The Jeep Compass was the legendary brand’s answer to the dominating compact SUVs in the segment and the SUV is managing to hold its ground at present as well. With the Jeep Compass, FCA has been walking a slightly different path, especially in terms of reliability since FCA vehicles have been notorious in the past for facing multiple reliability problems. The 2013 Jeep Compass sees only 1 recall along with a total of 75 official complaints so far. The recall was issued regarding an airbag inflation issue and seat belt pre-tensioner issue while there is 1 investigation for the airbag inflator rupture issue as well. The complaints cover mostly the powertrain issues which are closely followed by the electrical system issues and safety equipment issues. Last year’s Compass has a higher count of recalls and complaints, making the present model’s scorecard a significantly improved one. In the segment, the Jeep Compass goes up against the Hyundai Tucson, the Mazda CX-5, and the Mitsubishi Outlander.
Jeep Compass user complaints and problems
Engine problems
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Sudden engine stall: The sudden engine stalling issue has affected a few 2013 Jeep Compass models. As per the reports from the owners, they faced sudden stalling of the engine while driving. No exact reason for the issues was informed to them from the dealerships.
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Transmission fill tube breaking off: Quite a handful of reports stating a broken transmission fill tube has been reported. Due to the failures, the transmissions failed to shift to gears and accelerate.
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Power loss: A single case of power loss while driving is present for the 2013 Compass. The owner says in the report that the vehicle lost the power to accelerate suddenly while driving and the throttle was unresponsive.
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Throttle body actuator issue: Several cases of throttle body actuator issues have been reported by the affected owners. The throttle body actuator failure resulted in the throttle being unresponsive suddenly while driving but the engine and the transmission remained trouble-free.
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Transmission issue: There are reported issues with the transmission where the owners have faced rapid deceleration while driving. Moreover, the deceleration from the transmission was accompanied by overheating as well. In a few instances, parking the vehicles and shutting it off to cool the transmission worked as a temporary fix but the problem recurred.
Safety problems
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Airbag failure and airbag sensor failure: A couple of instances of crashes are reported where the airbags of the 2013 Jeep Compass SUVs failed to deploy. Furthermore, some owners faced the airbag sensor malfunction issue where the front passenger seat airbags failed to activate despite the seat being occupied.
Miscellaneous problems
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Premature rusting of subframe: A single issue of premature rusting of the subframe is there against the 2013 Compass. According to the owner, the rusting was discovered during a routine maintenance service. Upon informing the concerned dealership, any kind of assistance was denied since they claimed the vehicle was out of warranty.
2013 Jeep Compass recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
September 15, 2016 |
16V668000 |
Airbags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may be Disabled |
If the frontal airbags, seat belt pretensioners, and side airbags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems. |
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. |
Should you buy a used Jeep Compass?
The Jeep Compass is a compelling option in its class and brings a complete package at an appealing price point. Despite being a unibody crossover, the Compass can navigate through tough terrains in a decent manner when properly equipped with tires and an AWD layout. Moreover, the SUV stands as the only one among its stablemates to receive a scarce amount of complaints from its owners. A used example of the Jeep Compass would make a great purchase given the pros of the SUV. Do carry out a detailed inspection of the used example, especially for rusts, airbag sensor issues, and transmission issues before finalizing the deal.
