2013 Jeep Compass Problems, Recalls & Reliability

121 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Jeep Compass, alongside 1 recall campaign and 2 defect investigations. It scores 11/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 71,000 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2013 Jeep Compass has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

121Complaints
11/100Trouble index
1Recalls
53,000Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2013 sits among all Compass years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Transmission & drivetrain 27 complaints (22%) · typically ~71,000 miles
“While driving 70 mph down i4 the automatic transmission light came on, vehicle would not accelerate anymore and was forced to pull over and had the vehicle towed. This has happened twice with the vehicle since buying it brand new in 2013. The issue happened with 36k miles on the car. Jeep continues…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Compass
Other 18 complaints (15%) · typically ~53,000 miles
Airbags 16 complaints (13%)
Electrical 13 complaints (11%) · typically ~53,000 miles
Engine 10 complaints (8%)
Seat belts 9 complaints (7%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 82 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 53,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 80,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (1)

SEAT BELTS 16V668000 2016

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…

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 →

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture EA21002 opened September 17, 2021 · still open

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,…

Model years named: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment PE19014 opened 2019, closed 2026

Technical service bulletins

134 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2013 Jeep Compass. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2013 Compass TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2013peak 27 in 20172025

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Jeep Compass reliable?

The 2013 Jeep Compass drew 121 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 11/100, scored against the model's worst year (2018).

What are the most common 2013 Jeep Compass problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Jeep Compass are transmission & drivetrain (27 complaints), other (18), and airbags (16).

At what mileage do 2013 Jeep Compass problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Jeep Compass problems around 53,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 80,000 miles.

Does the 2013 Jeep Compass have recalls?

1 recall campaign applies to the 2013 Jeep Compass. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2012 Compass All Compass years 2014 Compass →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.