YearToAvoid

2010 Jeep Compass Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#16 most-complained of 16 Compass years

The 2010 Jeep Compass ranks as the best year among 16 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 0 and 71 complaints. It carries 2 recalls, both tied to airbags and electrical software, but crash and fire counts are low relative to other years.

Complaints
71
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
5 / 3
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25
23 city / 27.5 hwy

Top 2010 Jeep Compass problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags18 (25%)
  2. Structure & Body15 (21%)
  3. Engine11 (15%)
  4. Seat Belts11 (15%)
  5. Fuel System10 (14%)
  6. Other9 (13%)
  7. Electrical System8 (11%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (11%)
  9. Steering6 (8%)
  10. Brakes5 (7%)

What owners report

  • Airbags failed to deploy during frontal crashes at speeds around 40 mph and 2 mph, leaving drivers with back, neck, and chest injuries.
  • A manual transmission lost power on the highway, with RPMs spiking to about 4000 after shifting and the car unable to exceed 40 mph in fifth gear.
  • Rear seatbelts on the back seat were reported as loose and unable to lock, making child car seat installation unstable.
  • A parked vehicle caught fire near the rear gas tank area with no key in the ignition, and interior lights flickered intermittently afterward.
  • The ABS warning light turned on within the first 28,000 miles and stayed on for several thousand miles afterward.
  • A front passenger shoulder belt webbing intermittently failed to retract, and the owner was told the vehicle no longer qualified for the related recall remedy.
2010 Jeep Compass complaints: complaints filed per quarter112012 Q22013 Q42015 Q12016 Q42017 Q42019 Q12020 Q22021 Q4
106 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q2 to 2024 Q1; peak 2015 Q3 (11).

2010 Jeep Compass recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V668000Sep 15, 2016Airbags1,435,625 vehicles

    Air bags

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 200, 2010 Chrysler Sebring, 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber and 2010-2014 Jeep Patriot, Compass and Dodge Avenger vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Control (OCR) module may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.

    Risk: If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCR, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not available yet were mailed on October 26, 2016. The recall began on August 15, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S61.

  2. NHTSA 13V233000Jun 4, 2013Electrical System254,396 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Jeep Compass and Patriot vehicles manufactured May 6, 2008, through July 20, 2012. The affected vehicles have a software error which may result in a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the seatbelt pre-tensioners and/or side airbags.

    Risk: In the event of a rollover necessitating airbag deployment, the software error can lead to a delayed deployment or non-deployment of the side curtain airbag and/or seatbelt pre-tensioners. As a result, vehicle occupants have an increased risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will correct the software free of charge. The recall began June 21, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall number is N01.

2010 Jeep Compass fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
27.5 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
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.

2010 compared with other Compass years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best071225
2011Good40187324
2012Good33184424

All Jeep Compass years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Jeep Compass reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Jeep Compass has a complaint index of 0 and is ranked the best year out of 16 model years for this model, with 71 total complaints logged.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Jeep Compass?
NHTSA complaint data shows Airbags as the top problem area at 25% of complaints, followed by Structure & Body at 21%, Engine at 15%, and Seat Belts at 15%.
Does the 2010 Jeep Compass have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2010 Jeep Compass: one for an Occupant Restraint Control airbag issue (campaign 16V668000) and one for a software error affecting the electrical system (campaign 13V233000). Neither is marked do-not-drive.
At what mileage do 2010 Jeep Compass problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 78,000 miles, though airbag issues showed a median of 74,000 miles and electrical issues showed a median of 50,000 miles.
How does the 2010 Compass compare to other years like 2018?
The 2010 Compass has a complaint index of 0 versus the 2018 model's index of 100, making 2018 the worst year in the lineup while 2010 ranks as the best.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.