2008 Jeep Compass FWD Steering Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 19%of 32 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 54,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the steering of the 2008 Jeep Compass FWD, 19% of the 32 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 54,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was driving along. Hit my brakes. And then my driver front wheel screeched and went into the wheel well. After I had it towed to a shop they said it was a rotted out sub frame. If this would have happened going highway speeds I would have wrecked and possibly not be alive now. I was luckily on a back road so there was not any injuries.”
NHTSA complaint #11124658, filed 2018-09, 120,000 miles“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.”
NHTSA complaint #10377197, filed 2011-01, 46,900 miles“My 2008 Jeep compass began making a loud noise a few months ago. I recently brought it in and had the control arms replaced, ball joints, rear brakes and had an alignment. After I left the car began shaking on the highway and while braking, I brought it back and was told that I now needed tie rods, which should have been noticed when they did the alignment. The Jeep has less then 55,000 and I only drive it 20 minutes to and from work. Jeep refuses to help me because I am not the original owner, which I did not find out until recently..the car was sold to me as a demo car, not a used car. …”
NHTSA complaint #10413449, filed 2011-07, 54,000 miles“Vehicle started making a thudding noise that correlated with the speed of the vehicle. The faster I drove the faster it went. Took it to a mechanic and was told there was play in the tie rods and ball joints on right side about 1/4 on tie rod and 1/4 on ball joint.”
NHTSA complaint #10501087, filed 2013-03, 140,000 miles“My Jeep compass is only 4 years old and has 35000 miles on it. The lower control arms and tie rods need to be replaced. So far this is costing me $500.00. And I am not done yet. With a name like Jeep I would think it would be a better built car. To me this is not normal wear and tear. And unacceptable for an american made car.”
NHTSA complaint #10476341, filed 2012-09Steering: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 6 | 19% |
| 2007 | 1 | 5% |
Other parts of the 2008 Jeep Compass FWD
15 complaintsBody and structure
6 complaintsBrakes
3 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaintsElectrical system
2 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaintsInterior lighting
2 complaintsWheels
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsEngine
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2008 Jeep Compass FWD
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology