2021 Jeep Compass: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
77 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 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. 2021 specifically: a year the record favours — 77 complaints, score 92/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Jeep Cherokee 2014 to 2023: the nine-speed years and the years that fixed it, including 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 77 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 15.4
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The engine will shut off completely while traveling a a normal rate of speed. The temperature gauge will malfunction and report high temperature (when there is none) and the engine will shut off. It cannot be restarted without putting the car in park and pressing the brake while in the midst of moving traffic. This has happened to me multiple times. At first, turning off the auto stop/start feature would prevent …
I was driving on the Arecibo. P.R. highway when suddently the car started acelererating..i wouldn't show down. There were a lot of cars on the road, so I had to swerve onto the grass and hit a tree car. I dind'd receive any help from highway patrol. The Police were show to arrive. I've done some research and this Jeep Compass has received many complaints about this factory defect.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags warning light illuminated on the instrument panel with the message "Air Bags Wiring Fault" displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that the passenger’s side seat belt latch was defective and failed to latch properly. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
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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.
- Electrical System32 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other27 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine17 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train8 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Vehicle Speed Control6 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
- Steering6 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Jeep Compass years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Jeep Compass?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (32 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Jeep Compass a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 92/100, computed from 77 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Jeep Compass's most common problem?
32 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Jeep Compass sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 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 2021 Jeep Compass cost to run per year?
About $4,112 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $20,560 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.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 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.
Moderate evidence — 77 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 77 NHTSA complaints on record (15.4/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (25.3/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems