Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
137
Complaints
3
Crashes
2
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Owners of the 2020 Jeep Compass have filed 137
safety complaints with NHTSA
between March 2020 and July 2026.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 79 of them
(58%). The typical failure was reported at 19,126 miles, the median
across the 31 complaints that gave an
odometer reading.
NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this
vehicle.
Recalls (1)
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
20V208000 · April 9, 2020
The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500, 1500 Classic and Jeep Compass vehicles. The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
The risk
Reduced visibility increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper nuts, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W25.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 425,599 vehicles across all model years covered
Defect investigations (1)
An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A
preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering
analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
PE22013
Closed preliminary evaluation · opened December 2, 2022 · closed December 10, 2023
the engine, the engine and its cooling
On December 2, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE22-013 to investigate allegations of loss of motive power accompanied by high coolant temperature messages on the dashboard of Model Year 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. At the time this investigation was opened, ODI was aware of fifteen Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) for Model Year (MY) 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles alleging a loss of motive power (LOMP) while driving. The LOMP events were often accompanied by a high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high message appearing on the dashboard of the vehicle. In most incidents, the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages spontaneously self-corrected or were corrected after the vehicle was stopped and restarted. One complainant alleged no immediate restart, and the vehicle was towed. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) was opened to assess the frequency and potential safety consequences of these engine shut down events. On January 19th, 2023, ODI sent an information request letter to Fiat Chrysler US LLC (FCA) requesting pertinent information on the subject 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles. FCA provided its full response on March 2nd, 2023. ODI has reviewed the information FCA provided as well as new reports submitted to NHTSA’s Vehicle Owner Questionnaire database. Based on a review of available information, ODI has identified 173 subject vehicles that likely experienced a shutdown event associated with the high coolant temperature or coolant temperature too high dashboard messages. ODI found the 2019 Model Year (MY) Jeep Compass as having the highest failure rate while also being the oldest group of vehicles in this investigation. The 2019 Jeep Compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.09%. The 2020 Jeep compass vehicles that experienced a failure represent an incident rate of about 0.04%. After reviewing the information available at this time, ODI identified one allegation of a crash and no allegations of injury, fire, or fatality. The alleged crash occurred at a stop light and was able to be restarted immediately. In its response to ODI, FCA provided its assessment of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. FCA believes the alleged defect does not pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety. FCA stated that allegations related to this investigation involve the vehicle notifying the driver of an overheat condition, via a message and telltale lights, followed by an engine shutdown. FCA goes on to say that once the engine shuts down, the driver is instructed via an instrument cluster message to place the vehicle in park. After the vehicle is placed in park, it can then be restarted and immediately driven with no issues. This is consistent with ODI’s observations. Based on the analysis conducted by ODI indicating a low failure rate and given that the vehicles normally can be re-started immediately after the shutdown event, this investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. NHTSA reserves the right take additional actions if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
What owners report
Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add
up to more than 137.
ENGINE 79 58%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 63 46%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 29 21%
POWER TRAIN 27 20%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7 5%
STEERING 6 4%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 4%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 4 3%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 4 3%
WHEELS 4 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 2%
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2023 at 28.
2020 to 2026, the last of them a part year
In owners' own words
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
2 injured · crash · towed · 35,000 miles
The contact's daughter owned a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 2 MPH in a parking lot, she was involved in a head-on collision. The vehicle was listed as totaled by the insurance company. The contact's daughter and niece were injured when the air bags did not deploy, causing her daughter and niece to strike their foreheads on the steering wheel and the passenger’s side dashboard. The contact's daughter was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact's daughter and niece did not seek medical attention. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was …
NHTSA complaint 11479987, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
VISIBILITY/WIPER
1 injured · crash · towed · 19,126 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving at 35 mph in the rain, when he attempted to use the windshield wipers but they failed to function. The contact stated he attempted to park the vehicle and was unable to see another vehicle which caused him to crash. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The air bags did deploy. The contact stated he sustained whiplash, neck and lower back injuries and did seek medical attention at the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the …
NHTSA complaint 11420821, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
fire · towed · 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that her son was driving at undisclosed speeds when he arrived at his destination turn into a parking lot. Placed the gear actuator in park, within second a warning indicated that the vehicle was not in park however, the contact stated that the vehicle was in park. The gear actuator seized not allowing the contact to change gears. The contact attempted to turn the vehicle off however the vehicle failed to turn off. Unknown if any odor appeared. The police department was contacted and came out and try to assist. Within a second the vehicle went up in flames. The fire department was contacted and extinguished the flames. No injuries …
NHTSA complaint 11424392, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
fire
On December 9th, my Jeep compass caught fire in Tyson’s corner parking lot (1750 Tysons BLVD). The fire department believes it came from the engine. No warning signs such as engine lights or temperature overheating prior. The car was parked in a spot when this occurred. My daughter was in the car and smelled smoke, car was turned off, got out and it was smoking and sparking then caught fire. 911 was called during this process and came to the scene. The insurance is aware and deemed it total loss. The police and fire department have records we are trying to obtain. The fire spread to other cars.
NHTSA complaint 11705159. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STEERING
Within the first month of ownership I began hearing a noise from the right front of the vehicle consistent with a brake or suspension issue. I reported this to the selling dealer repeatedly during that first month; it was not resolved. The noise continued and worsened over the following year, eventually also affecting the right rear. At approximately 20,000 miles, an independent licensed inspection mechanic found that the right front inner tie rod required replacement due to significant wear, and the right rear wheel bearing also required replacement. The vehicle failed state safety inspection as a result of these findings. The mechanic noted the repair scope required disassembly of the …
NHTSA complaint 11752965, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle shuts off randomly. Restarts after stopping but it’s consistent as if the car over heated yet the coolant temperature reads 194-200
NHTSA complaint 11747773. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
The transmission cooling system failed causing immediate failure of the transmission. The vehicle has less than 60k miles and is still covered by the manufacturer powertrain warranty. Dash lights for service engine and service transmission only came on at the immediate time of failure (10 min prior to full transmission failure). No issues were noted in the vehicles prior service 7 months prior to failure. The dealer has confirmed the cause of transmission failure is due to failure of the cooling system.
NHTSA complaint 11746120. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
My 2020 Jeep Compass experiences sudden, unexpected engine shut-offs while driving. The engine loses power and stalls without warning, and shortly afterward the dashboard displays a 'Coolant Temperature Too High' warning. The vehicle has stalled while in motion, including at highway speeds, creating a serious safety hazard. After the stall, the vehicle restarts and behaves normally, but the problem has recurred multiple times. This matches the engine-stalling and coolant-temperature issue described in the NHTSA investigation of 2019–2020 Jeep Compass vehicles equipped with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine.
NHTSA complaint 11742922. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
POWER TRAIN
While turning out of a parking lot, onto a side street, a suspension component failed without warning, causing the front axle to pull out of the transmission. The vehicle immediately became unsafe, as I was unable to turn the wheel (it wasn't connected) to get me out of the middle of the road. This was a sudden, catastrophic mechanical failure with no prior warning lights, messages, or symptoms. It had to be towed. I called a corporate phone number, to create a case number, and heard back from Jeep Autonation immediately. The gentleman who spoke to me, was extremely rude, and told me this was a normal wear and tear situation, and just to "bring it in so they could get to fixing it." I …
NHTSA complaint 11739927, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
We have been without our 2020 JEEP since the end of February 2026 due to an engine issue (had the car only 6-7 months). The first company thought there might be coolant in the head gasket causing the issue. After our extended warranty company wanted the engine opened to confirm, we had to send the car to Precision Tune at the end of March to do this (prior place didn't open engines or repair them and recommended Precision Tune). Based on the engine codes of P0301 and P1061, as well how the car started, Precision Tune knew that the multi air actuator had failed. We both kept asking the extended warranty company how opening the engine would tell them that the multi air actuator failed …
NHTSA complaint 11731850, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon
law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back.
What each state asks for
, read from the statutes.
Where these numbers come from
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file
, published August 20, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API
, most recent campaign filed August 12, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file
, published 2026-08-19.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst