HEADLIGHT WILL NOT COME ON. BOTH HAVE BEEN REPLACED. ONE MAY COME ON BUT THE OTHER WILL NOTCOME ON.
2018 Jeep Compass
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Compass years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Jeep Compass are substantially higher than the model-year median of 126.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Compass 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
478 reports with mileage · 463 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.
- Engine. Review the 473 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 375 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 151 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Exterior Lighting complaints
64 reportsWe realized a headlight malfunction where the headlights randomly and intermittently turn off. Sometimes they both work, sometimes one or the other works. A year ago, we seemed to notice a headlight go out, then they both worked. It happened again, so we replaced the bulb. Just last night, my wife happened to be following me h…
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We realized a headlight malfunction where the headlights randomly and intermittently turn off. Sometimes they both work, sometimes one or the other works. A year ago, we seemed to notice a headlight go out, then they both worked. It happened again, so we replaced the bulb. Just last night, my wife happened to be following me home at night and her right headlight wouldn't turn on. In the middle of driving, both headlights went out. Then, shortly after, her left headlight went out and the right one came back on. I searched Jeep forums and discovered this is actually a very common problem and is not unique. This is an extremely hard issue to recognize due to the intermittent nature and poses a serious safety hazard driving at night. Given that it is obvious (took me 5 minutes) to realize there were countless other Jeep Compass owners having the issue, and the fact that headlights are a serious safety issue, I strongly recommend the NHTSA take a look into the issue. If you have any inspectors in the Dallas Fort-Worth area that would like to inspect this vehicle, please let me know.
The driver side headlight went out approximately 8 months after purchasing the vehicle used which was out of the 6 months that the dealer had a warranty. I have replaced the headlight and ballast and it is still not working properly. I have checked and confirmed voltage by testing the driver side against the passenger side which…
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The driver side headlight went out approximately 8 months after purchasing the vehicle used which was out of the 6 months that the dealer had a warranty. I have replaced the headlight and ballast and it is still not working properly. I have checked and confirmed voltage by testing the driver side against the passenger side which does work and all voltages match going into the rear plug of the headlight assembly. Looking on forums, I am not the only individual with this problem and the dealership wants to charge $170.00 dollars to run a diagnostic. This problem is certainly not due to lack of preventative maintenance, this appears to be a defect in the vehicle itself.
Head light problem lights not working took to dealership brought a new headlight assembly that didn’t fix the problem waited 7 hours they still couldn’t fix the problem took vehicle home I replaced a fuse,relay, and bulb that fix the problem . Six months later the same problem headlight please look in to this , need to be recall…
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Head light problem lights not working took to dealership brought a new headlight assembly that didn’t fix the problem waited 7 hours they still couldn’t fix the problem took vehicle home I replaced a fuse,relay, and bulb that fix the problem . Six months later the same problem headlight please look in to this , need to be recalled.
I was getting my car serviced, I was getting a State inspection the mechanic told me they could not inspect the vehicle due to the fact that a headlight was not working.. they tried replacing the headlight it still did not work.. I had to leave without getting my vehicle inspected!! I was going to try to take it to the dealer to…
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I was getting my car serviced, I was getting a State inspection the mechanic told me they could not inspect the vehicle due to the fact that a headlight was not working.. they tried replacing the headlight it still did not work.. I had to leave without getting my vehicle inspected!! I was going to try to take it to the dealer to try and get it fixed.. I checked on line and found several other Jeep owners of this make and model also 2018 Jeep Compass had electrical problems involving the headlights.. at times I would turn vehicle on and both lights would be on. On other times only one headlight would be working. Some times if I would cycle thru the switch both lights would come on, other times not.. This is unsafe driving around with one headlight and not knowing when it will happen.I have spoken to both dealerships in the area, and they are no help.. they want me to bring vehicle in to troubleshoot the problem openended I do not have the money for this and Since it is happening to other people with this particular year and make vehicle I think it is a problem that should be looked into..by Jeep! This just started on my vehicle when the mileage reached approximately 32,000 miles I have owned this vehicle since 2019. Thanks for any help available..
Head lights not working.
HID headlights only work intermittently. no headlights randomly while driving is extremely dangerous. two dealers have reviewed vehicle and have no fix. issue is constant and one light is off 95% of the time, sometimes driver side, sometimes passenger side, sometimes no lights at all. no warning lamps in the dash, vehicle thinks…
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HID headlights only work intermittently. no headlights randomly while driving is extremely dangerous. two dealers have reviewed vehicle and have no fix. issue is constant and one light is off 95% of the time, sometimes driver side, sometimes passenger side, sometimes no lights at all. no warning lamps in the dash, vehicle thinks its working fine. this has been ongoing for over a year.
The headlights do not work reliably. The first time this happened was in June but seemingly resolved itself until this last week. Sometimes the passenger side only works, sometimes the driver side only, sometimes neither side. They will come on and go off or only one will come on or go off as they please. There is no pattern or …
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The headlights do not work reliably. The first time this happened was in June but seemingly resolved itself until this last week. Sometimes the passenger side only works, sometimes the driver side only, sometimes neither side. They will come on and go off or only one will come on or go off as they please. There is no pattern or rhyme or reason. There are no warning lights; in fact, the car says Lights On, the symbol for the high beams shows as on when I pull or push forward, but neither is. This has not been inspected yet but will be shortly. There are several complaints online about this intermittent headlight issue. Even after relays, ballasts, and fuses have been changed. The car is only 5 years old, the last thing I should be worrying about is the headlights.
2018 Jeep Compass Limited has the OEM Bi-Xenon option equipped. The issue is with both headlights operating intermittently. It does not matter what position the headlight switch is in (Auto, On) they continue to alternate turning on and off. Sometimes one will come on and the other will be extremely delayed (15-20 minutes), so…
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2018 Jeep Compass Limited has the OEM Bi-Xenon option equipped. The issue is with both headlights operating intermittently. It does not matter what position the headlight switch is in (Auto, On) they continue to alternate turning on and off. Sometimes one will come on and the other will be extremely delayed (15-20 minutes), sometimes both are delayed, and sometimes they do not come on at all. Shutting off and restarting the engine power does not help. The issue seems sometimes is worse if stopping for, at night, errands where the headlights then will not turn on at all. Later, next day, the whole issue starts again. This is a very serious issue.
Intermittent issue occurs where my radio screen looses power or displays code error please restart system, blinkers stop working, thermometer on display shows 2 dashes, climate controls stop working, hazards won’t work, directional buttons on steering wheel and ok button do not work to change display on dash. all of these happen…
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Intermittent issue occurs where my radio screen looses power or displays code error please restart system, blinkers stop working, thermometer on display shows 2 dashes, climate controls stop working, hazards won’t work, directional buttons on steering wheel and ok button do not work to change display on dash. all of these happen at same time intermittently
Official recalls
618V523000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper
Aug 9, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan and Jeep Compass, 2018 Dodge Journey, and 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U86.
18V524000 · Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood
Aug 9, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
18V279000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
May 1, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The front lower control arms may be incorrectly welded, potentially resulting in a control arm separation.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the lower control arm separates, it can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the front lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began May 31, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U42.
17V732000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module
Nov 21, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The passenger side air bag assembly may have inflator mounting nuts loose within the module assembly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, unsecured inflator mounting nuts outside of the cushion assembly are potential projectiles that may strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag module assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T73.
17V740000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
Nov 21, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017-2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The brightness of the backlighting for the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) cannot be adjusted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An instrument cluster that is too bright, and cannot be dimmed, can reduce the driver's ability to see at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update IPC software, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 8, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T70.
17V670000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine
Oct 24, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.
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.
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