2008 Jeep Compass
Showing the 2008 Compass Limited. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 22–25 mpgcombined; city 21–23, highway 24–28; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $12,990–$14,760U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$13,190 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- Not ratedlowest across the versions NHTSA tested
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 172filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Trims
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2008 Compass. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 172 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Compass. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 63 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power train | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
10 more parts
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes, air | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Compass year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Compass. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 63 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Compass, the latest on Aug 15, 2025. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (13), power train (12), structure (12), engine and engine cooling (9), electrical system (8).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Compass.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Used ones for sale
See used 2008 Jeep Compasss for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compass Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular Gasoline | 23 / 28 / 25 |
| Compass Front-Wheel Drive | 2.0 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 23 / 27 / 24 |
| Compass 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Manual 5-spd | Regular Gasoline | 22 / 27 / 24 |
| Compass Front-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 21 / 25 / 23 |
| Compass 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 2.4 L, 4 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Regular Gasoline | 21 / 24 / 22 |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data