the valve gaskets and the cover. a fuse to the starter blew replaced the fuse the car will not start. I have a new starter, alternator, battery and battery cables also a new electrical switch. lights and everything comes on was making a clicking sound now no sound at all help
dash lights all ok, battery ok, starter replaced 2 years ago. Tried both keys, no clicking sounds when key is turned . Is there a class action suit regarding electrical issues ? Any suggestions ?
Hi everyone. So I just bought a 2009 Jeep Patriot. Ive had it for a couple of weeks now and it was running totally fine. But earlier today after I got home from work, I forgot I had to run the rent money to my landlord's office. So I hopped back in my Jeep and turned the key. As I did so, I noticed that the start was much more rough than I remembered [or noticed] before. After the initial rough start, the jeep runs fine. I haven't ran voltage tests on it yet but I soon plan to when I get the meter for it. I did this a couple more times over and over and the "roughness" persisted. It hasn't died on me yet. The motor only has 45k on it and I haven't done anything strenuous with it yet. I'm curious if this is a common problem with my make and model or if this is something like a starter issue or battery issue. Please help! I'm frustrated at the thought that my new car is already starting to cause me problems... GRRR!
Air Conditioning
Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · 6 disc CD/DVD in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Boston Acoustics premium brand speakers · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: Sirius ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.5 · Front brake width: 1.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 9.0 · Rear brakes: drum
Comfort Features
Armrests: dual front · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front and rear · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ashtray: with lighter · Assist handle: passenger side · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): 12V · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: door pockets · Vanity mirrors: dual
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: manual
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 4.12
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps · Battery: 525 CCA
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: accent color · Door handle color: black · Grille color: body-color · Paint: pearl · Pickup tonneau cover: soft · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
Instrumentation
Warnings and reminders: coolant temperature warning
Locks
Power door locks: speed sensitive central locking
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: manual · Inside rearview mirror: auto-dimming with microphone
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Roof
Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rack color: black · Sunroof: one-touch
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat folding: folds flat · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: cloth
Spare Tire
Size: temporary
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: coil over shock · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Tires
Type: all terrain
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: with washer
Air Conditioning
Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · 6 disc CD/DVD in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Boston Acoustics premium brand speakers · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: Sirius ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.5 · Front brake width: 1.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 10.3 · Rear brake width: 0.39 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: dual front · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front and rear · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ashtray: with lighter · Assist handle: passenger side · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): 12V · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Vanity mirrors: dual
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: manual
Drivetrain
4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 4.12 · Locking differential: center
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps · Battery: maintenance-free
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: accent color · Door handle color: black · Grille color: body-color · Paint: pearl · Pickup tonneau cover: soft · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
Instrumentation
Warnings and reminders: low fuel level
Locks
Power door locks: speed sensitive central locking
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: folding · Inside rearview mirror: auto-dimming with microphone
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Roof
Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rails: black · Sunroof: one-touch
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat folding: folds flat · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: cloth
Spare Tire
Size: temporary
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: coil over shock · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheels: aluminum
Wheels
Width: 6.5
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: with washer
Air Conditioning
Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · 6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Boston Acoustics premium brand speakers · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: Sirius ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 4
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.5 · Front brake width: 1.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 10.3 · Rear brake width: 0.39 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: dual front · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ashtray: with lighter · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cupholders: front · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): 12V · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: door pockets · Vanity mirrors: dual
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: manual
Drivetrain
Axle ratio: 4.12
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps · Battery: maintenance-free
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: chrome · Door handle color: black · Grille color: body-color · Paint: pearl · Pickup tonneau cover: soft · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
Instrumentation
Warnings and reminders: low fuel level
Lights
Headlights: Auto on
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power folding · Inside rearview mirror: auto-dimming with microphone
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Roof
Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rack color: chrome · Sunroof: one-touch
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat folding: folds flat · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat manual adjustments: reclining · Upholstery: leather
Spare Tire
Size: temporary
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: coil over shock · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: with washer
Air Conditioning
Single front air conditioning zones
Airbags
Dual front airbags · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags
Audio System
Antenna Type: mast · 6 disc in-dash CD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Boston Acoustics premium brand speakers · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: Sirius ready · 1 subwoofer · Total Number of Speakers: 6
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel · Front brake diameter: 11.5 · Front brake width: 1.0 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 10.3 · Rear brake width: 0.39 · Rear brakes: disc
Comfort Features
Armrests: dual front · Floor Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Steering wheel trim: leather
Convenience Features
Ashtray: with lighter · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Multi-function remote: keyless entry · One-touch windows: 1 · Power outlet(s): 12V · Reading lights: front · Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Vanity mirrors: dual
Driver Seat
Adjustable lumbar support: manual
Drivetrain
4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 4.12 · Locking differential: center
Engine
Alternator: 120 amps · Battery: 525 CCA
Exterior Features
Body side moldings: chrome · Door handle color: black · Grille color: body-color · Paint: pearl · Pickup tonneau cover: soft · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate
Headrests
Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2
Instrumentation
Warnings and reminders: low oil pressure
Lights
Headlights: Auto off
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power folding · Inside rearview mirror: auto-dimming with microphone
Rear Seats
Type: 60-40 split bench
Roof
Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rails: silver · Sunroof: one-touch
Seatbelts
Emergency locking retractors: front and rear · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Seatbelt warning sensor: driver and passenger · Second row seatbelts: 3-point
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Heated: front seats · Passenger seat folding: folds flat · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: split · Upholstery: leather
Spare Tire
Size: temporary
Suspension
Front Arm Type: lower control arms · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: MacPherson struts · Rear Shock Type: coil over shock · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: multi-link · Stabilizer bar(s): rear
Tires
Type: all season
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Wheels
Width: 6.5
Windows
Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: fixed · Rear wiper: with washer