2008 Jeep Compass Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2008 Jeep Compass has a complaint index of 6, the second-lowest of any Compass year, with 93 complaints and no recalls. NHTSA still caps it at Good rather than Best because pre-2010 complaint records for this model are less complete.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 6/100
- #18 of 19 Compass years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 93
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 24
- 22 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
Top 2008 Jeep Compass problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body30 (32%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires27 (29%)
- Engine15 (16%)
- Fuel System13 (14%)
- Other13 (14%)
- Transmission & Powertrain12 (13%)
- Steering9 (10%)
- Brakes5 (5%)
- Airbags4 (4%)
- Electrical System4 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report subframe and body structure damage discovered after low-speed collisions.
- Some describe brakes cycling on and off unpredictably along with steering becoming hard to control while driving.
- Airbags failed to deploy in a reported side-impact crash, contributing to injuries.
- Suspension complaints describe ball joints, tie rods, and wheel bearings wearing out and needing replacement well under 70,000 miles.
- Fuel system complaints mention the electronic throttle control light triggering limp mode, dropping speed suddenly on the highway.
- Transmission complaints include a whining noise during acceleration linked to CVT problems.
2008 Jeep Compass recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2008 Jeep Compass fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 24 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,700
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2008 compared with other Compass years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 Jeep Compass reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Compass has a complaint index of 6, ranking 18th out of 19 model years for reported problems. It carries a Good verdict, though capped from a higher rating because pre-2010 complaint data for this model is less complete.
- Does the 2008 Jeep Compass have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Jeep Compass.
- What is the top problem area for the 2008 Jeep Compass?
- Structure & Body complaints make up 32% of reports (30 of 93), followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 29%.
- How does the 2008 Compass compare to other Compass years?
- The 2008 model's complaint index of 6 is far lower than years like 2018 (100) or 2014 (83), which carry Avoid verdicts. Only 2009, with an index of 0, ranks lower in complaints among Compass years.
- What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2008 Compass?
- Median mileage at failure across complaints is 95,500 miles, with structure and body issues appearing around 89,500 miles and engine issues around 123,000 miles.