2009 Jeep Compass

Typical pattern

6.7% of complaints about the 2009 Jeep Compass came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2009 vehicle — around the middle of the 212 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.8 yr in service. The most-reported system is suspension (15 complaints), typically at 8.2 yr or about 70,000 miles.

Complaints: 60
Median age at failure: 7.8 yr
Median mileage: 90,700 n=45
Crash / fire / tow: 8.3% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

08V528000 2008-10-09

Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 712 MY 2009 SEBRING, DODGE CALIBER, AVENGER, JOURNEY, JEEP PATRIOT, AND COMPASS VEHICLES. A NEW ADHESIVE USED IN THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) MANUFACTURING PROCESS CAN CAUSE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD TO BREAK.

THIS CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

In owners’ own words

Suspension 10 mi 1 mo in service

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP COMPASS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES SQUEAKED DURING THE WINTER AND WARM WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY FOR THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE FRONT AND REAR CALIPERS WERE LUBRICATED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,858.

Suspension 31,278 mi 2.5 yr in service

2009 JEEP COMPASS, WITH 31,278 MILES SHOWED EXCESSIVE WEAR IN BOTH THE LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM AND OUTER TIE ROD END. THOUGH COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ISSUE IS REFLECTIVE OF OUR SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH OUR 2007 JEEP PATRIOT. THE NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE BOTH THE JEEP COMPASS AND PATRIOTS FOR A DESIGN FLAW IN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. A LOWER CONTROL/BALL JOINT/TIE ROD FAILURE, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAN RESULT IN A FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR

Suspension 46,202 mi 3.8 yr in service

I WENT IN TO A MECHANIC TO SEE WHAT THIS NOISE WAS IN MY FRONT END, HE TOLD ME MY BALL JOINTS WERE BAD AND ONE WAS REACHING CRITICAL TO FAIL. I CALL MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS PART WAS WELL KNOWN TO FAIL BETWEEN 40K AND 80K MILES. I WAS WONDERING IF CHRYSLER KNOWS THIS PART IS FAILING ON VEHICLES WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL OR EVEN AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS PART. I HAVE OWNED VEHICLES WITH WELL OVER 200K MILES ON THEM AND HAVEN'T HAD BALL JOINT PROBLEMS. *TT

Other Compass model years

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.

2009 Jeep Compass

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Compass model years

How to read this