2021 Jeep Compass
The 2021 Jeep Compass is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Compass 4WD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 81 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
_IMG_5727.jpg){kind=link}
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass 4WD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 22 | 30 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Compass FWD | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl | 22 | 31 | 25 | $2,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42853, 42850.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass 4WD, Compass FWD | 6 / 10 | California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
Specifications filed with NHTSA
Source: NHTSA vPICDimensions Exterior
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV] |
| Doors | 4 |
| GVWR class | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) |
Engine Basics
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Displacement | 2.4 L |
| Engine configuration | In-Line |
Engine Output
| Horsepower | 180 hp |
Fuel Economy
| Fuel | Gasoline |
Seating
| Seat rows | 2 |
| Seating capacity | 5 seats |
Transmission
| Drivetrain | FWD/Front-Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | Automatic |
| Transmission speeds | 9 |
Driver assistance
Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Rear cross-traffic alert
Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 80th Edition, Altitude, Limited, Longitude, North, Latitude, Sport). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.
Dimensions & weight
Source: Transport Canada| Length | 173.2 in |
| Width (body, without mirrors) | 70.9 in |
| Height | 66.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 103.1 in |
| Track, front | 61.4 in |
| Track, rear | 61.4 in |
| Curb weight | 3,183–3,633 lb |
| Weight distribution, front/rear | 59/41 |
Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 3 configurations: 4-door SUV AWD, 4-door SUV FWD, 4-door SUV Trailhawk 4X4. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.
Factory warranty running out?
The 2021 Jeep Compass is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.
What to check before you buy →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (0)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseNo NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Jeep Compass. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Jeep Compass, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2021 Jeep Compass
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Compass →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database5 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported
9.0 per 10,000 built · Jeep reported 90,261 Compass built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2020: 1 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 18 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 18 · 2026: 17
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
In 3 months later that we got the jeep. The seat spring for reclain go off, later 1 year the motor mounts have alot of noise with the change of speed, and the suspension feel horroble, i been driving like that few months like that and we dont know about this page can we report all this issues
While Auto start stop is active, and when the vehicle comes to a stop the engine stops but then doesn't restart like it's supposed to, the cluster says vehicle needs to be restarted, then after putting shifter into park I can restart the vehicle normally, but this has happened 3 times now at busy intersections causing my vehicle to block…
Was backing out of parking spot this morning and got error message saying “coolant temp high” and vehicle locked up. i shut off and turned back on and it was fine. checked everything out that needed to be. read online that this has happened to other people with the same vehicle.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Compass The contact stated that while the vehicle was idle the engine was running, and the vehicle turned off independently. The contact restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal operation. The contact stated that occasionally, several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle.
My 2021 jeep Compass transmission and front camera has been causing me problems. My car for months has been jumping out of gear and jerking forward. The jerk get to a point where it feels as if someone just hit me from behind. These jerks almost caused me to get into about 3 accidents where I almost hit the person in front of me.
I purchased this vehicle in july 2021. I drive it 2-3 times per week. Each week I put in between $15-$20 in gas to bring the fuel level back up to the full mark. The jeeps does not have good fuel economy. It definitely does not reach 22-25mpg. I drive it about 30minutes each way; with a few stops in between at about 40mph.
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Jeep itself: 24 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 2 killed, 36 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 27 per 100,000 built. Every Compass model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
When owners reported it
miles, typically
Half the 13 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 38,000 and 80,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.
Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 21% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 20% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Stellantis warranty extension 105591FCA Caribbean Warranty Newsletter – Volume 11, Issue 6
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Stellantis warranty extension 104558FCA Caribbean Warranty Newsletter – Volume 11, Issue 4
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Stellantis warranty extension 104557Warranty Newsletter – Volume 11, Issue 4
- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Stellantis warranty extension 102365Warranty Newsletter – Volume 10, Issue 11
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Stellantis warranty extension (117) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Power Train, Engine, Structure.
- 21-042-26 REV. B Service bulletin2026-09-19 · Power Train
- Not applicable to vehicles built for US market. 1.5L Transmission Diagnosis Service Solution Customers may experience one or more of the following: SYMPTOM: ● Transmission warning light on and/or vehicle jerking. ● Vehicle is not shifting correctly or has no traction. This service bulletin is to provide a diagnostic guide for a transmission warning light on, vehicle jerking, not shifting correctly
- 9100900 Service bulletin2026-09-08 · Structure — Body
- Passive Entry O/S Dr Handle Prior to replacing an inoperative passive entry door handle, perform Star Online S2623000040.
- 08-323-26 Service bulletin2026-08-25 · Electrical System
- Service 4WD Light Illuminated Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: exhibit/set the following Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC): ● C2260-63 - ECU Internal Performance - Circuit Component Protection Time-Out Customers may also comment on the following: ● Service 4WD indicator is illuminated.
- 112639 Service bulletin2026-06-30 · Engine
- THROTTLE BODY – NONE
- 112640 Service bulletin2026-06-30 · Engine
- THROTTLE BODY – NONE
- 21-042-26 REV. A Service bulletin2026-06-30 · Power Train
- Not applicable to vehicles built for US market. 1.5L Transmission Diagnosis Service Solution Customers may experience one or more of the following: SYMPTOM: ● Transmission warning light on and/or vehicle jerking. ● Vehicle is not shifting correctly or has no traction. This service bulletin is to provide a diagnostic guide for a transmission warning light on, vehicle jerking, not shifting correctly
- 112979 Service bulletin2026-06-22 · Electrical System
- CAMERA - REAR VIEW
- 112980 Service bulletin2026-06-22 · Electrical System
- CAMERA - REAR VIEW
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
Diagnostic trouble codes on file
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaintsCodes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.
| Code | What it means | Most often filed under | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|---|
| P0513 P0513 on Jeep → | Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard. | Electrical System · Battery → | 4 bulletins |
Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Jeep Compass failed the emissions check on 2.5% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).
failed emissions
4,981 initial inspections of 4,892 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2021 Compass | Every 2021 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 2.5% | 1.9% | 4,971 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 2.8% | 1.5% | 4,981 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.32% | 0.19% | 4,981 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,274 | 10,343 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 54,277 | 54,681 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Compass by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2021 Compass
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2021 Jeep Compass have any recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Jeep Compass. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.
How safe is the 2021 Jeep Compass?
NHTSA gave the 2021 Jeep Compass 4 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 3-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Jeep Compass?
Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Jeep Compass, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What are the dimensions of the 2021 Jeep Compass?
Transport Canada measured it at 173.2 in long, 70.9 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.9 in tall, on a 103.1 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,183–3,633 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.
What do owners complain about on the 2021 Jeep Compass?
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Jeep Compass, most often about electrical system, unspecified, engine. Of those, 5 involved a crash, 2 a fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2021 Jeep Compass?
The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Jeep Compass is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Jeep Compass?
The manufacturer has filed 334 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Jeep Compass, most often covering electrical system, equipment, power train. The most recent is dated 2026-09-19. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2021 Jeep Compass do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Jeep Compass failed the emissions check on 2.5% of first inspections — higher than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 2 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 2 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | none | NHTSA recall campaigns | No campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it. |
| Owner complaints | 81 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 2 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 334 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | 13 fields | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder. |
| Measured dimensions | 7 fields | Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications | Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | none | Manufacturer press kit | We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.