2016 Jeep Compass Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2016 Jeep Compass most often describe the engine shutting off while driving — sometimes at speed, sometimes at a stop light — then restarting after a pause. Many complaints link the stalling to the crankshaft or camshaft sensor and to recall 16V907000, and several owners say their VIN was not covered by it. A second group of complaints covers transmission trouble and various electrical symptoms such as warning lights flashing and no-start conditions.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

   • 140 complaints (48%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (96 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $470 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Complaints describe the engine quitting without warning at speeds ranging from a stop light to highway speed, often with the steering becoming heavy and power assist dropping away. Owners frequently say the vehicle restarts after a short wait and then stalls again, and some report it happening repeatedly on a single trip. Several were told the crankshaft or camshaft sensor was at fault and had it replaced, with mixed results, and several say their VIN was not included in the related recall. Reported across a wide mileage range, from roughly 28,000 to over 150,000 miles, with many under 90,000.

   Recall 16V907000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 16V907000 was performed and whether the crankshaft and camshaft sensors or wiring were replaced. Have a scan tool read stored codes and test-drive at highway speed, including a stop-and-go stretch.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving up a mountain highway doing about 55 miles an hour and my car completely stalled out. It's like my car just completely shut off but I still had power. I was able to drift off onto the side where it was confirmed my car had just shut off. I tried restarting it three times with no success. I waited a few minutes and tried to restart it and it started. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11361678, filed 2020-09, 103,000 miles

   “When the vechile is stopped at a red light or stop sign the motor will just stall we will have to put it in park and then start it again and it will be fine it doesn't happen all the time but I have had it a year and it's happened 4 times and we just had the throttle body replaced and it's still doing it”

   NHTSA complaint #11340496, filed 2020-07, 57,400 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Hesitation, shuddering and loss of power

   • 88 complaints (30%)
   • median 58,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (53 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners describe the vehicle hesitating or shuddering under acceleration, sometimes failing to build speed or hold highway pace, with the electronic throttle control or check engine light coming on. Some say the throttle body was replaced once or more without resolving it, and others report the dealer could not retrieve a fault code or duplicate the behavior. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 90,000 miles, often during acceleration or while climbing.

   What to check: Drive the car up a grade and through a full-throttle merge to see whether power builds smoothly. Ask for service records showing whether the throttle body or its software was ever addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2016 Jeep Compass keeps stalling over the past six months (70,000m). It will not accelerate at times and just stalls sometime in the town and some times on the intersate. I have had it at the dealer twice and they replaced another known issue with the throttle body (had that replaced on my daughters 2017 Jeep Compass) but it still didn't help this Jeep. Replaced the throttle body twice and the dealers only suggestion was to sell it. (check engine light only came on once- and no other alarms but in a 6 hour drive it happened 15-20 times. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11407245, filed 2021-04, 70,000 miles

   “Vehicle stalls out and leaves motorists stranded. Engine stalls and has the potential to resume normal power but has a serious lag between power given and power accepted by engine (2-5 secs). Possibility for collision is great and possibility for being left stranded is great. Battery and normal maintenance has been performed.”

   NHTSA complaint #11377115, filed 2020-11, 58,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Warning lights, battery and no-start electrical faults

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report clusters of warning lights flashing on and off while driving, the radio or clock dropping out, the vehicle refusing to crank despite good battery, alternator and starter checks, and on some occasions the engine dying when power is lost. Several spoke of the dealer replacing the key fob or a battery without solving the recurrence. Spread fairly evenly from roughly 30,000 to 120,000 miles, with no clear weather pattern in the complaints.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have the battery and charging system tested and ask whether the battery sensor or module configuration bulletins were applied. Check that all warning lamps come on and go out normally on startup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “About 2 weeks ago after I put gas in the car the check engine light came on we checked everything cannot figure out anything wrong with it then the airbag lights came on so we took the battery out put it back in and reset the lights. The check engine light came on the next time I drove it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11352451, filed 2020-09, 110,000 miles

   “All of my lights came on out of nowhere then car wouldn't turn back on. After diagnostics it was determined to be an electrical issue with the wiring harnesses & also was told that there were issues with my airbags being able to properly deploy. Vehicle was on. Vehicle was in motion at about 30-40mph. I was fortunate enough to make it home and be able to park my car and I was fortunate I wasn't on a highway or it could have been a very dangerous accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #11363321, filed 2020-10, 52,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission trouble, overheating and shuddering

   • 24 complaints (8%)
   • median 51,117 mi at 4.9 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Complaints describe the transmission failing outright, slipping or shuddering, holding high rpm without shifting, and in some cases overheating in warm weather before the vehicle cuts out. Owners report the dealer often could not reproduce the complaint, and a few describe the transmission needing replacement at fairly low mileage. Reported from about 11,000 up to around 118,000 miles, with several owners tying it to hot weather and long drives.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check transmission fluid condition and ask for any service history on the CVT. Test-drive long enough to get the transmission warm, including a sustained climb, and note any shudder or delayed engagement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was going west on fair view avenue in tucson, arizona when my car suddenly shifted out of drive into something below drive. It started shimmying back and forth and would not proceed. I was coming upon a 4 way stop, so I finally got the car back into drive; it seemed ok. I drove very carefully and slowly home without incident--maybe 4 or 5 blocks. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11389836, filed 2021-01, 37,773 miles

   “My car power train went out as I only have the car for 11 months and transmission is not working well I was driving home and the car RPM was going to 6”

   NHTSA complaint #11383105, filed 2020-12, 11,100 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Overheating and coolant loss

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the temperature gauge climbing, the engine running hot or losing power on grades, and coolant leaks, sometimes alongside oil consumption. A service bulletin covers overheating and coolant leaks after a replacement engine was installed, and another addresses water quality when mixed with engine coolant. Typically reported from about 70,000 miles upward, often on hills or in warm conditions.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look for coolant residue or a low reservoir, check the oil level and its condition, and ask whether the cooling system or engine has had prior repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car throwing catalytic converter code. Was in shop 3 times this year with engine issues. Stalling out on me in the middle of nowhere. Misfiring on multiple cylinders. Driving up hills overheats losses power only goes 40 mpr up hills. Cuts out randomly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11365851, filed 2020-10, 80,000 miles

   “Transmission over heats and then stalls out when it is warm out. The dealerships I have gone to said there is nothing wrong with the Jeep Compass because it doesn't act up for them. Normally make it 45 minutes in summer before it over heats. Cant keep car over 2,000 rmp in summer or transmission will over heat even faster. Has been happening many time over the last 2 summers. Non-dealerships wont look at the car and they say that the dealerships need to fix it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11372630, filed 2020-11, 102,000 miles

Buying note. Pay close attention to how the car behaves on a long test drive, since stalling and hesitation complaints often appear only at speed or after warm-up. Ask for records of the recall work, sensor replacements and any transmission service, and budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with this model.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.