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Home›Jeep›Jeep Compass› engine problems
Owner complaints · Engine · every model year

Jeep Compass engine problems, 2016–2026

1,037 of the 2,366 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Jeep Compass 2016–2026 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2018 (481), 2019 (165), 2016 (161). Filed under the same heading across these years: 10 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recall campaigns, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.

1,037 complaints, 11 model years 44% of everything filed about the Compass typically at 28k miles

Jeep Compass engine problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.

Model yearComplaints naming the engineShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
20260——22 TSBsthe year →
2025312%—37 TSBsthe year →
2024713%—46 TSBsthe year →
2023715%—49 TSBsthe year →
20223918%—43 TSBsthe year →
20212126%—33 TSBsthe year →
2020 in depth8258%10k45 TSBs · 1 investigationthe record →
2019 in depth16550%12k31 TSBs · 1 investigationthe record →
2018 in depth48151%20k40 TSBs · 1 recallthe record →
2017 in depth7131%29k41 TSBsthe record →
2016 in depth16155%59k22 TSBs · 1 recall · 1 investigationthe record →

Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
1,037complaints name the engine, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 1 · 2017: 9 · 2018: 53 · 2019: 207 · 2020: 140 · 2021: 86 · 2022: 116 · 2023: 159 · 2024: 110 · 2025: 81 · 2026: 75

28kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 503 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 9,000 and 53,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

When pulling out of the driveway and going from reverse to drive the car stalled in the middle of the street. This happened a few weeks ago also. I called the dealersip and they said if the oil is low there is a safety feature that shuts down the engine. This car only has 3000 miles on it and is 3 months old.
Engine at 3,000 miles Sep 21, 2018 NHTSA owner report
At around 5000 miles the oil pressure light flashes on and off when making turns. I took it to the dealership where I leased it from and they told me it was a "known" issue and to complain to chrysler. They checked my oil and it was nearly 3 quarts low.
Engine at 5,000 miles Sep 4, 2018 NHTSA owner report
Major issue! This is apparently known by Jeep as they have issued a recall. Yet it is happening to additional models outside the scope of the issued recall. 2019 Jeep Compass 2.4l. The engine shut off without any warning while driving at approximately 25 MPH. The vehicle is brand new with only 200 miles.
Engine at 200 miles Oct 14, 2019 NHTSA owner report
2019 Jeep Compass. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle stopping suddenly while driving on the highway. The consumer stated the dealer advised that the vehicle ran low on oil which caused the engine to shut off without warning. When the vehicle restarted the engine light illuminated
Engine Aug 28, 2019 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle would not exceed 60 MPH. The contact stated that the same failure occurred multiple times at various speeds.
Engine at 53,675 miles Sep 5, 2018 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the engine, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

NHTSA investigations

10 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year

The 8 newest are listed; each model year’s page lists every one filed on that year. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.

Other systems with a record on the Jeep Compass

Source: the same files

Every system, every model year: Jeep Compass problems by year →

From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Which Jeep Compass years have the most engine complaints?

2018, 481; 2019, 165; 2016, 161. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2020 (58%).

Is there a recall for the engine on the Jeep Compass?

Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 17V670000 (2018), 16V907000 (2016). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do engine problems show up on the Jeep Compass?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 28,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 9,000 and 53,000. 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.