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2008 Jeep Compass

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Jeep Compass do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 126.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

74 reports with mileage · 19 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.

  • Structure. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

13 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 25, 2020
EngineUnknown Or Other

I BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE FROM A SMALL PRIVATE USED DEALERSHIP IN LAS VEGAS NV BELIEVING IT HAD 134000 MILES WHEN IN REALITY THEY KNEW THAT WAS NOT THE REAL MILEAGE IT HAS OVER 172,000 CANT GET MY MONEY BACK CZ THEY SAY I BOUGHT IT HAS IS THEY TAMPER WITH THE ODOMETER AND LIE TO ME I WAS RECENTLY AWARE WHEN I GOT INSURANCE FROM G…

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I BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE FROM A SMALL PRIVATE USED DEALERSHIP IN LAS VEGAS NV BELIEVING IT HAD 134000 MILES WHEN IN REALITY THEY KNEW THAT WAS NOT THE REAL MILEAGE IT HAS OVER 172,000 CANT GET MY MONEY BACK CZ THEY SAY I BOUGHT IT HAS IS THEY TAMPER WITH THE ODOMETER AND LIE TO ME I WAS RECENTLY AWARE WHEN I GOT INSURANCE FROM GEICO IT WAS THERE WHEN I SAW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE VEHICLE TRUE HISTORY AND ODOMETER THE DEALERSHIP NAME IS EMPORIO AUTO SALES LOCATED 2685 N NELLIS BLVD, LAS VEGAS, NV 89115. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11351138

123,000 miles · Apr 30, 2020
Engine

BALANCE SHAFT MODULE HAS LEFT METAL IN OUR OIL.IT WENT BAD CAUSING OUR ENGINE TO GO DEAD WHILE WE WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ODI #11322852

200,000 miles · Jul 16, 2019
EngineService BrakesSteeringCrashInjury

WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK ALL THE WAY UP. THE CAR LOCKED UP STEERING WAS UNCONTRALLOBLE BRAKES WERE LOCKING ON AND OFF LIKE JUMPING AND ALMOST HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. CAR SHUTOFF AND WENT TURN BACK ON UNTIL 5 MINUTES IN WAS IN FULL MOTION GOING 55MPH ON A CITY STREET. SCARIEST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN DRIVING. NOW THAT I HAVE RESEARCH…

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WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK ALL THE WAY UP. THE CAR LOCKED UP STEERING WAS UNCONTRALLOBLE BRAKES WERE LOCKING ON AND OFF LIKE JUMPING AND ALMOST HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. CAR SHUTOFF AND WENT TURN BACK ON UNTIL 5 MINUTES IN WAS IN FULL MOTION GOING 55MPH ON A CITY STREET. SCARIEST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN DRIVING. NOW THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED THERE IS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME INSTANCE HAPPENING TO OTHERS. HAVING TO DO WITH WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS ALL THE WAY FULL. LITERALLY COULD HAVE DIED. SOMEONE WILL GET BADLY INJURED OR DEATH IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED.

NHTSA ODI #11232384

206,000 miles · Jul 10, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

AFTER REFUELING WITHIN 1-2 MILES SPITS SPUDERS BUCKS, THEN STALLS! SAFTY IS AT ISSUE OF CAUSING A ACCIDENT OR GETTING HIT!!!! MAKE JEEP ACCOUNTABLE! HAPPENS EVERTIME NOW 6 MOS.

NHTSA ODI #11230824

189,000 miles · Mar 11, 2019
EngineUnknown Or Other

THE SUBFRAME IS ROTTING OUT TO THE POINT IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE

NHTSA ODI #11185855

96,316 miles · Feb 12, 2018
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

I JUST GOT GAS AND WAS ABOUT TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE MY ENGINE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. THE RADIO AND LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING BUT WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL I NEVER MOVED. I HAD TO RESTART THE ENGINE JUST TO GET GOING AGAIN. THERE WAS NOT EVEN ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND STILL AREN'T.

NHTSA ODI #11072276

80,000 miles · Oct 27, 2016
EngineStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ENGINE CRADLE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000....UPDATED 12…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ENGINE CRADLE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000....UPDATED 12/28/16 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10919336

119,245 miles · Apr 8, 2016
EngineUnknown Or Other

SO THIS AMONG OTHER ISSUES START LATE LAST YEAR WITH OUR 2008 COMPASS. WAS SITTING AT STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE JUST STALLED OUT. JEEP STARTED RIGHT UP AND WAS FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. MY WIFE DRIVES IT MORE THEN I DO AND SHE SAYS IT STUTTERS QUITE FREQUENTLY AND OFTEN TRIES TO STALL OUT. MOST RECENTLY, IT STALLED OUT DROPPING…

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SO THIS AMONG OTHER ISSUES START LATE LAST YEAR WITH OUR 2008 COMPASS. WAS SITTING AT STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE JUST STALLED OUT. JEEP STARTED RIGHT UP AND WAS FINE THE REST OF THE DAY. MY WIFE DRIVES IT MORE THEN I DO AND SHE SAYS IT STUTTERS QUITE FREQUENTLY AND OFTEN TRIES TO STALL OUT. MOST RECENTLY, IT STALLED OUT DROPPING THE KIDS OFF IN THE DROP OFF LINE. THIS TIME IT TOOK 1-2 MINUTES TO RE START. NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO WARNING, NOTHING. TOOK IT TO A JEEP DEALERSHIP THAT DAY FOR THEM TO TAKE IT A LOOK AT IT. BUT OF COURSE LIKE MANY CONSUMERS ON HERE AND OTHER SITES, THEY CANNOT FIND THE ISSUE. THEY DROVE MY JEEP FREQUENTLY FOR 2 DAYS AND STILL THEY CANNOT FIGURE THE PROBLEM. SO LIKE MANY OTHERS, WE ARE STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT HAS ISSUES THAT DO NOT SHOW THEMSELVES. I HAVE SENT THIS ISSUE TO MY LOCAL TV STATION TO MAY BE HELP INVESTIGATE WHY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE AS ITS A SAFETY CONCERN. CLEARLY THIS IS AN ISSUE AS THERE ARE A LOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT OR DIE BEFORE THEY SEND OUT A RECALL? SO WE ARE FORCED TO LOOK INTO A NEW VEHICLE (NOT A JEEP COMPASS) BECAUSE WE DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ANYMORE. IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT WAY. JUST FIGURED I WOULD SHARE MY EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH OTHERS. WORD OF ADVICE, BELIEVE THE RATINGS FOR JEEP COMPASS AND STAY CLEAR OF PURCHASING THEM. -JB-

NHTSA ODI #10854472

127,000 miles · Sep 29, 2015
Engine

WHINING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE OVER 65 MPH. HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION BEFORE. DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THE JEEP COMPASS. DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION OIL LIGHT CAME ON. COULDN'T MOVE IN THE GEARS. HAD TO PULL OVER FOR A 1 HR TO LET CAR COOL OFF. LATER DROVE TO MY MECHANIC. NO CODE FOUND. TOOK IT TO…

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WHINING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE OVER 65 MPH. HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION BEFORE. DID REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON THE JEEP COMPASS. DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND NOTICED TRANSMISSION OIL LIGHT CAME ON. COULDN'T MOVE IN THE GEARS. HAD TO PULL OVER FOR A 1 HR TO LET CAR COOL OFF. LATER DROVE TO MY MECHANIC. NO CODE FOUND. TOOK IT TO A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND HE TOLD THAT THESE 2008 JEEP COMPASS HAVE BAD TRANSMISSION DESIGN AND THEY GO OUT AROUND 130,000 TO 145,000. I NEED NEW FLUID, TRANSMISSION COOLER, ADJUSTMENT BUT I OPTED TO JUST GET THE A NEW TRANSMISSION SINCE THAT IS A BAD DESIGN FOR THAT PARTICULAR MODEL. MANUFACTURER SHOULD OPEN A RECALL ON THESE JEEPS. THE LOCATION WHERE I TOOK MINE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL IN FOR REPAIRS.

NHTSA ODI #10778512

91,000 miles · Aug 14, 2015
EngineSuspension

2008 JEEP COMPASS ENGINE CRADLE FAILED NYS INSPECTION DUE TO PREMATURE RUSTING. 2007 MODEL YEAR WAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 10 YEARS ON ENGINE CRADLE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE RUSTING. MY JEEP WAS MANUFACTURED IN MARCH OF 2008. I AM SURE THE ENGINE CRADLE PART WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2007 AND PLACED INTO THE 2008 BECAUSE NO REPLACEMENT OR…

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2008 JEEP COMPASS ENGINE CRADLE FAILED NYS INSPECTION DUE TO PREMATURE RUSTING. 2007 MODEL YEAR WAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 10 YEARS ON ENGINE CRADLE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE RUSTING. MY JEEP WAS MANUFACTURED IN MARCH OF 2008. I AM SURE THE ENGINE CRADLE PART WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2007 AND PLACED INTO THE 2008 BECAUSE NO REPLACEMENT OR UPDATE WAS MADE TO THE PART BETWEEN 2007 AND 2008. JEEP REFUSED TO COVER THE 2008 WHICH I HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIR. THIS PART IF NOT REPAIRED AND DURING AN ACCIDENT WILL CAUSE SERIOUS STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS AND THE FAILED NYS INSPECTION NOTICE. I HAVE ALSO MADE A COPY OF THIS REPORT FOR MY RECORDS.

NHTSA ODI #10748650

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.