Jeep · Compass · 2013
1
Recall
80
Complaints
3/5
Safety Rating
The 2013 Jeep Compass has 1 recall and 80 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 3 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: power train (20 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
18.5% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Remedy Status
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 August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.
Catalytic converter problem Warning engine light keeps coming on. This has happened over several years. It now comes on everyday. It is now in shop to be fixed and code shows front converter is bad which includes the manifold.
Attached is a work order request for a defective door handle on my Jeep Compass. The driver side door handle we have determined is wrapped in metal and is delaminating. It has caused a hand injury to my daughter due to the wrapping on the door handle coming apart and being extremely sharp. We have taken the car to our local dealer for inspection and they have verified that this is not normal and we believe the part is defective. Additionally, the passenger side handle is starting to do the same. This is a dangerous defective part and attempts to correspond with Jeep/Stellantis have been completely ignored.
Passenger seat headrest ejected itself. Outside of the car was getting a handwash and suddenly the headrest just shot open. Now nobody is able to sit in passenger seat safely. Unsure how this could happen as car was operating just fine prior.
This vehicle before had the cvt transmission replaced as it was over heating/inoperable. Complete replacement. Flash forward not even a year I was driving and thr transmission made a noise and basically locked up causing the driver to hit curb at high rate of speed along the freeway. The vehicle again is disabled with a transmission defect and requires replacement. 2nd transmission failure and will need replacement and caused injury during collision with curb at high rate of speed without any indication lights of a mechanical issue prior to impact.
The vehicle was taken in for a recall of the catalytic converters and PCM software, July 2019. May 2021, while driving at highway speeds the transmission temperature light illuminated and an un-commanded deceleration occurred to about 10 mph, it would go no faster got to the nearest off ramp and to a rest area sat for an hour, then the vehicle performed normally. May 13, 2021, took the vehicle to the repair facility no trouble codes were set but they replaced the transmission filler tube. A few days later the light illuminated again but no adverse driving conditions occurred. June 18, 2021, at highway speeds the vehicle decelerated to 10 mph a service engine light illuminated a transmission overtempt light also and made it home about ten miles at no more than 10mph, 19 aug 2022 drove the vehicle at a few mph to my local Jeep dealer for check engine and no power.
While preparing to enter my car today (6/5/2022) I heard a fairly loud popping/exploding sound. I quickly backed away from the car then approached it again and realized the passenger headrest, though attached, had basically split in 2. Upon further inspection I couldn’t see why this had randomly happened as I didn’t have a passenger with me and hadn’t touched it. I tried to force it back together but couldn’t figure out how to get it to move so I left it as is. Later this evening I started searching online for how to fit it back together and it appears this happens frequently especially with jeeps and is a failure of a safety feature called active headrest. I went back out to look at it and saw exactly what I had seen other drivers mention, there’s 2 teeny tiny pieces of black plastic that apparently keep it from deploying and the right one had cracked. Just lucky that no one was sitting there at the time or that it wasn’t the driver headrest while driving - very unsafe, I can’t even believe a “safety feature” is approved when it’s only withheld by a piece of plastic so small you wouldn’t think twice about discarding it if you found it while opening a toy.
Jeep first issues was at 89k, not shifting. Second issues was at100k transmission over heated. Dealer/ warranty had me changed the fluid and filter for transmission. Third issue, 130k transmission made a whining noise and stopped. Jeep was towed to the shop. After doing some research, turns out that the transmission on several these Jeep’s have same issue. The transmission should be on manufactured recall.
The vehicle was taken in for a recall of the catalytic converters and PCM software, July 2019. May 2021, while driving at highway speeds the transmission temperature light illuminated and an un-commanded deceleration occurred to about 10 mph, it would go no faster got to the nearest off ramp and to a rest area sat for an hour, then the vehicle performed normally. May 13, 2021, took the vehicle to the repair facility no trouble codes were set but they replaced the transmission filler tube. A few days later the light illuminated again but no adverse driving conditions occurred. Oct 18, 2021, at highway speeds the vehicle decelerated to 10 mph a service engine light illuminated a transmission overtempt light also and made it home about ten miles at no more than 10mph, 19 Oct 2021 drove the vehicle at a few mph to my local Jeep dealer for check engine and no power. 22 Nov 2021 they had me pay them $3000.00 and they ordered a transmission. 15 Mar 2022 the transmission arrived they installed it and a transmission cooler and new sparkplugs cleared all troubles, I paid another $3,815.62 and got my vehicle back in good working order. No accidents or injuries were incurred by the sudden decelerations due to our safe driving skills.
PURCHASED 2013 JEEP COMPASS WITH 109,000 MILES. NOTICED IT BURNED OIL BAD. REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, CHANGED OIL TO SYNTHETIC AS RECOMMEND AND FILTER. CONTINUED TO HAVE EXCESSIVE OIL BURN. 3 BOTTLES EVERY 2 WEEKS. WAS DRIVING IT AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND SOMETHING DIDNT FEEL RIGHT., SHE PULLED OVER AS OIL LIGHT CAME ON. NOW OIL WAS CHECKED AND WAS FULL PRIOR TO DRIVING 40 MINUTES, NOW OIL LIGHT ON, CHECKED OIL AND WAS LOW. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK, HAD IT TOWED TO GARAGE AND ENGINE IS FRIED. AT 111,000 MILES, NEEDS A WHOLE NEW ENGINE. ENGINE IT IS IS A 2.4L . IF MY DAUGHTER DIDNT THINK QUICK TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND STOP, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT
DANGEROUSLY DROPPING INTO LIMP MODE WITHOUT WARNING OR ABILITY TO OVERRIDE FOR SAFETY. EARLY FULL SYSTEM TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT NO OPTIONS FOR REPAIR. FINALLY DIED BY MAKING WHINING NOISE, GOING INTO LIMP MODE AND STAYING THERE. THE EXCESSIVE COST OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION MAKES IT NOT COST EFFECTIVE. ONLY OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE ALTOGETHER.
I HAD MY JEEP IN FOR REGULAR SERVICE & IT WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE A RUSTED SUBFRAME. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I MADE THE APPOINTMENT. IT WAS EVALUATED & DETERMINED THAT MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME ISSUE WITH PREMATURELY RUSTING. I CONTACTED JEEP CUSTOMER CARE ON TWO OCCASIONS, BUT THEY WILL NOT HELP. THE COST TO REPLACE THE SUBFRAME IS OVER $1,300. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE & IF NOT REPAIRED WILL CONTINUE TO CORRODE & DIMINISH THE HANDLING OF MY JEEP AS WELL AS THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT.
CVT TRANSMISSION OVER HEATING DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. DANGEROUSLY DROPPING INTO LIMP MOLD AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING OR ABILITY TO OVERRIDE FOR SAFETY. EARLY FULL SYSTEM TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT NO OPTIONS FOR REPAIR. FINALLY DIED BY MAKING WHINING NOISE, GOING INTO LIMP MODE AND STAYING THERE. THE EXCESSIVE COST OF REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION MAKES NOT COST EFFECTIVE. ONLY OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE ALTOGETHER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE ALSO STARTED TO HEAR AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED ZAPPONE CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM CLIFTON PARK LOCATED AT 1780 AL-9, CLIFTON PARK, NY 12065, (518) 383-2277, AND MADE THE DEALER AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO HER RESIDENCE AND INFORMED HER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
HEADREST DEPLOYS WHILE NO CRASH HAS HAPPENED
I PURCHASED THIS JEEP A YEAR AGO VERY LOW MILEAGE. ABOUT 2 WEEKS INTO IT THE JEEP STARTED HEATING UP. LONG STORY SHORT THIS VEHICLE AT ITS 100K MILES NEEDED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT THAT COST ME OVER 3000.00 WITH SUCH LITTLE MILEAGE I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURE ERROR., IVE HEARD SEVERAL OF THESE JEEP COMPASSES NEEDING TRANSMISSIONS UNDER 100K MILES
2013 JEEP COMPASS LATITUDE. CVT TRANS HEARD UP AND STOPS ALL POWER. HAVE TO PULL OVER AND LET COOL AND REPEAT PROCESS EVERY 10 MILES OR SO
ACTUATOR THROTTLE BODY SENSOR IS SHOWING A WARNING ON MY DASH WITH A CODE OF P2173
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP COMPASS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXTRA FORCE WAS NEEDED TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT DOWNSHIFTED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE OUTER TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEIR VEHICLE DECELERATED AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. THE CONTACT THEN PULLED OVER AND PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND AND EXCESSIVE FLAMES WERE VISIBLE. THE FIRE GREW LARGER FROM OUT OF THE HOOD. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND CAME OUT SIDE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH THEIR OWN FIRE EXTINGUISHER. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT MADE. THE CONTACT CALLED BAXTER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE (17950 BURT ST SUITE 200, OMAHA, NE 68118 (402) 800-1230). THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANICS STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE FAILED. MECHANICS SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR TOMORROW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH MY 2013 JEEP COMPASS. 2 TIMES ALREADY(ONE ON THE HIGHWAY)WHERE I AM DRIVING AND THE LIGHT COMES ON CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AND TRAVEL AT A MUCH SLOWER SPEED(MY SPEED DROPS). THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IF THIS IS A RECALL, JEEP, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE THIS DEFECT KILLS SOMEONE. FIRST THERE WAS A DEFECT IN WHICH MY TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED THE YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED IT. NOW THIS. IF ITS A RECALL, PLEASE REACH OUT TO OWNERS BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2013 Jeep Compass has 1 recall recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 80 owner-reported complaints for the 2013 Jeep Compass.
The 2013 Jeep Compass received an overall safety rating of 3 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2013 Jeep Compass are power train (20 reports), engine (7 reports), air bags,seat belts (7 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 1 recall on record for the 2013 Jeep Compass. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.