2012 Jeep Compass: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 261 complaints
261
Total Complaints
63,176mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
4
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
32,258
25th Percentile
63,176
Median Mileage
105,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
36
Fuel/Propulsion System
34
Air Bags
28
Power Train
26
Unknown Or Other
24
Electrical System
23
Seat Belts
22
Vehicle Speed Control
10
Fuel System, Gasoline
10
Suspension
9
Severity Assessment
4
Crashes
8
Fires
3
Injuries
2
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP COMPASS LIMITED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE GEAR SHIFT DID NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE IDLED HIGH AND THE RPM INCREASED TO 5000. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAK..."
"PERISTENT AND GROWING SMELL OF GAS. TOOK IT TO THE AGENCY FOR CHECKING. CAME BACK TWICE THAT DAY TO GET THE CAR, I WAS ASSURED THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED AND A VALVE REPLACED. THE STRONG SMELL OF GAS LEAKING INSIDE THE CAR PERSISTS. *TR"
"THE FIRST TIME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS CHECKED AND RETURNED, 2 WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, SOME OIL APPLIED TO THE CONNECTORS AND RETURNED. YESTERDAY, THE LIGHT WENT OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AT 50MPH, ..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
36 complaints
25th: 26,308 mi
Median: 90,000 mi
75th: 120,000 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System
34 complaints
25th: 34,475 mi
Median: 58,500 mi
75th: 81,250 mi
Air Bags
28 complaints
25th: 59,750 mi
Median: 84,500 mi
75th: 98,794 mi
Power Train
26 complaints
25th: 26,672 mi
Median: 79,000 mi
75th: 113,000 mi
Unknown Or Other
24 complaints
25th: 53,369 mi
Median: 67,000 mi
75th: 108,500 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
NY: 25
PA: 23
CA: 17
TX: 13
IL: 13
NC: 13
MO: 12
LA: 9
GA: 8
MA: 8
Who Files Complaints?
1.1%
Original Owners
98.9%
Second+ Owners
Jeep Compass — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (4)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Pretensioner
Campaign 16V668000 | 15/09/2016
If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number
Fuel System, Gasoline
Campaign 13V120000 | 03/04/2013
If the engine stalls while driving it may increase the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank transfer tube free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 30, 2013. Owners were notified by Chrysler on July 19, 2013, that parts are now available. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's rec
Tank Assembly
Campaign 12V142000 | 03/04/2012
IN THE EVENT OF AN IMPACT OR ROLL-OVER, FUEL LEAKAGE COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.
CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 25, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Side/Window
Campaign 13V233000 | 04/06/2013
In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
Vehicle Rankings
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28