2020 Jeep Compass engine problems
82 of the 141 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Compass name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 45 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 82 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 15 · 2023: 16 · 2024: 18 · 2025: 13 · 2026: 7
Half of the 19 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 3,000 and 64,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
141 complaints in all about the 2020 Jeep Compass, 7 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Jeep Compass engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I did an oil change mid august and found bits of metal in the oil at 50,000 miles, Ive change the oil every 5000 miles. I haven't been rough with it and also every time I get on the highway or rev my engine up to 4000 rpm the transmission slips hard on the 4th gear usually. If I have it on FWD it slips as well.
Over the past month my car has had issues with my car not starting up and killing out my battery. Today I had was driving and my vehicle shut off at a stop light and wouldn’t turn back on. After getting the battery powered up I went to work and turned off my car and now it won’t start again.
We were going about 30 no more than 40mph and the coolant gauge on the dashboard shot up to the H and went back down so quickly while this was happening the Jeep started jerking like it was gonna stop.
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 unless going on vacation
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". He had his shut down driving down the road without warning due to low oil.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- PE22013 False overheat leading to loss of motive poweropened Dec 2, 2022 · closed Dec 10, 2023
- 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 a…
45 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- 112639 Service bulletinJun 30, 2026
- THROTTLE BODY – NONE
- 112640 Service bulletinJun 30, 2026
- THROTTLE BODY – NONE
- 112842 Service bulletinJun 18, 2026
- BOLT - HEX FLANGE HEAD
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P2100 P0513 P0A92 P0BF6 P0BFA P0171 P0301 P0304
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Jeep Compass names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Jeep Compass
Source: the same files- electrical problems 66 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2020 Jeep Compass?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 82 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (58% of everything owners filed about it), and 45 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2020 Jeep Compass?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 1 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Jeep Compass?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 10,200 miles; half of them between 3,000 and 64,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.