2020 JEEP COMPASS

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine cooling

    4 stranded, 34 unsafe

    38
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while in stop and go traffic, the temperature gauge rose into the high temperature range. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power; however, after several minutes, the vehicle started and op…"~74,685 mi, complaint #1857844
  2. #2

    engine stall or no start

    5 stranded, 27 unsafe

    32
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=22, median 7,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON TWO OCCASIONS. BOTH TIMES I HAD SLOWED TO A STOP AND WHEN I HIT THE GAS TO REACCELERATE AT A GREEN LIGHT THE CAR SHUT OFF. THE INFOTAINMENT SCREENS REMAINED ON AND THE LIGHTS ON THE SHIFT KNOB STARTED TO BLINK. I HAD TO PU…"~700 mi, complaint #1683689
    • "I HAVE HAD MY 2020 JEEP COMPASS 4.5 MONTHS AND IT HAS STALLED TWICE. BOTH TIMES AS I WAS APPROACHING A LIGHT TO STOP. MY LIFE HAS BEEN ENDANGERED BOTH TIMES AS I DID NOT REALIZE WHAT HAD HAPPENED NOR DO THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME. I ONLY REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING…"~1,742 mi, complaint #1686820
    • "I WAS FILLING UP MY GAS TANK, THE AUTOMATIC STOP ON THE GAS PUMP NEVER SHUT OFF. GAS BEGAN SPILLING OUT OF MY CAR ONTO THE GROUND. I PLACED THE GAS PUMP BACK AND ATTEMPT ED TO START MY CAR, MY CAR STARTED BUT SHUT OFF RIGHT AFTER SIGNALING MY OIL WAS LOW. I JU…"~4,021 mi, complaint #1738858
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while at the traffic light, the auto Stop-Start feature turned off the engine; however, the engine failed to restart. The message "Stop-Start Unavailable" was displayed. The contact restarted the ve…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1940540
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while approaching a traffic light, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving to his destination. The vehi…"~63,774 mi, complaint #1866980
  3. #3

    battery and charging

    1 stranded, 6 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and both batteries in vehicle were replaced. On another occasion, the contact turned on the heater…"~32,000 mi, complaint #1851014
  4. #4

    engine internal

    1 stranded, 4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN AC IS LEFT IN THE ON POSITION AND THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON THERE IS AN AUDIBLE SQUEAK NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE, THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE STOP START SYSTEM ENGAGES AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. THIS SQUEAK SOUNDS MUCH LIKE A…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1704007
  5. #5

    control module

    4 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "MY CAMERAS QUIT WORKING FIRST. 2ND TIME IN THE SHOP, DUE TO STALLING WHEN DRIVING. 3RD TIME LOOSING POWER/STALLING WHILE DRIVING. LOOSING ALL POWER TO CENTER CONSOLE. RADIO, HEAT, PHONE WOULDN'T CONNECT, SCREEN WASN'T WORKING. NOTHING. CAME.BACK ON WHEN DRIV…"~3,000 mi, complaint #1724859
  6. #6

    infotainment head unit

    2 unsafe, 3 annoyance

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the infotainment screen began to display a pixilated and distorted image. Due to the failure, the rear-view camera failed to operate while in reverse(R). The failure per…"~54,000 mi, complaint #2172312
  7. #7

    engine oil consumption

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I PURCHASED A 2020 JEEP COMPASS TRAILHAWK WITH THE 2.4 TIGER SHARK ENGINE ON 2/24/20. WHILE ON MY WAY TO SIGN PAPERS, I SAW A FRIEND WITH A 2018 MODEL LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I INFORMED HIM THAT I WAS PICKING UP THE SAME CAR HE TOLD ME TO "WATCH MY OIL".…"complaint #1722038
    • "19000 miles and consumes 1 quart of oil a month. This has been doing this since bought new. Told dealer on two services and dealer (Smith Haven Jeep, St. James, NY) said this is normal. I know this is not normal for a new car. I drive about 400 miles a month u…"complaint #1756250
    • "Engine consumes oil rapidly. The touchscreen does not work and shuts off after start-up. Without the touchscreen, the rearview camera does not work, making this problem one of safety. Also, you can not turn on or off safety features in the settings mode, since…"complaint #1932103
  8. #8

    tire failure

    1 stranded, 2 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2020 Jeep Compass equipped Continental Tires, Tire Line: Contipro Contact, Tire Size: 235/45/R19, DOT Number: A35LWBJD3419. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 35-45 mph,…"~4,500 mi, complaint #1748275
    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass equipped with Continental tires, Tire Line: ProContact TX, Tire Size: 225/55/R18, DOT number: A35LWBJD4419. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21T001000 (Tires) however, neither the tire size nor th…"~24,000 mi, complaint #1748799
  9. #9

    transmission automatic

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, IN NEIGHBORHOODS, INTERSTATE, ETC - RANDOM TIMES THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WILL OVERHEAT UP TO 295 DEGREES, AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL ENGINE WISE. ALL POWER IS LOST TO THE GAS PEDAL AND I'M NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE. SOMETIMES THE ELECT…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1704585
  10. #10

    wiper and washer

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving at 35 mph in the rain, when he attempted to use the windshield wipers but they failed to function. The contact stated he attempted to park the vehicle and was unable to see another vehicle…"~19,126 mi, complaint #1752095
  11. #11

    wiring harness

    2 stranded, 1 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Second time vehicle refuses to turn on. Purchased a "New" battery from the dealership and just a few months later the vehicle refused to turn on once again. According to the dealership the electrical wires were burnt out by the computer in my jeep. Ti…"complaint #1837572
    • "Minutes after leaving my garage, dashboard lit up ENGINE OVERHEAT, and immediately the car shut DOWN. Obviously, I had no control of the vehicle. Car would not attempt to start after that. I had it towed to a Jeep dealer. They said there was no signal to the e…"complaint #1891789
    • "When trying to start vehicle it displays a “Service Electrical System” error followed by “Coolant Temperature Too High” my coolant gauge sky rockets red and then returns to a very low level. The vehicle has not overheated and has been parked and cooled off com…"complaint #1929127
  12. #12

    adas collision warning

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM FAILED FUNCTION AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED WAS NOT REDUCED NEITHER WAS THERE A WARNING OF STOPPED VEHICLES AHEAD. THE…"~600 mi, complaint #1655960
    • "WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60MPH WITH NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THE CAR STARTED DINGING AND THE WORD BRAKE! CAME UP ON THE DASH - AGAIN, NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I PUSHED THE BRAKE AND IT WENT AWAY - TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE FRONT CAMERA WAS DEFE…"~4,000 mi, complaint #1731942
  13. #13

    airbag system

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact's daughter owned a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 2 MPH in a parking lot, she was involved in a head-on collision. The vehicle was listed as totaled by the insurance company. The contact's…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1834327
  14. #14

    backup camera

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Uconnect display screen is glitching. Unable to see when reversing. Parkview rear back up camera is unable to display."complaint #1968304
    • "Unknown. Vehicle has been inspected prior for electrical issues while under warranty. Dealer claims no issue. Backup camera does not work, vehicle temperature settings are not accessible on screen. "complaint #2239417
  15. #15

    driveshaft axle cv

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The driveshaft failed at only 32,000 miles and the engine is failing. The dealership confirmed this is happening for other vehicles of my make and model."complaint #2001565
    • "While turning out of a parking lot, onto a side street, a suspension component failed without warning, causing the front axle to pull out of the transmission. The vehicle immediately became unsafe, as I was unable to turn the wheel (it wasn't connected) to get…"complaint #2209718
  16. #16

    engine head gasket

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Coolant mixing with oil three times in a month span with new parts being replaced. With further inspection, driver was not at fault. Vehicle malfunctioned. Overheating after replacement of thermostat, head gasket, and water pump. Auto start/stop goes on and o…"complaint #1970902
    • "At approximately 35,900 miles, vehicle failed a block test indicating combustion gases in the cooling system. Cylinder head gasket was replaced, cylinder head was machined, and exhaust valves were replaced at an independent shop at a cost of over $5,000. Short…"complaint #2196270
  17. #17

    other

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that her son was driving at undisclosed speeds when he arrived at his destination turn into a parking lot. Placed the gear actuator in park, within second a warning indicated that the vehicle was not in…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1756893
  18. #18

    transfer case awd

    1 stranded, 1 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the 4WD engaged and disengaged while driving down the road. The contact stated that the brakes locked up while 35 MPH. Additionally, the computer became inoperable. The contact stated that the batte…"~97,000 mi, complaint #2128298
  19. #19

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The car suddenly would not accelerate over 20 miles per hour when I was driving on a busy road. The car has made clunking noises whenever I accelerate since I bought it 6 months ago. There is a recall for other 2020 Jeep Compass Latitudes that would explain th…"complaint #2140135
  20. #20

    brake pads and rotors

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "BRAKES SQUEAK AND SQUEAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN FROM 2MPH DOWN TO 0. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER TIME. I HAVE TAKEN THE JEEP TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS WITH ONE FINALLY CHANGING THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AT 5K MILES! ISSUES CONT. WAS ONLY…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1738307
  21. #21

    glass and windshield

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "During my drive on 6/1/2022 I noticed as the heat intensified outside that my windshield started to look like it was melting and each time it gets hot the same occurs. I've also noticed this defect in a smaller yet in my sight line on my driver's side window…"complaint #1820920
  22. #22

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Two recurring issues that happen at the same time. The auto stop/start feature stops working. Error message "Stop/Start Unavailable Service Stop/Start System" is displayed. If this were to happen at a traffic light, the failure to restart the vehicle could cau…"complaint #2062202
  23. #23

    parking brake

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I BOUGHT MY JEEP COMPASS IN FEBRUARY. LAST MONTH WHEN COMING HOME MY SERVICE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM AND SERVICE AUTO SHUT OFF SYSTEM LIGHT BOTH CAME ON. WHEN I GOT HOME I WAS LIKE THAT'S ODD AND CALLED THE DEALER. THEY SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IF I BROUGHT IT TO…"complaint #1690605
  24. #24

    steering rack mechanical

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Within the first month of ownership I began hearing a noise from the right front of the vehicle consistent with a brake or suspension issue. I reported this to the selling dealer repeatedly during that first month; it was not resolved. The noise continued and…"complaint #2229497
  25. #25

    suspension arms and bushings

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while reversing out of the driveway, the steering wheel was turned to the left, and the sway bar link detached from the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the sway bar link was m…"~65,870 mi, complaint #1965542
  26. #26

    unintended acceleration

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "8/30/2022 Started the vehicle in the drive way foot still engaged on break and the vehicle accelerated forward with my foot on break and damaged my home and vehicle. 8/28/22 Emergency Break engaged on its own and we couldn’t move the vehicle it was turned off…"complaint #1837212
  27. #27

    unknown

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Since i bought this , he gave me a lot of trouble, i though thay gave me bad car is lemon car, when i went to the dealer it take month to fixe , i though they fixe but nothing happen, right know they have the car and when never someone like diagnostic can fixe…"complaint #1991953

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for JEEP COMPASS directly.