Steering Problems of Jeep Compass - part 1

I am reporting a serious steering/suspension safety problem with my 2017 Jeep Compass. After picking the vehicle up from the dealership following repairs/service, the vehicle was significantly more difficult and frightening to control than before. While driving, the Jeep will suddenly veer toward the shoulder/ditch or toward/over the center line even though I have not intentionally moved the steering wheel in that direction. I have to repeatedly correct the steering to keep the vehicle in my lane. The problem becomes worse and more dangerous as speed increases. There are also multiple popping/clunking noises coming from underneath the vehicle. The steering feels unstable and the vehicle does not consistently track in the direction the steering wheel is pointing. This creates a serious risk of losing control, leaving the roadway, or colliding with another vehicle. The dealership has previously diagnosed problems involving the steering/rack and pinion and has had the vehicle multiple times for repairs. After the most recent service, the steering condition became extremely unsafe. I notified the dealership immediately and provided video showing the steering/vehicle movement. The dealership owner responded that I should obtain an attorney and have my attorney contact theirs. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate this steering/suspension safety issue because I believe the vehicle presents a serious risk to the driver, passengers, and other motorists.

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The problem is reoccurance in short periods of time. I had an alignment done at 14,000 miles, then at about 20,000 miles when the tires were replace. Now, the car has 34,000 miles and requires another alignment due to excessive tire wear on the inner portion of the tire. The car has only been driving under normal driving conditions for the area; 95% highway driving. There haven't been any impacts to anything which could cause the alignment to fail this horribly so frequently. This is the only car I have ever owned that has ever needed an alignment three times in a one year timeframe. Independent service centers reproduced the first two times. The first time the mechanic informed me that it was mechanically impossible to get the car within Jeep's aligment specifications without aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts were installed to get the vehicle within Jeep's aligment specifications due to the tires being replaced. I can personally visually inspect the tires and confirm excessive wear on 80,000 mile tires that I bought in April of 2026. The car will be taken into a dealership this time. This issue can cause the car to walk across the lane, harder than normal steering/controll, and loss of traction easier than normal on wet or slick surfaces. I can provide receipts.

See all problems of the 2025 Jeep Compass 🔎.

My car has 84,000 miles. Noticed steering issues along with noises. Several Jeep Compass have had same issues requiring pinion and rack to be replaced. It was coming loose and a safety issue. The car is original owner and maintained. Tech able to isolate both noises, one coming from the steering rack and the other from the front suspension. Noise when car is in motion is down to the front steering linkages connected to the rack and pinion being loose. Recommend replacing the rack and pinion, then performing the four wheel alignment. Play in the front sway bar links are responsible for the noise heard when turning at lower speeds or to parallel park. Recommend replacing links. I own a Jeep Compass there has been a recall on Jeep cherokee same issue Jeep cherokee models have been involved in a recall related to the pinion shaft. Is this like the Ford pinto issue people have to complain to have a recall. Apparently more people have on the cherokee than Compass. I have seen the reports and people have complained on Compass yet nothing is being done. I have a video from the mechanic showing the issue it’s a safety issue. In all my years owning and maintaining cars I have never had a steering issue which is alarming.

See all problems of the 2022 Jeep Compass 🔎.

Within the first month of ownership I began hearing a noise from the right front of the vehicle consistent with a brake or suspension issue. I reported this to the selling dealer repeatedly during that first month; it was not resolved. The noise continued and worsened over the following year, eventually also affecting the right rear. At approximately 20,000 miles, an independent licensed inspection mechanic found that the right front inner tie rod required replacement due to significant wear, and the right rear wheel bearing also required replacement. The vehicle failed state safety inspection as a result of these findings. The mechanic noted the repair scope required disassembly of the steering column, indicating a defect beyond routine wear for the vehicle's age/mileage. Given that these are safety-critical steering and wheel components, the vehicle has been taken off the road entirely pending repair, out of concern that continued driving could result in loss of steering control. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. A written statement from the inspecting mechanic documenting these findings is available.

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Brake caliphers went bad 2 days after I purchased, now a heavy humming sound that I literally feel vibration in my seat, loud weird noise when making sharp turns, turning the wheel while in park grinding noise, loud rumbling when air conditioner is on, jerking forward when press on gas. This car is horrible.

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Three times now, my steering wheel feels like it’s jerking out of my hands and difficult to turn. It has happened at low speeds while maneuvering in parking lots. I’m afraid it’ll happen at higher speeds as it gets worse.

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The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a constant thumping sound coming from the steering column. The thumping sound occurred while turning in either direction and while driving straight. The vehicle was taken to an independent service center, where it was diagnosed that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 37,420.

This first occurred on 3/10/2026 and then occurred again on 3/15/2026. When driving the coolant temp warning will randomly come on. This causes the car to lock up. After about 30-60 seconds it goes back to normal. This could very dangerous if I were on the interstate that I take every day to work. I am a mechanic, have hooked it up to a computer and there are no codes. I have tried to research it a learned that it is a consistent issue that seems to be common in the Jeep Compass, going back as far as the 2019 model.

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Steering rack needs to be replaced per dealership. Reported loud clunking noise when turning. Not covered under warranty. Was told it was regular car maintenance. 49k miles with bumper to bumper expired a month before complaint. Have noted in forums multiple complaints for same issue yet Jeep refuses to cover.

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The car sways back and forth and the steering wheel shakes.

Tire rods and suspension failed vehicle is unsafe to operate .

Multiple electronic/body-control systems fail intermittently, confirmed by dealer diagnostics (dtc summary report, 5+ service visits): active lane management/blind spot system shows "blind spot alert unavailable" and lane-keep faults, mainly during turns and lane crossings (dtc u0422-00, "implausible data received from body control module," stored across acc, lbss, rbss modules). Rear camera intermittently fails to display (dtc b217a-87 "rear camera-missing message," b217a-9a "rear camera-component or system operating conditions"). 4wd system shows "service 4wd system" warning during sustained highway driving over 60 mph, clearing after 1-2 minutes. Usb port intermittently shows "usb error/device_no_response" and stops recognizing phones (possibly dtc b15a1-00 "media port 1 connection"). Auto start/stop malfunction was also previously observed. Safety risk: the lane/blind-spot systems fail during the exact maneuvers where they matter most—turning and crossing lane lines into driveways/parking lots—so the driver may rely on a system that's silently unavailable during higher collision risk. Both alm and 4wd faults trigger sudden, unexpected warning chimes while driving, startling the driver and diverting attention from the road at critical moments. Rear camera dropout adds risk while reversing. Dealer confirmation: yes. Technicians confirmed the alm fault, recalibrated the lane sensor multiple times, and replaced part bbaux101ab—none resolved the issue. U0422-00, b217a-87, and b217a-9a were confirmed via dealer diagnostic scan. The 4wd and usb faults self-clear before the vehicle can be brought in live. Other inspections: dealer service department only; not inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance.

On 6 occasions in varying driving conditions “service aeb system immediately” message and warning lights has appeared on instrument cluster. When this occurs all safety features are also disengaged. Furthermore, on a different occasion the vehicle was parked for 4 hours and after starting the vehicle I received a “power steering overheat” message and warning light on the instrument cluster. Due to this the steering also became stiff. Finally, on 4 occasions now a “parking light out” message has appeared on the instrument cluster. When exiting the vehicle it is observed that the drl in the passenger headlight will frequently turn off during operation and just go black. Then after restarting the vehicle will come back on. This vehicle has already been in service twice (and is going in a 3rd time this week) for these issues and have shown no signs of resolution. I am seriously wanting to lemon law this vehicle at this point as it does not feel safe to operate with the many electrical faults.

Am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my 2014 Jeep Compass. While driving, the vehicle feels as though the passenger-side front wheel is going to snap off at any moment. The sensation and noise appear to come from the wheel or axle area, and the instability is strong enough that the vehicle does not feel safe to operate. I have taken the vehicle to multiple mechanics for inspections and test drives. Despite these efforts, no one has been able to locate the source of the problem or identify any faulty components. Although the mechanics report finding nothing wrong, the issue remains and makes the vehicle extremely concerning to drive on public roads. Because the problem affects steering stability and overall safety, I believe this may be a potential defect. I am requesting that the national highway traffic safety administration review this issue, determine whether other drivers have reported similar complaints, and consider whether an investigation or recall may be necessary. I can provide additional information, videos, photographs, or repair documentation if needed. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

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Randomly high temperature warning light comes on dash which causes car to immediately shut off. After a complete stop you are able to restart car. All obvious cooling components fine. This happens often and random putting occupants in serious danger of collision. Has happened on highway and in middle of intersection making a turn. This false warning causing car shutdown happens 5-8 times a month.

See all problems of the 2018 Jeep Compass 🔎.

Nhtsa safety complaint summary component: braking system / electronic stability control / electrical system incident date: November 5, 2025 vehicle mileage: 5,207 description of defect: while operating the vehicle at highway speeds on the grand central parkway, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of primary braking function. Simultaneously, the dashboard displayed multiple critical system failures, including: "service electronic stability control," "start/stop unavailable," "service park brake," and "dynamic torque service required. " the brake pedal became unresponsive/hard, requiring extreme force and distance to bring the vehicle to a stop, nearly resulting in a high-speed collision. This was a non-collision catastrophic mechanical failure of the braking and electronic control modules. Post-incident history: the vehicle was held by an authorized manufacturer dealership (hempstead Jeep) for over 60 days. Despite attempted repairs, the vehicle continues to exhibit electrical instability, including intermittent battery failure and charging system warnings. The manufacturer has been unable to provide a permanent remedy for the underlying electrical-to-braking system fault. This vehicle remains a severe risk to public safety and life. Thank you [xxx] & [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

This car has stalled 9 times while I was driving. I live in a very busy, densely populated area where car stalling in the middle of streets can get me badly injured or killed. The car stalls in drive, while I'm braking, and slowly coasts along about an extra 2 feet before completely stopping. I cannot tell that it has stalled because I can't hear the engine, and the dash always says "run" with all the lights lit up. Also, lane assistance comes on when no cars are around and the car just starts braking on its own and slows down with loud bells ringing and flashing lights on the inside of the car. I turned lane assistance off, but it stills comes on by itself. I'm afraid to drive it, but it's all I have and in this city you need a car to get around because nothing is close to home.

The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle stalled and started jerking, with the battery warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was shaking abnormally during the failure. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

When I start the car, the steering whell is frozen, willnot move an the gear shift will move but it car will not move,, after several attempts of pulling the emercency break an turning it off and going thru the shift pattern , the car may move,,,sometimes I have to shut the motor off an on to get the wheel unfrozen and the gears to work. . . . Have owned the car 3 months an this has happened 4 times. . . . At this time the car is at the dealership for repair, however they can not get the car to do the same thing for them, so they do not know that to fix. . They are trying to figure out what is going on. . . Being real helpful,,but can not fix a problem they can not find.

I noticed a subtle clunk noise about a month ago coming from the steering wheel and the front left side of the vehicle when turning the steering wheel at a low velocity and also when the car was idle. The noise gradually started becoming more frequent and louder as days went on. As I was driving the vehicle was not driving smooth as usual it almost felt wobbly when turning the steering wheel. There has not been any warning lights or warning messages that came on or alerted me. I thought it could possibly be my front left tire since the noise was coming from the front left side of the car. So I had my tires checked and had a rotation done. The car continued to make the noise and wobbly when I would turn the steering wheel. I felt the vehicle may possibly not be safe to drive especially on the highway so I decided to make an appointment for Monday September 15,2025. I brought my vehicle to the san antonio Dodge Chrysler Jeep dealership early morning to get the issue checked. I had to leave my vehicle there due to the service advisor stating it would take 2 days for the diagnostic to be done. They inspected the vehicle and ran diagnostic. Two days later let me know their tech test drove the vehicle replicated the clunk noise and used a special diagnostic tool called chassis ear tool in order to pin point the issue and found that it was coming from the steering gear. They gave me an estimate stating the steering gear and outer tie rods ends need to be replaced. When I spoke to the service advisor he told me they would have to order a rack and pinion steering gear system. Stated the repair will not be covered under Jeep train warranty and my limited warranty already expired just 4 months ago. My vehicle only has 35,500 miles. I keep up with all maintenance and multi point inspections have been done on my vehicle on time. They don’t know why the steering gear has failed and also mentioned they currently have other customer’s Jeep Compass there with the same exact issue.

Since 20,000 miles I have had problems with my steering column. I first took it in back in August of 2023 due to a clunking noise coming from my steering wheel. When I first took it in my suspension was tightened but this did not resolve the issue. When I took it back in a week later I was told I needed to replace my rack and pinion. The rack and pinion was replaced but my car still had the faint clunking sound. The clunking came back a year later. At 30,000 miles I was told both of my front axles had failed and both were replaced. The clunking sound still remained but faint. Seven months later the clunking returned once again and much more aggressively (I was out of warranty at this point). I was told one of my axles failed once again prematurely and was replaced after sitting for nearly a month. When I got my car back after nearly 4 weeks I noticed the exact same aggressive clunking noise in my steering column. I returned my car back a week later for a new diagnosis after speaking with the service manager. The report came back stating that both of my lower control arms went bad and needed to be replaced. Also discovered was a bad intermediate shaft causing the clunking noise. The dealership decided to goodwill the service to fix my lower control arms since it was a dangerous situation to drive in and I had been driving my car like this for 20,000 miles since I originally took the car in. The dealership says they can not do anything about the intermediate shaft which could cause me to lose all steering abilities and cause a serious car accident. I no longer feel safe in this car and 100% believe this car is a lemon.

Increased a 2022 Jeep Compass with 25500 miles and was almost $25. 000. 00 from carvana based out of atlanta and tempe az. My daughter was so excited as it was delivered by carvana and about 2 hours after it was delivered to her she drove it onto the highway and as soon as she drove it on the highway at about 50 miles per hour it rattled so violently and pulled right like the vehicle was about to fall apart. So frantically and scared and crying was able to limp it to the side of the highway and called me and called carvana & took almost 2 hours to get someone live other than robots chat things. She was told by carvana to take it to pep boys. With no apology or a bit of concern for her safety said nothing or even apologized. A criminal company. So the service manager said that he could not believe that a so called 150 point inspection that the most important system for safety on a vehicle being the braking system. The rotors were bad and warped. They were never turned or replaced. He said they took a horrible and risky and illegal repair at carvana with just putting new brake pads on damaged rotors and a badly worn tire and never balanced any of the tires and all were terribly out of balance and alignment was so far off specs he was upset she could even drive it down the street so this is unacceptable and unsafe and I hope this criminal company can be fined and sued and made an example out of. I will be contacting the media in atlanta, georgia and tempe, arizona as well as the local newspapers & news channels on your side for investigations. Also I will notify the organizations I belong to after serving in iraq and [xxx] being the reason I could not go see it as it was delivered as they don’t allow test drives or inspection by customer before delivery so we rely on these crooked people to make sure 150 point inspection of nothing. But being a [xxx] I will contact the [xxx] & american legion & vfw as social media. [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(.

Transmission jerks had in the shop three times for the same problem it feels like it's going to throw you through the windshield. It's been in the shop since October 23rd 2025 for several problems and the guy told me it was using oil.

When driving my Jeep Compass, there have been numerous instances of the vehicle stalling out when slowing down or stopping at a light/stop sign. This has happened on busy roads, at busy intersections, and on country roads. When it happens, I cannot control any aspect of the vehicle; the breaks no longer work, I cannot turn the wheel, I cannot change gears or easily put it into park, and it takes multiple attempts to turn it off and back on. There are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the incidents occurring, which started on 4/22/2025. Today, 4/29/2025, I checked my oil level and found that it was extremely low, although it should not be and I'm not yet due for an oil change. The Jeep Compass is going through more oil than usual and there is no message or notification showing at any time. I believe that this is the cause of the issues, and makes it extremely unsafe for myself, my passenger and other drivers/vehicles as it has happened on the highway and at intersections, where it could easily result in a serious accident.

I was driving down the road going about 40mph. The car stopped abruptly and displayer low coolant warning. Car would not restart. I towed it to a local mechanic who replaced the auxiliary battery. Car has been working and hasn't shut off but warning lights sometimes pop up for a split second. I'm worried it's going to happen again while driving.

I purchased this car in August 2024 used. In April 2025 I took it to the dealer, mc peek Dodge in anaheim for clicking noises while turning either direction and drivers front side wheel sound like its wobbly. They replaced both half axles. Again the vehicle made the same noise about a month later. I took it back in may. They replaced them again. This year in may I took it back and had it for 2 days and never looked at it. So I called Jeep customer care and they said take it elsewhere. I went to premiere Jeep in buena park. They kept it for a week and replaced the left half axle again. They said the wobbly noise must be from my brake rotor and wanted to charge me $550 to resurface and reinstall the same rotor. I declined since the noise is constant and not when I'm braking. The vehicle is again making the same noise. Especially when I'm turning left. Sounds like my wheel only has one bolt attached and falling off. The clicking noise from the steering is also still present. I'm afraid my tire or suspension is going to fail and cause injury to my family, commuters or myself. Jeep can't seem to fix this suspension and steering issue after 2 years and 3 times having the vehicle in service. This is costing me time from work and the cost of rental cars.

Car starts fine. After the car gets up to operating team the car will just stop running, very dangerous in traffic as it cannot be sterred or hardly stopped. The lightning bolt symbol appears on dash then car just dies. I replaced 2 camshaft position sensors and 1 connector. Car was fine for 2 weeks then started acting even crazier. I scan obd2 but get no codes.

I bought the Jeep 2000 24 June 5th from auto lenders and fairless hills vehicle had 34,632 miles on it took it back June 18th for inspection and that there was noise coming from the front end when you went over speed bump metal climbing I told him they said they found nothing took it back again July 10th with the same issues and everything they found nothing the miles on the car on July 10th in where 35,677 mi that was in going out $35,677 mi which they never moved the vehicle took it back again in September for the same issue so they found nothing I was going to take it back again on christmas eve I was taking donations to a church and I want to go straight the vehicle went right the ball joint snapped airbags came out and if there wasn't a pole to slide into I would have went into the store that was there they failed to find the issue that was wrong with the vehicle I could have been killed my grandson could have been killed the vehicle's now setting and a tow yard waiting for someone to go look at it and totaled because the airbags came out all on the passenger side the steering wheel went underneath the steering wheel. I'm waiting for a revised please report because the police officer misunderstood me when I said I walked around the car and slipped on black ice I didn't hit no ice with the car the wheel went right when the ball joint snapped and the car slid into a pole on each document that I have they only move the vehicle 2 mi on the 18th of June and September 25th on July 10th the vehicle had the same miles in and out.

I am having a persistent issue with this vehicle involving the lane keep assist and pedestrian collision sensor. This issue has been present since purchasing the vehicle in December of 2021. I have had it in to two separate dealers a total of 6 times with no solution yet. The issue occurs when traveling down the road above 35 with the active lane assist enabled. Intermittently the vehicle will act as if there is a significant steering misalignment and the vehicle will attempt to pull you out of your lane into other lanes and you have to fight the steering assist in order to not depart your lane. Some times with the issue the car will throw a code stating "active lane management (alm) unavailable service required" and turn the alm off. The dash light will stay illuminated until the next key cycle and then disappear. The other issue with this system occurs when taking a 90 degree turn. The vehicle will throw the same error message and turn off the alm and intermittently with also disable the pedestrian collision avoidance system which will remain off until I go into the settings and turn it back on. The dealerships have replaced the bcm, steering wheel, and steering wheel control module. There have been no actual solutions provided and this issue remains active. I do not want this to cause an accident one day when the issue occurs and the driver is unable to correct the vehicles mistake.

My car shut off and wouldn’t start it said the asc failed I took it to the dealership they did a diagnostic test said my aux battery level was low need replaced I replaced that my engine light is still on I have to put it on a battery charger everyday so I can go to work then it wouldn’t start at work I needed someone to give me a jump it’s stills said I needed mine esc service and it saying my temperature is too high it only has 58. 884 miles on it I wish I never got this Jeep I bought it brand new and I had to replace both front tire rod ends I’m beyond upset it also said my car was not in park when it was it wouldnt start I overrided the gear shift but it still wouldn’t start.

The steering has a very sharp plastic that can make cut to the hands while driving and cause an accident. It looks like the finish of the plastic was not done correctly so when you touch those two molding it feels sharp. Maybe the pictures does not show but definitely needs to be checked with someone put their hands on the wheel on the side steering wheel.

My trancontrol started to run hot,and the vehicle started to jerk when it in motion and my driver shaft went bad and the transfer case assembly went outthe Jeep Compass is broken down.

Had to have rack and pinion replaced. Started leaks power steering fluid. Pretty sure cv joints are bad also, I have a clicking sound when I turn the wheels.

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The coolant temperature warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated the steering wheel seized and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, but the failure could not be replicated. The local dealer informed the contact that the coolant temperature warning light was inaccurately illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,800.

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The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the right or the left. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the front cross members were severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The dealer advised the contact that the vehicle was not safe to be driven. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

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