2012 Jeep Compass Problems, Recalls & Reliability
263 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Jeep Compass, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Fuel system leads the reports, typically around 58,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2012 Jeep Compass has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2012 sits among all Compass years
What owners report
“Unable to refuel vehicle. Regardless of gas station or pump, you can only pump about 0.2 gallons of gas before pump shuts off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
“2012 jeep compass engine shuts down while driving on city streets and county roadways. Loss of power and steering control. Engine will crank again after waiting for a few minutes. Check engine light comes on prior to shutting down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
“Car comepletely shut down, and went limp while driving 65 mph on highway. Car would not go over 10 mph, power steering failed, and check engine light began flashing.very dangerous as car shuts off without warning at high speeds. Power steering came back on and check engine light was no longer…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
“Safety belt and air bag recall information given september 2016. As of june 2017 there is still no fix available for this.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
“Automatic transmission overheats and shuts done the car. 136000 miles on it. Dealer says transmission needs replaced. Cannot drive over 45 miles per hr. On highway when it overheats jeep goes into limp mode and cannot accelerate. Have to pull over and wait for it to cool down”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
“While driving at 70 mph, the vehicle lost all power. I wasn't able to use my hazards or anything. I was able to get to the side of the road. After a few minutes, the vehicle could be restarted but ran very rough and had to be towed. The electronic throttle control light was on as well as check…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Compass
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 173 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 67,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 105,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit,…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012 Jeep Patriot and Compass vehicles manufactured October 18, 2011, through May 7, 2012. Due to an incorrectly manufactured transfer tube, the transfer of fuel from the secondary side to the…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank transfer tube free of charge. An interim letter was mailed to owners on May 30, 2013. Owners were notified by Chrysler on July…
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 JEEP PATRIOT AND COMPASS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 17, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 2, 2012. SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY CONTAINING A DAMAGED ROLL-OVER VALVE.
Fix: CHRYSLER WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 25, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Technical service bulletins
147 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2012 Jeep Compass. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Compass TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Jeep Compass reliable?
The 2012 Jeep Compass drew 263 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).
What are the most common 2012 Jeep Compass problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Jeep Compass are fuel system (44 complaints), engine (38), and other (30).
At what mileage do 2012 Jeep Compass problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Jeep Compass problems around 67,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 105,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Jeep Compass have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Jeep Compass. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.