Jeep Compass reliability by year
20 recalls and 3,904 owner complaints across 19 model years. Best year to buy: 2024. Year to avoid: 2018.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 4 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 19 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Compass aggregated across 19 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Jeep Compass?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2024 Jeep Compass scores 8.2/10 — the strongest in the 2007–2025 range. 46 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Jeep Compass year should I avoid?
The 2018 Jeep Compass scores 5.8/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 922 owner complaints with NHTSA, 3 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2018 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Jeep Compass should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2018 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 144 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 9,999–41,000 mi); 2017 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 66 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 15,476–50,000 mi); 2014 (high-risk ownership — engine: 31 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 45,950–96,000 mi); 2007 (high-risk ownership — steering: 64 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 34,000–80,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2015, 2010. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Jeep Compass are tracked?
19 model years (2007 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 20 recalls and 3,904 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Jeep Compass?
electrical is the most-reported category — 866 complaints across 19 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.