2021 Jeep Compass problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 77 owner complaints about the 2021 Jeep Compass, or 13.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.32, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #29 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Jeep models its rate is 81% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 78% lower.
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 2020-10-08 and 2026-08-27. Median delay from incident to filing: 8 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 20.7 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 47.1 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 11 complaints, 82% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Electrical (28.6% of complaints), followed by Engine (26.0%) and Interior & equipment (14.3%). Electrical complaints are 1.8 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Electrical reports, owners most often mention “temperature”, “fine”, “radio”, “camera” and “screen”. 6 reports (7.8%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 40 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (42% of incidents). In the last 12 months 16 new complaints were filed, versus 22 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.32
- vs. other Jeep models0.19
- vs. other 2021 models0.36
- vs. other Compact SUVs0.22
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (11)0.18
- #29 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Electrical · Common terms in reports
- temperature5
- fine5
- radio5
- camera5
- screen5
- coolant4
Engine · Common terms in reports
- high coolant3
- temperature5
- traffic8
- light10
- gauge3
- overheating3
Interior & equipment · Common terms in reports
- keep3
- high3
- accident3
- safety4
Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Interior & equipment · Transmission / powertrain · Lighting · Driver-assist systems · Brakes · Airbags & seat belts
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 5
- Fires reported: 2
- Injuries: 0
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 40 months
What owners report
The contact owned a 2021 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed black smoke coming from the front passenger side headlight. No warning light was illuminated.
[XXX] nearly three minutes after dropping my kids off to school, driving near the [XXX] ! My jeep begin to accelerate, I couldn’t control the brakes or steering wheel!
To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to formally submit a complaint regarding my 2021 Jeep Compass, particularly concerning recurring mechanical, electrical, and safety-related problems that have created serious concerns about the vehicle's reliability and…
The engine will shut off completely while traveling a a normal rate of speed. The temperature gauge will malfunction and report high temperature (when there is none) and the engine will shut off.
I was driving on the Arecibo. P.R. highway when suddently the car started acelererating..i wouldn't show down. There were a lot of cars on the road, so I had to swerve onto the grass and hit a tree car. I dind'd receive any help from highway patrol.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2021 · Compact SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Kia Sportage | 50 | 8.8 | 0.21 |
| 2021 Jeep Compass | 77 | 13.6 | 0.32 |
| 2021 Hyundai Tucson | 78 | 13.7 | 0.33 |
| 2021 Chevrolet Equinox | 91 | 16.0 | 0.38 |
| 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan | 136 | 24.0 | 0.57 |
| 2021 Mazda CX-5 | 143 | 25.2 | 0.6 |
| 2021 Jeep Cherokee | 154 | 27.1 | 0.64 |
| 2021 Subaru Forester | 207 | 36.5 | 0.87 |
| 2021 Nissan Rogue | 320 | 56.4 | 1.34 |
| 2021 Ford Escape | 365 | 64.3 | 1.53 |
| 2021 Honda CR-V | 427 | 75.3 | 1.79 |
| 2021 Toyota RAV4 | 502 | 88.5 | 2.1 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Jeep Compass?
77 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Jeep Compass, or about 13.6 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Jeep Compass?
The most common category is Electrical, accounting for 28.6% of complaints.
Does the 2021 Jeep Compass have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2021 Jeep Compass still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 16 new complaints were filed, versus 22 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2021 Jeep Compass compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 77 owner complaints about the 2021 Jeep Compass, or 13.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.32, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #29 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Jeep models its rate is 81% lower; against other Compact SUVs it is 78% lower.