2019 Jeep Compass Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 11,000 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

In July 2024 the engine blew a rod causing catastrophic engine failure causing our daughters Jeep while driving down [XXX] in San Antonio to lift off the ground from the force and leaving her no where to get to safety with no shoulder. Only being some months and 1505 miles out of warranty they denied any goodwill. This specific engine…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I have to continually add motor oil to my engine. Every 1,000-1,500 miles I need a quart of oil added. There should be a recall to address this issue.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 19,000 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

After making a stop at a stop light the start/stop feature turned the vehicle off. When releasing the break instead of the car restarting, the vehicle stalled and applied the parking break.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The auto start/stop feature will fail at random when I come to a stop. My vehicle will shut off and the parking brake will turn on, leading to delays in traffic and unsafe traffic situations. I have had my battery replaced, so this has occured with new batteries and nothing wrong with my car.Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 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

While traveling down a 2 lane road, light traffic, at 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly applied the brakes until it reached 0 mph, with an associated emergency parking brake applied message on the dashboard. The vehicle was unable to continue driving until it was turned off and turned back on. Subsequent inspection revealed no faults, with…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Subject: Safety Complaint, Brake Sensitivity Causing Driver Injury (2019 Jeep Compass) Vehicle Info: •Year/Make/Model: 2019 Jeep Compass Latitude •Mileage: 79,119 •VIN: [XXX] ⸻ Complaint Summary: I am submitting this complaint due to a persistent and potentially dangerous issue with my 2019 Jeep Compass. The brake pedal is excessively…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 22,000 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

Steering wheel feels like is almost completely detached. Every time we turn it sounds like it will break. This car is only 72k miles and the steering wheel should be working properly. There is a recall for this same issue for Jeep Cherokees for the same year as my Jeep Compass. This is a safety issue and very expensive to repair. Please…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the message that “Vehicle Will Shut down - Please Pull Over" was displayed. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 22,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 22,000 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

The steering gear has failed and is making a popping noise every time you steer to the left or right. The steering gear has been recalled for certain models but not all, my car has the exact same issue but its not listed on the recall. This problem could lead to loss of steering and a crash per the Safety Recall V99/NHTSA 19V-637. The…Owner complaint, filed 2024

While driving on the highway, my car shut down and when I attempted to restart I got a “power steering system hot, performance may be limited” message. Had no steering control and unable to power on until the system cooled. It happened a few times while driving home and almost got rear-ended. Currently unable to drive the car because it…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Parts named most: Automatic emergency braking (7).

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

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while reversing from the driveway, the back-up camera failed to operate normally. The Uconnect system became disabled, which caused other navigational functions to fail to operate as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 47,000 miles

While driving my Jeep Compass's emergency parking brake engaged on its own. I thought I was hit by another vehicle since it was so abrupt. I was able to disengage it after several minutes and as I turned my hazards on and drove home, the emergency brake engaged again on its own. This was a major safety issue and after getting the vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 2,000 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

Unintended acceleration, after braking vehicle lurches forward with unintended acceleration, also hard shifts when in motion.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 11,000 miles

When driving it will randomly stall out/shut off in the middle of an intersection or just while driving in general. While also giving a message about the coolant temperatureOwner 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

I Just left the dealer regarding a wiper related recall and my wipers continue to malfunction. They turn on intermittently. When I slow down and then begin to accelerate the wiper system turns on. I have video after leaving the dealership that performed the recall. *I'm not able to upload video here. Also note: The recall was out during…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The right Headlamp stopped working and Jeep keeps recommending fixes that don't work. This has created a big expense because they recommended running the diag, replacing the bulb, replacing the fuse, then finally replacing the entire Head Lamp Assembly. The HeadLamp still does not work and this is a safety issue.Owner complaint, filed 2022

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

When filling the gas tank and it gets near full, the gas will splash back onto the side of the car, the ground and can get on my clothes, shoes, etc. Jeep vehicles have a long history of this specific problem. No recalls for this VIN. Please help. This is dangerous and scary. It happens every time I fill the tank.Owner complaint, filed 2024

Going into a turn oil light flashed briefly and car completely shut down mid turn this happend 2 times in a month I have previously logged a complaint where the start stop did a similar shutdown in middle of driving this is extremely dangerous the issue is all over the forums on jeep someone will die as a result of this and nothing is…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 9,000 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

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the driver’s side side-curtain air bag deployed unexpectedly. There was no injury reported. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 109,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,387.Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 109,387 miles

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

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the sound increased while accelerating to 25 MPH. The contact decelerated to 15 MPH and drove to the residence, where the contact inspected underneath…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 21,000 miles

It sounds like the framing under my hood is bouncing. Anytime I'm driving on the road, I hear knocking every time I hit the slightest bump. Sounds as if something is loose and not secured. Definitely scary since it's a 2019 jeep compass, basically a brand new vehicle.Owner complaint, filed 2020

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 2019 jeep compass. The contact stated that while driving over bumps in the road, the vehicle shook abnormally, rattled, and became unstable. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and [VIN] were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 8,000 miles

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds and turning, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the front driver's side and passenger's side control arms were fractured, and the inner and outer tie rod…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 66,000 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

my daughter hit a deer and had her 3year old daughter in the back seat and the seat belt come unhooked my grandbaby could have gotta hurtOwner complaint, filed 2025

The webbing on my passenger side seat belt is inexplicably worn and ripped. It looks as if it became worn over time by the seat belt latch vibrating against it. The webbing fabric may have been irregular too. It is very strange, I will attach photos. I don't know when or how the damage occurred because I rarely have passengers in my…Owner complaint, filed 2022

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

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass equipped with Continental tires, Tire Line: ProContact TX, Tire Size: 225/55/R18, DOT Number: [VIN]. The contact stated that front driver’s side tire loss air pressure intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the tires were inspected and rotated. The manufacturer was notified of the…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 22,000 miles

A knocking noise has slowly come into play from the hood of my 2019 Jeep Compass. With some research, it appears to be the front driver’s side axle causing this noise while in operation. The knocking sound is caused by the CV joint at the end of the cv axle shaft. As the cv joint wears down, it becomes less able to absorb shock and…Owner complaint, filed 2024