Jeep Compass years to avoid— and the best years
8 Compass model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
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Every Compass model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
| Year · rank | Safety Signal | Years on road | Recalls | Complaints | Crash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 #1 | A | 5 | 0 · 0/yr | 80 · 16/yr | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2016 #2 | A | 10 | 1 · 0.1/yr | 293 · 29/yr | not rated | |
| 2020 #3 | A | 6 | 1 · 0.2/yr | 141 · 24/yr | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2019 #4 | B | 7 | 2 · 0.3/yr | 329 · 47/yr | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2017 #5 | B | 9 | 4 · 0.4/yr | 229 · 25/yr | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2023 #6 | A | 3 | 2 · 0.7/yr | 46 · 15/yr | not rated | |
| 2018 #7 | D | 8 | 6 · 0.8/yr | 943 · 118/yr | ★★★★☆ | |
| 2022 #8 | B | 4 | 4 · 1/yr | 222 · 56/yr | ★★★★☆ |
The Compass years to check hardest
last 2 of 8 ranked years2022 Jeep Compass
The 2022 Compass: 4 recalls in 4 years on the road (1 a year) — electrical system ×2, back over prevention, seats; 222 owner complaints to NHTSA, 56 a year (most often electrical (102) and automatic emergency braking (63)); owners reported 11 crashes, 6 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
2018 Jeep Compass
The 2018 Compass: 6 recalls in 8 years on the road (0.8 a year) — electrical system ×2, service brakes, suspension; 943 owner complaints to NHTSA, 118 a year (most often engine (481) and electrical (376)); owners reported 28 crashes, 5 fires, 18 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
The Compass years the record favours
first 2 of 82021 Jeep Compass
The 2021 Compass: no recall in 5 years on the road; 80 owner complaints to NHTSA, 16 a year (most often electrical (34) and engine (21)); owners reported 5 crashes, 2 fires; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
2016 Jeep Compass
The 2016 Compass: 1 recall in 10 years on the road (0.1 a year) — engine; 293 owner complaints to NHTSA, 29 a year (most often engine (161) and electrical (62)); owners reported 9 crashes, 2 fires, 15 injured; NHTSA investigation RQ22002 (closed, engine); NHTSA investigation EA21002 (open, air bags); NHTSA investigation PE19014 (closed, seats).
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Compass years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Jeep Compass years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2018, 2022 rank lowest of the 8 Compass model years WhichTrim can rank (2016–2023): the 2022 — 4 recalls in 4 years (1 a year), 222 complaints (56 a year); the 2018 — 6 recalls in 8 years (0.8 a year), 943 complaints (118 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Jeep Compass year to buy used?
The 2021 Jeep Compass has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal A, 0 recalls a year on the road and 16 complaints a year. The 2021 Compass: no recall in 5 years on the road; 80 owner complaints to NHTSA, 16 a year (most often electrical (34) and engine (21)); owners reported 5 crashes, 2 fires; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2022 Jeep Compass reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2022 Compass: 4 recalls in 4 years on the road (1 a year) — electrical system ×2, back over prevention, seats; 222 owner complaints to NHTSA, 56 a year (most often electrical (102) and automatic emergency braking (63)); owners reported 11 crashes, 6 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Jeep Compass have?
Across the 8 ranked model years (2016–2023) NHTSA has posted 20 recall campaigns against the Jeep Compass, and owners filed 2,283 complaints. Across every model year on file (2016–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2016 has had 10 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.