Is the 2011 Jeep Compass a bad year?
188 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Compass years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2011 Jeep Compass are in line with other Compass years.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2011 Compass owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 59,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 39 (21%) | 16k–90k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 37 (20%) | 16k–106k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Suspension | 27 (14%) | 47k–133k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Body structure | 23 (12%) | 38k–100k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 20 (11%) | 41k–86k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 19 (10%) | 32k–101k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Air bags | 17 (9%) | 38k–91k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 14 (7%) | 44k–94k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 14 (7%) | 32k–122k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 59,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 188 complaints: 7 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 5 say the car was towed.
2 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My 2011 Jeep compass that I bought new for $23,000.00 has 56,000 miles and wouldn't start. It is not reliable.
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.
I left work from downtown pittsburgh at 4:15 pm, and while crossing outbound on the vetrans bridge, my Jeep turned itself off.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 59,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2011 Jeep Compass: 3
The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash. If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags. In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners.
Some of these vehicles may have been built with a missing or incorrectly installed steering column pivot rivet. A missing or incorrectly installed rivet could compromise the ability of the steering column to support the occupant loads in the event of a frontal crash, decreasing the effectiveness of the frontal impact safety system.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Jeep: 64
Repair instructions Jeep sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2011 Jeep Compass. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some vehicles may exceed NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen) emission level standards due to loss of catalytic converter efficiency
Oil Pump Assembly If error code P06DD present on any Pentastar V6 application, please inspect oil pump for relief valve failure
MIL Illumination P050B and/or Rattle/Clatter Sound on Cold Start-up
Approved Use of Weld Through Primers This bulletin documents the FCA US LLC position regarding the use of weld through primer when using Squeeze Type…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Neighbouring years
2010 Compass: 81 complaints, keep it · 2012 Compass: 184 complaints, keep it.
Every Jeep Compass year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Compass years side by side
Other Jeep models: Jeep Cherokee · Jeep Commander · Jeep Gladiator · Jeep Grand Cherokee · Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe · Jeep Grand Cherokee L · Jeep Grand Wagoneer · Jeep Laredo · Jeep Liberty · Jeep Patriot · Jeep Renegade · Jeep Wagoneer · Jeep Wrangler · Jeep Wrangler 4xe · Jeep Wrangler Sahara. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2011 Jeep Compass a bad year?
188 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Compass years. At 59,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Jeep Compass?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (39), transmission and drivetrain (37), suspension (27), body structure (23), electrical system (20).
How many recalls does the 2011 Jeep Compass have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Seat belts (NHTSA 16V-668), Seat belts (NHTSA 13V-233), Steering (NHTSA 11V-315). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.