2016 Jeep Compass Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 58,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V907000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was towed from…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 79,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate, shuddered, and the air conditioner was inoperative, and the vehicle coasted before coming to a complete stop. The contact restarted the vehicle and the vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 59,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 57,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car stalls while driving. Sometimes car will not start. Car cranks but doesn’t start. Check engine light and sometimes the traction control light goes on. This seems similar to what is the safety recall S89 but our car was manufactured in September 2015. Root cause seems to be in the relay box with the automatic shutdown being corroded…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The vehicle stalls intermittently. When I'm on the highway or just driving sometimes. There wasn't any check engine light on or anything. Found out it was the crankcase sensor. I saw that a lot of people where having this issue.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 150,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 55,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

I have a major ground issue, where I lose power and it makes my headlights, cab lights, and my cluster to constantly flicker. There was no warnings or anything, and has been confirmed by a professional auto care center. Another issue is the engine cooling and there is no leaks I have also had it looked over by the same professional auto…Owner complaint, filed 2025

I’ve had plans with my Transmission. This is its third time. First two times were under 30,000 miles and still under warranty. And were replaced by the dealer . Using my warranty. There was also a motor fire. Brakes and rotors all the way around mind you all under 30,000. Transmission was put in. I am now at 101,500. And transmissions…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 52,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

I drive a 2016 jeep compass and I was heading into work at 5AM when my electronic throttle control light, check engine light and traction control light all came on. I lost the ability to accelerate so I pulled off on the side of the road and turned off my car. When I turned it back on only the check engine light came on so I started…Owner complaint, filed 2022

While driving on the highway, the electronic throttle control light suddenly flashed and the car refused to accelerate. This happened multiple times while driving so I took it to the dealership and they say the throttle body needs to be replaced for $993. Many reviews online report the same exact problem and the dealership just laughs at…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

From on ramp to i290w. Going 30 MPH and [VIN] to get on highway and car engine was revving and vehicle would not go faster with stepping on gas pedal. I was on the highway and unable to go with the flow of traffic. Dash lights lit up and I had to go as best I could to emergency lane. I near caused an accident with the oncoming traffic on…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 49,626 miles

While driving on the highway on two separate occasions now, my jeep suddenly loses power and [VIN]. The engine light, electronic throttle control light and stability control light come on, the jeep runs very rough and will not accelerate. After pulling over and turning the car off and back on the engine light stays on and the other…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 45,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 53,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

Spontaneous deployment of passengers headrest . A safety system defect causing passengers concerned discomfort ! Plastic mechanism failure CANNOT be repaired. Headrest must be replaced by Jeep covered regarding the safety & security of their customers. Headrest deployed problem encountered has been reported in many Jeeps. FCA US LLC due…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Seat belt will randomly disengage and not remain clicked into the lock on the both front seats but is more common with the drivers side. Will need to click it in and out of the lock until it finally re-engages the lock.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 70,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 50-55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, an unknown warning light illuminated, and the vehicle shuddered. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving 25 MPH. Additionally, the contact stated that the…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 80,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the vehicle began to stall. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle started sputtering. The contact pulled into a gas station and refueled the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the failure reoccurred while…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 104,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 55,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

2016 jeep compass with 51k miles. I took it in for a tire rotation and my drivers side tie rod was warn so much that they would not allow me to drive it out of the shop. My 90k mile tires needed replaced at 30k miles.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 51,000 miles

Severe tire wear on jeep compass on 05/12/16 I took a rental car (jeep compass, mileage: 10417) in las vegas. On 05/26/16, just as we had passed the mountain routes from durango to ouray, I discovered by chance that both front tires were completely worn out on the inside (see photos). I did not discover it earlier, because the tire tread…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 12,250 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 33,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Head rest on passenger side popped out while driving and hit me, the passenger, in the head. I found that this particular model did have a recall a few years back as said below, however, our car was not recalled, why not? We went to the dealership to get this repaired and was told there was a warranty but because this head seat was no…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Vehicle displayed an air bag light for the passenger seat. I disconnected the battery let it sit for an hour. Then I cycled the key to run and back to off. I checked the seat connectors and detached and reattached the connectors. Then reinitializes the battery. I got in the vehicle turned the key on and cleared the codes with a obd2…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 25,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (7).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was driving down the highway in my 2016 jeep compass and my hood flew up causing me to veer into oncoming lanes because I was not able to see.Owner complaint, filed 2023

First noticed condensation on the inside of the windshield and dealership alledgedly unclogged sunroof drains.Then noticed ice formed on the inside of the windshield and passenger floor-board carpet damp specifically by door jam seal. While driving water pooled and leaked through front dome light. Having water fall through the ceiling…Owner complaint, filed 2022

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2016 jeep compass. While driving various speeds, a loud noise was present around the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear passenger side suspension bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired and the failure was remedied. The [VIN]…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 55,000 miles

Brake caliphers went bad 2 days after I purchased, now a heavy humming sound that I literally feel vibration in my seat, loud weird noise when making sharp turns, turning the wheel while in park grinding noise, loud rumbling when air conditioner is on, jerking forward when press on gas. This car is horribleOwner complaint, filed 2026

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

When running the ac the windshield inside becomes foogy and makes ot harder to see when driving. Chrysler says its normal. Could cause a fatal acident.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 35,000 miles

Occasionally, while driving, the vehicle will exhibit catastrophic electrical system failures. I was driving home just last night, and my headlights, turn signals, horn, windshield wipers, dash lights, hazard lights, and cruise control all turned off. I was able to limp it home with the help of someone driving in front of me, because I…Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

Car begins to shake for no apparent reason while on stop (stepping on brakes). The more time passed, the more frequent the shaking began. Started happening in 12/2019.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 63 miles

On 12 jan 2017 a lady backed into my car at approx 35 MPH and destroyed the passenger doors - the entire right side of the vehicle - the airbags did not deploy resulting in injuries to my son and myself. I was parking in a parking lot at the time and she was backing out at a high rate of speed without looking.Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 25,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Electrical components failed car shut down while driving and put me and my daughters at risk I had to have a part with the lightning bolt that come on the dash replaced but that's all the inspection there was no warning only flashing engine light and it shut down it first happened June 2025 and has happened 3 times since. Also the cruise…Owner complaint, filed 2026