2020 Jeep Compass: What to check before buying

Stop/start failures lead these reports, with a "Stop/Start Unavailable" warning and engines that shut off at lights and will not restart. Main and auxiliary batteries die repeatedly, and some cars also need alternators, a PCM, or a wiring harness. The Uconnect screen pixelates, shows lines, or goes black and takes the backup camera with it. False high-coolant warnings that cut engine power on the highway also appear here. Some owners report door locks that stop working, and dealers often find no stored codes.

Sudden engine shutdown with a "Coolant temp too high" message is the main complaint, often while the gauge reads normal. Owners describe brief loss of steering and brakes, cars that will not restart, and dealers who cannot find a fault. Transmission complaints include hard slipping, running hot, jerking, and outright failure at high mileage. Reports also mention a driveshaft failure, metal in the oil, and 4WD engaging on its own. In one fire report, the shifter seized, the car would not register Park or turn off, and then it caught fire.

Stalls are the most common engine complaint. The engine dies when coming to a stop, during turns, or after stop/start shuts it off, and drivers have to shift to Park to restart. Many owners suspect the stop/start system, and some see coolant or airbag warnings along with the stall. Dealers often cannot duplicate it and clear the codes. Other reports describe the 2.4 Tigershark engine using about a quart of oil a month, coolant disappearing with no visible leak, and a belt-like squeak when the AC is on.

Stalls in traffic come with a rising temperature gauge or a high-coolant-temperature message. The car loses power, then restarts and runs normally after a few minutes. Auto stop/start sometimes shuts the engine off at a light and fails to restart it, showing "Stop-Start Unavailable" and a check engine light. Dealers in these reports found no defect, even after a tow. One shutdown is reported at 74,685 miles.

Few steering complaints concern the steering system itself. Most describe the engine shutting off while driving after an overheating or "key has left vehicle" message, which makes the car hard to steer out of traffic. Several of these trace back to weak auxiliary batteries and ESC warnings. Owners also report replacing both front tie rod ends, a failed driveshaft and transfer case, and long dealer visits that end without a fix.

Windshield wipers stop working without warning. In one report this happened in rain at 35 mph and led to a crash with injuries. Another owner cannot find a replacement wiper motor, so the repair is held up by a part shortage. A separate complaint describes the windshield and side and rear glass looking distorted, as if melting, in hot weather. Several shops saw the problem but did not repair it under warranty.

Front tires lose air suddenly, sometimes at highway speed with no road hazard involved. One report describes a bulging sidewall on a Continental tire that had to be patched, and another describes a front tire that needed replacement after repeated pressure loss. Both owners of Continental-equipped cars mention tire campaign notices, but the complaints do not establish whether their tires were covered.

Unexpected braking is the serious issue. The parking brake engages by itself as the car approaches a stop and stalls it in traffic. Separately, the forward warning system displays "BRAKE!" and slams on the brakes with nothing ahead, even after the dealer replaced the front camera. Both nearly caused rear-end collisions. A third complaint describes brakes squealing at low speed, still unfixed after the pads and rotors were replaced at 5K miles.

In one crash report, the airbags did not deploy in a low-speed head-on collision in a parking lot. Two occupants hit their heads on the steering wheel and dashboard, and the car was totaled. The other complaint describes a "Service Airbag System" light that came back after the dealer replaced the occupant restraint control module and then the clock spring.