2012 Jeep Compass Engine Problems

I have had problems with a hitch or pause in the acceleration of my 2012 Jeep Compass since at least April of last year. I purchased the vehicle used in January 2021. In and of itself, the hitch would be a minor thing, but I think it's related to other problems I'm having with the vehicle losing acceleration, which has become a real point of concern. This has occurred multiple times when I start accelerating from a stop, such as when I'm at an intersection. The car loses acceleration, the traction control light sometimes will come on, the steering will tighten up like I've lost power steering, and the car will come to a halt and stop idling. Nothing happens when I give it gas after it's stopped in these circumstances. I learned that if I turn the car off and back on, that will serve as a sort of reset, and I regain power and can get back on the road. The car has had active codes for a catalytic converter and a crankshaft position sensor. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor in April of last year (with an OEM sensor) after losing power while merging onto an interstate. That seemed to resolve the loss of acceleration problem, but it recurred starting in December of last year. I replaced the crankshaft position sensor again recently, this time with an aftermarket sensor, as I thought the sensor I put in previously may have been defective, but the problem has started occurring more frequently. Losing power while turning into or crossing intersections is a scary thing, and I've begun to feel I cannot drive the car safely. I've read accounts online of many Jeep Compass owners having problems with losing acceleration, and I've begun to suspect that the problem is not simply related to the parts associated with the active codes. The sad thing is that I just finished paying off the loan I took out for this car, and I have little extra money. I don't know what I'm going to do. Please investigate these vehicles (problem affects various Compass model years).

NHTSA ID

11665635

Incident

Apr 9, 2024

Everytime I drive it acts as if it’s not getting sufficient fuel to the engine . Have had multiple things replaced to try and fix the problem but still not helped . Whole Engine sputters when I stop and acts as if it’s not getting any fuel to accelerate. Has almost caused a few crashes . To my surprise recalls have been made for my vehicle but says they have been repaired. I personally don’t think they have

NHTSA ID

11606215

Incident

Aug 2, 2024

The catalytic converter is failing on this vehicle. The vehicle had been maintained pre manufacturer specifications. Check engine light came on without warning. Crank shaft and cam shaft sensor both Failed on vehicle and had to be replaced. All bearing had to be replaced. Two of which were fixed before 60,000 miles. Hood rusted completely through. Cross members are rusting through.

NHTSA ID

11571483

Incident

Feb 1, 2017

This vehicle has shut down while on the street & on the dangerous highway with vehicles behind me. It wouldn’t start back up either I had to keep playing with the key or try starting it & it wouldn’t turn over

NHTSA ID

11496378

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that previously there was a recall for the catalytic converter and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed a failure with the oxygen sensor and threading with the stream sensor of the catalytic converter. The sensors were replaced; however, the vehicle was taken to another dealer for the catalytic converter replacement. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 146,000.

NHTSA ID

11483097

Incident

Oct 30, 2020

Mileage

146,000 mi

I've recently out of the blue developed problems with my car. For some reason it want crank ( 2), air-conditioner making popping noise as well stopped working, and it also jerks shortly after cranking ( like a hiccup. Please let me know something as quickly as possible if my vehicle has any recalls. I would highly appreciate it.

NHTSA ID

11480021

Incident

Jul 12, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle seized and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving to her destination. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with needing the catalytic convertor to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light turned off independently but would intermittently illuminate. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11462122

Incident

Dec 1, 2021

Mileage

130,000 mi

We have been receiving a check engine light on our 2012 Jeep Compass for code P0420. Reset the system but subsequently vehicle failed emissions testing. After some research we discovered this model vehicle and several others were supposed to be receiving a recall of the catalytic converters. Please see this article on cars.com dated March 2019 https://www.cars.com/articles/863000-chrysler-dodge-and-jeep-vehicles-recall-alert-1420757576994/ I searched our vin# on your website and it showed no recalls. Is Chrysler Fiat dragging this out or are we going to be able to get this fixed at the dealership ? Please advise - Thanks.

NHTSA ID

11449443

Incident

Jan 27, 2022

I have had constant problems already reported with this vehicle. The transmission overheats and dies on me or gets sluggish on the highway traffic. Today it completely died on me. After pulling over giving a minute it started back up. Jeep should be ashamed of themselves. So many ppl are reporting this same issue. They need to recall these cheap poorly made transmisdionscthat they already no are faulty. This is the 100th time this vehicle does this while in traffic im terrified to drive to work and have to leave hours early because of this

NHTSA ID

11432637

Incident

Sep 11, 2021

2012 JEEP COMPASS ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND COUNTY ROADWAYS. LOSS OF POWER AND STEERING CONTROL. ENGINE WILL CRANK AGAIN AFTER WAITING FOR A FEW MINUTES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN.

NHTSA ID

11383086

Incident

Dec 10, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT BACK TO BACK DAYS AND MY CAR RPMS WENT TO ZERO AND I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I WAS ABLE TO PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES TURNED MY CAR BACK ON AND IT WORKED FINE. I HAD TWO KIDS IN THE VEHICLE DURING THIS TIME. I HAVE READ FORUMS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES

NHTSA ID

11363277

Incident

Oct 7, 2020

Mileage

162,000 mi

THE ENGINE OVER HEATS AT 60 TO 70 MPH AND THEN BEGIN TO LOSE POWER. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES SINCE 2019 WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING BECAUSE IT WON'T CHANGE GEARS AND IT MAKES A WHINING SOUND WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE. ON THE CITY STREET. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329580

Incident

Jun 18, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, SUDDENLY UNABLE TO APPLY GAS OR CONTROL STEERING AND VEHICLE SLOWED AS IF GAS PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED AT ALL. A SECOND TIME, AFTER COMING TO A STOP SIGN THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. THE RADIO AND OTHER ELECTRONICS REMAINED ON BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP AND UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR LOCATE ANY ERROR CODE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328388

Incident

Jun 10, 2020

Mileage

105,000 mi

ENGINE STALLS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. HAVE TO HURRY AND PULL OVER BEFORE STEARING LOCKS UP. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I GOT THE VEHICLE. HAD IT IN 3 TO 4 TIMES AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. IT HAPPENED AGAIN TWICE THIS WEEK. I'M LUCKY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH OUT CAUSING A WREAK.

NHTSA ID

11299592

Incident

Jan 14, 2020

ENGINE STUTTERS WHEN ACCELERATING. THE ENGINE HAS DONE THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS BUT IS STEADY GETTING WORSE. ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME IN WITH A CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD TANK 1

NHTSA ID

11277631

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

171,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GATOR CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (840 S HARBOR CITY BLVD, MELBOURNE, FL 32901, (321) 724-6611), BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO WERE ALSO UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,900.

NHTSA ID

11267064

Incident

Oct 3, 2019

Mileage

137,900 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" THROTTLE BODY SENSORS. MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY JEEP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE JEEP SLOWED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND SHE BARELY HAD ENOUGH TIME TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF A 2 LANE HIGHWAY. SHE BARELY HAD CELL PHONE SIGNAL TO CALL ME TO TELL ME SHE WAS STRANDED. SHE WAS IN A DEAD ZONE BY AIR FORCE BASE AND WAS GOING ABOUT 45MPH DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC HOUR. I'M GLAD SHE WAS UNDERSTOOD SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND QUICKLY PUT ON HAZARD LIGHTS, PULL OVER, AND SHUT OFF THE JEEP. SHE MENTIONED A LIGHTING BOLT LIGHT ON BUT DIDN'T FEEL THE JEEP WAS OVER HEATING. THE BEGINNING OF 2019 I HAD A RECALL FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY WHICH I DID GET FIXED AND ABOUT 4 MONTHS LATER (5SEP19) I PURCHASED A NEW THROTTLE BODY SENSOR AND THE LABOR WORK TURNED OUT TO $800. WHY WOULD THIS NOT BE PART OF THE WARRANTY OR RECALL OR IS THIS A CONTINUING ISSUE FOR OTHER JEEPS?

NHTSA ID

11253465

Incident

Aug 30, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

FAULTY OR DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT/CRANKSHAFT SENSORS SHUTTING DOWN OR STALLING THE VEHICLE WHILE IN OPERATION AND MOTION, WITHOUT WARNING. DRIVING, UP TO 70MPH, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, VEHICLE ENGINE STALLS AND RESULTS IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND FORWARD MOMENTUM. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DRIVER IS THRUST INTO A VERY DANGEROUS (AND POSSIBLY DEADLY) POSITION OF TRYING TO MANUALLY (W/O POWER) STEER AND/OR BRAKE THE VEHICLE AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED IN FAST AND DENSE TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ID

11240711

Incident

Jul 10, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND THEN DROVE TO ALL STAR DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (11503 ST CHARLES ROCK RD, BRIDGETON, MO 63044, (314) 291-2050). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TWICE AFTERWARDS. DURING THE RECENT FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO CENTURY DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (13500 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, WENTZVILLE, MO 63385, (636) 332-2800), BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

NHTSA ID

11231967

Incident

Mar 29, 2019

Mileage

132,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, CARS ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WOULD TRY TO START IT, SOMETIMES IT WOULD START BACK UP AGAIN I WOULD DRIVE IT AND THEN THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF AND SLOWLY STOP MOVING. CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE ENGINE CODE P0335 AND P0339 CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR MALFUNCTION/INTERMITTENT. WITHIN THE SAME WEEK OF HAVING IT REPLACED, NOW I'M HAVING ISSUES FILLING THE TANK WITH GAS. GAS PUMP STOPS FILLING EVERY 0.2 GALLONS AND CLICKS. TRIED MOVING THE GAS PUMP IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS BUT STILL WON'T FILL. GAS ENDS UP BUBBLING AND OVERFLOWS EVEN THOUGH THE TANK IS ONLY AT A QUARTER TANK. LOOKS LIKE THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH JEEP COMPASSES. IT'S EITHER THE FUEL TANK TRANSFER TUBE OR NEED TO GET THE WHOLE GAS TANK REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11196503

Incident

Apr 5, 2019

Mileage

105,000 mi

VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN DRIVEWAY.*DT CONTACT STATED THE INSPECTOR WHO INSPECTED THE JEEP SAID FIRE WAS DUE TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES.*JB

NHTSA ID

11194760

Incident

Feb 10, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF AND LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKES. COMPONENT ENDED UP BEING A CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. CAR DID NOT THROW ANY CODES FOR APPROX 4 MONTHS TO HELP DETERMINE THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RECREATED EASILY. EVENTUALLY A CODE SHOWING A FAILED COMPUTER AND FAILING TRANSMISSION CAME UP. FURTHER RESEARCH SUGGESTED REPLACING THIS COMPONENT.

NHTSA ID

11165963

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

UPON DOING A TOTAL FILL UP OUR JEEP, IT IS NOW STALLING AND I END UP WITH NO STEERING. THIS DOES IT AT LEAST 4/5 TIMES EACH TIME WE FILL FUEL TANK UP. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS UNABLE TO STEER AND ENTIRE ENGINE SHUTS DONE. THIS HAS DONE THIS WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR ABOUT A MINUTE AFTER GETTING FUEL, IF NOT LESS, AND TURNING ONTO A BUSY STREET WHERE JEEP STOPPED RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BOTH TURNING ONTO BUSY STREET AND WHILST DRIVING ON BUSY STREET.

NHTSA ID

11143464

Incident

Oct 27, 2018

Mileage

74,880 mi

THE VEHICLE JERKS ON ACCELERATION OR LOSES POWER AND THE ENGINE BUCKS AND SPUTTERS WHILE IN MOTION. WHEN ROLLING UP WINDOWS WHILE STATIONARY THE LIGHTS DIM OR ENGINE SPUTTERS. THIS HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. ONLY RECENTLY HAS IS SCARED ME BECAUSE I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP IN CHANTILLY, VA THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY ENGINE. MY PASSENGER SEATBELT GETS STUCK AFTER BEING ENGAGED. I HAD IT REPLACED IN FALL 2012 AT A DEALERSHIP IN WOODBRIDGE, VA. I STILL HAVE THIS ISSUE AND THE NEW DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE IT ALREADY WAS IN 2012.

NHTSA ID

11124000

Incident

Jul 28, 2018

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000.

NHTSA ID

11120422

Incident

Aug 15, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi