KnownCarProblems2018 Jeep Compass Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 945 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Compass, most often about the engine (51% of complaints, typically around 20,000 miles). It is the most complained-about Compass model year since 2000 and has 6 recalls.
Most common 2018 Jeep Compass problems
Engine
481 complaints · 51%Half of these problems showed up before 20,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine.
Was driving and went to turn and the Jeep turned off with no warning. It took me a minute for it to start again. The next day I was turning onto the highway and the Jeep did the same thing. I'm lucky that there was an area for me to be able to coast into on the side off the road or I could have been in a serious…
When vehicle is in motion it will stall. This has happened on four separate occasions where I was stranded in the middle of the road amidst traffic, in intersections, and once on a freeway. On one occasion I was braking to stop at an off ramp of an interstate. Another time I was turning on a residential street. The…
Electrical
378 complaints · 40%Half of these problems showed up before 21,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, propulsion system, wiring, body control module/bcm.
2018 Jeep Compass shut off while driving, it has happened twice since purchase nine months ago. I was on a city street both times and in motion.
I lease my 2018 Jeep Compass. On four occasions the car has stalled and not been able to operate. Two of the stalling has been in traffic while the car was in motion (highway and intersection). Everytime I take the car in for service the dealership can't duplicate the problem. It did stall again at the dealership so I…
Other or unspecified
194 complaints · 21%Half of these problems showed up before 16,000 miles.
Radio has white lines going down and makes it impossible to see the screen. This is a big issue because it controls lighting of the vehicle climate and most important the rear back camera for when backing up. More than 3 months since I took it for warranty and still no answer from Jeep
I was at a stop light when my auto stop came on. When I let off the brake the car did start back up. I finally got it to start after a minute. Soon after I was approaching a stop sign and the car automatically initiated my emergency brake before I even fully stopped. Another issue occurred after starting my car up my…
Transmission
151 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 21,000 miles. Parts named most often: driveline.
Computer message in the car information screen stated shifter service as I was turning on the car. Currently there hasn't been a recall on this item but according to the research there needs to be on set up. Everytime I attempt to accelerate there is a delay also upon braking just a tip jerks the whole vehicle.
While driving my car and making a turn on a busy intersection in chicago my car completely shut off. It appears to be on, but I cannot accelerate. I turn the car off, there's a stall before my car completely restarts. No lights have come on at all. When the car finally comes back on, the emergency brake is activated…
Brakes
67 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 16,500 miles. Parts named most often: brake fluid low warning.
I have had the car a year and the emergency brake randomly comes on by itself without having to push the emergency brake button. It usually happens when in reverse or just cranking the vehicle. Also tonight my radio and usb port completely turned off like I had turned my car off, while I was going down the road at 70…
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the electronic parking brake failed and caused the brake to stop the vehicle without warning. The vehicle was taken to weststar autoplex (401-403 interstate 20 frontage rd, monohans, tx 79756) where an unknown module was replaced; however, the failure…
Lights
64 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 0 miles. Parts named most often: headlights.
Instrument panel lighting fails to dim properly at night causing difficulty seeing at night due to the brightness of the display. I am able to get the display to be tricked into going into "night mode" if the display light sensor has no light at vehicle startup with headlights on. At any time if the sensor is exposed…
After starting car and driving emergency break engages and car shuts off while in motion. Upon turning off, "low oil pressure" warning comes up for less than 3 seconds and then disappears.. And engine stays off. Takes about 5-7 minutes for car to turn back on. This has occurred multiple times while driving on…
Fuel system
64 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 17,500 miles.
Vehicle burns through oil at a rapid rate with no warning indicators. Once the oil reaches a critical level the engine shuts down with no warning. Dealership called this "limp mode" third oil change I checked the level for safety. 1000 miles to go before my next oil change and the engine is down 2 quarts.
The Jeep has an issue....when I back into my drive way in reverse the car will sometimes roll forward....really unsure what this is about but believe it should be checked out. Also, the Jeep sometimes jerk when I take off and even swerve over to the lane left of me when I'm driving in the freeway. I have mentioned…
Driver assistance
41 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, warnings, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control.
1) 10/29/2020 I was driving on the highway with the cruse control on when the car made a loud thump, jumped out cruse control, shut off, check engine light came on. After sitting for a bit, car started but would not go over 25 mpr back to town. At the signal light, when stopped, the car started to go in reverse. Was…
My forward collision warning system gave a false positive while I was driving down a busy road way. It activated the braking system when there were no vehicles in front of me for at least 40 yards and causing a vehicle that was following me to have to break and swerve to miss hitting me. I was on rt 15 in shamokin dam…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2018 Jeep Compass recalls
Electrical: front underhood
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began october 2, 2018. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is u87.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain 2018 jeep renegade, compass and grand cherokee, ram 1500 and promaster, fiat 500x, dodge journey, challenger, charger and durango and chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 jeep wrangler, dodge grand caravan and chrysler town and country vehicles and 2018-2019 jeep cherokee and 2018 chrysler pacifica and pacifica hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Brakes: caliper
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began september 29, 2018. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is u86.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain 2018-2019 dodge grand caravan and jeep compass, 2018 dodge journey, and 2019 jeep cherokee vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Suspension: lower arm
Risk: If the lower control arm separates, it can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the front lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began may 31, 2018. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is u42.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain 2018 jeep compass vehicles. The front lower control arms may be incorrectly welded, potentially resulting in a control arm separation.
Air bags: inflator module
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, unsecured inflator mounting nuts outside of the cushion assembly are potential projectiles that may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began december 28, 2017. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is t73.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain 2018 jeep compass vehicles. The passenger side air bag assembly may have inflator mounting nuts loose within the module assembly.
Electrical: instrument cluster/panel
Risk: An instrument cluster that is too bright, and cannot be dimmed, can reduce the driver's ability to see at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update ipc software, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began december 8, 2018. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is t70.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain model year 2017-2018 jeep compass vehicles. The brightness of the backlighting for the instrument panel cluster (ipc) cannot be adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 101, "controls and displays."
Engine
Risk: If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began december 5, 2017. Owners may contact chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is t65.
Full defect summary
Chrysler (fca US llc) is recalling certain 2018 jeep cherokee and compass vehicles equipped with 2.4l engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2018 Jeep Compass
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Jeep Compass?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (481 complaints, typically around 20,000 miles); electrical (378 complaints, typically around 21,000 miles); other or unspecified (194 complaints, typically around 16,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2018 Jeep Compass have?
- 6 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 9, 2018 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2018 a bad year for the Jeep Compass?
- It is the most complained-about Compass model year since 2000, with 945 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.