IllustrationMultiple instances of power loss in the vehicle with the warning stating that coolant temperature is too high. Car doesn't power more than 20mph in such instances and needs to be parked on the side for a restart.
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
What owners actually said
329 reportsdashboard message stating “High Coolant Temperature” while driving on highway. I had to stop on the shoulder of the highway after seeing a warning that the vehicle would soon shut off. I was driving the car with my child and the situation was very tense. I had to park the car on the shoulder of highway and wait for it to sett…
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dashboard message stating “High Coolant Temperature” while driving on highway. I had to stop on the shoulder of the highway after seeing a warning that the vehicle would soon shut off. I was driving the car with my child and the situation was very tense. I had to park the car on the shoulder of highway and wait for it to settle down. This actually threatened the lives of me and my child.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, or while stopped at a traffic light the vehicle would suddenly shut off. The failure had occurred while driving 70 MPH, and while stationary at a traffic light. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times, but the mechanic …
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The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, or while stopped at a traffic light the vehicle would suddenly shut off. The failure had occurred while driving 70 MPH, and while stationary at a traffic light. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer several times, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 16,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The engine start/stop light turned on saying it needed serviced. While driving. Then another message popped up on the screen and suddenly disappeared then my emergency brakes came on while driving and put me in a complete stop in the middle of the road.. have not yet contacted anyone about this issue yet. Im worried that it will…
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The engine start/stop light turned on saying it needed serviced. While driving. Then another message popped up on the screen and suddenly disappeared then my emergency brakes came on while driving and put me in a complete stop in the middle of the road.. have not yet contacted anyone about this issue yet. Im worried that it will happen again and cause someone to rear end me.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I AM WRITING THIS LETTER ON THIS 2019 JEEP COMPASS WHEN DRIVING THE LIGHTS START GOING CRAZY CHECK ENGINE,SERVICE TRANSMISSION,POWER STEERING NEEDS SERVICED, SMELL OF GAS AND ANTIFREEZE AND PARKING BRAKE COMES ON AND MUCH MORE. I HAVE HAD THIS JEEP IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES WITH NO HELP I NEED HELP AS SOON…
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THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I AM WRITING THIS LETTER ON THIS 2019 JEEP COMPASS WHEN DRIVING THE LIGHTS START GOING CRAZY CHECK ENGINE,SERVICE TRANSMISSION,POWER STEERING NEEDS SERVICED, SMELL OF GAS AND ANTIFREEZE AND PARKING BRAKE COMES ON AND MUCH MORE. I HAVE HAD THIS JEEP IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES WITH NO HELP I NEED HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ON THIS JEEP IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AT ALL I AM DISABLED AND ON A LIMITED INCOME NEED HELP PLEASE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH [XXX][XXX] e-mail [XXX] TODAY DATE IS 03/20/2023 INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
While driving in 33 degree weather my Jeep Compass randomly shuts off flashing a high coolant temp on the dash. This has happened twice while operating on the roadway, one of which was in the middle of navigating a 4 way traffic light. My significant other is a licensed mechanic therefore all maintenance is always up to date. T…
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While driving in 33 degree weather my Jeep Compass randomly shuts off flashing a high coolant temp on the dash. This has happened twice while operating on the roadway, one of which was in the middle of navigating a 4 way traffic light. My significant other is a licensed mechanic therefore all maintenance is always up to date. This vehicle isn’t low on antifreeze and is a significant safety threat to myself and my two children 3 and under.
2019 JEEP COMPASS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BROKEN LEFT FRONT KNUCKLE.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she was unable turn off or restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the TCM and BCM were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred 6 hours late…
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The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she was unable turn off or restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the TCM and BCM were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred 6 hours later. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who informed the contact that 69 diagnostic trouble codes were retrieved; however, the dealer informed the contact they could not repair the vehicle unless the failure occurred while test driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 63,800.
Driving at highway speeds today "high coolant temp" message appeared and vehicle lost power briefly, luckily not completely as I was in the far left lane with no shoulder to pull onto. I made my way to the right shoulder and realized my temp was just fine - just below 200 degrees - and vehicle operated normally the rest of the w…
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Driving at highway speeds today "high coolant temp" message appeared and vehicle lost power briefly, luckily not completely as I was in the far left lane with no shoulder to pull onto. I made my way to the right shoulder and realized my temp was just fine - just below 200 degrees - and vehicle operated normally the rest of the way to work. After giving it a google search and seeing all of the other complaints about this issue, I figured I better report my issue as well in an effort to get this looked into and resolved. Had my car completely shut off like so many of the other complaints I've seen, there would have been an interstate pile up with me at the bottom.
Dash message stated “Coolant temperature too high” before shutting off completely at a stop light. Brakes locked up and could not change the gear. Car would not turn back on, and had to get my car towed out of the middle of an intersection.
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.