11 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
The radio software in these vehicles can keep the backup camera picture from appearing at all. When you shift into reverse, the screen may not show what is behind you, so you cannot see a child, a person, or an object in the vehicle's path while backing up. That makes it much easier to hit something you never saw. The repair is a software update for the radio, done at the dealer or sent to the vehicle wirelessly.
The software that controls your Compass's dashboard display has a mistake in it, so the brightness of the instrument panel cannot be adjusted. If the display stays too dim, you may not be able to clearly read your speed or see warning lights, which could lead to a crash. This also means the vehicle does not meet a federal safety rule for controls and displays. Dealers can correct it with a software update; no parts are needed.
The display in the middle of the dashboard may not be lit brightly enough, so it can be hard or impossible to read in daylight. That screen shows things you need while driving, such as your fuel level and warning lights, so you could miss an important alert. To fix it, the dealer replaces the windshield and the headlight switch, adds a light sensor and a small wiring harness so the screen lights up correctly. All free.
The headrests on the two front seats were not welded together properly, so they may not be as strong as they should be. Federal safety rules set a standard for headrests because they help keep your head and neck from snapping back in a crash. These headrests do not meet that standard. The dealer will install two new front headrests at no cost to you.
The arms that hold your windshield wipers can work loose. If they do, the wipers may not sweep properly or may stop clearing the glass at all. In rain, snow, or road spray, that leaves you looking through a dirty or wet windshield and makes it much harder to see where you are going. The fix is simple: the dealer tightens the nuts that hold the wiper arms in place, at no cost to you.
The pistons inside the rear brake calipers may not have enough protective coating. Without it, pockets of gas can form in the rear brake system, and that can make the rear brakes less effective than they should be. You may not notice anything day to day, but the vehicle could take longer to stop, which raises the chance of a crash. Dealers will bleed the brake system to flush the gas pockets out, free of charge. This recall started September 29, 2018.
The computer that runs the engine has a small part inside, a voltage regulator chip, that can fail. When it does, the engine can shut off while you are driving, or the vehicle may not start at all. A stall in traffic leaves you without engine power and can put you in the path of other vehicles. Dealers will replace the whole engine computer at no charge.
The front lower control arms are metal parts that hold each front wheel to the body of the vehicle and let it steer and ride over bumps. On some 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles these arms may have been welded incorrectly, so an arm can come apart. If that happens while you are driving, the wheel can shift out of position and you can lose control of the vehicle. Dealers inspect the arms and replace them if needed, free.
On some 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles, the nuts that hold the passenger airbag's inflator, the part that fills the bag, may be loose inside the airbag unit. If a crash sets the airbag off, those loose nuts can fly out like small projectiles and strike the driver or a passenger. Getting hit by one could cause serious injury or death. A dealer will replace the entire passenger airbag unit, free of charge.
On some 2017-2018 Jeep Compass vehicles, the lighting behind the gauges, meaning the speedometer, fuel gauge and the rest, is stuck at one brightness and cannot be turned down. At night, a display that stays too bright can reduce how well you see the road ahead. Federal rules require that drivers be able to dim it. A dealer will update the software that controls the instrument cluster, free of charge.
The housing around the oil pump may be cracked. The oil pump is what pushes oil through the engine, and if it quits, the engine loses oil pressure and can shut off while you are driving. A stall can happen at any speed and you lose power without much warning, which is dangerous in traffic. A dealer checks the oil pump and puts in a new one if yours has the problem.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Jeep Compass. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 937 | 28 | 5 | 18 |
| 2019 | 329 | 13 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020 | 139 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2022 | 221 | 11 | 0 | 6 |
| 2023 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: