2013 Jeep Compass recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Apr 9, 2025Engine
  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.
• May 28, 2024 · 1 injuryUnknown or other
  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.
• Jan 29, 2024Seats
  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.
• Nov 2, 2022 · crash · 1 injuryPower train
  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.
• Aug 18, 2022Power train
  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…
• Jun 5, 2022Seats
  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…
• Oct 18, 2021Power train
  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…
• Dec 6, 2021Power train
  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.

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · openDesiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
  From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…
• PE19014 · opened Sep 9, 2019 · closed Feb 25, 2026Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat…