RoadVitals

2012 Jeep Compass Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure 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.
12
Latest Jul 9, 2026
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.
7%
of 184 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Jeep Compass submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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 body or structure

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

Body & structureSuspension
Filed Jul 9, 2026

2012 Jeep Compass has excessive rust and corrosion from the frame to the chassis. Vehicle has 69,000 miles on it and after each snow storm undercarriage was washed. I was told this vehicle is now unsafe and I need to purchase a new car. I really do like my Jeep Compass, is there any remedy to this situation. I have the report in a email sent to me and can send the report to you if I have an email address to send it to.

NHTSA ID
11749429
Incident
Apr 14, 2026
Body & structureSteering
Filed Aug 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the right or the left. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front cross members were severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The dealer advised the contact that the vehicle was not safe to be driven. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

NHTSA ID
11609391
Incident
Jul 25, 2024
Mileage
97,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while having a routine check on the vehicle by an independent mechanic, the mechanic stated that the front and rear subframe of the vehicle was extremely rusted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer replaced the crossmember of the front and rear subframe. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the extended warranty had expired. The failure mileage was 63,513. The contact stated that the vehicle has been repaired.

NHTSA ID
11510993
Incident
Dec 7, 2022
Mileage
63,513 mi
Body & structureSuspension
Filed Sep 15, 2017

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A THUMPING NOISE IN REAR END AND STARTED TO GET WORSE. IT ALSO HAD A HIGH PITCH WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. I HAD JUST REPLACED THE REAR BARRING SO I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THOSE THAT HAD STARTED TO GO BAD WITHIN 3 MONTHS OF REPLACING THEM. I TOOK IT TO GET LOOKED AT AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE WHOLE REAR END WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BEFORE IT SNAPPED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE CRADLE ARMS AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ATTACHED TO IT WAS RUSTED, PITTED AND CRUMBLING IN HIS HANDS. THE FRAME WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH. HE TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T HIT A POT HOLE BECAUSE THAT IS ABOUT ALL IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TO BREAK IT. THE HUBS AND BARRINGS WERE ALSO RUINED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER INSTALLING THEM LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.

NHTSA ID
11023714
Incident
Aug 1, 2017
Mileage
89,000 mi
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Jan 4, 2017

THE DOME LIGHT OVER MY DASH LEAKS WATER WHEN IT RAINS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS I FIND MYSELF DRIVING AND TRYING TO AVOID GETTING WET OR AVOID THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO BE DAMAGED BY WATER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10939580
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
30,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed May 30, 2016

NOISE I NOT SURE WHAT , BUT I RECORDING VIDEO SOUND BUT I NOT SURE I CAN ADD ON THIS PAGES COMPLAINING BUT MAYBE IS PROBLEM WITH BUSHINGS OR BALL JOINTS

NHTSA ID
10871430
Incident
Nov 19, 2015
Mileage
60,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 30, 2015

FOOTREST BY THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS BROKE LOOSE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. APPEARS TO BE A PLASTIC PART MOUNTED BY TWO BOLTS, IN WHICH THE PLASTIC BROKE AND PART SAT LOOSE BY MY PEDALS WHILE DRIVING. REMOVED PART FROM BEING AN OBSTACLE NEAR THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ONCE I COULD COME TO A STOP.

NHTSA ID
10787372
Incident
Oct 30, 2015
Mileage
53,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 4, 2014

I GOT INTO MY 2012 JEEP COMPASS ( 4X4 LATITUDE VERSION) AND NOTED A DRIP OF WATER ON THE INSIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. AT FIRST I THOUGHT MAYBE MY WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING AND TOOK NOTE OF THE AREA. WELL, I BEGAN TO BACK OUT AND A BUNCH OF WATER CAME DOWN ON ME THROUGH MY INTERIOR LIGHT AND ALONG THE EDGING OF THE CEILING OF THE INTERIOR ALONG THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME TWICE BEFORE, AND THE ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH THE SUNROOF BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SUNROOF DRAINS. RESEARCHING THE INTERNET, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS WITH JEEP MODELS. I FEAR THIS WILL NOT ONLY CAUSE PREMATURE AGING OF THE BODY DUE TO THE WATER COMING IN CONTACT WITH BODY PARTS THAT ARE NOT MEANT FOR THE WEATHER ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO THE RISK OF THE WATER GETTING INTO AREAS OF THE DASH CAUSING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OR EVEN THE VEHICLE COMPUTER PARTS UNDER THE SEATING. WHEN THE WATER COLLECTS ON THAT CEILING PANEL, IT DRAINS THROUGH THE INTERIOR LIGHT DOWN ONTO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER AND THE CAR STEREO, AND ALSO ALONG THE PANELING ALONG THE FRONT WINDSHIELD INTO THE DASH AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID
10641372
Incident
Oct 3, 2014
Mileage
38,500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER SIDE FOOTREST PANEL LOOSENED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. UPDATED 10/28/2014*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE BEGAN JUST BEFORE 9,000 MILES AND FREQUENTLY OCCURRED UNTIL IT BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 04/23/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID
10633299
Incident
Dec 20, 2012
Mileage
9,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 4, 2014
Fire reported

THE REAR BUMPER IS MELTED AROUND THE EXHAUST PIPE AS IF THERE WAS A FIRE. I DRIVE MY 2 CHILDREN IN THIS CAR CONSTANTLY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR A MONTH AGO. I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THE MELTED PLASTIC BUMPER AND WANT JEEP TO REPAIR IT ALL, EXHAUST PIPE AND BUMPER AND PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE MELTING, AT NO COST TO ME ASAP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630563
Incident
Sep 3, 2014
Mileage
19,990 mi
Body & structurePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 14, 2014

DRIVING TO WORK I HEARD A CLANKING NOISE. I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT AND WAS TOLD BY SOMEONE STANDING BY THE LIGHT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING DRAGGING UNDERNEATH MY VEHICLE. I REACHED MY DESTINATION AND ONCE THE CAR WAS PARKED GOT OUT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS. A METAL TUBE WAS DANGLING FROM MY UNDERCARRIAGE. I WENT AND GOT A COWORKER TO HELP ME. HE PULLED IT OUT AND TOLD ME IT WAS PART OF TRANSMISSION; IT WAS THE METAL TRANSMISSION FILL TUBE. HE LOOKED UNDER MY TRUNK AND POINTED OUT THAT IT SNAPPED AND BROKE OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10610480
Incident
Jul 14, 2014
Mileage
44,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 10, 2012
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 JEEP COMPASS, I WENT TO CHANGE LANES AND COULD NOT SEE THE VEHICLE IN THE LANE NEXT TO ME, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE SEEN IN THE MIRRORS OR BY TURNING MY HEAD AND PHYSICALLY LOOKING FOR IT, I STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS. ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SECTION BETWEEN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR PASSENGER DOOR AND THE REAR A PILLAR THERE IS A DANGEROUS BLIND SPOT, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS IT AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10464833
Incident
Apr 28, 2012
Mileage
867 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 .