2018 Jeep Compass · symptom sheet

Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard

26owner reports
14,000median miles
0involved a crash

Newest report Mar 23, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

151 of the 937 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 26 of those describe transmission shudder.

Tick what matches of 26 reports

shudders or vibrates at low speed

slips or revs without pulling

bangs or clunks into gear

hesitates when I accelerate

a dealer did a software update

fluid was changed or flushed

What got replaced

Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2018 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Compass

AQ17-004opened Aug 18, 2017

Transmission and drivetrain · model years 2017

Northwest chrysler jeep dodge sale issue. Closed nov 23, 2020.

NHTSA summary

NHTSA opened AQ17-004 to determine whether Northwest Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Houston, Texas (Northwest) has complied with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 (Safety Act) and its implementing regulations. The Safety Act requires, among other things, that a manufacturer notify its dealers of defects related to motor vehicle safety and non-compliances with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and, in turn, that a dealer not sell a new vehicle subject to a recall unless the recall remedy has been performed (49 U.S.C. 30120(i)). NHTSA issued information request letters (IRs) to Northwest and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC (FCA) in August 2017, and again in October 2017 and December 2017. NHTSA's investigation indicated that Northwest sold and delivered at least 310 recalled vehicles that did not have the recall remedy completed at the time the vehicles were delivered to the customers. On August 19, 2020, NHTSA entered into a Settlement Agreement with Northwest and its parent company, Ken Garff Automotive LLC, to resolve the Audit Query. In the agreement, Northwest agreed to pay a $100,000 civil penalty and Ken Garff agreed to certain training and auditing requirements. The training relates to company policy, procedures, and compliance to prohibit sales of motor vehicles with open recalls and the integration of FCA's recall notifications into the dealership's inventory system.This Audit Query is closed.

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 3,000 and 27,000 miles, from the 20 reports that gave a mileage.

518

619

420

321

422

224

125

126

What owners wrote

“When I drive the car jerks and often speeds up or slows down on its own, it hesitates and sometimes I am afraid some one will hit me from behind”
Filed Mar 26, 2024

“Stalled in the middle of traffic and would not switch out of gears almost was rear ended. Acceleration delayed and jerks when accelerating going up hill. Check engine light comes on if idling too long. Constant need for oil changes and burning smell of oil leak. Smoke coming from hood due to oil leak. Misfires and if idle temperature of coolant and transmission increases.”
Filed Oct 25, 2022

“The automatic start stop function constantly goes out, TCM unable to send signal to transmission to shift. Caused the car to stall in an intersection and self applied the emergency brake at around 5mph causing the vehicle to jerk to a halt. Car inexplicably throws service engine code and then transmission downshifts to 30mph from higher speeds nearly causing wreck.”
Filed Feb 26, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 26 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.