2018 Jeep Compass · symptom sheet
Engine overheats or leaks coolant
- 44owner reports
- 46,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Sep 6, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
480 of the 943 complaints on this car are about the engine. 44 of those describe overheating.
Tick what matches of 44 reports
Overheating on other Compass years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022.
What this problem usually is
Most owners in this group notice the coolant before they notice the heat: a reservoir that keeps dropping, a sweet smell, or a bright puddle under the front of the car. Across the vehicles on this site, about four in five of these complaints mention coolant, a leak or a puddle, and roughly two in five mention the temperature gauge or overheating.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the coolant hose or reservoir (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the engine covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
All 6 recalls on the 2018 Jeep Compass, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Compass
False overheat leading to loss of motive power. Closed dec 10, 2023.
Stall from crankshaft\camshaft failure. Closed jun 16, 2025.
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 20,000 and 61,000 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2018 Jeep Compass that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Water Quality When Mixed With Engine Coolant
Issue involves overheating, running hot, coolant leaks and related symptoms after a Mopar replacement engine has been installed in the vehicle.
What owners wrote
“The Jeep says High Coolant Temperature even after adding much coolant. Car shuts off while driving on the streets and highways.”
Filed Jun 24, 2023
“Driving to work and felt like engine locked up. Looked at dashboard and the coolant gauge on left side suddenly spiked and said "Coolant Temperature High." Then 2-3 seconds later the coolant temp gauge went straight back to normal and engine came back on.”
Filed Jun 12, 2023
“The auto start stop stopped working. My car overheated in May 2022 which I paid 900 dollars for repair. Also screen went out on Dec 2021. My car is in the shop now because it stopped on the freeway and the hot start/stop stops the car from moving.”
Filed Feb 18, 2023
“2018 Jeep Compass is doing the same as the 2019&2020 models, flashing a coolant temp high notice on the dash then vehicle is shutting off while driving Incident occurred once at 70mph and again at 35mph”
Filed Jan 11, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 44 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Which lights mean pull over now? Warning lights by color and urgency
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 376 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 160 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 144 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 103 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 74 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 68 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 62 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 42 reports
- Headlights too dim or fail 39 reports
- Auto start-stop will not restart the engine 34 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 30 reports
- "Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on 30 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
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 25 reports