Jeep Compass Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 3,493 NHTSA complaints, the Jeep Compass years to avoid are 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 — the worst logged up to 9× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by engine failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 172 | 81 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2009 | 64 | 23 | 1 | BEST |
| 2010 | 81 | 35 | 2 | BEST |
| 2011 | 187 | 99 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2012 | 184 | 104 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2013 | 80 | 49 | 1 | BEST |
| 2014 | 306 | 164 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 113 | 57 | 1 | SOLID |
| 2016 | 286 | 212 | 1 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 228 | 137 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 927 | 621 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 322 | 215 | 2 | AVOID |
| 2020 | 136 | 93 | 1 | AVOID |
| 2021 | 76 | 41 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2022 | 217 | 71 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 45 | 23 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2024 | 49 | 20 | 0 | SOLID |
| 2025 | 20 | 12 | 0 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Jeep Compass. Full methodology.
Common Jeep Compass problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Jeep Compass are engine, electrical, suspension. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Engine stalling and high coolant temperature
· Jeep Compass 2018–2021Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 736 engine complaints across 2018–2021.
Headlight failure
· Jeep Compass 2018Corroborated by 1 owner account of this failure, within a federal cluster of 370 electrical complaints across 2018, typically 175,000 miles.
Subframe rust and corrosion failure
· Jeep Compass 2008–2014Corroborated by 29 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 139 suspension complaints across 2008–2014, typically 44,000–172,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,000–$1,750.
Why these years stand out
2014 Jeep Compass: 306 owner complaints on federal record, 164 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2016 Jeep Compass: 286 owner complaints on federal record, 212 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2017 Jeep Compass: 228 owner complaints on federal record, 137 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2018 Jeep Compass: 927 owner complaints on federal record, 621 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2019 Jeep Compass: 322 owner complaints on federal record, 215 of them severe, plus 2 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2020 Jeep Compass: 136 owner complaints on federal record, 93 of them severe, plus 1 recall campaign — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
2022 Jeep Compass: 217 owner complaints on federal record, 71 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Compass.
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FAQ
What years of the Jeep Compass should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Jeep Compass years to avoid are 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by engine issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Jeep Compass?
The 2009, 2010 and 2013 Jeep Compass show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Jeep Compass verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Jeep Compass's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Jeep Compass before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Jeep Compass reliable?
The Jeep Compass's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 3,493 NHTSA owner complaints, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022 rate "avoid", while 2009, 2010 and 2013 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Jeep Compass?
The most-reported problem area for the Jeep Compass is engine, followed by electrical and suspension. Confirmed failures include engine stalling and high coolant temperature, headlight failure, subframe rust and corrosion failure. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Jeep Compass across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Jeep Compass, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.