Takata recall, vehicle owner took vehicle to local garage to have shifter cable replaced, tech opened hood to disconnect battery heard a click and then a load noise, looked in car and found all air bags in seats, seat belts and roof had deployed, ran VIN and found that the takata airbag recall was never completed.
2013 Jeep Patriot airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Jeep Patriot have filed 32 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
32
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 Patriot | 5 |
| 2010 Patriot | 23 |
| 2011 Patriot | 40 |
| 2012 Patriot | 50 |
| 2013 Patriot (this page) | 32 |
| 2014 Patriot | 140 |
| 2015 Patriot | 18 |
| 2016 Patriot | 31 |
| 2017 Patriot | 7 |
5crashes
5injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 32 airbags complaints filed for the 2013 Jeep Patriot, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 32 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Airbags accounts for 27% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 7 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 Jeep Patriot has a critical Takata airbag defect tied to recall S61, issued September 2016. The problem is a shorting condition in the occupant restraint controller that can prevent airbags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying in crashes. Owners report multiple failures: airbags not deploying at impact speeds of 10–45 mph, leaving occupants with only seat belts for protection and resulting in chest, head, neck, and back injuries. One case involved a driver-side airbag deploying upward instead of outward, and another featured both side airbags deploying spontaneously during normal driving over rough terrain with no collision.
The broader problem is that recall remedy parts have been chronically unavailable. Since September 2016, owners have waited months to over a year with no fix and no estimated completion date from the manufacturer. Dealers confirm parts remain on backorder. Owners expressed fear of transporting family members, including children, in vehicles they cannot repair. One case documented all airbags deploying spontaneously when a technician disconnected the battery for routine service, revealing the recall was never completed and the system remains electrically unstable. A dealership also misled one owner, claiming an illuminated airbag warning light was just a bad sensor with no safety concern, when the underlying defect posed deployment risk.
Same Jeep Patriot airbags reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Takata ORC Shorting Condition – Non-Deployment
The occupant restraint controller experiences a negative voltage transient via front impact sensor wires, causing potential loss of airbag and seat belt pretensioner deployment capability in crash events. Owners report airbags failing to deploy in actual collisions at speeds ranging from 10 to 45 mph, resulting in occupant injuries despite impact severity that should have triggered deployment.
When: At impact; multiple incidents reported across various mileages including 21,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags do not deploy in frontal or angled collisions; Seat belt pretensioners fail to deploy; No airbag activation despite adequate crash forces
Repairs/costs cited: Occupant restraint controller replacement required per recall S61; however, as of the complaint dates (2016–2017), replacement parts were chronically unavailable from the manufacturer, leaving vehicles unrepaired for months to years.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall S61 issued September 13, 2016 (NHTSA Campaign 16V668000). In some cases, manufacturer stated crash speed was insufficient to trigger deployment and claimed no failure occurred. Recall remedy remained incomplete; parts were on backorder indefinitely with no estimated availability date provided to dealers or owners.
Airbag Deployment Anomalies – Unintended or Asymmetric Deployment
Driver side airbag deployed upward rather than outward during frontal collision. Separately, both side airbags (driver and passenger) deployed spontaneously during normal driving after vehicle struck raised earth on road shoulder at low speed (45 mph evasive maneuver, no collision).
When: Driver-side airbag at 35 mph frontal impact; spontaneous deployment at 45 mph while maneuvering over terrain
Symptoms owners cite: Driver side airbag inflates upward instead of horizontally outward; Passenger side airbag fails to deploy in frontal crash; Both side airbags deploy without collision impact (terrain interaction trigger)
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle deemed destroyed after collision; no repair attempted. Spontaneous deployment case not documented as repaired.
Airbag System Parts Shortage – Recall Remedy Unavailable
Replacement occupant restraint controller parts for recall S61 were chronically unavailable from the manufacturer. Owners received recall notices (as early as September 2016) but dealers could not schedule repairs because parts remained on backorder indefinitely. Owners faced extended delays—often 6 months to over a year—with no estimated completion date. Multiple owners expressed fear of driving family members (especially children) in the vehicle due to the unrepaired Takata defect.
When: Recall notices issued September 2016; parts remained unavailable through mid-2017 and beyond
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to schedule recall repair due to parts unavailability; No estimated date provided by manufacturer for part availability; Owners unable to determine when vehicle would be repaired; Multiple follow-up contacts to dealer and manufacturer yielded no resolution
Repairs/costs cited: Occupant restraint controller replacement required but parts not available; one owner mentioned dealer offering a tentative buyback as alternative when repair parts could not be sourced.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall S61 issued with interim notice indicating parts not currently available and follow-up notice would be sent when available. No specific delivery date was ever communicated. One manufacturer case manager was assigned, but no timeline was provided. Manufacturer advised waiting for future parts availability without committing to a date.
Airbag Warning Light – Non-Deployment Risk
Airbag warning light illuminated on instrument panel. Dealership incorrectly advised that the sensor was 'bad' but safe to drive with. Owner proceeded to drive vehicle without repair, unaware of underlying Takata defect that could prevent deployment in a crash.
When: September 2014
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership stated bad sensor could be replaced but advised no danger; no repair was performed.
Spontaneous Airbag Deployment During Service
While technician was disconnecting the vehicle battery to replace a shifter cable, all airbags (seat-mounted, seat belt, and roof airbags) deployed spontaneously. Investigation found the Takata recall (S61) had never been completed on the vehicle.
When: During routine maintenance (shifter cable replacement); no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: All airbags deploy while technician is servicing vehicle; Deployment triggered by battery disconnection
Repairs/costs cited: Recall S61 was never performed on the vehicle; spontaneous deployment indicates electrical instability in the restraint system as described in the recall.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Takata recall S61 never completed on this vehicle.
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Drivers side headrest deployed while I was driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Jeep patriot. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v668000 (air bags, seat belts); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms…
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 Jeep patriot. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact was involved in a crash on the front driver side. The driver side air bag deployed upward, rather than outward. The passenger side air bag did not deploy. A police report was filed. Minor injuries were sustained and medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to an independent dealer and deemed…
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 Jeep Patriot?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2013 Jeep Patriot?
It's a meaningful issue. 32 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 32 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 73,441 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Jeep/Patriot.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.