NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Jeep Compass. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Emergency brake system is randomly engaged while stopped and/or during driving. Engine stalls out and will not move unless engine is shut off and turned back on and emergency brake is disengaged.
First my screen started glitching then went black, then about a week later car kept saying start/stop unavailable, then car decided it didn't want to start (not even after being jumped) I haven't had my vehicle not even 3 years yet and I'm still making payments on it.. but why all of a sudden is ir not starting? All I hear is a click when I try to start it.
The "coolant temperature too high" error message has flashed three times, the first on 10/22/2023, the second on 12/19/2023 and the third on 12/22/2023. In one instance the "service parking brake" error message flashed as well. This instance was four days after the vehicle passed the state safety inspection and the dealer made no notes of needed repairs to the brake system. Thankfully in all instances, the vehicle was parked and not in motion which prevented the cause of a safety issue to myself or other drivers on the road. The first time this occurred was after the vehicle had been parked overnight and for most of the next day whereas the last two were after short drives. There are no stored messages in the gauge cluster and no DTC codes when checking with a code reader via the OBDII port. I also checked the coolant level after each instance and the level was good each time. No other warning lamps, messages or symptoms happened prior to this message. I have not had the vehicle diagnosed by the dealer or an independent mechanic. I have seen this issue reported multiple times on Jeep forums and in all cases, the issue was never reproduced and best efforts were used to fix the issue but FCA has not been able to provide one. I have read that batteries, sensors, etc. have been replaced but the issue still remains. I came here today to report this, knowing that there was an open investigation but found that the investigation was closed in 12/2023. I felt that I should report my instances anyway in hopes that if I do and others also come forward that the investigation may be reopened. While no crash, fire, injury or fatality have been reported yet, there is a strong possibility that any of these could occur.
I was traveling from Dallas to Austin for a wedding on [XXX], going the speed limit I notice my car begins to decelerate, I would put my foot on the gas and the car wouldn't speed up, I just kept hearing my engine rev up. In addition to that, a bunch of symbols, notifications and noises started alarming and going off on my dash, it seemed like every symbol on the dash popped up. Trying to prevent an accident while having a panic attack, I had barely enough time to switch lanes and pull over while still on this dangerous highway. Once I stopped the vehicle, the brake became hard to push with my foot and the dash continued to go crazy blinking on and off. After an hour or so, the car started acting fine. I eventually got back home and took it to Jeep in Frisco, TX, and they "repaired" my vehicle they replaced my auxiliary battery and the main battery. I got the car from the shop and it was fine. 2 months later, it happened again! My car slowed down while I was on the highway and this time I couldn't pull over to safety, so I put my hazards on and just prayed I wouldn't get hit and called for a tow truck. After doing some research I'm not the only jeep owner who has had this issue, others have experienced the same thing. Ultimately this is a Jeep issue. My car is basically a death trap, and I lost my job because I lost my reliable means of transportation! My car is currently sitting out front collecting dust, I don't have the money to gamble on what the mechanics THINK is the issue, they can't figure it out! I don't want the vehicle! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
When driving the Jeep on now 3 occasions has shut off on me while in full motion. The last time I was approaching a stop sign and was slowing down to stop once stopped I then proceeded to turn the vehicle shut off. There also were dash warnings that lit up to service hill shifter, and ESC I don’t know what that meant. However it was just seen at the dealership and they said there were no codes at the moment and the previous codes reset themselves.
Parked and turned off Jeep went into store and when I came out got in vehicle check engine light came on and it said high coolant temperature but it weren’t hot. Would not start. Flashing all kinds of stuff.
It keeps giving me messages like high coolant temperature or stop safely vehicle will shut down soon. I read that this had happened to many jeeps, and the dealership couldn’t find the issue
The vehicle will show that it is overheating when it is not and it will power down where you are only able to go around 50. When going over mountain passes it will do this and sometimes it will totally shut down. It will do it in town and any time it is at a traffic light. Sensors, water pump have been replaced. Antifreeze does not leak stays at the same level it is not actually overheating. When you beging to drive again at about 65 the gauge immediately goes to normal. This is a hazard
Car was at the gas pump. Filling up gas, then start the car. When car get started the engine suddenly turn off with the coolant temperature too high alert. The temperature on the dashboard is normal (middle). Engine wouldn't turn on after and the alert keeps popping up. Had to tow to the nearest jeep service
I was driving and my vehicle stopped at a stopped light and shut down with no warning prior. My vehicle had to be towed.
The stop/start system for saving on gas mileage has pulled the charge from the secondary stop/start battery and depleted that, in turn pulling from the car battery and depleting that and then pulling on the alternator, weakening it. The car has been stuck in "off" regarding the stop/start system. The car died in traffic today with again the battery depleted. After jumpstarting it, and turning the car off, it would not restart as the cells have been depleted. It is dangerous when you have no warning, no battery light to tell you that it needs help. I have another Jeep , a Cherokee Limited 4x4 that did the same thing and stranded me in the middle of six lanes of traffic. This is a serious Jeep problem that is going the get people killed, if it already has not. I will write a complaint about that as well.
Went out to start my jeep and it flashed coolant temperature high and would not start. Still won’t start. Contacting dealership Monday when they open.
The vehicle intermittently has issues starting .. if the automatic start/Stop isn’t disengaged you get stuck at stop signs/ stop lights . I have repaired everything I can think of when it comes to this issue . I turned to the internet for more ideas/ootions … turns out there is sooooooo many more jeeps especially the compass that have the same issue … how can this not have a recall … my kid who is only 16 and just got his license almost got rear ended at an intersection because the car shut off and wouldn’t start … he had to wait over 10 minutes before it started again so he could move the car .. it has been to the garage many times and not one can pin point what the issue is .. I just get told it’s a jeep thing ! I’m afraid to shut my car off when I stop at the store or bank … if I know I’m going to be somewhere for a while I have to ask for a ride because I don’t know if my car will start … i have to try to start my car way before I need to , to give it time to “Reset” then it will start …
While driving, the Jeep Compass lurched forward several times rather than having smooth acceleration. Within 5 minutes, the vehicle was sputtering and the engine just shut down completely. the "BRAKE" light illuminated on the dashboard, but no check engine light has ever been on. I was able to restart 4 times as I was trying to get to a mechanic. The last time I restarted it was struggling to start. Mechanic has since looked at it, and there are no codes to indicate what is going on. I did notice online that there are other complaints of Jeep Compass shutting off while driving, so I wanted to file a complaint.
High temperature coolant warning message appeared while car was parked and being turned on. This was followed by engine shutdown. The car had to be towed.
Randomly “High Coolant Temp” or “Coolant Temp too high” appears after not driving car for 12+ hours and car won’t start. Check engine light flashes. The Low power light comes on also. Sometimes I can turn ignition button off and right back on and it’ll start with no issues, sometimes I have to hook jumper cables or a jump box to the car to get it to start after the messages appears. Sometimes when it starts after turning off and back on because of the message, idle surges bad and throttle pedal is not responsive. Radio screen becomes unresponsive.
I purchased my Jeep in January of 2022. It has been running fine except for the past few months. Within the past month my Jeep starting flashing a High Coolant Warning which has been followed by the car shutting off while I am driving. This has happened to me on on ramps to highways and when driving 70 on the highway. The car has immediately turned itself back on when this happens. I brought my Jeep to Allen Mello Jeep in Nashua NH. At first they couldn’t find anything wrong but then they thought it was the water pump and Temperature Gauge. After spending $1300 with them it didn’t fix the issue and my car shut off two days ago on 8/15 while I wasn’t even driving for 10 minutes. Jeep doesn’t seem to know what is going on and they can’t seem to reproduce it. They are just guessing at a serious safety concern. This has also happened to me on the following dates 7/14/23, 7/20/23, 8/8/23
The life cycle of a CV axle usually lasts the life of a vehicle or between 70,000 and 140,000 miles. At 50,000 miles, mine already needs to be replaced. There was a recall on 2017 Jeep Compass for the driver side CV axle. It’s possible the same issue exists.
I had just got back from a trip where my Jeep Compass ran perfectly fine. I had to go to work the next morning and my Jeep would not start. A warning came on that said "coolant temperature to high" and would not let me start my car. Keep in mind that the car had not even been running to have a high temperature. The engine would not turn over and the power steering locked up. This came without warning and I had no signs that something was about to happen. I have read that this has been occurring since 2021 and I wanted to add to the complaints of how dangerous this could be if my engine would have locked up and shutdown while driving on the highway like others have reported. The battery and auxiliary battery are not even two years old. This issue seems like it needs to be investigated more even though a investigation was opened up in 2022 and it is now 2023 and I have note seen anything from it.
Auto stop feature will not consistently work. My daughter has been in an intersection on several occasions when the vehicle would not re start. This happened in October of 2022 and a battery and a battery and sensor were replaced. This is now happening again putting her in danger in the middle of roadways.
The uconnect touch screen is ghost touching and glitching out causing it to mess with my cars functions and distracting me while driving.
My emergency brake engages while my vehicle is in drive during auto assist feature is on. My vehicle stalls. I have to put my vehicle in park, then shut my car off and restart it while in traffic. I have been in several near collisions. I have been a victim of road rage. My 2019 Compass has been experiencing this issue since July 2020. After 11 service visits, my vehicle is still not fixed and the dealership is no longer willing to help. They say there is nothing that can be done. I have copies of all service repair orders from 2020-June 2023
Multiple times while driving, the vehicle's high coolant temperature will instantaneously spike and shut the car down while driving. The problem so far has resolved itself within a couple seconds every time but we fear what will happen when this happens on the highway. The engine temperature is never close to too hot so I believe this to be an electrical issue.
High Coolant temperature warning came up on dashboard and engine shut off while I was driving my vehicle through an intersection. Car had plenty of coolant and other fluids, car was not overheating. About 5 minutes later the car turned back on.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated and there was a thumping sound coming from the front-end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the auxiliary battery which reset the check engine warning light. The thumping noise coming from the front-end of the vehicle persisted. The vehicle was taken to another dealer who determined that the rack-n-pinon failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the back over prevention camera displayed a blank or distorted image on the infotainment screen. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
The Auxiliary battery has died 3 times in 4 years. The dealership each time has replaced it and has stated it is unknown why the battery keeps dying. I have brought to 2 different Jeep dealerships.
Fuel saving start/stop feature induced function. Oct 2022-- Vehicle stopped on slightly upward slope. Engine turned off automatically (start/stop). Driver removed foot from brake and placed on accelerator. Accelerator push resulted in engine stall out. Car had to be cycled through multiple shut downs and gear shifts before being able to move. This was in a neighborhood fortunately. Vehicle submitted for repair where no fault reported but a sensor was replaced. May 2023-- Same incident but in traffic. Very dangerous. Waiting to submit vehicle for repair. No confidence.
Was driving along going 35 mph and had to stop for a pedestrian crossing the road. After coming to a full stop, the Jeep flashed a warning on the dashboard that the “engine coolant temperature is too hot” and the car completely shut off. The car was then turned back on and driven another 10 minutes to work without issue. After researching, it seems that we are no the only ones that are seeing this issue and is a massive safety issue if, for example, the car on the highway and shut off while going 70+ miles and hour. We are not sure what components are the issue as there were no warning lights or anything prior to the issue occurring.
Purchased in Feb 2020. The brakes have always been very touchy/grabby. It has gotten to be a situation where you dont know if the brakes will "overreact". The car has been checked several times and the dealership offers no explanation.
This situation has now happened twice in the past three months. In the first incident, I was driving around midnight (had only been in the car for about twenty minutes) and my car showed an "engine overheating" warning on my dash and immediately went into limp mode for approximately 5 seconds. After those few seconds, it resumed driving normally and the warning went away. I made it about 1000 feet to the next intersection to turn off into a parking lot, and my vehicle shut itself down entirely (in the middle of the intersection). I was unable to turn on my hazard lights, dome lights, or restart my car for about 3 minutes. Both my safety and the safety of others was put at risk due to the fact that it was midnight, I had no way of showing others that my vehicle was immobile in the intersection, and could have well caused an accident. After restarting my car, I was able to move it out of the intersection and look at the coolant level. The level was at the full line and my vehicle behaved normally the rest of the way home. After this incident, I took the vehicle to an auto-shop and they diagnosed the issue as a faulty thermostat. Therefore, the entire thermostat housing was replaced and the coolant system was pressure-tested to ensure everything was properly done and working. Ultimately, though, this did not resolve the issue as this morning on my way to work (about 1 month after replacing the thermostat housing and about 10 minutes into my commute), my car again flashed an overheating warning and immediately went into limp mode - shutting itself off at the next intersection (approximately 1200 feet). This time, though, it was during everyone's morning commute and I narrowly avoided being rear-ended multiple times. I took my vehicle to the auto-shop and they have been unable to recreate the issue thus far. When they had replaced my thermostat housing originally, they were unable to see an issue with it to begin with (not staying closed or staying open).
Occasionally the knob that dims the dash and infotainment screen does not work. The lights stay at full illumination. This creates a blindingly bright situation in the dark of night.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to approximately 45 MPH for approximately 3 seconds, hesitated, and then stalled. The contact stated that before the vehicle stalled, the coolant temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the oil, START/STOP, and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number; however, the case was closed. The contact was offered a reimbursement but declined. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
On 05/04/2023 the outside temperature was 58 degrees. The vehicle in question had been sitting for approximately 5 days without being operated. When I depressed the ignition button, the vehicle shuttered slightly and started. Immediately a high coolant temperature alarm was displayed on the dashboard. When I placed the vehicle in reverse it slowly moved backwards. When I placed the vehicle in drive, it was slow to respond then suddenly lunged forward at a high rate of speed with little to no pressure on the accelerator. The vehicle shut down and required a restart. Through research, I discovered this is apparently a common complaint with this make, model, and year vehicle and that it needs to be reported. Fortunately I was not at speed or traveling, if I had of been, there would have been a high risk of a traffic accident. This vehicle only has about 25,500 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with oil consumption failure and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
The vehicle just shuts off while driving. Typically occurs while approaching a stop or slowing in speed. This puts our safety at risk at it typically happens at an intersection where other cars are crossing or waiting to cross. This vehicle is available for inspection upon request and has not been looked at by a dealer. The auto start stop function warning light has been coming on when this happens.
While I am driving or waiting for a light to change a message on dashboard states the vehicle is coolant temperature too high, which is a false over heating warning. Then the car will either stall/shutoff and has rolled back while my foot is on the brake. I would have to put it on park and restart vehicle. This has happened while my kids are in the car. I have taken it to 2 different auto repairs and nothing show up in there scanner.
Purchased vehical from a Spitzer CJDR dealership February of 2022. 4 months later returned to The dealership with a strong syrupy coolant smell coming from the hood. Was told by the dealership they could not find any issues. Returned back to the dealership multiple times complaining about the smell. Dealership replaced coolant cap and reservoir stated they still couldn't find a leak or why it smelled. Vehicle is not overheating. This past Thursday, I was driving and the vehicle shut off as I was pulling into oncoming traffic, almost causing a major accident. Dash light illuminated: "engine coolant temp. too hot" and the car would not start. I had the vehical towed by my insurance company to the dealership, as it still would not start. After dealership having the vehicle for almost a week, with no update, I called them. My Advisor states they cannot find an issue an not showing any codes.
A message appears on the dashboard ‘High Coolant Temperature’ and immediately sends the vehicle to shut off and after a couple of seconds the error disappears and the temperature gauge returns to normal. When it shuts down, the car will either completely shut off or jolt and start back up.
WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY JEEP JUST CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START BACK UP, IT LOCKED UP EVERYTHING. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE HEARD OF THESE PROBLEMS, THEY TESTED EVERYTHING OUT AND SAID IT WAS POSSIBLY THE BATTERY, GOT THE BATTERY REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE, ONE WEEK LATER IT DID THE SAME THING WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT AND COULD NOT GET IT TO START, TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM, AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED BACK UP. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE EXPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE A ONE YR OLD CHILD THAT IS IN THE CAR WITH ME, HOW CAN I FEEL SAFE IN A CAR THAT IS GOING TO STOP SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR ON A HIGHWAY. NOONE SEEMS TO KNOW THE PROBLEM TO GET THIS FIXED SO I CAN DRIVE MY CAR SAFELY ON THE ROADS. VERY SCARY.
Screen went out but it works I am just unable to use the screen features and had to replace my start/stop battery in less than a year
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2019 Jeep Compass. The owner was unable to start the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The owner was able to start the vehicle after a jumpstart. The owner took the vehicle to the location where she purchased the vehicle, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, on May 1, 2023, the vehicle continued to experience the failure. The owner took the vehicle back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the auxiliary battery and starter to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, on June 24, 2023, the vehicle continued to experience failure. The contact stated that while the owner was driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The owner towed the vehicle back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the spark plugs and coils to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,167.
Coolant overheating error message then Jeep stalls/shuts off while driving. Has happened multiple times. First time at a stoplight. Another incident occurred backing out of a driveway. A third time happened while driving on the highway going 75mph was able to power through and not shut off by pressing the accelerator. Another time happened while turning off the exit ramp from highway, again was able to push through the system by pressing the accelerator. Note-the coolant temperature is not actually overheating. If the Jeep turns off the coolant temperature goes back to normal, this is also the case if it stalls but doesn’t shut off. No mechanic has been able to diagnose why this is happening.
On my way to work my 2019 Jeep compass all of a sudden started flashing all these error messages while I was driving (check shifter, service transmission, service ESC, AWD warnings, check coolant, car shutting down) my car seemed to be stuck in 1st gear, and my parking brake came on. While panicking trying to get off the road, I turn left but my car is going so slow a truck comes over the hill and slams into my passenger side. I've had my car less than 2 years and it did this exact same thing a few days after I bought it , I took it back to the dealership I bought it from, but they couldn't replicate the issue, the car corrected itself and was fine until April 6 when it started again while I was driving and caused me to be in an accident. This has been very traumatic, I've never been in a automobile accident, and I feel like it's all because of my car wouldn't accelerate so I could get off the road safely
Car signals overheating warning then engine ceases and will not let me drive. After 10-20secs engine goes back to regular temperature and I can then continue driving fine. Last time it overheated I was stuck at a traffic light and my car turned the e brake on by itself. I had to turn on my emergency lights, turn e brake off then put the car in park. I then turned my car off and once I restarted it the temperature was back to normal and I was able to drive it to work fine. I am extremely scared about this as it is a safety hazard.
I have taken my 2019 Jeep Compass into the dealership because my vehicle completely STOPS, SHUTS OFF and STOPS MOVING when I am driving the vehicle or coming to a stop without any warnings or alerts. The gas peddles will lock up will not move forward or back. Although the vehicle is "on" the vehicle will not move unless the gear is switched back to park and restarted. This has occurred on multiple occasions while my vehicle is on the road and I have brought my vehicle into the closest authorized Jeep Service Station with no resolution other than oil consumption tests. This keeps occurring and this is unsafe for me and others on the road.
One month ago, my jeep compass's engine turned off on HWY199 in Southern Oregon, one of the most dangerous highways in Oregon. It was due to an error message saying "High Coolant Temperature Warning". This warning stalled my engine in the middle of going 55 mph with vehicles behind me and limited turn-offs. Luckily, I was able to find a driveway and go up it before I ran out of speed. I was not able to accelerate at all. Once I stopped and parked the vehicle, the warning message disappeared, and my engine was fine. I proceeded to pop the hood and check the coolant and radiator for signs of overheating, and there was absolutely nothing wrong. I called the dealership, and they said that it was strange and that if the car seemed to be fine after that, then to "drive it until it happens again". I have read multiple threads of people experiencing the same issue. Since the first time, this issue has happened 5 more times all while driving on the same Highway to and from work. I can't find any occurrence that causes it or warning signs before receiving that alert. In all cases that this has happened to me, the car has never once been overheating, yet it has almost caused an accident every time. This NEEDS to be resolved. I DO NOT want to trade this car in and pass this on to another unfortunate driver or their family. I am expecting a baby in three months and DO NOT feel safe. I see that there are cases with the same incident report and dealerships have yet to find a solution or diagnosis. Someone is going to get hurt if nothing is done about this.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the message that the electric parking brake was engaged, and to depress the brake pedal and to push the Push to Start button was displayed. The vehicle then stalled. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal and pushing the Push to Start button, the vehicle responded as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the instrument panel lights, and the instrument cluster had become inoperable while driving. The contact stated that upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the instrument panel lights, and the instrument cluster became operable. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there was no failure was found. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Engine shut down in an intersection due to “high coolant temperature” This was a false error and almost caused me to get into an accident. Once I could get power back, I moved over the the side of the road and inspected my coolant further. There were no leaks and reservoir had adequate pressure and fluid. Coolant temps read regular. I continued to drive to work while monitoring the digital coolant temps. The temperature fluctuated between 192 and 198. I reached my destination safely, but following this event, I do not feel this vehicle is safe to drive. Vehicle is up to date on maintenance and has 34k on the odometer
The vehicle flashes that it is overheating and then shuts off, no matter what speed the vehicle is at. You then have to pull over and restart the vehicle. It is a very dangerous situation and I’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, of similar stories online with the 2018-2022 jeep compasses. This issue needs to be resolved and Jeep needs to recall these vehicles before someone is seriously hurt.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026