The 2021 Jeep Compass has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “Touchscreen and backup camera display failure.” Jeep vehicles use the Oil Change Indicator system to signal when oil is due. Wrangler and Gladiator owners who actually use 4WD off-road should treat the schedule below as Schedule A (severe) — water crossings, sand, and rock crawling demand differential and transfer case service at half the published intervals. Grand Cherokee and Cherokee follow the standard Mopar schedule.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2021 Jeep Compass.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8 NHTSA complaints · 2023-08 → 2026-03
“The infotainment screen in my 2021 Jeep Compass has developed a display failure where the screen is glitching and unusable. The issue persists after restarting the vehicle and appears to be a hardware malfunction”
“After going on and off intermittently for the last year, the rear view camera system stopped working altogether!”
“Back up camera goes blank”
STEERING
5 NHTSA complaints · 2021-11 → 2025-02
“I purchased this vehicle not quite a year ago. After about 3 months while turning I noticed a knocking sound coming from the left front of the vehicle while turning. When I was able I took the vehicle back to dealer who stated it was the rack and pinion”
“When driving this car, the steering wheel sometimes pulls strongly to the left or the right, making it more difficult to control the direction of the vehicle. This is particularly problematic when on a freeway with narrow lanes and lots of traffic”
“A noise, coming front the front end of my 2021 Jeep Compass is generated while is driving at low velocity (15 mph or slower). The noise intensity increases when the jeep is driven for over an hour”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
17 NHTSA complaints · 2023-02 → 2026-05
“While driving, the 2021 Jeep Compass displays "Coolant Temperature High: Shutting Down" even though the car temperature gauge indicates normal engine temperature. Following the warning notification, the vehicle came to a complete stop”
“I been having a problem as I noticed it’s been seen multiple times with a jeep compass well mine is a 2021 jeep compass trail hawk. The car will shut off and say high coolant temp when that’s not the problem”
“Error message on dash "Coolant Temperature Too High" and vehicle shuts down. This is happening multiple times. Sometimes it happens multiple times in a week and won't do it for a couple months and then it starts to happen again”
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
8 NHTSA complaints · 2023-04 → 2025-08
“My Start/Stop feature will bug out and not Start up after releasing the brake at a red light. It has happened multiple times and will display a maintenance required symbol in my dashboard until I restart my vehicle. It happens infrequently”
“The Jeep's engine decided to shut off at a red light. This jeep has the automatic shutoff for the engine when idling too long. I could not restart the engine. I blocked 2 lanes of traffic, and was unable to push the vehicle out of the way”
“When ESS is Engaged, car does not want to start from stop/engine off after pulling from a stop. Car then turns off Lane Departure and Blind Spot Warning and ESS says needs service. Battery has been replaced 2x by Jeep”
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
4 NHTSA complaints · 2021-04 → 2026-03
“The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags warning light illuminated on the instrument panel with the message "Air Bags Wiring Fault" displayed”
“The seat belts on both sides of the rear seats have frayed completely through the belt webbing at the same exact point. Where the belts connects to the retractor I believe is the name of it. Both belts are entirely separated at the point where they pass through the outer wall”
“I got t-boned and my airbags didn’t deploy and I smashed my head on the window”
POWER TRAIN
4 NHTSA complaints · 2022-05 → 2025-08
“Every single time I seen the climb McDonald pass in Helena, Montana the car freaks out says service transmission now no matter if I do it at 55 miles an hour or 75 miles an hour, which is about as fast as it’ll go up the pass, it goes in the limp mode, shuts off the fuel pump”
“I have a 2021 Jeep Compass and have been experiencing transmission bucking ever since purchasing out my lease. It is a known issue to Chrysler but they refuse to issue a recall. I have gone to the dealer twice so far”
“My 2021 jeep Compass transmission and front camera has been causing me problems. My car for months has been jumping out of gear and jerking forward. The jerk get to a point where it feels as if someone just hit me from behind”
FIRERELATED
3 NHTSA complaints · 2023-06 → 2026-03
“The contact owned a 2021 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed black smoke coming from the front passenger side headlight. No warning light was illuminated”
“The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that when the vehicle was parked at a store front in the evening, both headlights were operational. The contact returned and restarted the vehicle; however, the driver's side headlight was inoperable”
“Rear ended decelerating someone and the car went up in flames then blew up. We are not sure why this happened or what failed for this to happen”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Pentastar 3.6L: SAE 0W-20 every 8,000 miles. Wrangler 392 6.4L HEMI: SAE 5W-20 every 8,000 miles. EcoDiesel 3.0L: 10,000 miles. 4xe plug-in hybrid: 8,000 miles or annually.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires every 8,000 miles. Wrangler with 33+ inch off-road tires: rotate every 5,000 miles to prevent uneven wear from solid axles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, and parking brake every 8,000 miles. Wrangler and Gladiator pads wear faster than Grand Cherokee due to higher curb weight per axle.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace front differential fluid every 60,000 miles. Wrangler off-road use (water crossings, sand): inspect every 30,000 miles for water contamination.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Rear axle fluid every 60,000 miles. Limited-slip differentials require Mopar friction modifier. Wrangler Rubicon with locking differentials: same schedule.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$150–$195
Shop
~$105–$135
DIY
~$20–$50
Replace transfer case fluid every 60,000 miles. Use Mopar ATF+4 for NV3500 and NV245. Wrangler Rock-Trac: 60,000 mi normal, 30,000 mi with regular off-road use.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$105–$140
Shop
~$75–$100
DIY
~$15–$40
AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 2 years regardless of mileage. Wrangler off-road use accelerates moisture intake — annual fluid testing recommended.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Severe service: ZF 8HP fluid every 60,000 miles. Normal: 120,000 miles. Use Mopar ATF+4 — never substitute.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Wrangler driven in dust or sand: inspect at every oil change and replace early.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Pentastar 3.6L: 16 spark plugs total, replace at 100,000 miles. Wrangler 392 6.4L HEMI: 16 plugs at 100,000 miles. EcoDiesel: glow plug inspection only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Mopar HOAT (purple) for gas engines: first change at 100,000 miles, then every 50,000. Do not mix with green or orange coolants.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace cabin air filter every 20,000 miles. Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, and Compass: behind the glove box. Wrangler/Gladiator: optional cabin filter on later models only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
23 crashes 2010–2024
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
5
complaints mentioning a crash
2
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2021 Jeep Compass reflects Jeep's published service intervals and the Oil Change Indicator system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.