NHTSA has received 936 owner complaints about the 2018 Jeep Compass, or 107.9 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.56, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #65 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Jeep models its rate is 48% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 74% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2017-09-26 and 2026-08-28. Median delay from incident to filing: 7 days.
936Complaints
107.9Complaints per year on the road
2.56Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
6Recalls
3.4%Share involving a crash or fire
59Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 42.6 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 284 complaints, 219% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (50.9% of complaints), followed by Electrical (19.1%) and Transmission / powertrain (8.0%). Engine complaints are 2.3 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “oil”, “engine”, “stalled”, “shut” and “low”. 32 reports (3.4%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 18 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 37 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (28% of incidents). In the last 12 months 59 new complaints were filed, versus 66 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls for this model year. 77% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles2.56
vs. other Jeep models1.48
vs. other 2018 models2.2
vs. other Compact SUVs1.74
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (284)3.19
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, both the driver and passenger side rear windows would roll down independently.
Transmission / powertrain · 2024-12-02 · ODI 11628344 · Crash
My Radio has formed a bubble in it which is causing it to glitch and my backup camera to malfunction when driving and backing up I hit my fence because my radio glitched and keep having to replace the auxiliary battery in my jeep it’s been replaced several…
Electrical · 2024-03-03 · ODI 11575178 · Crash
On August 25, 2026, my 2018 Jeep Compass equipped with the 2.4L engine became inoperable approximately five months after I purchased it. The vehicle had approximately 68,000 miles.
Engine · 2026-08-28 · ODI 11760368
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the infotainment center display intermittently was distorted, flashed on and off, and independently initiated calls; the contact stated that the failure occurred…
Interior & equipment · 2026-08-27 · ODI 11760138
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message that the vehicle would shut off was displayed several times, requiring the driver to pull over.
Electrical · 2026-08-21 · ODI 11758451
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER Campaign 18V523000 · 2018-08-09
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM Campaign 18V279000 · 2018-05-01
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
Summary: 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."
Risk: 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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE Campaign 17V732000 · 2017-11-21
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE Campaign 17V670000 · 2017-10-24
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2018 Jeep Compass?
936 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Jeep Compass, or about 107.9 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2018 Jeep Compass?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 50.9% of complaints.
Does the 2018 Jeep Compass have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2018 Jeep Compass still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 59 new complaints were filed, versus 66 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2018 Jeep Compass compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 936 owner complaints about the 2018 Jeep Compass, or 107.9 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.56, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #65 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Jeep models its rate is 48% higher; against other Compact SUVs it is 74% higher.