Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 293 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Jeep Compass, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 67 | 23% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 22 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 20 | 7% |
| Power train | 17 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 3% |
| Air bags | 9 | 3% |
| Seats | 8 | 3% |
| Seat belts | 8 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
Component: Engine / Electrical System / Power Train VIN [XXX] Description of Safety Defect: The vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of engine power and completely shut off while traveling at highway speeds. T
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Spontaneous deployment of passengers headrest . A safety system defect causing passengers concerned discomfort ! Plastic mechanism failure CANNOT be repaired. Headrest must be replaced by Jeep covered regarding the safet
NHTSA complaint: Seats
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate, shuddered, and the air conditioner was i
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
Since purchasing this vehicle in 2022 the crankshaft position sensor has been replaced 4 times (twice by the dealer in 2022, once in 2023 and once in 2024) and now it is dying while driving once again with the check engi
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and waited for approximately 20 minutes
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
Car stalls turns off by itself could be at red lights or even while driving twice already!! Needs to be recalled as well and repaired pls repairs cost thousands!!! Not safe!! I have owned it for 4-5 years and it has happ
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The crankshaft position sensor is throwing a code , and the car want turn over .
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Jeep Compass. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.
Risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft or camshaft sensor connector, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at
| Reliability raw | 70 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 72 | good |
| Maintenance | 80 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 75 | good |
| Performance | 59 | average |
| Efficiency | 45 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 293 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 67 of them (23%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 70/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 72/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.