IllustrationUNINTENDED ACCELERATION, AFTER BRAKING VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, ALSO HARD SHIFTS WHEN IN MOTION.
2019 Jeep Compass
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Compass years
Owner complaints for the 2019 Jeep Compass are substantially higher than the model-year median of 126.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Compass years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
630–25K
2225–50K
1050–75K
375–100K
5100–150K
0150K+
103 reports with mileage · 226 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 160 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 143 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
15 reportsTO START I STILL DON'T HAVE MY LICENSE PLATES, WHICH TELLS YOU HOW NEW IT IS. THE GEARSHIFT DOESN'T LIGHT UP AND IF IT DOES IT FLICKERS WHEN I SWITCH GEAR FROM P TO R TO D OR WTVR I NEED TO DO THERE IS NO INDICATION ON WHAT GEAR I'M IN. I'M ASSUMING IT'S ELECTRICAL WHICH ISN'T A GOOD SIGN. JEEP BRAND ISN'T DOING GOOD.…
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TO START I STILL DON'T HAVE MY LICENSE PLATES, WHICH TELLS YOU HOW NEW IT IS. THE GEARSHIFT DOESN'T LIGHT UP AND IF IT DOES IT FLICKERS WHEN I SWITCH GEAR FROM P TO R TO D OR WTVR I NEED TO DO THERE IS NO INDICATION ON WHAT GEAR I'M IN. I'M ASSUMING IT'S ELECTRICAL WHICH ISN'T A GOOD SIGN. JEEP BRAND ISN'T DOING GOOD. ALSO WHEN I LIGHTLY TAP MY GAS IT MAKES THE SOUND OF ACCELERATION BUT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY DOING SO. I HAVE TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS FOR THE SYSTEM TO I GUESS CATCH UP WITH THE SPEED I'M TRYING TO GET TO AND THIS IS ON THE CITY STREET . I WILL UPDATE ON 10/3 IF MY CAR COMES BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP BY THEN.
AFTER GETTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND COMING TO A STOP AT THE LIGHT, I WENT TO TURN AND MY CAR STALLED OUT AS I WAS TURNING. I WAS ON A ONE LANE OVERPASS WITH NO WAY TO PULL OVER. IT WOULDN'T EVEN REGISTER THAT I WAS TRYING TO TURN OFF MY VEHICLE FOR A MINUTE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RESTART MY CAR AND KEEP DRIVING.
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AT HAWK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP 7911 W ROOSEVELT RD, FOREST PARK, IL 60130 ON 04/8/19 . I DROVE OFF THE LOT WITHOUT A PROPER EXPLANATION/PRESENTATION OF MY VEHICLE, NO ONE WENT OVER THE FEATURES WITH ME. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME, A FAMILY MEMBER POINTED OUT THAT THE LCD SCREEN QHERE THE MILEAGE IS DISPLAYED WAS …
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I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE AT HAWK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP 7911 W ROOSEVELT RD, FOREST PARK, IL 60130 ON 04/8/19 . I DROVE OFF THE LOT WITHOUT A PROPER EXPLANATION/PRESENTATION OF MY VEHICLE, NO ONE WENT OVER THE FEATURES WITH ME. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME, A FAMILY MEMBER POINTED OUT THAT THE LCD SCREEN QHERE THE MILEAGE IS DISPLAYED WAS NOT WORKING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MAY TURN ON WITH ONE OF THE BUTTON ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I'VE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE LIKE THIS. AFTER 10 -15 MINUTES OF PLAYING AROUND WITH BUTTONS I COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, THE SALESPERSON SAID TO BRING IT BACK FOR AN UPDATE. ON THE WAY BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP I GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO THE DEALER AND I DID NOT REALIZE HOW FAST I WAS GOING SINCE MILEAGE WAS NOT DISPLAYED. NOW, I HAVE DAMAGE ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 24HRS LATER. IT IS NOW 04/23/19 AND THE VEHICLE IS UNDER THE DEALERSHIP POSSESSION BECAUSE THE PART TO THE LCD SCREEN IS ON BACK ORDER. ACCORDING TO THE SALESPERSON, I JUST NEEDED AN UPDATE, WRONG.
UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT: I LEASED THIS CAR ON JANUARY 12, 2019. IT IS BRAND NEW. THE CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING AGAIN TODAY AND YESTERDAY. I TURNED IT ON THE NORMAL WAY AND IT WAS FINE IN PARK, BUT WHEN I SWITCHED TO DRIVE IT SHUT OFF. THE D STARTED FLASHING (AGAIN) SO I PUT IT BACK IN PARK, AND THE CONSOLE T…
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UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT: I LEASED THIS CAR ON JANUARY 12, 2019. IT IS BRAND NEW. THE CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING AGAIN TODAY AND YESTERDAY. I TURNED IT ON THE NORMAL WAY AND IT WAS FINE IN PARK, BUT WHEN I SWITCHED TO DRIVE IT SHUT OFF. THE D STARTED FLASHING (AGAIN) SO I PUT IT BACK IN PARK, AND THE CONSOLE TOLD ME TO PRESS THE BRAKE AND PRESS STOP/START, WHICH I DID ATTEMPT BUT THE BRAKE WAS LOCKED AND THIS DID NOT WORK. THE RED LIGHTNING BOLT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BOTH CAME ON. THE RED LIGHTNING BOLT WARNING LIGHT INDICATES A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IT ALSO STALLED AND WAS HARD TO STEER AS USUAL NOW, THOUGH PUTTING IT IN 4WD MAKES IT A BIT EASIER TO CONTROL. I AM NOW EVEN MORE SCARED TO OPERATE THIS VEHICLE AND FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL APART WHILE I'M DRIVING.
Official recalls
220V208000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
Apr 9, 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500, 1500 Classic and Jeep Compass vehicles. The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper nuts, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W25.
18V523000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper
Aug 9, 2018
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE22013 · False Overheat Leading To Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Dec 2, 2022 · Closed Dec 10, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine; Engine And Engine Cooling
On December 2, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE22-013 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power accompanied by high coolant temperature messages on the dashboard of Model Year 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. At the time this investigation was opened, ODI was aware of fifteen Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) for Model Year (MY) 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles alleging a loss of motive power (LOMP) while driving. The LOMP events were often accompanied by a high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high message appearing on the dashboard of the vehicle. In most incidents, the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages spontaneously self-corrected or were corrected after the vehicle was stopped and restarted. One complainant alleged no immediate restart, and the vehicle was towed. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) was opened to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of these engine shut down events. On January 19th, 2023, ODI sent an information request letter to Fiat Chrysler US LLC (FCA) requesting pertinent information on the subject 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. FCA provided its full response on March 2nd, 2023. ODI has reviewed the information FCA provided as well as new reports submitted to NHTSA’s Vehicle Owner Questionnaire database. Based on a review of available information, ODI has identified 173 subject vehicles that likely experienced a shutdown event associated with the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages. ODI found the 2019 Model Year (MY) Jeep Compass as having the highest failure rate while also being the oldest group of vehicles in this investigation. The 2019 Jeep Compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.09%. The 2020 Jeep compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.04%. After reviewing the information available at this time, ODI identified one allegation of a crash and no allegations of injury, fire, or fatality. The alleged crash occurred at a stop light and was able to be restarted immediately. In its response to ODI, FCA provided its assessment of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. FCA believes the alleged defect does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. FCA stated that allegations related to this investigation involve the vehicle notifying the driver of an overheat condition, via a message and telltale lights, followed by an engine shutdown. FCA goes on to say that once the engine shuts down, the driver is instructed via an instrument cluster message to place the vehicle in park. After the vehicle is placed in park, it can then be restarted and immediately driven with no issues. This is consistent with ODI’s observations. Based on the analysis conducted by ODI indicating a low failure rate and given that the vehicles normally can be re-started immediately after the shutdown event, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. NHTSA reserves the right take additional actions if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling
On December 2, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE22-013 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power accompanied by high coolant temperature messages on the dashboard of Model Year 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. At the time this investigation was opened, ODI was aware of fifteen Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) for Model Year (MY) 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles alleging a loss of motive power (LOMP) while driving. The LOMP events were often accompanied by a high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high message appearing on the dashboard of the vehicle. In most incidents, the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages spontaneously self-corrected or were corrected after the vehicle was stopped and restarted. One complainant alleged no immediate restart, and the vehicle was towed. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) was opened to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of these engine shut down events. On January 19th, 2023, ODI sent an information request letter to Fiat Chrysler US LLC (FCA) requesting pertinent information on the subject 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. FCA provided its full response on March 2nd, 2023. ODI has reviewed the information FCA provided as well as new reports submitted to NHTSA’s Vehicle Owner Questionnaire database. Based on a review of available information, ODI has identified 173 subject vehicles that likely experienced a shutdown event associated with the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages. ODI found the 2019 Model Year (MY) Jeep Compass as having the highest failure rate while also being the oldest group of vehicles in this investigation. The 2019 Jeep Compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.09%. The 2020 Jeep compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.04%. After reviewing the information available at this time, ODI identified one allegation of a crash and no allegations of injury, fire, or fatality. The alleged crash occurred at a stop light and was able to be restarted immediately. In its response to ODI, FCA provided its assessment of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. FCA believes the alleged defect does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. FCA stated that allegations related to this investigation involve the vehicle notifying the driver of an overheat condition, via a message and telltale lights, followed by an engine shutdown. FCA goes on to say that once the engine shuts down, the driver is instructed via an instrument cluster message to place the vehicle in park. After the vehicle is placed in park, it can then be restarted and immediately driven with no issues. This is consistent with ODI’s observations. Based on the analysis conducted by ODI indicating a low failure rate and given that the vehicles normally can be re-started immediately after the shutdown event, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. NHTSA reserves the right take additional actions if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Engine
On December 2, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE22-013 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power accompanied by high coolant temperature messages on the dashboard of Model Year 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. At the time this investigation was opened, ODI was aware of fifteen Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) for Model Year (MY) 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles alleging a loss of motive power (LOMP) while driving. The LOMP events were often accompanied by a high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high message appearing on the dashboard of the vehicle. In most incidents, the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages spontaneously self-corrected or were corrected after the vehicle was stopped and restarted. One complainant alleged no immediate restart, and the vehicle was towed. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) was opened to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of these engine shut down events. On January 19th, 2023, ODI sent an information request letter to Fiat Chrysler US LLC (FCA) requesting pertinent information on the subject 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. FCA provided its full response on March 2nd, 2023. ODI has reviewed the information FCA provided as well as new reports submitted to NHTSA’s Vehicle Owner Questionnaire database. Based on a review of available information, ODI has identified 173 subject vehicles that likely experienced a shutdown event associated with the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages. ODI found the 2019 Model Year (MY) Jeep Compass as having the highest failure rate while also being the oldest group of vehicles in this investigation. The 2019 Jeep Compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.09%. The 2020 Jeep compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.04%. After reviewing the information available at this time, ODI identified one allegation of a crash and no allegations of injury, fire, or fatality. The alleged crash occurred at a stop light and was able to be restarted immediately. In its response to ODI, FCA provided its assessment of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. FCA believes the alleged defect does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. FCA stated that allegations related to this investigation involve the vehicle notifying the driver of an overheat condition, via a message and telltale lights, followed by an engine shutdown. FCA goes on to say that once the engine shuts down, the driver is instructed via an instrument cluster message to place the vehicle in park. After the vehicle is placed in park, it can then be restarted and immediately driven with no issues. This is consistent with ODI’s observations. Based on the analysis conducted by ODI indicating a low failure rate and given that the vehicles normally can be re-started immediately after the shutdown event, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. NHTSA reserves the right take additional actions if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.