2016 Jeep Compass

Showing the 2016 Compass Latitude. 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.

About every 2016 Compass

The 2016 Jeep Compass has 293 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most for the engine at 135. Its combined fuel economy is 21 to 25 mpg, with a 5-year fuel cost of $12,990 to $15,470 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign that may apply, covering engine cooling.

Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.

Fuel economy
21–25 mpgcombined; city 20–23, highway 23–30; 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
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
293filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 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 293 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 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
Engine135121
Electrical system62000
Unknown or other47103
Power train44000
Vehicle speed control30101
Engine and engine cooling26000
Fuel/propulsion system16000
Steering16000
Electronic stability control (ESC)15000
Air bags13408
Seat belts12101
Seats10002
9 more parts
Service brakes9201
Structure8304
Suspension6100
Visibility/wiper5101
Fuel system, gasoline2000
Traction control system2000
Wheels2103
Exterior lighting1000
Forward collision avoidance1000

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 1 recall campaign for the 2016 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.

Engine and engine cooling: engine

NHTSA campaign 16V907000 · reported Dec 16, 2016 · 42,231 vehicles potentially affected

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass, and Jeep Patriot vehicles manufactured May 9, 2016, to July 15, 2016. The crankshaft or camshaft sensor may only work intermittently, causing the engine to stall.

Risk: If the engine stalls, there is an increased the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft or camshaft sensor connector, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S89.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 145 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Compass, the latest on Jun 18, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (38), equipment (37), power train (21), engine and engine cooling (18), structure (15).

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
Recall query RQ22002
Stall from Crankshaft\Camshaft Failure · covers 2 makes
Engine and engine coolingJul 22, 2022Closed Jun 16, 2025
NHTSA's summary names recall 16V907000
NHTSA's record and documents
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
Engineering analysis EA19001
Electrical overstress · covers 11 makes
Air bagsApr 19, 2019Closed Sep 19, 2024
NHTSA's summary names recall 16V668000, 18E043000, 18V137000, 18V363000, 20V024000
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 2016 Compass.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2016 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: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. 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 / 30 / 25
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cylAutomatic (variable gear ratios)Regular Gasoline22 / 26 / 24
Compass
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline22 / 27 / 24
Compass
Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline21 / 27 / 23
Compass
4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline20 / 25 / 22
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