2018 Jeep Compass: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
936 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The second-generation Compass launched for 2018 with the nine-speed automatic and the 2.4-litre Tigershark engine, and that year carries 933 complaints — the transmission, the engine stalling and consuming oil, and the electrical system. Jeep revised the transmission software and, in 2022, the engine-control calibration; the 2020–2021 years score in the 80s and 90s. Read the full note on the model page. 2018 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 936 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Jeep Cherokee 2014 to 2023: the nine-speed years and the years that fixed it, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 936 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 117.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the infotainment center display intermittently was distorted, flashed on and off, and independently initiated calls; the contact stated that the failure occurred every time the temperature was warm and/or hot outside and inside of the vehicle and that when the air conditioner was on and/or it was cold outside the vehicle r…
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message that the vehicle would shut off was displayed several times, requiring the driver to pull over. Additionally, while the contact's husband was driving, the vehicle stalled. The driver pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle restarted after several attempts. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
I have had this car for a little over a year and it has given me nothing but problems they won’t let me out of my contract. It’s a 2018 Jeep compass and I’ve already had to replace the thermostat. My service transmission light is coming on all of a sudden, I’m having to put the oil in all the time it has completely shut down on the highway. Just stopped moving turned off on is own! So dangerous and I
Recalls: 6 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V279000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Arm | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The front lower control arms may be incorrectly welded, potentially resulting in a control arm separation. |
| 18V524000 | Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid… |
| 18V523000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan and Jeep Compass, 2018 Dodge Journey, and 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance. |
| 17V740000 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017-2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The brightness of the backlighting for the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) cannot be adjusted. |
| 17V732000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Compass vehicles. The passenger side air bag assembly may have inflator mounting nuts loose within the module assembly. |
| 17V670000 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine469 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System374 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other192 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train151 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Exterior Lighting64 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Fuel/Propulsion System63 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Jeep Compass years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Jeep Compass?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (469 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Jeep Compass a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 32/100, computed from 936 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Jeep Compass's most common problem?
469 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Jeep Compass sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Jeep Compass cost to run per year?
About $6,463 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $32,315 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Jeep Compass have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Jeep Compass, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/05/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Jeep Compass really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 936 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 936 NHTSA complaints on record (117.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (25.3/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems