2008 Jeep Compass

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE CROSS MEMBERS OF THE VEHICLE WERE RUSTED. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CROSS MEMBERS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN COATED PROPERLY DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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-

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE NEAR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, THE SUBFRAME, CONTROL ARM, AND CROSSMEMBER BAR WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL FILTER WAS CORRODED AND NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

DURING MY ANNUAL INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH MY FRONT AND REAR CROSS FRAME MEMBERS WERE SO SEVERELY RUSTED THAT IT TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE TILL THEY ARE REPLACED. I CALL THE DEALER WHO THE JEEP WAS BOUGHT FROM AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY THE 2007 MODELS HAVE AN EXTENDED FRAME PROTECTION WARRANTEE THAT COVERS THIS PROBLEM. MY JEEP WAS BUILT ON 8/14/07 LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER JEEPS CUTOFF DATE. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED CASES LIKE MINE THAT JEEP REFUSES TO COVER. THE FRAME SHOULD NOT BE FAILING THIS FAST AND AS BAD. I FEEL THERE IS A MATERIAL DESIGN FLAW THAT JEEP IS TRYING TO COVER. MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MY JEEP HAS NO VISUAL RUST IT LOOKS BRAND NEW. UNLESS THE OWNER OR MECHANIC CRAWLS UNDERNEATH THIS CAN GO UN NOTICED UNTIL THERE IS A MAJOR FAILURE.

I TOOK MY JEEP COMPASS IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME (CROSS MEMBER AND CONTROL ARM) WHICH SECURED THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE MECHANIC ASKED ME TO TAKE A LOOK. THE HOLE WAS SO LARGE I COULD PUT MY HAND IN IT AND THE CRACK RAN ALONG THE ENTIRE CROSSMEMBER. HE CAUTIONED ME TO NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED, SAYING THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION COULD FALL OUT AT ANY TIME AND COULD LEAD TO A VERY SERIOUS IF NOT FATAL ACCIDENT. ALSO NOTED WAS PLAY IN THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD AND RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT. MY VEHICLE HAD JUST TURNED THE 100K MILE MARK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND HAVE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED. IF I HAD NOT TAKE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, THIS MAY HAVE NOT BEEN DISCOVERED RESULTING IN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. CALLS TO CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN A REDUCTION IN THE COST OF PARTS (2007 COMPASS WAS RECALLED FOR SAME ISSUE). MY BILL IS STILL OVER $1,000 AND WOULD LIKE CHRYSLER TO COVER THE COST OF LABOR AND PARTS. THE REPLACEMENT PARTS USED WERE FROM THE 2007 RECALL. THIS IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A VEHICLE 7.5 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE SALT IS USED ON THE ROADS. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEY SHOULD ISSUE A DISCLAIMER OR SAFETY WARNING WHEN SELLING JEEPS IN AREAS THAT HAVE SNOW AND SALT. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR MONTHS, IF NOT LONGER, IN A VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE.THE JEEP COMPASS 2007 WAS RECALLED AND CHRYSLER PACIFICA FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. APPARENTLY, NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS HAVE WARRANTED A 2008 RECALL.

THE K FRAME IS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN GOING AROUND A CURVE. OUR MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO STABILIZE THIS, BUT STATES THE FRAME IS SO RUSTED THAT HE CAN PUSH A SCREWDRIVER THROUGH WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT. IT NEEDS REPLACED. WE CONTACTED OUR DEALER, AND WERE TOLD THAT ONLY THE 2007 MODELS ARE COVERED BY A SAFETY RECALL.

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.