2023 Jeep Compass: What to check before buying

Engine stalling is the most serious pattern. Owners describe the engine shutting off while driving or slowing for a turn, and the auto start/stop system cutting the engine before the car fully stops or failing to restart it. Hesitation, jerking and vibration under acceleration often come with it, sometimes within the first few thousand miles. Other reports describe dim or flickering instrument clusters, a body control module fault that made wipers, lights and screens act on their own and disabled emergency braking, and dead batteries that came back after repair. Dealers often cannot find the cause, and one report cites parts on backorder.

Jerking, shaking and hesitation when accelerating, especially from a stop or at low speed, run through most reports. Owners also describe hard jerks when shifting into gear, a whine during shifts, and sudden loss of power that nearly caused collisions. One report describes the power take-off unit failing at highway speed and leaving the car unable to drive. Auto start/stop sometimes fails to restart the engine at lights. Problems can start early, around 5,600 miles in one case, and dealers frequently cannot reproduce or fix them.

Sudden loss of control is the gravest concern here. Among 5 complaints, one crash with an injury describes the steering and brakes locking while warning lights filled the dash, followed by a rollover. Another describes a hard, unresponsive brake pedal at highway speed with stability control, park brake and start/stop warnings, at about 5,207 miles. Less severe reports cover a shaking steering wheel and swaying, a leaking rack and pinion that needed replacement, clicking during turns, and sharp plastic edges on the wheel trim.

Sudden loss of power while driving is the main pattern, at speeds from city traffic up to about 70 mph. Owners describe a jolt like hitting a wall, a check engine or service transmission warning, little response from the gas pedal, and in some cases the car stopping in the road. Restarting can temporarily restore normal driving, but the problem returns. Dealers often find nothing, and a software update did not fix it in one report. One owner reports an exhaust valve fragment damaging a piston, requiring a new engine within months of purchase.

Screens flash at night. Both the instrument panel and the center display jump between dark and bright white when the car passes under street or freeway lights, causing glare and distraction regardless of speed or display settings. Owners report repeated dealer visits with no fix and little acknowledgment from Jeep customer care. A separate complaint describes the hazard light button sticking, a problem the owner and dealer reproduced on another 2023 Compass.

False automatic braking is the main hazard. The forward collision system can trigger hard braking on an open highway with no traffic ahead, nearly causing a rear-end crash from the car behind. Dealers report they cannot replicate the problem. Another failure leaves the forward collision system showing service and signal-lost messages. The dealer fix in that case calls for replacing a sensor, which requires removing the front bumper and grille and takes about 5 hours.