2008 Jeep Compass FWD

No clear pattern

0% of complaints about the 2008 Jeep Compass FWD arrived in its first year of service. That is an unusual figure for a 2008 vehicle, but with only 48 complaints on record the sample is too small to call it a pattern — the margin of error covers the range where ordinary vehicles sit. The figures below are reported without a verdict. The most-reported system is suspension (15 complaints), typically at 5.0 yr or about 43,000 miles.

Complaints: 48
Median age at failure: 5.0 yr
Median mileage: 54,100 n=42
Crash / fire / tow: 0% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

10E043000 2010-09-03

Equipment

MARATHON IS RECALLING CERTAIN SEAT COVERS, BRAND SUPERHIDES WITH PART NUMBERS 593, 594, 578, 960, 228, 228-09, 267-08, 333, 625, AND 630, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE SEAT COVERS ARE MADE OF HEAVIER THREAD AND ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH SEATS CONTAINING SIDE AIRBAGS. THE HEAVIER SEAT COVER COULD INTERFERE WITH FULL DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

AN IMPROPERLY DEPLOYED AIRBAG COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY.

In owners’ own words

Suspension 46,900 mi 3.3 yr in service

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LIVE IN OHIO. I WAS TOLD TODAY THAT THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND CONTROL ARM PIVOT BOLTS NEED REPLACED. APPARENTLY, THE BALL JOINT BEARING INSIDE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS ALREADY BAD. CHRYSLER JEEP HAS NOT GREASED THE BEARING WHEN PACKING THE BALL JOINT INTO THE CONTROL ARM; THEREFORE BY SKIPPING THIS PROCESS THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSE OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IF CONTROL ARM FAILS WHILE DRIVING. MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD. APPARENTLY, JEEP HAS DECIDED TO SKIP THIS LITTLE STEP WHEN MANUFACTURING MY JEEP COMPASS. *TR

Suspension 50,000 mi 3.7 yr in service

THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT ON MY VEHICLE IS BROKEN JUST AFTER 2 YEARS AND 2 MONTHS FROM THE PURCHASE DATE (NEW VEHICLE). *TR

Suspension 28,000 mi 4.0 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT SUSPENSION, BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS HAD TO REPLACED. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION WAS LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND DURING INSPECTION THEY NOTICED THE FAILURE ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE REPAIR COST WAS $900 AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED SHE SHOULD CONTACT NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2008 Jeep Compass FWD

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

How to read this