2011 Jeep Compass Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Compass years
- More complaints than other years 8th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Jeep Compass. That ranks 8th out of 20 Compass model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (37 complaints, 20%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 188owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Jeep Compass problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 37 | 20% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 30 | 16% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 27 | 14% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 27 | 14% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 23 | 12% | 98,250 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 20 | 11% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 19 | 10% | 55,250 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 9% | 48,608 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 7% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 11 | 6% | 82,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 5% | 3,800 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 8 | 4% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 4% | 49,611 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 3% | 90,317 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 2% | 74,519 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 2% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 2% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 2% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 4,726 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 12,098 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 3,600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Jeep Compass recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags; seat belts:pretensioner; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Electrical system:software; seat belts; air bags:side/window
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.
Risk: In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
Steering:column
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2011dodge journey, jeep wrangler, chrysler 200, chrysler 200 convertible, dodge avenger, dodge nitro, jeep liberty, dodge caliber, jeep compass, jeep patriot, dodge grand caravan and chrysler town & country vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been built with a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet.
Risk: A missing or incorrectly installed rivet could compromise the ability of the steering column to support the occupant loads in the event of a frontal crash, decreasing the effectiveness of the frontal impact safety system. As a result, the condition may increase the potential for injury in a frontal crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for rivet presence and alignment and repair the steering column pivot as required, free of charge. The safety recall began on july 4, 2011. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment (PE19014) — opened Sep 9, 2019, closed Feb 25, 2026.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The crossmebers front and rear were rusted to where the back broke and made the car unsafe and unable to drive
[XXX] [XXX] , [XXX] [XXX] 2/7/26 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally express my concern regarding ongoing, critical safety issues with my vehicle, which have been increasingly dangerous while driving. These issues appear to be interconnected and involve multiple components, including…
The vehicle pulls when Iâm driving it and the transmission over heats if I go over 80 and turns off.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving over a railroad track at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and was difficult the steer. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the front subframe had failed due to severe…
The vehicle shuts off while driving at any speed. Steering locks and will not allow driver to pull over to safety.
Other Jeep Compass years
← 2010 Compass · 2012 Compass →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Compass | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 Compass | 27 | 0 |
| 2024 Compass | 53 | 0 |
| 2023 Compass | 46 | 2 |
| 2022 Compass | 224 | 4 |
| 2021 Compass | 81 | 0 |
| 2020 Compass | 143 | 1 |
| 2019 Compass | 330 | 2 |
| 2018 Compass | 944 | 6 |
| 2017 Compass | 229 | 4 |
| 2016 Compass | 293 | 1 |
| 2015 Compass | 113 | 1 |
| 2014 Compass | 307 | 2 |
| 2013 Compass | 80 | 1 |
| 2012 Compass | 184 | 4 |
| 2011 | 188 | 3 |
| 2010 Compass | 71 | 2 |
| 2009 Compass | 44 | 1 |
| 2008 Compass | 93 | 0 |
| 2007 Compass | 259 | 3 |
See all Jeep Compass problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Jeep Compass?
Owners most often report power train, engine, suspension problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Jeep Compass?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Jeep Compass a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Compass model years, the 2011 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.