2018 Jeep Compass · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 39owner reports
- 32,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report May 16, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026
64 of the 937 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 39 of those describe headlights.
Tick what matches of 39 reports
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (35 reports), the bulb (8 reports) and the ballast or module (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2018 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 15,000 and 60,000 miles, from the 8 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Low and high beams. Come on at intermediate times sometimes the passenger side will be on and there will be no driver side. Sometimes they will not come on at all. No matter how many turns you turn the light or flick. The switch I've replaced both headlights and the ballasters. Still to no Avail. They do not work all the time.”
Filed Oct 18, 2024
“Head light problem lights not working took to dealership brought a new headlight assembly that didnât fix the problem waited 7 hours they still couldnât fix the problem took vehicle home I replaced a fuse,relay, and bulb that fix the problem . Six months later the same problem headlight please look in to this , need to be recalled.”
Filed Mar 12, 2024
“HID headlights only work intermittently. no headlights randomly while driving is extremely dangerous. two dealers have reviewed vehicle and have no fix. issue is constant and one light is off 95% of the time, sometimes driver side, sometimes passenger side, sometimes no lights at all. no warning lamps in the dash, vehicle thinks its working fine. this has been ongoing for over a year.”
Filed Oct 30, 2023
“2018 Jeep Compass with OEM Bi-Xenon Headlights w/DRL. The right headlamp assembly bulb will frequently not turn on no matter what position you turn the headlights on to. Some days I am left with only driving with one operating headlight since the other wonât flicker on. This has been brought to my local dealership who found no source to problem.”
Filed Sep 4, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 39 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 372 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 158 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 144 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 102 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 74 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 67 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 62 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 42 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 29 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 26 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 26 reports