Car · Jeep problems

2018 Jeep Compass problems

948 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Jeep Compass. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (51% of them). NHTSA also lists 154 service bulletins and 6 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 18. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 948 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling483 · 51%
• Electrical system380 · 40%
• Other or unknown195 · 21%
• Power train (transmission and drive)151 · 16%
• Exterior lighting64 · 7%
• Fuel system64 · 7%
• Service brakes62 · 7%
• Forward collision avoidance38 · 4%

14 smaller areas not shown (212 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 154 repair bulletins from Jeep for the 2018 Jeep Compass. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. 08-323-26Received September 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   Service 4WD Light Illuminated Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination and the vehicle must SYMPTOM: exhibit/set the following Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC):.

2. 112842Received July 2, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Bolt - hex flange head.

3. 08-208-26Received May 20, 2026

   Electrical system

   Radio Message "Power Surge On USB Detected" Customers may comment on the following:.

4. S2523000003 REV.AReceived April 29, 2026

   Body and structure

   Door Latch, Handle And Ajar Additional Service Information.

5. 08-075-26 REV. AReceived April 22, 2026

   Electrical system

   Rear Taillamp Condensation Clearing Procedure On occasion, vehicle exterior taillamp assemblies get fogged with a light layer of condensation on the SYMPTOM: inside of the lenses Fig.

6. 9004338Received April 15, 2026

   Suspension

   Jeep Compass built prior to Jan 4, 2021, when servicing the stabilizer bar links.

7. 110603Received March 13, 2026

   Electrical system

   Speaker - none.

8. 9100776Received March 13, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Before replacing the RDM, please be aware that NVH from differential gears is typical and within the acceptable limits.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2018 Jeep Compass. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 17V670000October 24, 2017

   Engine and engine cooling

   The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.

2. 18V524000August 9, 2018

   Electrical system

   The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

3. 17V740000November 21, 2017

   Electrical system

   The brightness of the backlighting for the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) cannot be adjusted.

See all 6 recalls for the 2018 Jeep Compass, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Compass will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 483 complaints · 51%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 380 complaints · 40%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Power train (transmission and drive) 151 complaints · 16%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Fuel system 64 complaints · 7%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2018 Jeep Compass: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Jeep Compass?

Of the 948 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Jeep Compass, 483 (51%) name engine and engine cooling, and 380 (40%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 Jeep Compass reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 28 of the 948 complaints as involving a crash and 5 as involving a fire. They also reported 18 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Jeep Compass have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2018 Jeep Compass. Recall repairs are free at a Jeep dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 154 repair bulletins for the 2018 Jeep Compass.

More

• 2022 Compass problems
• 2019 Compass problems
• 2017 Compass problems
• 2016 Compass problems
• 2014 Compass problems
• 2018 recalls
• All Jeep recalls
• Jeep problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.