Electrical System Problems of Jeep Compass - part 1

Automatic start-stop system causing actual engine stalls instead of a smooth restart is commonly triggered by failing auxiliary/main batteries, a dirty throttle body, or faulty charging sensors it has stalled on highway in stand still traffic. Issues with getting it to go. Have to turn off the car and restart. Has occurred 3 times - downtown of a major city in traffic, on a busy highway and at an exit of a highway. Due to its nature we are stand still as traffic is moving problem has been confirmed by dealer and has occurred to other Compass owners not inspected by insurance there is an error that appears on the dash right before it stalls.

See all problems of the 2022 Jeep Compass 🔎.

The stop/start function malfunctions frequently. On multiple ocassions, the computer system glitches causing the automatic parking brake to engage, the gear shift to lock, and the vehicle to become stuck. This has happened several times while the car was idling at a stop light, causing traffic safety issues each time. There is no warning light or system notification. Regular mechanics are not able to diagnose or fix these issues because of the computer system, requiring a specialist that is not always accessible. There is no notification when the auxillary battery is dead or dying, the car just won't turn on.

See all problems of the 2018 Jeep Compass 🔎.

Car stalls turns off by itself could be at red lights or even while driving twice already!! needs to be recalled as well and repaired pls repairs cost thousands!!! not safe!! I have owned it for 4-5 years and it has happened maybe 7-8 times but most recently this week twice!!.

See all problems of the 2016 Jeep Compass 🔎.

The crankshaft position sensor is throwing a code , and the car want turn over .

Vehicle shuts off randomly. Restarts after stopping but it’s consistent as if the car over heated yet the coolant temperature reads 194-200.

See all problems of the 2020 Jeep Compass 🔎.

I own a 2019 Jeep Compass with approximately 72,000 miles. For the past two years, I have experienced intermittent electrical and brake system failures that have become more frequent and severe despite multiple repair attempts. While driving, especially when turning, braking, or driving over potholes or uneven roads, the vehicle suddenly displays multiple warning lights, including abs, traction control, brake, check engine, and service transmission warnings. At the same time, the digital speedometer changes to "--" and stops displaying vehicle speed. On one occasion, the analog speedometer also dropped unexpectedly. The most serious incident occurred after these warnings appeared while I was driving. I pulled over, shifted into park, and attempted to turn the vehicle off, but it would not shut down for approximately 30 seconds. During that time, the brake warning light flashed continuously, indicating a possible electrical or communication failure. After restarting, some warnings cleared, but the check engine light remained on. Although the brake pedal still felt normal, I temporarily lost multiple electronic safety systems, including abs, traction control, and the vehicle speed display. These failures occurred on a public roadway without warning, creating a significant safety risk and reducing my confidence that the vehicle will respond properly during an emergency. A diagnostic scan retrieved multiple communication-related fault codes, including u0002-00 (can bus off), u0121-00 (lost communication with abs module), u0129-00 (lost communication with brake system control module), u1110 (lost vehicle speed message), u1120 (lost wheel distance message), u1141 (lost brake and torque message), and u12a8 (lost communication with master cylinder pressure sensor). The problem is intermittent, often clears after restarting, and is difficult to diagnose. Because it affects critical safety systems while the vehicle is in motion, I believe this represents a serious safety.

See all problems of the 2019 Jeep Compass 🔎.

The vehicle advanced warning stystems are all failing. After multiple repair attempts this continues. Previously it resulted in failure where vehicle would not move due to advanced brake assist.

See all problems of the 2025 Jeep Compass 🔎.

My odometer flashes since buying. Bluetooth connection causing screen to glitch and jump between settings. Screen turns blue and back up camera doesn’t work randomly. Overheating issue came out of nowhere. No check engine lights. The jerking is a hazard while driving. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired by multiple shops. All these issues have been hazardous to me and my family.

Dash warning came up “stop safely, vehicle will shut off soon” towed it to Jeep dealer took them over a week to get a diagnosis, they said they had to communicate with detroit office. The issue is “probably” an alternator.

The vehicle caught on fire while sitting in a parking lot. This vehicle had just over 13,000 miles, serviced by Jeep dealer, and health reports did not surface any problems. The fire impacted other vehicles around it.

See all problems of the 2024 Jeep Compass 🔎.

Experienced countless "high coolant temp" followed by power loss and engine shutoff, yes—while driving—like everyone else. Nhtsa campaign: pe22013 search it and read. They investigated it already & ruled it not dangerous enough. It took me spending so much money trying different fixes, then countless hours searching for a solution to finally realize that full investigation case was tucked away years ago. No big deal apparently. The conclusion gets it wrong of course. Part of the ruling claiming no safety risk is based on implying the car starts back right after engine loss and that's simply not true. Twice mine wouldn't start back after the incident, not immediately not within 30 minutes. Only once did it fail, then restart after. I've read through the hundreds of similar complaints and many are stranded after it happens as well. But there's definitely one thing in common everyone's driving down the road when it happens. This is a severely dangerous issue, putting peoples lives at risk. This is 100% on the manufacturer to bring to light and shamefully haven't. This started last summer for me and I didn't post about it but seeing brand new report still being added irks me. It didn't happen over the winter. And no it wasn't the alternator, battery, fuses, radiator, or injector. . I (understandably) heard it all and tried it all. Honestly I let it sit for a while and it stopped. The issue is unpredictable and undetectable by mechanics. Not sure what else you need.

While driving through a tunnel in boston, MA, the vehicle shut off completely without warning and could not be restarted. The dashboard displayed multiple warning lights and the engine would not crank (clicking sound only). I was stranded inside an active tunnel in live traffic, requiring a massachusetts state police response and a tow. The dealer diagnosed a shorted starter, and during the same repair found the radiator leaking from its lower corner seam with no coolant remaining in the system (dealer repair order 316800, at 66,453 miles). An independent repair shop had documented dried coolant residue under the radiator three months earlier at 63,656 miles, indicating the leak had been developing. This vehicle also has a history of auxiliary battery failures affecting the stop/start system: the auxiliary battery failed at 22,517 miles and was replaced under warranty, and failed again at 58,094 miles. A sudden engine shutdown in a tunnel with no ability to restart is a serious safety hazard, and I am filing this complaint to document the failure. Repair invoices are available and can be uploaded.

The engine will shut off completely while traveling a a normal rate of speed. The temperature gauge will malfunction and report high temperature (when there is none) and the engine will shut off. It cannot be restarted without putting the car in park and pressing the brake while in the midst of moving traffic. This has happened to me multiple times. At first, turning off the auto stop/start feature would prevent this form happening but turning it off no longer prevents this. This happens randomly and cannot be reproduced manually. It is also extremely dangerous and upsetting when this happens in highway traffic at speed. The Jeep also seems to have a parasitic drain on the battery and both batteries had to be replaced by the dealer. My research shows that there have been alt least 15 similar complaints filed.

See all problems of the 2021 Jeep Compass 🔎.

I am writing to request immediate assistance with our Jeep, which has become a serious safety hazard for our family. We purchased the Jeep less than 2 years ago and over the past three months it has repeatedly failed to start or has stalled unexpectedly, leaving us stranded on multiple occasions. Despite taking the vehicle to dealership and other service centers four times, no one has been able to diagnose or repair the issue. The vehicle often starts normally for technicians after being towed, only to fail again once we have it back. On our most recent visit to a dealership, we were charged $180 for diagnostics, yet the 3 of 5 xxx 3:01 pm xxx claim form [xxx]!!production\customer\customer_c. . . Problem persists. When I called today for further help, we were turned away. This ongoing issue has created significant safety risks. The Jeep has stalled at traffic lights on multiple occasions, including one near-miss with a tractor-trailer. My husband works in a high-risk environment, and reliable transportation is essential for our family’s safety. As a registered nurse, I have already missed work due to these breakdowns and am at risk of jeopardizing my career. We have also been forced to miss important family events and cancel vacation plans. The financial burden has been devastating. We have spent a substantial amount of money on repeated towing, diagnostics, and repairs, leaving us struggling to cover basic household bills. For the safety of our children and our family, we urgently request that you repurchase or replace this vehicle under your responsibilities as a dealership. We can no longer accept the ongoing risk and unreliability. I kindly ask for a prompt response and a resolution within the next few business days. Please contact me at [xxx] or [xxx] to discuss next steps. Thank you for your immediate attention to this serious matter. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Car jerks and temp gadgets jumps too high. Message reads high coolant temperature.

The auto start/stop feature will fail at random when I come to a stop. My vehicle will shut off and the parking brake will turn on, leading to delays in traffic and unsafe traffic situations. I have had my battery replaced, so this has occured with new batteries and nothing wrong with my car.

On around 5 occasions beginning since late 2025 I have been driving and my emergency brake has turned on automatically while driving. Yesterday, while at a stop light the light turned green and my emergency brake turned on which caused traffic to be halted I had to turn my car on and off repeatedly to have my car work. When I turned right at the intersection this happened again. I was able to slowly pull over and once again turn my car off and on. Then it did it again today at the same intersection I was able to slowly pull over and turn my car off and on. I went to the Jeep dealership today and they could not find anything wrong. No codes indicated anything they said I had a small oil leak but that is all they could find.

The vehicle has stalled in traffic multiple times, it sends emergency messages while operating that the vehicle must pull off of the road or shut down, it is constantly displaying "service stop/ start system" messages and service lights, it sometimes doesn't start after having gotten to a location but will start up without having the vehicle jump started later, it drains the batteries quickly, as well. I was on the highway with my son in the vehicle, not near any exit and in thick traffic, when it told me to pull off the road or it may shut down. On a separate occasion, I had my family in the car, we stopped for an event and the vehicle randomly didn't restart, stranding us until we could reach another ride. Another time I was driving to work and it the engine shut off and when I tried to go it randomly did not go and I had to shut the vehicle down while in traffic, restart the engine and put it back into drive before I could allow traffic to move again. I took it to an authorized Jeep/ Chrysler dealership for these issues and no recalls were put out for my vehicle, despite these exact issues being a part of a recall of nearly 13,000 fiat Chrysler vehicles under NHTSA 18v524000 (Chrysler recall u87).

On 04/12/2026, I was stopped at a red light. The auto start/stop engaged. I removed my foot from the brake, the auto start kicked on, but did not reengage the engine. The notification panel suddenly started blinking, entire panel lit up. The parking brake automatically engage despite not being touched. The option for selecting terrain started toggling through all options. Vehicle then seemingly died. Put vehicle in park. Pressed button to restart engine. Car was successfully restarted.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? the powertrain/engine control system. The vehicle suffers from a total loss of motive power while driving in traffic. It is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? the vehicle unexpectedly enters "limp mode" while driving at various speeds in active traffic. When this happens, the accelerator pedal becomes completely unresponsive, forcing the vehicle to a crawl or a dead stop regardless of the flow of traffic around it. This creates a life-threatening risk of rear-end collisions and high-speed accidents, as the car cannot maintain speed or move to safety. I am forced to operate a vehicle that effectively "shuts down" while I am in the middle of the road. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes. Multiple independent mechanics have confirmed the stalling and electrical instability. Despite replacing the crankshaft sensor and both batteries, the sudden loss of power in traffic persists. Shops have stated the issue is a manufacturer-level failure they cannot fix. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? it has been inspected by independent service centers. The manufacturer has not inspected it yet, as it is extremely hard to duplicate unless it is driven for a certain time at certain temperatures. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? the failure is temperature-dependent, occurring almost exclusively when ambient temperatures reach 71°f or higher. When the failure happens, the dashboard displays flashes the drive sign(limp mode). There are no other lights or anything triggered to display what the issue is related to. These symptoms began roughly one year ago, and has returned daily now that it is getting hot again.

Car stalls out when driving. Car also stalls when I dont press the automatic start button.

Relay box underneath drivers side headlight prone to corrosion, causes Jeeps from this era to stall and die randomly.

After replacing both batteries in my Jeep Compass 2019. The “stop safely vehicle will shut down” message kept coming on. In traffic the car shut off completely and wouldn’t start. This is a reoccurring issue and Jeep doesn’t care. It needs to be fixed. To shut off completely during driving is a safety hazard!!!.

Radiator has anti freeze smell when driven long periods of time or sometimes when at idol , also start /stop system not working properly when making a stop vechiel does not want to turn back on.

-vehicle would not start several times, this occurred just after purchasing, then battery was replaced and it occurred again over the course of 8 months. -a few days ago after getting the Jeep to start, the rpm would not go >2 and the speed would not increase >20 mph. This happened on pa220 with speed limit of 40mph causing a near-wreck when pulling out onto the road and not being able to accelerate to the flow of oncoming traffic. My 6 year old child was in the vehicle with me. -yesterday I stopped for gas & turned the engine off, then it would not start up again. Another person used their vehicle to jumpstart the Jeep with jumper cables. The dash showed there was a “coolant issue” and to check the engine. The Jeep was inspected today and serviced with no issues to the battery, it was not the cause. -previously on multiple occasions the front screen for the radio would not turn on, has glitched and flickered, would not connect to cords plugged in for carplay, chargers will not charge the phone/connect inconsistently (multiple different chargers, worked in other vehicles/outlets), screen would be black but radio would play and unable to turn off/adjust the volume, screen “buttons” will not work/respond to touch often. I have video of this happening, unable to upload footage to this complaint. Can provide if necessary. -per the service dept at tyrone Ford dealership, the O2 sensor is on along with several other codes regarding this issue. This is a manufacturer’s defect, not a user error. It is a safety concern and is not something the consumer should be held accountable to pay for/fix. This is poor craftsmanship on Jeep’s part and needs resolved on their dime, not a single mother’s.

Engine light came on, breaking light, abs.

Issue occurs in [xxx] during normal daily driving, including while reversing and operating the vehicle at low speeds. The malfunctioning touchscreen interferes with safe vehicle operation in parking areas, residential streets, and regular traffic conditions. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while receiving an oil change, the contact was informed that the passenger’s side headlight failed to operate. The contact attempted to replace the light bulb; however, the headlight failed to illuminate. The original light bulb was reinstalled. The contact stated that the start/stop system failed to restart the vehicle after an idle stop. The message “battery charging system failure” was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000.

We were driving on the highway when the car simply stopped worked. The steering wheel became hard and the gas stopped working while in the middle of the highway. Now the cars is driving but all of the safety lights are on and the safety features are not working. Last week the oil was changed and they reviewed the car and everything was ok, now I need to keep going with my roadtrip in a car I don’t feel safe in, until we can get to a dealership. It’s a car that has 8840 miles on it, less than 6 monte and was taken in to repair the park break 3 times.

The contact's husband owns a 2025 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop on several occasions. The abs and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the failure could not be diagnosed, but an unknown recall repair was performed; however, the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the failure was caused by a defective steering module. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the dealer had recently diagnosed the vehicle with an electric parking brake system failure, a stuck electric parking brake switch, and a potential signal failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and denied the contact’s request for buyback assistance. A case number was provided. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

Car just cuts off. Batteries are good, alternator good no codes! rpm goes to o cuts off parking break comes takes a couple of seconds to start then cuts off at random times while driving very unsafe!!!! taken to dealer can’t find anything wrong!!!.

See all problems of the 2017 Jeep Compass 🔎.

While driving I stopped at a light and an issues occurred where my stop start light appeared on dashboard. The car turned off for a minute and eventually started back up.

The infotainment screen in my 2021 Jeep Compass has developed a display failure where the screen is glitching and unusable. The issue persists after restarting the vehicle and appears to be a hardware malfunction. This affects visibility of navigation, backup camera, and vehicle settings, which creates a potential safety concern while driving.

On February 18, 2026, while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking system activated unexpectedly. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles present. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop, causing the tires to squeal and creating a hazardous situation. A second incident occurred on March 14, 2026, while traveling approximately 55 mph. Under normal driving conditions with no apparent hazards, the automatic braking system again engaged suddenly and without warning, bringing the vehicle to an unsafe and unexpected deceleration. This malfunction poses a significant safety risk, as it could lead to rear-end collisions or loss of vehicle control, endangering both the driver and other motorists. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership on March 16, 2026, for inspection. Initial diagnostic testing reportedly found no issues. At my request, the dealership retained the vehicle overnight for further evaluation. Upon pickup, I was informed that a software update was performed on the adaptive cruise control (acc) module; however, no definitive cause of the malfunction was identified. The dealership also indicated that the manufacturer is aware of similar issues but has not provided a resolution at this time. There were no warning lights, alerts, or prior indications of a malfunction before either incident occurred. The problem has not been resolved and may still be present. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

It appears to be the body control module that gave out. While driving home in the evening from work, the vehicle stopped accelerating beyond 20 mph. Further, the passenger windows stopped working, as did exterior tail, emergency, and turn signal lights. The dealer was unable to directly confirm that the bcm was the problem, however, it was confirmed the problem was not fuse, battery, or engine related. No inspection of the component or vehicle to date. No warning lamps or messages appeared. It was raining outside, the vehicle started as normal, and moved as normal for approximately five minutes, then suddenly the vehicle stopped accelerating forward placing myself and others in harm's way.