general problems of the 2018 Jeep Compass - part 1

Failing component: transmission / powertrain. The transmission is jerking aggressively when shifting into gear. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. I currently have the vehicle in my possession. How was safety put at risk? the vehicle jerked violently into gear while accelerating from a stopped position at an intersection. The force was strong enough to physically jolt both the driver and passenger. This creates a safety risk due to unpredictable vehicle behavior during acceleration and could lead to loss of control or increased risk of collision. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed? yes – the issue has occurred after the vehicle was returned following transmission replacement. The dealership has attempted multiple transmission replacements, indicating an ongoing unresolved issue. Has the vehicle been inspected by anyone? yes – inspected and repaired multiple times by dealership service department. Transmission has been replaced multiple times, including a failed replacement while still at the dealership. Warning lights or prior symptoms? no warning lights were present. Prior to the failure, a whining noise was present, which was previously reported to the dealership as a suspected transmission issue. The vehicle was brought to a dealership for a transmission-related issue and has undergone multiple transmission replacements. After the most recent repair, the vehicle was returned with the issue unresolved. On March 22, 2026, while accelerating from a stopped position at an intersection, the vehicle jerked aggressively into gear. The force was significant enough to physically jolt both the driver and passenger. Despite multiple repair attempts, the transmission is still not operating correctly. This creates a safety concern due to unpredictable shifting behavior. Additionally, the dealership drove the vehicle approximately 3,000 miles while in their possession, yet the issue remains unresolved.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, and while stopped at a traffic light, several unknown warning lights illuminated with the message to “park the vehicle” displayed. The contact stated that while the vehicle was running and shifted from park into drive, the vehicle failed to move. The contact stated that while shifted into park, the vehicle failed to turn off. The failure persisted, and the contact made several attempts to move the vehicle. The contact was eventually able to start the vehicle and drove to a parking lot, after which the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

I was driving and my car just stalled and I could not get it to start again. I have had this happen to me over 4 times. My car is currently at the Jeep dealer and they charged me over $700 telling me it was wiring. It happened again on 11/24/2025 and they have had my car since then and they keep telling me they cannot figure out what was wrong with it. Today they called me and said it was a circuit thing. There was a recall for exactly what was happening to my car. Nhtsa recall 18v-524 just that my car was not recalled. I am now going 2 weeks without a car and it clearly is experiencing exactly what the recall says. Over 3 times I was on the highway when the car stalled while I was driving. It just stopped in the middle of the highway the car behind me had to stop short. I had a bad panic attack. Why are they not doing the right thing and fixing what they know they have to fix. This is the second time I make a complaint through you.

Shifting assembly failed. When the service center went to order it, it was heavily backordered (meaning many people with this make / model experiencing the same failure at the same time). Service center showed me that a thin rubber gasket is all that failed … it is no more substantial than a rubber washer you put in a water hose). Why a $500 part for a $0. 50 failure? (perhaps that is the service center taking advantage. ) but even still why would Jeep put such a cheap part in such a critical location where it can break and become dislodged and result in you losing control of your vehicle drive train? something feels very wrong about this.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that intermittently, while driving 60 mph on the highway uphill, the vehicle suddenly lunged forward and backward. The vehicle failed to respond when the accelerator pedal was depressed or released. The contact stated that the engine revved high. The vehicle was stopped and began to shake. The driver was able to pull over safely. The vehicle was restarted, and the malfunction, transmission, and service engine warning lights were illuminated. The message “start/stop not available” was displayed. The contact called the local dealer, but there was no answer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was called, but the phone hung up, and the automatic system confirmed there was no recall coverage. The contact attempted to use the website, but there was an error with the submission. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

Description of problem: since purchase, this vehicle has exhibited severe safety defects, including sudden and repeated engine shutdowns at highway speeds, loss of power while driving, dashboard malfunctions, steering lockups, service esc, dynamic steering torque service required, service hill holder, false fuel gauge readings, service airbag reading, transmission warming sign, and emergency brake engagement without command. These failures have occurred multiple times and forced me off the road to avoid collisions. They mirror known recalls on this model year and create a clear risk of injury or death. Attempts to repair: the selling dealer (coral springs pre-owned superstore) and an authorized Jeep dealer (arrigo Jeep in margate, FL and arrigo Jeep tamarac,FL) have repeatedly failed to identify or repair the issues despite video evidence. They claim they cannot replicate the malfunctions, though the vehicle continues to fail monthly. Safety concern: the Jeep Compass shuts down without warning at highway speeds, leaving me stranded in traffic. This is an immediate hazard and should be investigated as a systemic defect. Requested action: investigation into recalls/defects on the 2018 Jeep Compass, enforcement of repairs, and accountability for dealerships that continue to sell unsafe vehicles.

Key fob not found, tpms not reading but sensors are good, backup camera beeping when things are not behind and continues to beep in drive, engine stalling, worn motor mounts due to no reason.

Vehicle does not start or starts and will not go into gear. Dash lights go crazy and various issues display on screen.

Car started shifting hard during deceleration giving a jolt forward. Check engine light came on for power train control module. Also started hearing a rattle and had to replace control arms.

I was at a red light and when the light turned and I put on the gas my car stalled. I could not shut off the car, it has a push button engine. The motor was off but on the dashboard it said the car was on and all of the electrical systems were still running (heat, radio, lights, etc). When I pushed the engine button, the car would not turn off. The parking break turned on by itself. I could not push my car to the side of the road. I was in the middle of traffic. I had to call for the police and for a tow truck. We still could not get the car to turn off (the motor was not on but the car's electrical system was still on). We could not disengage the parking break. Finally the tow truck operator slammed the break pedal down and he was able to turn off the car. The car then started. We still towed it to the Jeep dealership. The could not find anything wrong with the car. Approximately two weeks earlier, the same thing happened at a red light but at that time, after I waited for 10minutes I was able to get the car to turn off then on. My car has two new batteries (put in one year ago), new front breaks, new tires. The day this happened, I had actually just left Jeep from getting my oil changed. They said it was not related to that.

I own a 2018 Jeep Compass. My car has been stalling and going dead when stopping at stop signs/lights, when slowing to turn, and when entering on-ramps to a highway. Other issues that have occurred simultaneously (but not necessarily all at once) include, start/stop not working, the parking brake engaging when stopping, sound system unavailable message (despite that the radio works properly) and the car does not restart immediately when hitting ignition. These issues have been ongoing for approximately one month. The problem initially started with the parking brake engaging when coming to a stop. In order to disengage the brake, the car had to be turned off and then back on again. Then the car started to stall when slowing and stopping. In the latest occurrence, my car stalled 3 separate times within a 10 mile drive. On the 3rd stall, we were turning left to enter the highway when the car stalled suddenly. The car behind us had to slam on their brakes and swerve to miss hitting us. We took our car to the dealership on December 17th. At that time they replaced the cars main battery, but audio system unavailable message remained on, to which the service advisor said we should probably replace the radio, despite that the radio is functioning properly. We took the car with us December 18th. In less than 48 hours the car was stalling at almost every stop again. We returned the car to our dealership on December 26th, where it remains as of January 1. The dealership said, via phone, they have been unable to pinpoint the problem, at this time. It is extremely dangerous for a car to stall when it should otherwise be in motion. This puts myself, my son, our passengers and those around us in danger. This is an issue that warrants immediate attention and we welcome an inspection if someone could just identify the problem and fix it before someone is hurt.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle was losing motive power with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle was still losing motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and was difficult to shift into park(p). The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle. However, when the contact shifted into drive(d) the vehicle still lost motive power and almost stalled. The contact drove the vehicle back to the residence and it was difficult to shift into park(p). The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and called a towing service. The contact was informed by the tow truck operator that the 12-volt battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and the contact was informed that the 12-volt battery and the start/stop battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The dealer performed a preliminary diagnostic test and advised the contact that there were several electrical failures and that a comprehensive diagnostic test was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

Seat heat turns on and off randomly by itself. Screen does not always work. Transmission jumped, service transmission came on. Took to dealer. They said updates to the computer system needed done and charged me $450 saying they were not covered by the warranty I bought from mopar. If updates are required to keep you and your passengers safe how are they not free of charge and charge you almost $500 for these updates? had I been on the interstate and not a side road my son and I could have been badly injured due to this problem. I will never purchase another car “american made” again.

3 years ago the first problem started. If my car was idle for more than 15 minutes the service transmission & check engine lights would turn on. I made an appointment at Jeep but could not be helped because the light turned off the next day. I was advised this would not be covered because I had 32,000 miles on the car. Last month as I was driving on the. Freeway my service transmission & check engine lights turned own. The car slowed down. I pulled off the freeway and turned the car off. After 20 minutes I turned it back on and the transmission light turned off and only the check engine stayed on. This has now happened twice. I took my car to a transmission shop and was advised to contact the manufacturer as this is a factory issue. Code p1dd2.

I will be driving at any speed and the engine will lose power and stall. Very similar conditions as the u87 recall. I have had my vehicle at the Jeep dealership multiple times and still have yet to fix the issue. When the vehicle loses power and stalls I pull over however sitting on the side of any road is dangerous, that if I can get the Compass over to the side of the road.

Random shiggling when driving between 20 ad 35mph specifically goin up slight inclines or hills, hardshifting randomly some times light some no noise times catches u off guard and makes metal noise , power dips only to 12v wall and cigarette plug stops charging what ever is plugged into it or restarts the item when engin starts back up at a stop sign or stop light with autostart stop activated,.

Car has been stopping while driving on major roadways. Requires a restart in the middle of a highway and does not even make it to the roadside to restart. Upon bringing it in to be checked, it had 0 but no reported leak and oil light did not turn on. Purchased used just 2 months ago and only drove 6k miles. Was told to change oil every 5k miles becuase this model consumes excessive oil. I searched and found this is a known issue however my VIN # does not show a recall.

With absolutely zero prior indication of a problem, the car became completely immobilized in drive while attempting to turn after being stopped at a traffic light on a busy four lane road. Every imaginable code was cycling through on the dash and all warning code lights came on. I was unable to shift the car into any gear. Meaning, I could not shift into neutral to push the car safely out of the way of traffic. Additionally the car could not be turned off. I could not roll down the windows and the touchscreen was inoperable. After approximately 6-8 minutes I was able to shift into neutral to push the car to a safer area. The same immobilization issue happened 3 days later after the battery and alternator were replaced. This time, I put the car in reverse and it became immobilized in exactly the same way. The car turned itself off after approximately 10 minutes and was towed to the dealership where it has been for 30 days. The dealership scanned the codes on the car and the result was 300+ error codes. The dealer cannot diagnose the problem but they have been able to replicate the issue. The car is well maintained and there were no warning messages or other symptoms of any problem prior to the first incident January 27, 2024. The car remains at the dealer and it is available for inspection.

Transmission hard shift especially when cold. Makes grinding noise when shifting into 3rd. We have not taken it to a dealer cause we bought it used and it’s 62 thousand miles on the car and 60 thousand is supposedly the limit for the warranty. Car has also stalled while making turns to the left or sometimes when driving straight. At highway speeds when I have gone and tried to accelerate more I push the accelerator down and nothing happens. Then all of a sudden the car takes off with a jerk and I have to hit the brakes cause it was not expected. Auto engine shutoff failure light comes on for no reason. Continually get number 4 cylinder misfire check engine warning which disappears after the car is restarted. Consumes oil like nothing I have ever seen always adding oil. Can’t check the transmission fluid level cause manufacturer did not put a dipstick for the transmission so I have to take it to the dealer to see if that is low. Don’t need the cost just for them to tell me it’s fine.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, both the driver and passenger side rear windows would roll down independently. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall as several warning lights would appear on the instrument panel. The contact called the dealer about the failure and was given an estimate for a diagnostic. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where they failed to diagnose the failure. The contact then stated that while driving in inclement, icy weather; the vehicle began to slide upon depression of the brake pedal while approaching a stop light. As the vehicle began to slide, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact lost complete control of the vehicle as the vehicle crashed into a light pole. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed and the light pole was knocked down as a result of the impact. The vehicle was towed from the scene to the contact's grandmother's home where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle stalled while making a left turn while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated after the failure. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the residence. The next day, the contact restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart while parked at a gas station. The dealer was not notified of the failure. An email was sent to the manufacturer about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

SUV has died several times for no reason. Taken to dealership several times. They laugh and say it’s normal for this Compass. Engine oil is constantly low and they say that it’s common for oil to just disappear on these suvs. Nothing can be recreated at the dealership each time. I’ve been driving down the road with two kids in the car and traffic behind me and the car just dies and doesn’t want to restart. This morning my heater stopped working. No lights came on. No sensors went off. Car was out of coolant and not one single low sensor light came on. Oil has to be added in between each 3000 mile oil change. Seat has broken twice. No sensors for oil low. No sensors for coolant. Nothing to let you know your engine is 3. 5 quarts low of oil before the 3000 mile oil change is due. It’s bad when the dealership knows all of this and it’s considered normal to spend $28000 on a vehicle which has all these issues! now there is a popping noise when you turn the wheels and I see the lower control arms are on recall but not for mine. Engine oil issue is on recall but not for mine. Is it going to take someone getting killed when their car stalls out before anything is done? I’ve also had to replace the batteries already last year and now my auto start stop system has quit working again. Last time this happened it was the battery. So I’m going to have to replace it again. Worst vehicle I’ve ever had.

Car is intermittently stalling, power steering intermittently failing and all service lights come on at one time, took to a non Jeep dealership they diagnosed as a tipm failure and told me to take it to a Jeep dealership , took to two Jeep dealerships and they said since the issue wasn’t happening while the vehicle is in their care there’s nothing they can do about it.

While at a stop light, my vehicle moved into "stop" mode and as the light turned green and I attempted to resume driving the vehicle attempted to go back into "start" mode and shut down completely. I could not press down fully on the break nor turn on my hazards. The dashboard flickered, but never shut off. Given that this happened at a busy intersection, it was quite dangerous and I was fearful that I would get hurt.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power from the transmission. The contact stated that the vehicle was coasted to a safe location. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and operated as intended. The vehicle was driven to the destination. The contact also stated that the process was repeated three times, going to work and three times while returning from work. The contact connected the vehicle to a diagnostic machine and received a code that torque request denied. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

While driving the "coolant temperature high" warning message occasionally pops up and it shows that the temperature is as high as it can go on the temperature meter. It will then shut my engine down and not allow me to resume driving until I completely turn my car off and back on again. After turning it back on, my coolant temperature always reads completely normal between 190-200 degrees fahrenheit. This problem has occurred multiple times including while I have been on the interstate, in the middle of an intersection, and in heavy traffic. My safety has been severely put at risk multiple times as my car has stopped moving while I was in the process of turning in an intersection and risked being hit from behind and from the side. I have also been in heavy interstate traffic and have been unable to pull-over before my car fully stops moving which puts me at high risk of being hit. I have taken my car to the dealership to have it looked at and they ran diagnostics which showed that there has never been an issue with my coolant system. They have since done an electrical diagnostic as well with which they could not find an issue relating to the coolant system. They replaced my auxiliary battery as they believed it was bad and could have been the cause of my electrical issues and this seemed to cause the issue to go away for a month and a half, but then it started occurring again. The issue also occurs very spontaneously and I have not noticed any signs prior to the issue occurring. Given that it could potentially be days, weeks, or a month before the issue reoccurs, the dealership has not been able to witness the error message or what happens. This issue has occurred on and off for about a year and a half but has started occurring more frequently lately with about seven occurrences in the past five months, the most recent being a significant concern for my safety with my car stopping in an intersection while turning during rush hour.

The torque converter is bad and when driving on the highway it stopped my car and caused it to stop luckily I was able to get off the freeway before wreck could happen.

Power train: axel assembly: ankle shaft.

On 2/6 I was driving down the road and my coolant tempature went from the middle all the way to high. My car turned off and locked up and then turned back on. This happened again on 2-9 and 2-13. The dealership said the electric, wires, coolant sensor, and coolant system were fine. There were no air bubbles, leaks or gas seeping into the coolant system.

All lights randomly flashed on dash then the vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic. This is the third time it has happened, and the dealership had claimed to have fixed it. Just had brand new batteries installed to ensure sufficient voltage, and it still happened. 32k miles.

After being serviced by my vehicle’s dealership only a month earlier (and still well within the powertrain warranty), my vehicle suddenly stalled and shut off in the middle of the freeway during peak morning traffic. I narrowly escaped being hit by a semi-truck from behind and had to quickly pull over to the side of the freeway as safely as I could. I’ve taken my vehicle to several mechanics who could find nothing wrong with my vehicle, save the open recall on similar models (though not my VIN in particular, which I do believe to be an error) involving an issue with the powertrain and an electrical chip. This vehicle has been thoroughly maintained with regular service intervals, yet somehow will randomly stall and shut off when driving. It is dangerous and discouraging.

The contact owned a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the steering wheel column froze and became inoperable; however, there were no warning lights illuminated on the control panel. The vehicle was inoperable, swerved off the road, caused an accident. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was declared a total loss by the insurance adjuster. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

My 2018 Jeep Compass, limited stalls out as I am driving. The headlights have never worked and when they do work they are intermittent.

Vehicle shut off/stalled while driving and check engine light came on. Lost control of steering, start/stop function etc. Warning lights came on for transmission and to service 4 wheel drive as well as tart top function failure. Could start car back up right away. Car is 2018 and less than 46k miles.

Drove the vehicle I purchased and the lights on the dash board began to illuminate at 2500 miles. The u connect would go black, the dash lights air bags, emergency break, cruise control, etc would illuminate. The the car would shift out of gear automatically put in park flashing, and die in the middle of the freeway without warning, has happened like 3 times, now I am scared to drive it due to the safety of myself and others. I would have to restart the car and it would jerk, then be fine. The hood light would display hood open when it isn't and multiple other lights. Told the wiring harness is melted causing the problems. Lights that come on are advanced driver assistance systems (adas) check engine, transmission light, adaptive cruise control automatic emergency braking blind spot warning forward collision warning lane departure warning lane keeping assistance parking collision warning rear cross traffic warning.