IllustrationHAD TO HAVE LOWER BALL JOINTS REPLACED. AT ONLY 26,000 MILES ALL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR
2008 Jeep Compass Fwd
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Compass Fwd years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
30–25K
1025–50K
550–75K
575–100K
6100–150K
0150K+
29 reports with mileage · 3 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
32 reportsI'VE HAD BRAKE NOISES FROM MY 2008 JEEP COMPASS SINCE ABOUT 500 MILES. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER OVER FOUR TIMES, AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION ALSO MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE/VIBRATION WHEN STOPPED FOR A LIGHT OR OTHER SITUATION AFTER IT IS WARMED UP.. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL…
Read full complaint
I'VE HAD BRAKE NOISES FROM MY 2008 JEEP COMPASS SINCE ABOUT 500 MILES. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER OVER FOUR TIMES, AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION ALSO MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE/VIBRATION WHEN STOPPED FOR A LIGHT OR OTHER SITUATION AFTER IT IS WARMED UP.. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL. I'M APPROACHING 22,000 MILES, AND I BET THEY WILL FIND THE PROBLEM WHEN IT HITS 30,000. WE WILL SEE IF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERS THIS STUFF. *TR
THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING WERE WORN OUT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED RIGHT AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND INSTALLED NEW PINCH BOLTS, NUTS AND WASHERS. MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY 43,000 MILES WHEN THE ISSUE WAS DETECTED. I DO NOT DRIVE ON DIRT ROADS AND/OR DO ANY OFF ROADING. JEEP DOES NOT RECOGNIZE T…
Read full complaint
THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE LOOSE AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING WERE WORN OUT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED RIGHT AND LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND INSTALLED NEW PINCH BOLTS, NUTS AND WASHERS. MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY 43,000 MILES WHEN THE ISSUE WAS DETECTED. I DO NOT DRIVE ON DIRT ROADS AND/OR DO ANY OFF ROADING. JEEP DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN ISSUE ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL BLOGS AND FORUMS WITH JEEP COMPASS AND PATRIOT OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES WITH VEHICLES HAVING FAIRLY LOW MILEAGE. *TR
REPLACE DRIVER SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT AND BOTH TIE ROD ENDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO REPLACED. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND DURING INSPECTION THEY NOTICED THE FAILURE ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE REPAIR COST WAS $900 AT TH…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO REPLACED. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND DURING INSPECTION THEY NOTICED THE FAILURE ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE REPAIR COST WAS $900 AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED SHE SHOULD CONTACT NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
MY 2008 JEEP COMPASS BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE A FEW MONTHS AGO. I RECENTLY BROUGHT IT IN AND HAD THE CONTROL ARMS REPLACED, BALL JOINTS, REAR BRAKES AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT. AFTER I LEFT THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WHILE BRAKING, I BROUGHT IT BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT I NOW NEEDED TIE RODS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIC…
Read full complaint
MY 2008 JEEP COMPASS BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE A FEW MONTHS AGO. I RECENTLY BROUGHT IT IN AND HAD THE CONTROL ARMS REPLACED, BALL JOINTS, REAR BRAKES AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT. AFTER I LEFT THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WHILE BRAKING, I BROUGHT IT BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT I NOW NEEDED TIE RODS, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTICED WHEN THEY DID THE ALIGNMENT. THE JEEP HAS LESS THEN 55,000 AND I ONLY DRIVE IT 20 MINUTES TO AND FROM WORK. JEEP REFUSES TO HELP ME BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, WHICH I DID NOT FIND OUT UNTIL RECENTLY..THE CAR WAS SOLD TO ME AS A DEMO CAR, NOT A USED CAR. I AM PREGNANT AND VERY NERVOUS THAT THIS CAR IS GOING TO KEEP FALLING APART. *KB
THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ON MY VEHICLE IS BROKEN JUST AFTER 2 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS FROM THE PURCHASE DATE (NEW VEHICLE). *TR
NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LIVE IN OHIO. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLTS NEED REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THE BALL JOINT BEARING INSIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS ALREADY BAD. CHRYSLER JEEP HAS NOT GREASED THE BEARING WHEN PACKING THE BALL JOINT INTO THE CONTROL ARM; THEREFORE BY SKIPPING TH…
Read full complaint
NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LIVE IN OHIO. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLTS NEED REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THE BALL JOINT BEARING INSIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS ALREADY BAD. CHRYSLER JEEP HAS NOT GREASED THE BEARING WHEN PACKING THE BALL JOINT INTO THE CONTROL ARM; THEREFORE BY SKIPPING THIS PROCESS THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSE OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IF CONTROL ARM FAILS WHILE DRIVING. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. APPARENTLY, JEEP HAS DECIDED TO SKIP THIS LITTLE STEP WHEN MANUFACTURING MY JEEP COMPASS. *TR
THE ROTORS ON MY JEEP COMPASS WERE MANUFACTURED TOO SOFT, SO THEY ARE WARPING NOW. DEALER SAID THAT I HAVE 40% BRAKE PAD LEFT, BUT THE REASON THE ROTORS ARE BAD IS BECAUSE THE ROTORS WERE MANUFACTURED TO SOFT, AND NOW THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT TO PUT MORE DURABLE ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE. *TR
I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WATER COMING IN THROUGH THE MAP LIGHT, MY 2008 JEEP COMPASS HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIME'S, THE WHOLE SUN ROOF AND EVERYTHING AROUND IT HAS BEEN REPLACED, I WAS TOLD TOO MUCH INSULATION WAS PUT IN BY THE DOOR AREA. WHO KNOWS THE REAL PROBLEM. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.