AutoUtility currently tracks 228 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Jeep Compass. Electrical System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 86 complaints (37.7% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 10 filings cite a crash, 3 cite a fire, 3 report one or more injuries.

Key Problem Findings
  • Total NHTSA Complaints: 228 reports
  • #1 Reported Problem Area: Electrical System (86 reports • 37.7% of submitted complaints)
  • Secondary Problem Areas: Engine & Cooling (67), Powertrain & Transmission (42)
  • Crash-Citing Complaints: 10 filings
  • Fire-Citing Complaints: 3 filings
  • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 3 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Reporting Methodology: Statistics describe unverified consumer submissions voluntarily filed with NHTSA. Complaint volume is not normalized for vehicle sales volume or miles driven. Multiple components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission.
Total Complaints
228
Submitted to NHTSA ODI
Crash-Citing Complaints
10
Filings citing a collision
Fire-Citing Complaints
3
Filings citing smoke or fire
Complaints Reporting Injuries
3
Filings citing one or more injuries
Complaints Reporting Fatalities
0
Consumer filings citing fatalities

Most Reported Problems for 2017 Jeep Compass

Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records

#1 Problem Area 37.7% of complaints

Electrical System

86 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 2 crash reports 🔥 3 fire reports 🩹 1 injury report entry
#2 Problem Area 29.4% of complaints

Engine & Cooling

67 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report
#3 Problem Area 18.4% of complaints

Powertrain & Transmission

42 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 1 official safety recall campaign for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 3 crash reports
#4 Problem Area 17.5% of complaints

Brakes & Traction Control

40 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report
#5 Problem Area 6.6% of complaints

Steering System

15 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report
Domain Share Note: Share percentage represents the proportion of unique complaint filings referencing each vehicle system. Because single complaints may cite multiple systems (such as engine and electrical simultaneously), domain percentages represent individual category incidence and may sum to over 100%.

Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Jeep Compass

Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis

AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.

Engine & Cooling 2.6% of complaints

Engine Stalling / Sudden Shutdown

6 complaint narratives describe this symptom
Powertrain & Transmission 2.6% of complaints

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

6 complaint narratives describe this symptom
Symptom Identification Method: A complaint may describe more than one symptom, so percentages may sum to more than 100%. Symptom identification reflects text contained in consumer-submitted complaint records and does not establish a confirmed mechanical diagnosis.

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Jeep Compass

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Other / Miscellaneous NHTSA ODI ID: #11739861
Filed: 05/25/2026

"When driving the 2017 Jeep Compass, a bubble which has formed on the touchscreen causes it to randomly change different settings (such as turning on the heated seats/steering wheel, turning on the AC or heat, etc.), caused music to suddenly start playing at loud volumes, caused it to call random..."

Incident Date: 05/21/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Electrical System NHTSA ODI ID: #11728909
Filed: 04/02/2026

"Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact had traded a prior vehicle for the Jeep. The vehicle was a private sale. The following day, the mileage jumped nearly 40,000 miles. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 110,246 and the next day the mileage was 154,085. Since..."

Incident Date: 04/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electrical System NHTSA ODI ID: #11728362
Filed: 03/31/2026

"Car just cuts off. Batteries are good, alternator good no codes! Rpm goes to o cuts off parking break comes takes a couple of seconds to start then cuts off at random times while driving very unsafe!!!! Taken to dealer can’t find anything wrong!!!"

Incident Date: 03/03/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Brakes & Traction Control NHTSA ODI ID: #11727337
Filed: 03/26/2026

"The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle and the steering wheel started shaking abnormally. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off, and exited the vehicle to inspect..."

Incident Date: 03/19/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11721519
Filed: 03/02/2026

"Tire rods and suspension failed vehicle is unsafe to operate ."

Incident Date: 02/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS
Consumer Narrative Notice: Excerpts are sanitized text descriptions submitted by vehicle owners to the federal ODI database. They reflect the reporting consumer's observations at the time of filing and have not been independently confirmed by vehicle manufacturers or government investigators.

Complaint History for Jeep Compass

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Jeep Compass 113 4 1 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Jeep Compass 292 9 1 View 2016 Problems →
2017 Jeep Compass Current Page 228 10 4 Current
2018 Jeep Compass 935 28 6 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Jeep Compass 326 13 2 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Jeep Compass 137 3 1 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Jeep Compass 77 5 0 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Jeep Compass 219 11 4 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Jeep Compass 45 2 2 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Jeep Compass 52 6 0 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Jeep Compass 21 4 0 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Jeep Compass 0 0 1 View 2026 Problems →
Comparative Disclaimer: Complaint totals are unadjusted historical counts and are not normalized for vehicles sold, active fleet size, or total road mileage. Newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time to accumulate owner filings.

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2017 Jeep Compass

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 84 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Reported Injury Entries Reported Fatality Entries
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 33 1 0 1 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 25 0 2 1 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 23 1 0 0 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 15 1 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 10 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 5 4 0 1 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 4 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 4 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 4 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 1 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN 2 0 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 2 0 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 0 1 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
INTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
INTERIOR LIGHTING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
Doors, Latches & Locks NHTSA category: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1 0 0 0 0
PARKING BRAKE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
PARKING BRAKE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
PARKING BRAKE,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS 1 0 0 0 0
SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS 1 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,OTHER/UNKNOWN 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN 1 1 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 1 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
Data Attribution & Reporting Methodology: Complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Because multiple vehicle components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission, component-level rollups may sum to more than the unique complaint count (228). Injury and fatality entries in the detailed table reflect raw values entered by reporting consumers across individual submissions; they are not deduplicated casualty statistics and may include duplicate or unverified entries. Complaint volume is not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and does not represent an audited component failure rate.

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

3 CLOSED

Formal safety defect inquiries and engineering analyses opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Official Federal Inquiries: NHTSA opens a defect investigation when safety screening or consumer defect trends indicate a potential unreasonable safety risk. An open investigation is a formal inquiry and does not by itself confirm a defect or result in a mandatory recall.
CLOSED Preliminary Evaluation (PE) ODI Action #PE19014
Opened: 2019-09-09 • Closed: 2026-02-25

Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment

Affected Component: SEATS

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver...

Closed without associated recall campaign. Official NHTSA File →
CLOSED Engineering Analysis (EA) ODI Action #EA19001
Opened: 2019-04-19 • Closed: 2024-09-19

Electrical overstress

Affected Component: AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.  During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (AC...

✓ Resulted in Safety Recall Campaign: 20V024 Official NHTSA File →
CLOSED Audit Query (AQ) ODI Action #AQ17004
Opened: 2017-08-18 • Closed: 2020-11-23

Northwest Chrysler Jeep Dodge Sale Issue

Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

NHTSA opened AQ17-004 to determine whether Northwest Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Houston, Texas (Northwest) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations. The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard...

Closed without associated recall campaign. Official NHTSA File →
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.