Your vehicle report
2018 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
- 948
- Received Sep 2017 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine suddenly shuts off while driving120 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes116 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving88 complaints · 9.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #18V523000Chrysler (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.
- Recall #18V524000Chrysler (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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Headlights dim or fail at nightFirst signal: Oct 2017
- Rearview backup camera fails or goes blackFirst signal: Nov 2018
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its ownFirst signal: Dec 2018
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 28 crashes, 5 fires, 18 people injured, 0 deaths.
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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 74 |
| 2019 | 185 |
| 2020 | 137 |
| 2021 | 98 |
| 2022 | 116 |
| 2023 | 119 |
| 2024 | 82 |
| 2025 | 61 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 51 |
| Total | 948 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 120 | 13% | 3.9× | NHTSA recall #18V524000 |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 116 | 12% | 2.7× | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 88 | 9.3% | 16.1× | NHTSA recall #17V670000 |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 54 | 5.7% | 4× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2017 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.7% |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 44 | 4.6% | 2.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Nov 2018 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.4% |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 36 | 3.8% | 3.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Dec 2018 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 23 | 2.4% | 1.4× | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 16 | 1.7% | 0.8× | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 16 | 1.7% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 16 | 1.7% | 6.3× | NHTSA recall #18V524000 |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 12 | 1.3% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 12 | 1.3% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 11 | 1.2% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 11 | 1.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #17V732000 |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 7 | 0.7% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 7 | 0.7% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 7 | 0.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 6 | 0.6% | – |
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 #18V523000August 9, 2018154,335 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #18V524000August 9, 201812,779 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring: front underhood
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #18V279000May 1, 20182,761 vehicles affected
suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V732000November 21, 201727,210 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V740000November 21, 201725,823 vehicles affected
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
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."
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.
NHTSA recall #17V670000October 24, 2017357 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine
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.
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.
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 2018 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