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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.

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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.

28 crash reports5 fire reports14 injury reports

Structure complaints

10 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2026
EnginePower TrainStructure

failing component: Transmission / Powertrain. The transmission is jerking aggressively when shifting into gear. yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. I currently have the vehicle in my possession. How was safety put at risk? The vehicle jerked violently into gear while accelerating from a stopped position at an intersec…

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failing component: Transmission / Powertrain. The transmission is jerking aggressively when shifting into gear. yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. I currently have the vehicle in my possession. How was safety put at risk? The vehicle jerked violently into gear while accelerating from a stopped position at an intersection. The force was strong enough to physically jolt both the driver and passenger. This creates a safety risk due to unpredictable vehicle behavior during acceleration and could lead to loss of control or increased risk of collision. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed? YES – the issue has occurred after the vehicle was returned following transmission replacement. The dealership has attempted multiple transmission replacements, indicating an ongoing unresolved issue. Has the vehicle been inspected by anyone? YES – inspected and repaired multiple times by dealership service department. Transmission has been replaced multiple times, including a failed replacement while still at the dealership. Warning lights or prior symptoms? NO warning lights were present. Prior to the failure, a whining noise was present, which was previously reported to the dealership as a suspected transmission issue. The vehicle was brought to a dealership for a transmission-related issue and has undergone multiple transmission replacements. After the most recent repair, the vehicle was returned with the issue unresolved. On March 22, 2026, while accelerating from a stopped position at an intersection, the vehicle jerked aggressively into gear. The force was significant enough to physically jolt both the driver and passenger. Despite multiple repair attempts, the transmission is still not operating correctly. This creates a safety concern due to unpredictable shifting behavior. Additionally, the dealership drove the vehicle approximately 3,000 miles while in their possession, yet the issue remains unresolved.

NHTSA ODI #11726255

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2024
Seat BeltsStructureUnknown Or Other

Since 2023, my vehicle has had water leakage coming from the back right passenger side from the seat belt opening and right side of the back trunk. This is a major concern because my son’s car seat is seated on the right back seat where the water leakage is coming from. I don’t want any mold to grow under his car seat or on his …

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Since 2023, my vehicle has had water leakage coming from the back right passenger side from the seat belt opening and right side of the back trunk. This is a major concern because my son’s car seat is seated on the right back seat where the water leakage is coming from. I don’t want any mold to grow under his car seat or on his car seat. Also I gave jumper cables in the back of my trunk for safety. What if they were to get soak and wet then they are not able to work. Also I put my groceries in the trunk of my car. I don’t want them to get spoiled or become contaminated.

NHTSA ODI #11589382

42,000 miles · Nov 16, 2023
Structure

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a heavy rainstorm, the front driver's side floor and rear passenger’s side floor became flooded with rainwater, that had entered the vehicle from a failed floor seal. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brak…

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The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in a heavy rainstorm, the front driver's side floor and rear passenger’s side floor became flooded with rainwater, that had entered the vehicle from a failed floor seal. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, her foot had slipped off the pedal several times due to the water inside the vehicle on the floor. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and the contact was informed that the floor seal had corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 42,000.

NHTSA ODI #11555481

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2023
Structure

Leaking from moon roof with water filling spare tire compartment & filling passenger foot space.

NHTSA ODI #11525469

16,638 miles · Feb 3, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineStructureFire

MULTIPLE TIMES I WOULD TRY TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD. AFTER JUMPING THE CAR OFF IT WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD IT CHECKED BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. ON 02/01/2021 THE CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START. I HAD A MECHANIC JUMP THE CAR OFF AND I LET IT IDLE TO BUILD UP T…

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MULTIPLE TIMES I WOULD TRY TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD. AFTER JUMPING THE CAR OFF IT WOULD OPERATE WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD IT CHECKED BUT NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. ON 02/01/2021 THE CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START. I HAD A MECHANIC JUMP THE CAR OFF AND I LET IT IDLE TO BUILD UP THE BATTERY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THERE WAS A NOISE AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN FIRE!

NHTSA ODI #11394389

34,500 miles · Aug 27, 2020
Structure

I BELIEVED I HAD LOCKED MY DOORS ON 2 OCCASIONS USING MY ELECTRONIC KEY FOB. THE CAR BEEPED AND LIGHTS FLASHED INDICATING THAT THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. TWICE AFTER THINKING DOORS WERE LOCKED I WAS ROBBED OF APPROXIMATELY 55.00 HIDDEN IN MY GLOVE BOX AND CENTER CONSOLE. AFTER 2ND TIME, UPON INVESTIGATION OF THE LOCKING PROCEDURE I …

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I BELIEVED I HAD LOCKED MY DOORS ON 2 OCCASIONS USING MY ELECTRONIC KEY FOB. THE CAR BEEPED AND LIGHTS FLASHED INDICATING THAT THE DOORS WERE LOCKED. TWICE AFTER THINKING DOORS WERE LOCKED I WAS ROBBED OF APPROXIMATELY 55.00 HIDDEN IN MY GLOVE BOX AND CENTER CONSOLE. AFTER 2ND TIME, UPON INVESTIGATION OF THE LOCKING PROCEDURE I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT ALL DOORS EXCEPT DRIVER'S WOULD LOCK BUT NOT DRIVER'S EVEN THOUGH UPON WALKING AWAY THE INDICATORS SHOWED THAT ALL DOORS HAD LOCKED. EVEN WHEN IN CAR HITTING THE LOCK BUTTON ON INSIDE OF DOOR LOCKED ALL DOORS BUT DRIVER'S. I HAD TO USE KEY ON OUTSIDE TO FINALLY LOCK DOOR AND MANUALLY MOVE BUTTON ON INSIDE OF DOOR TO GET IT TO LOCK. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE BELIEVING VEHICLE IS LOCKED WHEN IN FACT IT IS NOT ALLOWS FOR ASSAULT OR CAR JACKING OF ME WHILE STOPPED. IT HAS ALREADY COST ME MONEY AND TIME AND IT MAKES THE DOOR UNSAFE IF EVER HIT ON THE SIDE WHERE THAT DOOR IS LOCATED BECAUSE OF LESS STRENGTH IN THE DOOR. CAR UNDER WARRANTY BUT UPON FIXING IT DEALER STATES THAT WINDOW MOTOR FOR THAT DOOR ALSO NEEDS ATTENTION BUT NO PARTS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. I WILL BE LEAVING ON A 500 MI. TRIP TOMORROW WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO LOWER MY WINDOW ANOTHER POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11351635

22,000 miles · Oct 11, 2019
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RAMSEY CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (1555 NJ-17, RAMSEY, NJ 07446, (201) 818-9600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CV BOOTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RAMSEY CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (1555 NJ-17, RAMSEY, NJ 07446, (201) 818-9600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CV BOOTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AGAIN AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS IMPROPERLY TORQUED TO THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE UNDERCARRIAGE BOLTS WERE TORQUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000. *LN *JB *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI #11267979

6,000 miles · Apr 25, 2019
StructureVisibility

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD NOISE SUDDENLY OCCURRED. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SUN ROOF HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER (TUNKHANNOCK AUTOMART, 509 JOSEPH HUNTER HWY, TUNKANNOCK, PA) AND THE MAN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD NOISE SUDDENLY OCCURRED. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SUN ROOF HAD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER (TUNKHANNOCK AUTOMART, 509 JOSEPH HUNTER HWY, TUNKANNOCK, PA) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. *BF *JB

NHTSA ODI #11203632

1,404 miles · Nov 30, 2018
Electrical SystemStructure

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I HAVE HAD THE RADIO SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES, THE STOP/START FEATURE KEEPS THROWING ERRORS, MY TEMP GAUGES HAVE WENT HAYWIRE, AND THE BLOWER MOTOR HAS SHORTED OUT AND COOLENT HAS LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE MOTOR TO OVER HEAT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE WITH LESS THAT 10,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT HAS…

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I HAVE HAD THE RADIO SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES, THE STOP/START FEATURE KEEPS THROWING ERRORS, MY TEMP GAUGES HAVE WENT HAYWIRE, AND THE BLOWER MOTOR HAS SHORTED OUT AND COOLENT HAS LEAKED OUT CAUSING THE MOTOR TO OVER HEAT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE WITH LESS THAT 10,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 7 TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 26 DAYS, 1 TIME BEING TOWED. ALSO HAVE HAD 4 TRIM PIECES REPLACED. ONE PIECE IS STILL ON BACK ORDER FROM 6 MONTHS AGO. ONE PIECE IS FINE AND THE OTHER 2 HAVE ALREADY POPPED OFF. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR ONLY 11 MONTHS. THE FIRST ISSUE STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 1404 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD SERIOUS ISSUES WITH IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 11,400 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #11155283

8,650 miles · Oct 12, 2018
Service BrakesStructureCrash

SEVERAL DAYS AGO WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY, MY JEEP COMPASS WOULD NOT BRAKE AT ALL. WE WERE FORCED TO PULL OFF ON THE MEDIAN LEFT SIDE UNTIL IT STOPPED.. TWO DAYS AGO, OCTOBER 10TH, WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND HIT A SIGN JUST MISSING A TREE. THE PASSENGER FRONT RIGHT SIDE…

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SEVERAL DAYS AGO WHILE ON THE EXPRESSWAY, MY JEEP COMPASS WOULD NOT BRAKE AT ALL. WE WERE FORCED TO PULL OFF ON THE MEDIAN LEFT SIDE UNTIL IT STOPPED.. TWO DAYS AGO, OCTOBER 10TH, WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND HIT A SIGN JUST MISSING A TREE. THE PASSENGER FRONT RIGHT SIDE, DOOR, BACK DOOR, AND REARVIEW MIRROR WERE DAMAGED. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT. VERY SCARY AND LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT.

NHTSA ODI #11140004

Official recalls

6

18V523000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.