Jeep Patriot: Brake lights won't turn off.

look at the brake pedal. the switch might be bad.

I just had this same EXACT issue. The problem is, on the break pedal hinge, when pressing the break in, there is a little nipple that gets released from this little plastic box. I pressed my break in by hand and realized the nipple was stuck and didn't release from the box. I messed with the nipple and it popped right out. Looks like the grease gunked up and kept the nipple in. I'm going to take it in to get serviced and I better NOT have to pay a single dime for their shit design and part. I just lost all my confidence in Jeep / Dodge / Chrystler... This is HORRIBLE design. What if I slammed on my break to avoid something and the nipple got stuck (no break lights) with shitty drivers that are always tailgating... Would be a SERIOUS accident. If this ever happens to me, I would sue the living crap out Jeep for negligence and poor design.

JRSP, that nipple and box thingy is a brake light switch, the exact same thing that has been turning brake lights on and of for 60+ years, every car and truck on the road has one, and they are a 20 dollar part, replace it and you done. there is nothing wrong with the design, sucks that yours doesn't work properly.

Neil, actually, I own 3 cars that do not have the brake pedal switch. Prior to 1967 (dual master cylinder required that year) many cars had a pressure switch in the brake line to control the brake lights. It was not as responsive as the pedal switch and I have seen those go bad as well. The current setup is good, but let's face it, Chrysler (Jeep) does not put the quality in their components. Things on my old Toyota and Honda lasted 2X as long as my domestic brand cars of the same era. My friend has a Patriot and I am amazed at how often it needs repairs, and it has low miles. She bought an older Toyota and gave the Patriot to her son. He recently rubbed up against a car in a parking lot and it scratched the other car's paint, but tor the whole bumper and grille half off the Patriot. Just a few screws and plastic fasteners holding it together! I reattached it using fender washers under the screws where it tore the plastic, and new plastic fasteners. Jeep tough it ain't!!! Now the brake lights are staying on and draining the battery. the brake switch works fine, but the bracket on the pedal only depresses it I/8 inch. I can push it in by hand. I do not see any adjustment on the switch as with a Chrysler product van I repaired for a friend years ago. Either a pad is missing from the bracket or it was always this way and the switch is just not as sensitive as it once was. I do not dare just change the switch as the alignment/ travel problem will still exist. Hate to just bend the bracket. Will investigate if something is missing, may have to do some re-engineering, something that seems to be common with today's cars which suffer reoccurring problems due to engineering flaws.