2009 Jeep Compass Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Jeep Compass. The contact initially became aware that the rear passenger’s side tire was resting at an angle. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic to have the rear struts replaced; however, the mechanic informed the contact that the rear suspension was extremely corroded. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was not safe to be driven. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.

NHTSA ID

11569230

Incident

Jan 25, 2024

Mileage

151,000 mi

front and rearsubframe extremely rusted, making it dangerous to drive. fuse box under front hood in front of driver side rusting out wiring. Not main fuse box but the one with relays.

NHTSA ID

11525209

Incident

May 15, 2023

I was informed about my rotting subframe on my 2009 Jeep Compass about a year ago. I took it to a Jeep dealer for a second opinion as well as contacted Jeep. I was told about some extended warranty that I was not eligible for. Now, 1 year later, my vehicle will not pass inspection without replacement of the subframe. I contacted Jeep again. Of course, since this was extension of warranty, only the original owners were notified. This should have been a recall. This is a safety hazzard and should not have happened to vehicle just over 10 years. Jeep purposely did not issue a recall to save money.

NHTSA ID

11481775

Incident

May 24, 2021

FRONT KFRAME/SUBFRAME CROSS MEMBER RUSTED INTO. FRONT OF LF LOWER CONTROL ARM PULLED OUT OF SUBRAME BECAUSE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED INTO AT THAT SPOT. ALSO BACK SEEM FROM LEFT SIDE ALL THE WAY TO RIGHT SIDE HAS ABOUT A 1 INCH SEAM/TEAR FROM RUST

NHTSA ID

11318638

Incident

Mar 17, 2020

Mileage

174,000 mi

MY SON CAME FROM GETTING AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD HIS JEEP COMPASS IS DANGEROUS TO BE ON THE ROAD. FRONT SUB FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. SUBFRAME SHOULD NOT BE BAD ON A 2009 VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11121140

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT BOTH ARE NEED OF REPLACEMENT AGAIN AND IT THE COST IS OUT OF THIS WORLD. JEEP NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS. I UNDERSTAND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11044860

Incident

Nov 9, 2017

Mileage

98,000 mi

PREMATURE FAILURE (46700 MILES) OF BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARMS FOUND DURING ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION. REPLACED BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS.

NHTSA ID

10980399

Incident

Jul 21, 2015

Mileage

46,700 mi

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK DEC 23 MORNING AND REAR SUB FRAME BROKE AWAY FROM CONTROL ARM SENDING ME IN THE DITCH..LUCKY IT WAS 25 MPH. HAD LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALER LOOK AT IT AND BECAUSE IT WAS.MADE IT CANADA THEY WON'T FIX IT UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRNTY.. I JUST GOT THIS IN JUNE, AND STILL OWE 6500 ON IT.. CHRYSLER NEEDED TO STEP UP.. WHAT DOES IT MATTER WERE THE JEEP WAS MADE.YOUR PARTS WERE THE PROBLEM SO FIX IT..I COULD HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF FRAME ROT.. NEVER HAD A ISSUE IN MY 95 BLAZER!!

NHTSA ID

10978968

Incident

Dec 23, 2016

Mileage

109,000 mi

SUBFRAME ROT. AT 70,000 MILE STEERING CONTROL WAS LOST DUE TO A CRACK IN THE FRONT SUBFRAME CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RUST/ROT. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO INJURIES SINCE THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED. THE FRONT SUBFRAME HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE WITH A 12 INCH LATERAL CRACK THROUGH THE CROSS MEMBER. THIS CAUSED TOTAL FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING FAILURE. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN OR MOVED UNDER ITS OWN POWER. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED FOR JEEP COMPASS, JEEP PATRIOT AND DODGE CALIBER. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOME ONE GETS HURT OR KILLED!

NHTSA ID

10925933

Incident

Nov 5, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE MOTOR WAS CORRODED AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10790197

Incident

Nov 8, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

NEW TIRES AT 36000, AND BREAKS AND WAS TOLD FRONT TIE ROD NEED REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10639994

Incident

Sep 19, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A NOISE IN THE FRONT AT LOW SPEED, WHEN BACKING AT LOW SPEED AND SLIGHT FRONT VIBRATION AT NORMAL DRIVING SPEED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AT MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRIVEN AT NORMALLY EXPECTED CONDITIONS, NEVER INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT OR MISHAP CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH FAILED PARTS SUCH AS BEING DRIVEN INTO A DITCH, ETC. TIRES WERE REPLACED AT AROUND 45,000 MILES. INSPECTION AT DEALER SHOWED BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED INSPECTION AND THE TIRES WERE "ABNORMALLY WORN" AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES OF USAGE. MECHANIC AND SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT VEHICLE WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE SINCE THERE WAS A RISK OF THE FRONT WHEELS SHEARING OR BREAKING OFF DUE TO THE CONDITION OF THE BALL JOINTS.I HAD THE REPAIR COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY AT A COST OF $833.01. WHEN RESEARCHING AUTO PARTS ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AS OEM AT AROUND THE COST THE DEALER CHARGED ME OR A "PROBLEM FIXER" PART WAS AVAILABLE FOR AN ADDITIONAL COST. THIS PROBLEM FIXER PART WAS A GREASABLE BALL JOINT AND THE OEM AS WELL AS THE FACTORY ORIGINAL PARTS ARE NOT GREASABLE. IT SEEMS THAT THE PART MANUFACTURERS IF NOT THE AUTOMAKER IS WELL AWARE THAT A NON-GREASABLE BALL JOINT IS A BUILT IN DEFECT AS WELL AS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE A HANDLING OR DRIVING ISSUE, ONLY AN ANNOYING AND OCCASIONAL NOISE AND SLIGHT VIBRATION AND AT LESS THAN 55,000 GENTLY DRIVEN AND CAREFUL MILES IT WAS NEVER THOUGHT THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH THIS VEHICLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH A VITAL PART SHOULD FAIL SO RELATIVELY EARLY WITHOUT ABUSE OR INCIDENT TO CAUSE IT TO FAIL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10519761

Incident

Apr 19, 2013

Mileage

65,458 mi

I WENT IN TO A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THIS NOISE WAS IN MY FRONT END, HE TOLD ME MY BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND ONE WAS REACHING CRITICAL TO FAIL. I CALL MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS PART WAS WELL KNOWN TO FAIL BETWEEN 40K AND 80K MILES. I WAS WONDERING IF CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS PART IS FAILING ON VEHICLES WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL OR EVEN AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS PART. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES WITH WELL OVER 200K MILES ON THEM AND HAVEN'T HAD BALL JOINT PROBLEMS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10462500

Incident

Jun 20, 2012

Mileage

46,202 mi

2009 JEEP COMPASS, WITH 31,278 MILES SHOWED EXCESSIVE WEAR IN BOTH THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND OUTER TIE ROD END. THOUGH COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ISSUE IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR 2007 JEEP PATRIOT. THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE BOTH THE JEEP COMPASS AND PATRIOTS FOR A DESIGN FLAW IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. A LOWER CONTROL/BALL JOINT/TIE ROD FAILURE, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAN RESULT IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395558

Incident

Mar 29, 2011

Mileage

31,278 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES SQUEAKED DURING THE WINTER AND WARM WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE FRONT AND REAR CALIPERS WERE LUBRICATED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,858.

NHTSA ID

10322971

Incident

Oct 15, 2008

Mileage

10 mi