Jeep Compass Problems by Year
NHTSA has 3,714 owner complaints and 27 safety recalls on file for the Jeep Compass, across 20 model years (2007–2026). The 2018 model year has the most complaints (944). The most reported problem area overall is engine.
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Jeep Compass years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Compass year: 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2018 Compass: 944 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2019 Compass: 330 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2014 Compass: 307 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Compass: 5 complaints, 1 recall
- 2025 Compass: 27 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2009 Compass: 44 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Jeep Compass problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 1,248 | 19 | 18 |
| Electrical System problems | 1,077 | 20 | 14 |
| Power Train problems | 529 | 19 | 23 |
| Air Bags problems | 273 | 19 | 66 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 269 | 20 | 2 |
| Suspension problems | 235 | 17 | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 216 | 20 | 13 |
| Service Brakes problems | 213 | 19 | 18 |
| Steering problems | 203 | 19 | 13 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 167 | 16 | 0 |
| Structure problems | 162 | 16 | 15 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance problems | 153 | 15 | 7 |
| Seat Belts problems | 148 | 15 | 12 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems | 118 | 14 | 2 |
| Seats | 74 | 12 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 69 | 11 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 52 | 13 | 3 |
| Lane Departure | 51 | 8 | 5 |
| Wheels | 45 | 15 | 5 |
| Back Over Prevention | 27 | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 26 | 9 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 9 | 0 |
| Visibility | 20 | 9 | 0 |
| Tires | 19 | 8 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other/unknown | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Jeep Compass problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2022: electrical system (104) · exterior lighting (50)
- 2020: engine (79) · electrical system (66)
- 2019: engine (161) · electrical system (143)
- 2018: engine (473) · electrical system (377) · power train (151) · exterior lighting (64) · fuel/propulsion system (63) · service brakes (61)
- 2017: electrical system (86) · engine (71)
- 2016: engine (135) · electrical system (62)
- 2014: air bags (91) · engine (91) · seat belts (53)
- 2007: suspension (80)
All Jeep Compass model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Compass | 5 | 1 | 4★ | Electrical System | |
| 2025 Compass | 27 | 0 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Compass | 53 | 0 | 4★ | Forward Collision Avoidance | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Compass | 46 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Compass | 224 | 4 | 4★ | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2021 Compass | 81 | 0 | 4★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Compass | 143 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2019 Compass | 330 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 Compass | 944 | 6 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2017 Compass | 229 | 4 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2016 Compass | 293 | 1 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2015 Compass | 113 | 1 | — | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 Compass | 307 | 2 | 4★ | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Compass | 80 | 1 | 3★ | Power Train | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Compass | 184 | 4 | — | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 Compass | 188 | 3 | — | Power Train | More complaints than other years |
| 2010 Compass | 71 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Compass | 44 | 1 | — | Suspension | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Compass | 93 | 0 | — | Structure | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2007 Compass | 259 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Jeep: all Jeep models · Jeep VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Compass years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2007 (259), 2014 (307), 2016 (293), 2017 (229), 2018 (944), 2019 (330) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Compass year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Jeep Compass?
Engine, with 1,248 complaints across 19 model years.
How many recalls does the Jeep Compass have?
27 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.