Jeep Compass Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

Need another car or get my money back

The axle broke off suddenly on the front right tire, I was going approximately 60 miles per hour. This happened while driving in the middle of highway, it lead to the rest of tires to break abruptly. I was able to get to the emergency lane safely with last bit of speed before the car came to a complete stop. The engine did not turn off. I had it towed home through my insurance. It has not been serviced yet as it can not be driven or moved at all and I will have to tow it again to a service shop. I will bring it to a service shop to have it looked at once I can have it towed again so I can get a full diagnosis. The car did not making any prior noise, there was no warning on the dashboard it just happened suddenly and abruptly.

The truck just shuts off in the middle of driving

On 04/12/2026, I was stopped at a red light. The auto start/stop engaged. I removed my foot from the brake, the auto start kicked on, but did not reengage the engine. The notification panel suddenly started blinking, entire panel lit up. The parking brake automatically engage despite not being touched. The option for selecting terrain started toggling through all options. Vehicle then seemingly died. Put vehicle in park. Pressed button to restart engine. Car was successfully restarted.

I was hit on the driver side of my jeep and I was told by multiple EMS on the scene of the accident that my air bags should’ve went off

See attached document for complaint.

The collision alert warning lights have been coming on since the DAY I drove out of the dealership! They tried to dismiss it as my fault - I got too close to something (I was simply passing another car). This has been a constant issue and I’ve told the dealership every time I’ve had it serviced. I’ve had about four times that I’ve been driving at high speeds and the vehicle suddenly slams on the brakes because it’s “thinking I’m gonna hit something.” Usually it’s if I’m passing another car, but it’s also happened when there is nothing near at all. This past week was the last straw!! I was going 70 mph down the highway, had just passed a semi, and all hell broke loose. Jerked me from side to side, the brakes engaged and were jolting me, smoking, grinding, and screeching horribly because they would not give up in trying to stop me. Oil dumped all over and a burning smell, shaking and jerking, couldn’t steer, etc.. during this scary time, the service 4WD light and crash alert lights all come on. Thankfully the semi I was passing was paying attention and did not hit me. I was two hours from home so the Jeep was towed to the nearest dealership. I later learned there is a service recall that JUST came out early March 2026. It’s called 12D and is a software update related to all these codes it’s been throwing and how myJeep has been behaving for TWO years. Software needs to be updated or can have all this stuff that happened to me… because the systems don’t know what to do?? There is also a service bulletin out there that service techs SHOULD be aware of that addresses known issues with the PTU (power transfer unit). I just learned from the dealership that has my Jeep - the PTU is shot!! Imagine that! They have a PTU unit ordered but will not know what else is damaged until they tear into it. It shouldn’t take an injury or death to get notices out there when there are known issues. Thank you! This dealership where my Jeep is finally seems to know what they are doing!

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Powertrain/Engine Control System. The vehicle suffers from a total loss of motive power while driving in traffic. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle unexpectedly enters "Limp Mode" while driving at various speeds in active traffic. When this happens, the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive, forcing the vehicle to a crawl or a dead stop regardless of the flow of traffic around it. This creates a life-threatening risk of rear-end collisions and high-speed accidents, as the car cannot maintain speed or move to safety. I am forced to operate a vehicle that effectively "shuts down" while I am in the middle of the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Multiple independent mechanics have confirmed the stalling and electrical instability. Despite replacing the crankshaft sensor and both batteries, the sudden loss of power in traffic persists. Shops have stated the issue is a manufacturer-level failure they cannot fix. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? It has been inspected by independent service centers. The manufacturer has not inspected it yet, as it is extremely hard to duplicate unless it is driven for a certain time at certain temperatures. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The failure is temperature-dependent, occurring almost exclusively when ambient temperatures reach 71°F or higher. When the failure happens, the dashboard displays flashes the drive sign(limp mode). There are no other lights or anything triggered to display what the issue is related to. These symptoms began roughly one year ago, and has returned daily now that it is getting hot again.

Radiator has anti freeze smell when driven long periods of time or sometimes when at idol , also start /stop system not working properly when making a stop vechiel does not want to turn back on

Three times now, my steering wheel feels like it’s jerking out of my hands and difficult to turn. It has happened at low speeds while maneuvering in parking lots. I’m afraid it’ll happen at higher speeds as it gets worse.

Vehicle traveling at highway speeds 70 mph, will suddenly slam on brakes. While there is nothing in front of the vehicle and or sensor. weather type was clear not a sight of rain or snow.

Note: The vehicle is totaled, and GEICO Insurance is in possession. A month ago, we received Brake warnings. We brought the vehicle to a mechanic to get checked and it passed. We did not get the warning again. 2 weeks ago, while turning into our driveway, as we were almost stopped, but still in the turn, the vehicle made a noise similar to the Auto Stop/Start feature. The power brakes and steering stopped working (everything was stiff). The car accelerated, and we hit the corner of our garage (because we did not complete the turn into the driveway). The vehicle then hit a tree where it came to rest. The collision avoidance, didn't kick in. Unsure about the final speed of the vehicle, but it was fast enough to deploy the airbags and total the vehicle. There is a police report with the Closter, NJ Police.