RoadVitals

2008 Jeep Compass Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 16, 2019
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 93 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Jeep Compass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Jul 16, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK ALL THE WAY UP. THE CAR LOCKED UP STEERING WAS UNCONTRALLOBLE BRAKES WERE LOCKING ON AND OFF LIKE JUMPING AND ALMOST HIT AN ONCOMING CAR. CAR SHUTOFF AND WENT TURN BACK ON UNTIL 5 MINUTES IN WAS IN FULL MOTION GOING 55MPH ON A CITY STREET. SCARIEST TIME I'VE EVER BEEN DRIVING. NOW THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED THERE IS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME INSTANCE HAPPENING TO OTHERS. HAVING TO DO WITH WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS ALL THE WAY FULL. LITERALLY COULD HAVE DIED. SOMEONE WILL GET BADLY INJURED OR DEATH IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED.

NHTSA ID
11232384
Incident
Jul 15, 2019
Mileage
200,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Aug 1, 2017

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. PULLED THE WHEEL TO CHECK TIE ROD ENDS, CV SHAFT, CONTROL ARM AND FOUND THAT THE K-FRAME HAD RUSTED SO BAD THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS LOOSE.

NHTSA ID
11012007
Incident
Jul 27, 2017
Mileage
105,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed May 9, 2017

FRONT SUB FRAME THAT HOLDS CONTROL ARMS ROTTED RIGHT OUT COULD LOSE FRONT TIRE

NHTSA ID
10984422
Incident
May 2, 2017
Mileage
105,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 12, 2016

DURING MY ANNUAL INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT BOTH MY FRONT AND REAR CROSS FRAME MEMBERS WERE SO SEVERELY RUSTED THAT IT TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE TILL THEY ARE REPLACED. I CALL THE DEALER WHO THE JEEP WAS BOUGHT FROM AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY THE 2007 MODELS HAVE AN EXTENDED FRAME PROTECTION WARRANTEE THAT COVERS THIS PROBLEM. MY JEEP WAS BUILT ON 8/14/07 LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER JEEPS CUTOFF DATE. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED CASES LIKE MINE THAT JEEP REFUSES TO COVER. THE FRAME SHOULD NOT BE FAILING THIS FAST AND AS BAD. I FEEL THERE IS A MATERIAL DESIGN FLAW THAT JEEP IS TRYING TO COVER. MORE PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MY JEEP HAS NO VISUAL RUST IT LOOKS BRAND NEW. UNLESS THE OWNER OR MECHANIC CRAWLS UNDERNEATH THIS CAN GO UN NOTICED UNTIL THERE IS A MAJOR FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10846263
Incident
Mar 9, 2016
Mileage
131,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Jun 26, 2015

STOPPED FOR AN OIL CHANGE,WAS TOLD THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS VERY RUSTED,MECHANIC SUGGESTED I CALL CHRYSLER,HE SAID THIS SHOULDN"T BE THAT RUSTED. SAID THAT THE 2007 MODELS WERE BEING FIXED BY CHRYSLER UNDER THE WARRANTY. WHEN I CALLED CHRYSLER THE CHECKED THE VIN # AND SAID IT WASN'T ON THE LIST. THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER FOR ME. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT I CAN'T AFFORD. SUS

NHTSA ID
10730555
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Mileage
126,000 mi
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jun 5, 2015

I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR STATE INSPECTION AND A "CREAKING" TYPE NOISE. IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE K FRAME RUSTED THROUGH THEREFORE FAILING STATE INSPECTION. I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS IS THE SAME BODY TYPE (PLATFORM) USED IN THE 2007 DODGE CALIBER AND THE SAME PART NUMBER. THE 2007 DODGE CALIBER WAS RECALLED DUE TO THIS PART FAILURE WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE AND OTHER COMPONENTS TO FALL OUT OF THE CAR. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT CHRYSLER KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE AS THEY RECALLED THE 2007 CALIBER BUT UNLESS FORCED IS NOT TAKING CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN OTHER VEHICLES MADE USING THE SAME PLATFORM AND PARTS. WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY ONLY 2 YEARS LESS THAN 25000 MILES I HAD TO HAVE A TIE ROD REPLACED. I WAS ALSO ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT "THESE VEHICLES ARE KNOWN FOR THIS ISSUE".

NHTSA ID
10723557
Incident
Jun 4, 2015
Mileage
64,000 mi
Body & structureSteeringSuspension
Filed Mar 20, 2015

UPON STATE INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT K FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF SAME AND LF CONTROL ARM ASSY FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS-REPAIR COSTS $1617.88. K FRAME WAS A MAJOR ISSUE IN 2007 COMPASS RESULTING IN GOV'T ACTION-MY 2008 WAS BUILT IN 12/07. CHRYSLER WONT STAND BEHIND PROBLEM. 2007 GOV'T ACTION STARTED WITH A COMPLAINT. I HOPE I CAN START THIS ONE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2008 BY ONE ADULT DRIVER AGE 50 (MY WIFE). SUSPENSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM STARTING WITH NEW TIE ROD ENDS @ 14,000 MILES UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10700579
Incident
Dec 12, 2014
Mileage
67,658 mi
Powertrain (other)SteeringSuspension
Filed Apr 22, 2014

HAD TO HAVE BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS REPLACED IN DEC 2013. WHEEL BEARING REPLACED JAN 2014 AND NOW AM TOLD NEED NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10584321
Incident
Dec 27, 2011
Mileage
68,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 20, 2013

MY JEEP IS UNSAFE HAS MULTIPLE ISSUES ACCORDING TO JEEP AND AFTER REVIEWING ONLINE SEEMS THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT CHRYSLER JEEP IS IGNORING THE SOON AS MY WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED THEY TOLD ME CAR SHOULD NOT BE ON THE ROAD AND WANTED ME TO PAY OVER $1000 OR MORE TO REPAIR TOLD THEM AM IN FINANCIAL DISTRESS AND COULD NOT AFFORD THIS THEN THEY TOLD ME SOMETHING WITH TIRE WAS LOOSE AND THIS WOULD COST ADDITIONAL ISSUES I JUST FIND THIS STRANGE THAT JEEP IS ONLY 2008 AND THEIR TELLING ME AM DRIVING A DANGEROUS CAR. THEY HAVE THREATENED ME WITH THIS SINCE LAST YEAR AND CAUSING ME ANXIETY. PLEASE INVESTIGATE FOR MYSELF AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. THANK YOU. CONTACTED JEEP CORPORATE WITH NO REPLY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10525888
Incident
Apr 2, 2012
Mileage
12,949 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .