10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
54,851 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Jeep Compass steering problems

steering problem

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2011 Jeep Compass Owner Comments

problem #16

Nov 102021

Compass

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Wife was driving her jeep when she started to veer to the left. went to turn to steering to get straight when it wasn't responding a lot of slack in the steering. called a tow truck when the tow truck lifted noticed the cradle/sub frame was broken. she was on a country road when it happened. If this was on a highway or interstate there would have been major collision resulting in death. there was no warning when it broke it just broke. after doing some research into why it would break the air conditioning hose to the water to drain was running on the sub frame which rusted and eventually break, the break shifted the engine about a foot and dropped about 10 inches Since she didn't hit anything or no property damage there was no police involved. I have reached out to chrysler with the issue with no response. My family was in danger due to a poor design that could of been avoided and what I read she wasn't the only one.

- Hartford City, IN, USA

problem #15

Jan 012021

Compass

  • 121,000 miles
My wife and I noticed alot of hard banging in the rear and front of vehicle, at the speed of idling out of our parking. Crossing any rail service no matter how new and we'll built the loud bangs in the front and rear are there at even the slowest of speeds. I have crawled around under our Jeep best I can, the front member and rear are beyond rotted, I can only get pictures of the rear damage but the front is horrible also..

- Byesville, OH, USA

problem #14

Mar 092021

Compass

  • 100,000 miles
I was driving down the road on route 73 in cinnaminson NJ at 930 pm with my 15 year old daughter. All of a sudden, without warning - the engine shut off and my car had zero power. The power steering was locked up and we almost got rear ended by a huge truck. It was terrifying. I called road side assistance and had to wait in a dark car with no heat. This is horrible

- Maple Shade, NJ, USA

problem #13

Sep 012019

Compass

  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

There is a popping noise in my steering column, when turning the wheel will lock up and then there is a popping noise.

- Waxahachie, TX, USA

problem #12

Aug 192019

Compass

  • 145,000 miles
3 times now over a 9 month span while in a turn the steering wheel has locked up an unable to be moved, you have to slam brakes in order to stop and hope no body is in front of you.

- Rockville, IN, USA

problem #11

Apr 272019

Compass

  • 98,000 miles
Did not know that was a recall on thecatalytic converter they fix it they had the part in im woudering about the antilock brakes because my brake light comes on and the ads light because courtesy dodgejeep Ram in conyers ga is charging me about $800 hundred dollars plus $190 for a battery I can't afford that. My car was on a city street when the brake light and ABS light came on I thought the brake fluild was low courtesy Dodge said that it was ready before I could drive the Jeep off the lot the brake light came back on. Then they said it was the battery, now they telling me antilock brakes. I cannot afford to pay $1,190 dollars.

- Conyers, GA, USA

problem #10

Dec 212018

Compass 4-cyl

  • 29,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Wife was driving on the highway when car started to swerve from side to side and the brakes locked. She smashed into the barrier and whole car was totalled. Don't even know how we can get compensation for this.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #9

May 252018

Compass

  • 63,500 miles
Filled the 2011 Jeep Compass with gas and pulled out of gas station. Two seconds later my car completely shut off and the steering wheel locked up. I managed to get it partially to the side of the road by letting it roll and brake, but cars behind me were not prepared for this and 3 cars swerved out of the way at the last minutes before slamming into me.

- Godfrey, IL, USA

problem #8

Nov 092017

Compass

  • 47,000 miles
The subframe or K-frame of the vehicle is rotted out and the sway bars broke away from the vehicle. Cause popping and cracking when driving (in motion).

- La Follette, TN, USA

problem #7

Aug 312017

Compass

  • 78,900 miles
First time this happened, I refueled my vehicle all the way to full. I drove off and got on the highway on-ramp, while I was accelerating, the car shut off, locked up the steering and the engine shut off while the car was still in drive, and the key was still in the ignition. I quickly stopped the car, put it in park and restarted the car, got on the highway and the incident didn't occur again. A few weeks later, the same thing happened. I refueled until the tank was full, drove about 100 yards, and the car shut off while still in drive with keys in ignition and the steering locked up while I was going around a sharp turn. I could have died if another car came around the turn at that time. I restarted the car and the same thing happened again within 50 feet. After that, restarting it a second time I was able to drive the car without it happening again. Scared to refill the car again. During each incident, no warning lights or indication came up on the dashboard, there was no way to tell what was happening.

- Weirton, WV, USA

problem #6

Feb 082016

Compass

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Compass. While parking, the instrument panel lights turned off and the horn malfunctioned without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the steering wheel Compass modular was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Temple, GA, USA

problem #5

Sep 142014

Compass

  • 34,037 miles
Pls use this complaint Jeep Compass 4X2 year 2011, today, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, I heard a noise bottom of my Jeep and found a long metal piece manufacture sticker cvt transmission use only Chrysler. It was a metal pipe transmission oil filler tube, hanging on the bottom of my car, dragging on the ground, while I was driving. I took pictures it has a hole in the metal tube. It started with the steering wheel becoming very loose and requiring to turn more than usual to the right or left, which may be caused from a different recall (components: Steering: Column, NHTSA campaign : 11V-315), I was never informed about this steering wheel recall. When I safely returned home, on internet noticed different Chrysler forums, ppl same issue Jeep Compass. I notice a recall Wrangler with 3.6-liter V-6 engines), having the same exact issue as I experienced with my Jeep Compass. So, I called Chrysler group llc recall dept. 800-247-9753 today Sept. 14 2014. No recall for Compass. Recall for Wrangler with 3.6-liter V-6 engines. Frustrated my 3 year warranty ended last month Aug. 2014. Tomorrow, morning, tow truck Jeep, to local Jeep dealership and pay out of pocket. Chrysler recall dept. Said keep receipts if more people complain then there may be a recall just like the Wrangler. The recall issue is exactly what happened to me.(per the Wrangler recall solution: (Wrangler with 3.6-liter V-6 engines, Chrysler says a power steering fluid line can wear a hole in the transmission oil cooler line. The SUVS can leak fluid, damaging automatic transmissions. Dealers will inspect the lines for free and replace them or install a protective sleeve. The recall begins in July 2013.) recalling 221,000 Jeep Wrangler worldwide from 2012 and 2013 to fix transmission fluid leaks, according to NHTSA.

- Porter Ranch, CA, USA

problem #4

Sep 142014

Compass 4-cyl

  • 34,037 miles
It starts with the steering wheel is loose and at first we had no idea what was going on. This issue I have with my Jeep Compass 4X2 year 2011, is the same exact recall on the Jeep Wrangler stated below: I called Chrysler group llc, 800-247-9753 today Sept. 14 2014. I spoke with the recall dept. They said the Compass, at this time does not have this recall. Only the Wrangler below, which has the same exact issue as I do. So, I have to tow truck my Jeep tomorrow morning, to my local Jeep dealership, service dept and pay out of pocket. Chrysler recall dept said keep my receipts if more ppl complain then there may be a recall just like the Wrangler has below. This is exactly what happened to me>>>>> but this is Wrangler, not my Jeep Compass. Per the Wrangler recall solution: (Wrangler with 3.6-liter V-6 engines, Chrysler says a power steering fluid line can wear a hole in the transmission oil cooler line. The SUVS can leak fluid, damaging automatic transmissions. Dealers will inspect the lines for free and replace them or install a protective sleeve. The recall begins in July 2013.) it's also recalling 221,000 Jeep Wrangler worldwide from 2012 and 2013 to fix transmission fluid leaks, according to documents posted Thursday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. I am frustrated because my 3 year warranty just ended last month Aug. 2014. I researched on the internet and read a lot of other people encountering the same issue.

- Porter Ranch, CA, USA

problem #3

Nov 212012

Compass

  • 16,080 miles
I left work from downtown pittsburgh at 4:15 pm, and while crossing outbound on the vetrans bridge, my Jeep turned itself off. The steering became extremely tough, and I was barely able to get to the side of the road. I turned off the Jeep, turned it back on, and thankfully it started again. If traffic was moving faster, like it usually does, I would have caused a wreck.

- Gibsonia, PA, USA

problem #2

Jul 222011

Compass

  • 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the steering column seized and the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. The engine restarted and resumed normally. The failure occurred on three different occasions. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where they were unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,000.

- Hot Springs , AR, USA

problem #1

Jun 012011

Compass 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the steering wheel would pull hard toward the right when driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technicians stated that the failure was caused by a combination of the nature of the front wheel drive vehicle and driver inexperience. The technicians adjusted the camber yet the failure continued after the adjustment. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 65. Updated 07/20/11 the consumer also stated the transmission failed to change gears. There was a whining sound and it felt as though, it was straining to change gears. The failure resulted in a loss of power necessary to merge safely from one lane of traffic to another. The consumer stated the vehicle lost all power. The vehicle struggled to re-start, but eventually it did. The check engine light illuminated afterwards. Updated 11/21/11

- Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

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