Your vehicle report
2012 Jeep Compass
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 184
- Received Mar 2012 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving20 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline17 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving12 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #16V668000Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
- Recall #13V233000Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 5 fires, 2 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 14 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Transmission fails or loses power while driving
7 more problems
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Fuel pump fails and engine stalls
- Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes
- Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 12 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 29 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 28 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 4 |
| Total | 184 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 20 | 11% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 17 | 9.2% | 41× | NHTSA recall #12V142000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 12 | 6.5% | – | NHTSA recall #13V120000 |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 4.9% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 7 | 3.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 2.7% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 2.7% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 2.7% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 2.2% | – | |
| Radiator transmission cooler leaks fluid into transmission | 4 | 2.2% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 3 | 1.6% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 3 | 1.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #16V668000September 15, 20161,435,625 vehicles affected
air bags; air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive; seat belts: pretensioner
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
NHTSA recall #13V233000June 4, 2013254,396 vehicles affected
air bags: side/window; electrical system: software; seat belts
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.
In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
NHTSA recall #13V120000April 3, 201320,799 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012 Jeep Patriot and Compass vehicles manufactured October 18, 2011, through May 7, 2012. Due to an incorrectly manufactured transfer tube, the transfer of fuel from the secondary side to the primary side of the fuel tank may be interrupted, causing the engine to stall.
If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank transfer tube free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 30, 2013. Owners were notified by Chrysler on July 19, 2013, that parts are now available. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N17.
NHTSA recall #12V142000April 3, 20121,689 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2012 Jeep patriot and Compass vehicles manufactured from december 17, 2011, through january 2, 2012. Some vehicles may have been built with a fuel tank assembly containing a damaged roll-over valve.
In the event of an impact or roll-over, fuel leakage could occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about may 25, 2012. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2012 Jeep Compass.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN