2016 Jeep Compass
Common Problems
Ranked from 128 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
20 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Engine Stall During Driving
59complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine unexpectedly stalls during driving, often requiring the vehicle to be restarted.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 16V907000
- 2
Engine Misfire and Stalling
33complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine misfires and stalls frequently, especially under acceleration, posing a safety risk.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 16V907000
- 3
Electrical System Malfunction Leading to Random Shutdowns
24complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe electrical system fails, causing the vehicle to randomly shut down while driving, posing a safety risk.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Random Malfunctioning of Electronic Stability Control
17complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe electronic stability control system malfunctions randomly, causing the vehicle to enter limp mode and reduce speed.
- 5
Check Engine Light On Without Warning
13complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe check engine light illuminates without any warning, indicating underlying electrical system issues.
$100–$250est. professional diagnosis · 1–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Crankshaft Position Sensor Failure
13complaintsHigh severityEngineThe crankshaft position sensor malfunctions, leading to engine stalling and misfires.
Related recall: 16V907000
- 7
Power Loss During Driving
9complaintsMedium severityEngineThe vehicle experiences sudden power loss during driving, often requiring the engine to be restarted.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 16V907000
- 8
Windshield wipers activating unexpectedly
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe windshield wipers activate unexpectedly without using the wiper switch, potentially causing distraction.
- 9
Transmission Issues
7complaintsHigh severityTransmissionTransmission failures occur multiple times, leading to significant drivability issues and safety concerns.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 10
Check engine light illuminating during driving
4complaintsLow severityEngineThe check engine light illuminates while driving, indicating potential engine issues.
$100–$250est. professional diagnosis · 1–2 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 16V907000
- 11
Engine cranking issues and recalls
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine cranks but does not start properly, and there are recalls related to crankshaft and camshaft sensors.
Related recall: 16V907000
- 12
Engine Misfires and Loss of Power
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine misfires and experiences loss of power, often leading to stalling and difficulty in accelerating.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 16V907000
- 13
Head Restraint Deployment Without Collision
4complaintsLow severityOtherThe head restraint deploys unexpectedly without any collision or impact, posing a potential injury risk.
- 14
Steering Issues Causing Loss of Control
4complaintsHigh severitySteeringThe steering becomes unresponsive or locks up, leading to loss of vehicle control during driving.
- 15
Transmission Failure Causing Power Loss
4complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission fails, causing the vehicle to lose power and stall during operation.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotes - 16
Seat Belt Disconnect Issues
3complaintsLow severityOtherThe seat belts disconnect without pressing the release button, potentially causing injury during sudden stops.
- 17
Air Bag Deployment Issues
2complaintsHigh severityOtherAir bags deploy unexpectedly or fail to deploy, posing a safety risk in case of a collision.
- 18
Seat belt malfunction
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe seat belt chimes and lights up when all occupants are properly belted in, indicating a malfunction.
- 19
Seating headrests malfunctioning
2complaintsLow severityOtherHeadrests deploy unexpectedly without any provocation, potentially causing injury or startling the driver.
- 20
Vehicle speed control issues
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe vehicle accelerates on its own or fails to respond to the brake pedal, posing a risk of loss of control.
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.