2011 Jeep Compass

Showing the 2011 Compass Base. 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
21–25 mpgcombined; city 20–23, highway 23–29; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,990–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$13,820 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
3over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
188filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2011 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 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 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.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power train37000
Engine30010
Suspension27100
Unknown or other27100
Structure23110
Electrical system20010
Steering19100
Air bags17302
Vehicle speed control14000
Fuel/propulsion system11000
Engine and engine cooling10010
Electronic stability control (ESC)8000
12 more parts
Seat belts8102
Service brakes6000
Seats4001
Visibility/wiper4000
Exterior lighting3000
Fuel system, gasoline3000
Tires3000
Wheels3000
Visibility2000
Forward collision avoidance1000
Service brakes, air1000
Service brakes, hydraulic1000

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.

  1. 2007435
  2. 2008172
  3. 200964
  4. 201081
  5. 2011188
  6. 2012184
  7. 201380
  8. 2014307
  9. 2015113
  10. 2016293
  11. 2017229
  12. 2018944
  13. 2019330
  14. 2020143
  15. 202181
  16. 2022225
  17. 202346
  18. 202453
  19. 202528
  20. 20265

Every Compass year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Compass over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Air bags; Air bags: frontal; Seat belts: pretensioner

NHTSA campaign 16V668000 · reported Sep 15, 2016 · 1,435,625 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. 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.

Risk: 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.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.

NHTSA's record and documents

Air bags: side/window; Electrical system: software; Seat belts

NHTSA campaign 13V233000 · reported Jun 4, 2013 · 254,396 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. 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.

Risk: 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. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.

NHTSA's record and documents

Steering: column

NHTSA campaign 11V315000 · reported Jun 8, 2011 · 11,096 vehicles potentially affected

CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011DODGE JOURNEY, JEEP WRANGLER, CHRYSLER 200, CHRYSLER 200 CONVERTIBLE, DODGE AVENGER, DODGE NITRO, JEEP LIBERTY, DODGE CALIBER, JEEP COMPASS, JEEP PATRIOT, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN AND CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A MISSING OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED STEERING COLUMN PIVOT RIVET.

Risk: 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. AS A RESULT, THE CONDITION MAY INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR RIVET PRESENCE AND ALIGNMENT AND REPAIR THE STEERING COLUMN PIVOT AS REQUIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 4, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 114 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2011 Compass, the latest on Jun 18, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (37), equipment (29), power train (18), structure (11), suspension (11).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Engineering analysis EA21002
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
Air bagsSep 17, 2021Open
NHTSA's record and documents
Preliminary evaluation PE19014
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment · covers 4 makes
SeatsSep 9, 2019Closed Feb 25, 2026
NHTSA's record and documents

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 2011 Compass.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2011 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:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline23 / 28 / 25
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline23 / 29 / 25
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline23 / 27 / 24
Compass
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline22 / 27 / 24
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline21 / 27 / 23
Compass
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline21 / 26 / 23
Compass
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline20 / 23 / 21

Sources and dates

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