2018 Jeep COMPASS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Jeep COMPASS has 1612 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 20.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (29% of all complaints), specifically: my fuel efficiency (mpg) is very poor my vehicle, i have 9.4 mpg power loss and the mpg's shown in the official manufacturing web page is epa est. mpg 22 city/30 hwy. https://www.jeep.com/jeep-capabilities/fuel-efficiency.html additionally i am experiencing loss of power during the start of the dr. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 26 crash reports 11 injuries

1612

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

20.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

471 complaints

29%

• MY FUEL EFFICIENCY (MPG) IS VERY POOR MY VEHICLE, I HAVE 9.4 MPG POWER LOSS AND THE MPG'S SHOWN IN THE OFFICIAL MANUFACTURING WEB PAGE IS EPA EST. MPG 22 CITY/30 HWY. HTTPS://WWW.JEEP.COM/JEEP-CAPABILITIES/FUEL-EFFICIENCY.HTML ADDITIONALLY I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER DURING THE START OF THE DR
• I JUST LEASED A BRAND NEW JEEP COMPASS. AT ABOUT 178 MILES, I FILLED UP MY GAS TANK FOR THE FIRST TIME. AFTER LEAVING THE GAS STATION, MY CAR STALLED ABOUT .2 MILES DOWN THE ROAD WHILE GOING ABOUT 10MPH. THE MESSAGE ON THE DASH STATES TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND THEN INTO THE DESIRED GEAR, BUT THE ENGINE
• ON FRIDAY MARCH 30 2018, VEHICLE HAD 6000 MILES AND WOULD NOT START. EXTREME AMOUNT OF STEAM WAS COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. INTERNAL ENGINE ISSUE (NOT CLEARLY IDENTIFIED) CAUSED THE ENGINE TO INTERNALLY EXPLODE LEAVING METAL FRAGMENTS ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 8 crashes

“MY FUEL EFFICIENCY (MPG) IS VERY POOR MY VEHICLE, I HAVE 9.4 MPG POWER LOSS AND THE MPG'S SHOWN IN THE OFFICIAL MANUFACTURING WEB PAGE IS EPA EST. MPG 22 CITY/30 HWY. HTTPS://WWW.JEEP.COM/JEEP-CAPABILITIES/FUEL-EFFICIENCY.HTML ADDITIONALLY I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER DURING THE START OF THE DR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

368 complaints

23%

• I HAD MY VEHICLE DIAGNOSED DUE TO INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT DIM AT NIGHT LEAVING THE JEEP VERY BRIGHT AND DANGEROUS. I HAVE CALLED JEEP AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE OR GIVE ME A SOLUTION ON WHAT TO DO! THEY STILL REFUSE AT OF TODAY 9/26/17.
• THE INSTRUMENT LIGHT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS AND KEEPS ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS (EXCEPT DOME LIGHTS) IN FULL BRIGHTNESS ALL THE TIME WHICH MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING AT NIGHT.
• THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR CONTROLLING THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE CONSOLE AND NAVIGATION SCREEN. AT NIGHT, THE BRIGHTNESS GETS SET TO THE HIGHEST SETTING, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY BLINDING, AND THE DIMMER SWITCH DOES DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IS CAUSING HARM TO MY EYES.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“I HAD MY VEHICLE DIAGNOSED DUE TO INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT DIM AT NIGHT LEAVING THE JEEP VERY BRIGHT AND DANGEROUS. I HAVE CALLED JEEP AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE OR GIVE ME A SOLUTION ON WHAT TO DO! THEY STILL REFUSE AT OF TODAY 9/26/17.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

198 complaints

12%

• WHEN I ADJUST THE FORWARD COLLISION PREFERENCES SETTINGS IT SHOW ME "SELECTED" AND I CAN BACK TO THE MAIN MENU AND COME BACK AGAIN TO THIS OPTION TO CHECK AND CONTINUES SELECTED, BUT WHEN THE ECU SLEEPS (TURN OFF THE VEHICLE) AND I TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AFTER 30 SECONDS THE FORWARD COLLISION PREF
• VEHICLE WOULD NOT START - ERROR MESSAGE PARKING BREAK ENGAGED. PUSH GAS PEDAL AND RELEASE BRAKE. THESE OPERATIONS WERE PERFORMED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL NOT START. IT TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES AND ATTEMPTS TO FINALLY GET THE VEHICLE TO START. THIS IS NOT SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE.
• IT MAKES A HUMMING NOISE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S SHIFTING DOWN. BEEN DOING SINCE I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER ON 01/19/2018. I HAVE HAD IT AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY THE NOISE IS NORMAL . I DISAGREE. I HAVE HAD A SYMBOL TWICE COME UP THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“WHEN I ADJUST THE FORWARD COLLISION PREFERENCES SETTINGS IT SHOW ME "SELECTED" AND I CAN BACK TO THE MAIN MENU AND COME BACK AGAIN TO THIS OPTION TO CHECK AND CONTINUES SELECTED, BUT WHEN THE ECU SLEEPS (TURN OFF THE VEHICLE) AND I TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AFTER 30 SECONDS THE FORWARD COLLISION PREF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

151 complaints

• MY FUEL EFFICIENCY (MPG) IS VERY POOR MY VEHICLE, I HAVE 9.4 MPG POWER LOSS AND THE MPG'S SHOWN IN THE OFFICIAL MANUFACTURING WEB PAGE IS EPA EST. MPG 22 CITY/30 HWY. HTTPS://WWW.JEEP.COM/JEEP-CAPABILITIES/FUEL-EFFICIENCY.HTML ADDITIONALLY I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER DURING THE START OF THE DR
• IT MAKES A HUMMING NOISE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE SLOWING DOWN IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S SHIFTING DOWN. BEEN DOING SINCE I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER ON 01/19/2018. I HAVE HAD IT AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY THE NOISE IS NORMAL . I DISAGREE. I HAVE HAD A SYMBOL TWICE COME UP THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS
• WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-50MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE THE REAR AXLE FOR ADDITIONAL TRACTION. WHEN THIS OCCURS THERE IS A INTERMITTENT BANGING NOISE THAT EMITS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE AND A BAD VIBRATION THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

64 complaints

• I HAD MY VEHICLE DIAGNOSED DUE TO INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT DIM AT NIGHT LEAVING THE JEEP VERY BRIGHT AND DANGEROUS. I HAVE CALLED JEEP AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE OR GIVE ME A SOLUTION ON WHAT TO DO! THEY STILL REFUSE AT OF TODAY 9/26/17.
• THE VEHICLE'S DASH BOARD LIGHTING DIMMING FUNCTION IS NOT WORKING AND IMPAIRING THE DRIVERS NIGHT VISION ALWAYS BEING AT THE HIGHEST SETTING. REPORTING THIS ISSUE AS THIS IS NOT ONLY AFFECTING A SINGLE VEHICLE, BUT MULTIPLES. THE JEEP HEADQUARTERS WERE CONTACTED BY MULTIPLE EFFECTED OWNER AS EVI
• IN VIOLATION OF FMVSS SECTION S 5.3.2.2 (B) THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING DIMMED. THEY REMAIN AT BRIGHTEST LEVEL REGARDLESS OF ANY PARKING OR HEADLIGHT SETTINGS, AND CANNOT BE DIMMED OR TURNED OFF. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS CONDITION DURING NIGHT TIME VEHICLE OPER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1612 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: MY FUEL EFFICIENCY (MPG) IS VERY POOR MY VEHICLE, I HAVE 9.4 MPG POWER LOSS AND THE MPG'S SHOWN IN THE OFFICIAL MANUFACTURING WEB PAGE IS EPA EST. MPG 22 CITY/30 HWY. HTTPS://WWW.JEEP.COM/JEEP-CAPABILITIES/FUEL-EFFICIENCY.HTML ADDITIONALLY I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER DURING THE START OF THE DR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I HAD MY VEHICLE DIAGNOSED DUE TO INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT DIM AT NIGHT LEAVING THE JEEP VERY BRIGHT AND DANGEROUS. I HAVE CALLED JEEP AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE OR GIVE ME A SOLUTION ON WHAT TO DO! THEY STILL REFUSE AT OF TODAY 9/26/17.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHEN I ADJUST THE FORWARD COLLISION PREFERENCES SETTINGS IT SHOW ME "SELECTED" AND I CAN BACK TO THE MAIN MENU AND COME BACK AGAIN TO THIS OPTION TO CHECK AND CONTINUES SELECTED, BUT WHEN THE ECU SLEEPS (TURN OFF THE VEHICLE) AND I TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AFTER 30 SECONDS THE FORWARD COLLISION PREF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: MY FUEL EFFICIENCY (MPG) IS VERY POOR MY VEHICLE, I HAVE 9.4 MPG POWER LOSS AND THE MPG'S SHOWN IN THE OFFICIAL MANUFACTURING WEB PAGE IS EPA EST. MPG 22 CITY/30 HWY. HTTPS://WWW.JEEP.COM/JEEP-CAPABILITIES/FUEL-EFFICIENCY.HTML ADDITIONALLY I AM EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER DURING THE START OF THE DR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)