Selling a broken or junk Jeep Compass

If your Compass won't start, won't move, or needs more than it's worth, sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

By generation: what owners filed

First generation, 2007-2016

Built in Belvidere, Illinois, on the same platform as the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Patriot. Wikipedia lists 2.0- and 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines, with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual, a 6-speed automatic or a Jatco CVT. These ten years hold 1,917 complaints.

The 2007, the launch year, has 435, and the suspension leads with 119. Suspension also tops the 2008 and 2009. Later on, the air bags lead the 2014 with 89 of 307 complaints, and the engine leads the 2016 with 100 of 293.

Recalls on this generation are mostly small campaigns that also cover the Patriot:

• 10V234: accelerator pedal pivot bushings on 2007 Compasses and Calibers built March 7 to May 19, 2006.
• 13V120: a badly made fuel transfer tube on 2012 Patriots and Compasses.
• 16V668: the occupant restraint controller tied to the seat belt pretensioners on 2010-2014 models. Its 1,435,625 vehicles include Chrysler and Dodge cars too.
• 16V907: a crankshaft or camshaft sensor connector on 2016 Compasses, Patriots and Dodge Journeys that could work only some of the time.

Second generation, 2017 on

Wikipedia says this Compass replaced both the Patriot and the first Compass. North American models come from Toluca, Mexico, and Melfi, Italy. For 2023, a retuned 2.0-liter four replaced the 2.4. The 2017-2026 years hold 2,075 complaints, and the 2018 makes up 943 of them.

Recalls for 2018 include 17V732, for passenger air bag inflator nuts that may be loose inside the module (27,210 Compasses), and 18V523, for rear brake caliper pistons that may lack enough coating. That one covers 154,335 vehicles, including the Dodge Grand Caravan and Journey and the 2019 Cherokee. Recall 20V208 tightens wiper arms that may loosen on 2019-2020 models, in a campaign shared with Ram pickups. Recall 23V576 updates software on 2022-2023 Compasses whose instrument lights can't be dimmed.

Post-2022 Compasses are still young, and their small totals will grow. A third generation began production in 2025.

How many complaints, which year

Owner complaint counts pulled October 10, 2026. Some recalls reach more than one model year.

Is it worth fixing?

Big engine or transmission work can cost more than a Compass is worth. Get an estimate on paper and compare it with asking prices for running ones like yours.

1. Check recalls first at NHTSA. Several Compass campaigns are software updates a dealer does at no charge.
2. Shudder or whine from a first-generation CVT? Read failing CVT.
3. Engine light on a 2018 or 2019? The engine is a top complaint on both. Our check engine light guide helps you sort out what the code may mean.
4. Engine already gone? See blown engine.

Selling a Compass whole

1. Collect the VIN, mileage and a short note on what's wrong.
2. Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Say where it's parked: home, street, lot or a shop, and whether it rolls.
4. Leave it intact, and flag any part that's already been removed, since that affects the offer.
5. Have the title and ID ready at pickup. After you sell covers plates and insurance by state.

Related Jeeps: the Patriot, Renegade and Cherokee, or every Jeep model.