2nd generation (MP) · MP / 552 (FCA Small Wide 4x4 LWB) · 3,592 complaints, 1,364 with mileage
Owners filed 3,592 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017–2025 Jeep Compass, and 1,364 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
40% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the engine (23.5% of complaints, typically around 18,000 miles), the electrical system (23.3% of complaints, typically around 20,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (12.4% of complaints, typically around 18,000 miles).
14 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 843 | 23.5% | 18,000 | 5,500–35,073 |
| Electrical System | 836 | 23.3% | 20,000 | 7,500–40,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 445 | 12.4% | 18,000 | 4,300–29,000 |
| Power Train | 296 | 8.2% | 25,443 | 6,448–45,000 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 184 | 5.1% | 4,000 | 3,000–31,000 |
| Service Brakes | 153 | 4.3% | 14,246 | 4,000–31,000 |
| Exterior Lighting | 146 | 4.1% | 1,850 | 75–9,999 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 98 | 2.7% | 14,500 | 4,950–23,813 |
| Steering | 94 | 2.6% | 26,000 | 5,814–40,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 79 | 2.2% | 20,000 | 5,000–40,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 385 | 263 |
| 2018 | 1,624 | 778 |
| 2019 | 576 | 176 |
| 2020 | 254 | 50 |
| 2021 | 131 | 17 |
| 2022 | 390 | 43 |
| 2023 | 76 | 16 |
| 2024 | 113 | 13 |
| 2025 | 43 | 8 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 20,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 23.5% of complaints (843 reports, 389 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 18,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,500 and 35,073 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 23.3% of complaints (836 reports, 273 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 20,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,500 and 40,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 12.4% of complaints (445 reports, 119 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 18,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,300 and 29,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 8.2% of complaints (296 reports, 152 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 25,443 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,448 and 45,000 miles.
Forward collision avoidance accounts for 5.1% of complaints (184 reports, 13 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 4,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,000 and 31,000 miles.
The brakes account for 4.3% of complaints (153 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 14,246 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 31,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2018 model year drew the most — 1,624 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 43. The median year sits at 254.
That makes 2018 an outlier: roughly 6.4 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
NHTSA records 14 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (4), equipment (2), the reversing camera and sensors (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 3,592 complaints filed against this generation, 139 reported a crash; 24 reported a fire; 60 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 3.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 40% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the engine and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 18,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
2.4L Tigershark excessive oil consumption — owners report losing roughly a quart per 1,000 miles. FCA issued Customer Satisfaction Notifications attributing part of the consumption to the Interactive Deceleration Fuel ShutOff (IDFSO) calibration, which cuts fuel on deceleration and creates cylinder vacuum that draws oil past the rings; piston ring and bore issues are also implicated. Same defect family as the 2015-2017 Chrysler 200 and Jeep Renegade/Cherokee 2.4L applications.
ZF 948TE 9-speed rough and harsh shifting, lurching, and hesitation — the most-reported complaint category for the generation. The MP shares its calibration history and TSB software flashes with the Cherokee KL; a related wiring harness defect in the 9-speed family can cause sudden shutdown or unexpected shifts into neutral.
Launch-year electrical and infotainment faults were notably concentrated in the first two model years of the generation.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 24V436000 | 2024-07-09 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 23V576000 | 2023-08-29 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel |
| 23V058000 | 2023-03-30 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel |
| 22V248000 | 2022-06-03 | Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint |
| 20V208000 | 2020-04-27 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages |
| 18V524000 | 2018-10-02 | Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood |
| 18V523000 | 2018-08-29 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper |
| 18V279000 | 2018-05-31 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm |
| 17V824000 | 2018-02-14 | Equipment |
| 17V732000 | 2017-12-28 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module |
| 17V740000 | 2017-12-08 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel |
| 17V670000 | 2017-12-05 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine |
| 17V433000 | 2017-08-22 | Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other Manual |
| 17V301000 | 2017-06-12 | Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft |