2017 Jeep Compass Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 Jeep Compass, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical8727.6%
- Engine7122.5%
- Powertrain (other)4213.3%
- Brakes299.2%
- Driver assistance237.3%
- Steering154.8%
- Fuel system103.2%
- Airbags103.2%
- Suspension72.2%
- Interior & seats72.2%
- Exterior lighting61.9%
- Other / unspecified41.3%
- Seat belts20.6%
- Body & structure20.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact had traded a prior vehicle for the Jeep. The vehicle was a private sale. The following day, the mileage jumped nearly 40,000 miles. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 110,246 and the next day the mileage was 154,085. Since owning the vehicle, the contact stated that the mileage had gone back and forth between the two mileages. The contact obtained a vehicle history report online, which confirmed that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle history report showed that on December 12, 2025, the mileage was 177,382.
Car just cuts off. Batteries are good, alternator good no codes! Rpm goes to o cuts off parking break comes takes a couple of seconds to start then cuts off at random times while driving very unsafe!!!! Taken to dealer can’t find anything wrong!!!
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH in the middle lane, the vehicle stopped unexpectedly. While accelerating, there was an abnormal grinding and clanking metallic sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. After three hours of being stranded on the roadway, the vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic determined that the failure was related to the drive shaft, transfer case, and driver’s side front half shaft. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,851.
I was approaching a stoplight and every light on the dash lit up, the car wouldn’t go after stopping and it wouldn’t turn off when put in park. I also couldn’t shift into any other gear. This is seriously dangerous and not the first time I’ve had major mechanical issues with this vehicle.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights illuminated, and the steering wheel and the front passenger’s side of the vehicle were shaking and vibrating abnormally. The contact stopped the vehicle to inspect it and became aware that the front passenger’s side wheel was extremely hot to the touch. The contact deactivated the Traction Control light, and the failure was temporarily corrected before recurring. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V301000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 61,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH in the middle lane, the vehicle stopped unexpectedly. While accelerating, there was an abnormal grinding and clanking metallic sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. After three hours of being stranded on the roadway, the vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic determined that the failure was related to the drive shaft, transfer case, and driver’s side front half shaft. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,851.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle and the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off, and exited the vehicle to inspect the brakes. The brakes on the vehicle and the brakes were extremely hot. The contact reentered and started the vehicle after five minutes, and the vehicle operated as intended. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the brake caliper needed to be replaced. The brake caliper, rotors, and brake pads were replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V301000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights illuminated, and the steering wheel and the front passenger’s side of the vehicle were shaking and vibrating abnormally. The contact stopped the vehicle to inspect it and became aware that the front passenger’s side wheel was extremely hot to the touch. The contact deactivated the Traction Control light, and the failure was temporarily corrected before recurring. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V301000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 61,000.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
As I was accelerating my vehicle began to downshift and warning started flashing and the parking brake engaged while driving. When slowed at an interesection the car would notaccelerate forward when light turned green despite being in drive. Dash showed parking brake engaged even though it was not. The D on the gear shift was flashing. I had to turn the car off twice and restart while in the middle of an intersection! This is the SECOND time this has happened while driving. I took it to the dealer first time and they could not find anything wrong.
I got my 2017 jeep compass in 2018 had no issues truly until about a year ago. The check engine light came on and it would jerk a little goin up hill well got a coder and it said o2 so I changed all the spark plugs and o2 and it still is on now the thunder bolt light flashes I loose power and the yellow skid mark comes on I have to turn car off let it reprogram like 10 min and it acts ok for a few min now it's so bad it won't even go 10 miles . I'm goin to have the throttle and sensor changed hopefully that fixes it.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
Tire rods and suspension failed vehicle is unsafe to operate .
When driving my Jeep Compass, there have been numerous instances of the vehicle stalling out when slowing down or stopping at a light/stop sign. This has happened on busy roads, at busy intersections, and on country roads. When it happens, I cannot control any aspect of the vehicle; the breaks no longer work, I cannot turn the wheel, I cannot change gears or easily put it into park, and it takes multiple attempts to turn it off and back on. There are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the incidents occurring, which started on 4/22/2025. Today, 4/29/2025, I checked my oil level and found that it was extremely low, although it should not be and I'm not yet due for an oil change. The Jeep Compass is going through more oil than usual and there is no message or notification showing at any time. I believe that this is the cause of the issues, and makes it extremely unsafe for myself, my passenger and other drivers/vehicles as it has happened on the highway and at intersections, where it could easily result in a serious accident.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving Jeep losses power and stops. At garage now and they can’t find reasonable explanation. Has less than 50k miles. Danger while driving since it just shuts off while no lights come on to indicate problems
The throttle body started malfunctioning while driving on the highway. Power was lost and I was unable to accelerate. There were vehicles behind me that had to react quickly in order not to wreck. The ETC warning light did not come on at first but as my vehicle kept sputtering the light would flash on and off very quickly. I lost a great deal of speed trying to get up a hill so I could pull over and get out of traffic. After looking up the light in the manual it says to cycle the ignition and I did that. The vehicle was working ok again for a few minutes and then suddenly lost the ability to accelerate again and would go in and out, sputtering. Again thankfully the vehicles behind me were paying attention and were able to immediately slow down. I have only had the vehicle for 3 months and of course as soon as there is no warranty it starts messing up. A mechanic did confirm the issue and yes it’s available for inspection.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was approaching a stoplight and every light on the dash lit up, the car wouldn’t go after stopping and it wouldn’t turn off when put in park. I also couldn’t shift into any other gear. This is seriously dangerous and not the first time I’ve had major mechanical issues with this vehicle.
My front passenger active headrest deployed while parked.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Tire rods and suspension failed vehicle is unsafe to operate .
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was violently shaking. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Driver side headrest has deployed, and there was no warning or notification prior to this happening. I should not have to pay hundreds of dollars on a replacement if clips or what may it be to hold device together are faulty.
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the hood latch inadvertently unlatched without warning. The contact stated that the safety latch would prevent the hood from opening fully; forcing the contact to stop the vehicle and manually close the hood. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
Let me start by saying I am an electrician. I have had several electrical problems with this car, most recently my Headlights come on intermittently. I start my car and turn the headlight switch on, sometimes it takes up to 20 minutes for them to kick on. I have checked the batteries, the Fuses, the grounding connections, and the switch. This is very dangerous, and I have already spent money trying to fix the problem to no avail. I travel a lot and It's frightening when it gets dark and I have to switch the headlights on while driving. I have no way of knowing if they are working while I'm on the road. I see several other people complaing of the same exact problem, why hasn't a recall been issued?
MY JEEP DASHBOARD LIGHTS COME ON CAR STARTS TO STALL NOT PICKING UP SPEED THEN AFTER A 30-40 SECONDS IT PICK BACK UP WITH ENGINE AND LIGHTING VAULT LIGHT WONT GO OFF. I FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS DOING SPEED LIMIT OF 50 MPH AN I INSTANTLY HAD TO PULL OVER WHEN IT WAS CLEAR CUT IT OFF THEN STARTED IT BACK UP CAUSE I COULD NOT MISS WORK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
Tire rods and suspension failed vehicle is unsafe to operate .
MY CAR EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT BUTTON HAS TURNED ON ALL BYITSELF WHILE I AM DRIVING. THE CAR STOPS AND SHUTS OFF. THEN I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND I HAVE TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK, PRESS THE PULL ON P BUTTON TO TURN IT OFF. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. A CAR BEHIND CAN CRASH INTO ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES SINCE FEBRUARY, THIS MORNING WAS MY 6 TIME. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR ANYMORE, AFRAID OF TURNING OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, the driver’s side front seat belt unclipped and failed to secure the occupant. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
CODE COMING UP, SOMETHING TO DO WITH ACCELERATOR AND FRONT SEAT BEAT SNAPPER STOPPED WORKING YEAR AGO, BEEN SNAPPING FROM DRIVER SIDE INTO PASSENGERS. IT WON'T TAKE SEATBELT IN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
I REPLACED MY LOWER FRONT PUMPER BECAUSE IT STARTED LOOKING LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING THE PUMPER. AFTER REPLACING PUMPER IT HAPPEN AGAIN, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. MY CAR SETS IN MY DRIVE WAY MOST OF THE TIME IM RETIERD I DONT DRIVE MY CAR MUCH. I BELIEVE THERE'S A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL HOPE THERES SOMETHING THAT BE DONE. THANK YOU!
FRONT END CROSSMEMBER OR ALSO CALLED SUBFRAME HAS ROTTED AND RUSTED CLEAR THROUGH AT JUST OVER 10 YEARS OLD I WAS INFORMED BY CAR MECHANIC. JEEP ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE WITH THE BAD SUBFRAMES AND PUT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON IT. THAT ONLY LASTED 10 YEARS. SO CAR IS NOW UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD AND REPAIRS ARE MORE THEN CARS WORTH. HAVE READ 1,000S OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR SAME ISSUE WITH 2007 AND 2008 COMPASSES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .