2011 Jeep Compass problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2011 Jeep Compass has 187 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 4 of 7 Jeep Compass model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2018 (943); the cleanest is 2015 (113). 3 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2011 a good year for the Jeep Compass?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2018 draws 8 times the complaints of the 2015. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2011 sits in the middle of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 141 | 1 |
| 2018 | 943 | 6 |
| 2016 | 293 | 1 |
| 2015 | 113 | 1 |
| 2014 | 307 | 2 |
| 2012 | 184 | 4 |
| 2011 ← this page | 187 | 3 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 7 of the nameplate’s model years. 2013, 2017, 2019 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2011 accounts for 9% of every complaint filed against the Jeep Compass in this retrieval, which works out to 12.5 complaints per year on the road across the 15 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2011?
Seat Belts
The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt…
Free remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017.
Steering
Some Of these vehicles May have been…
Free remedy: Dealers will inspect for rivet presence and alignment and repair the steering column pivot as required, free Of charge. The safety recall began on July 4, 2011. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Air Bags
The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or…
Free remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Jeep dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2011 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Jeep Compass?
Across every Jeep Compass year, not the 2011 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Electrical System — 490 reports
- Engine — 350 reports
- Power Train — 310 reports
- Unknown or Other — 224 reports
If your 2011 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Jeep Compass years should you compare?
2012 Jeep Compass → · All Jeep Compass years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Jeep Compass page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2011 before you commit
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