2016 Jeep Compass Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Compass years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 293 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Jeep Compass. That ranks 4th out of 20 Compass model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (135 complaints, 46%), typically at around 55,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 2 fires, 15 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 293owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 135 | 46% | 55,000 | “chrysler dodge” (7%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 62 | 21% | 57,000 | “traction control” (8%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 47 | 16% | 62,253 | — | — |
| Power Train | 44 | 15% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 | 10% | 52,338 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 9% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 16 | 5% | 55,213 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 5% | 55,213 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 15 | 5% | 50,313 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 13 | 4% | 32,900 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 4% | 52,600 | — | — |
| Seats | 10 | 3% | 81,190 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 3% | 17,115 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 2% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 2% | 17,800 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 1% | 45,475 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 12,532 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 600 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Jeep Compass recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.
Risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft or camshaft sensor connector, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S89.
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.
- Stall from Crankshaft\Camshaft Failure (RQ22002) — opened Jul 22, 2022, closed Jun 16, 2025.
- Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment (PE19014) — opened Sep 9, 2019, closed Feb 25, 2026.
- Electrical overstress (EA19001) — opened Apr 19, 2019, closed Sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V024.
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 contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V907000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in…
Component: Engine / Electrical System / Power Train VIN [XXX] Description of Safety Defect: The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of engine power and completely shut off while traveling at highway speeds. This total engine failure disabled the vehicle on an active highway, forcing an…
Spontaneous deployment of passengers headrest . A safety system defect causing passengers concerned discomfort ! Plastic mechanism failure CANNOT be repaired. Headrest must be replaced by Jeep covered regarding the safety & security of their customers. Headrest deployed problem encountered has been…
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate, shuddered, and the air conditioner was inoperative, and the vehicle coasted before coming to a complete stop. The…
Since purchasing this vehicle in 2022 the crankshaft position sensor has been replaced 4 times (twice by the dealer in 2022, once in 2023 and once in 2024) and now it is dying while driving once again with the check engine light indicating that it is once again the crankshaft position sensor
Other Jeep Compass years
← 2015 Compass · 2017 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 | 293 | 1 |
| 2015 Compass | 113 | 1 |
| 2014 Compass | 307 | 2 |
| 2013 Compass | 80 | 1 |
| 2012 Compass | 184 | 4 |
| 2011 Compass | 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 2016 Jeep Compass?
Owners most often report engine, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 135 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Jeep Compass?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 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 2016 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.