2020 Jeep Compass: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 137 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (34% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 4 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Apr 2020
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“Vehicle shuts off randomly. Restarts after stopping but it's consistent as if the car over heated yet the coolant temperature reads 194-200”Owner report · Electrical System · Jul 2026
“The transmission cooling system failed causing immediate failure of the transmission. The vehicle has less than 60k miles and is still covered by the manufacturer powertrain warranty. Dash lights for service engine and service transmission only came on at the immediate time of failure (10 min prior to full transmission failure). No issues were noted in the vehicles prior service 7 months prior to failure. The dealer has confirmed the cause of transmission failure is due to failure of the cooling system.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
“My 2020 Jeep Compass experiences sudden, unexpected engine shut-offs while driving. The engine loses power and stalls without warning, and shortly afterward the dashboard displays a 'Coolant Temperature Too High' warning. The vehicle has stalled while in motion, including at highway speeds, creating a serious safety hazard. After the stall, the vehicle restarts and behaves normally, but the problem has recurred multiple times. This matches the engine-stalling and coolant-temperature issue described in the NHTSA investigation of 2019-2020 Jeep Compass vehicles equipped with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“I tried the auto start on the fob car would not start I tried to the push start nothing again . Did get warning coolant temp high Had to tow car They are investigating”Owner report · Engine · Jan 2026
“My vehicle's engine has shut off completely in the middle of the road TWICE, both on busy highways. The first time, I was turning left and the engine shut off as I was turning into oncoming traffic and was stuck in the middle of two lanes. Second time, I was stopped at a red light and the engine shut off again. Once the car is turned off and back on, the light for the Auto Stop/Start came on and said to service the Stop/Start feature. The first incident, I had the car brand new for maybe a week. The second incident just happened last week.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2025
“On December 9th, my Jeep compass caught fire in Tyson's corner parking lot (1750 Tysons BLVD). The fire department believes it came from the engine. No warning signs such as engine lights or temperature overheating prior. The car was parked in a spot when this occurred. My daughter was in the car and smelled smoke, car was turned off, got out and it was smoking and sparking then caught fire. 911 was called during this process and came to the scene. The insurance is aware and deemed it total loss. The police and fire department have records we are trying to obtain. The fire spread to other cars.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2025
“Driving home at night car flashed a hi temp coolant warning and shut down..Waited a couple minutes and it started right up. I have never had any issues before this.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Nov 2025
“The car suddenly would not accelerate over 20 miles per hour when I was driving on a busy road. The car has made clunking noises whenever I accelerate since I bought it 6 months ago. There is a recall for other 2020 Jeep Compass Latitudes that would explain this problem (W48/NHTSA 20E-037) but my VIN is not included in the recall. I think that this is a mistake.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Oct 2025
“The Light came on the dashboard to "SERVICE AIRBAG SYSTEM"---so I brought it to a Jeep Dealership service Department near my home. They replaced the ORC module for the Airbag System and i took it home but the issue remained, and the light on the dashboard came back on. So I took the car back and this time they replaced the Clock Spring device in the vehicle so I feel this Clock Spring issue is similar to a known recall for Jeep in the past 2011-2016 vehicles under the Jeep X68 warranty Extension---from 3-24-2017----it was bulletin: 08-005-17”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 2025
“I had to get my engine replaced a year after I got it. The vehicle has an overheating issue. The vehicle oil pressure sensor goes off. The emergency break comes on. I don't know where the engine light flashes the EI had to get my engine replaced a year after I got it. The vehicle has a overheating issue. The vehicle oil pressure sensor goes off. The emergency brake comes on. I don't know where the engine light flashes the ECS light come on the cooling and oil mix together out of nowhere”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Ram 1500, 1500 Classic and Jeep Compass vehicles. The windshield wiper arm or arms may loosen, possibly causing the wipers to not operate properly and reduce the driver's visibility in certain weather conditions.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper nuts, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W25.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2020 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Compass by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Jeep Compass reliable?
NHTSA has 137 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2020 Jeep Compass. The most complained-about area is engine (34% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2020 Jeep Compass problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 28,000 miles or less.
Does the 2020 Jeep Compass have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning visibility:windshield wiper/washer:linkages. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.