YearToAvoid

2011 Jeep Compass Airbags Problems

NHTSA logged 17 airbag complaints for the 2011 Jeep Compass, 9% of that year's 187 total complaints, tied to 3 crashes and 2 injuries. Recall 16V668000 covers the Occupant Restraint Controller, with many owners reporting long delays getting replacement parts.

Airbags complaints
17
9% of 187
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
48,608 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Side air curtain failed to deploy during a side-impact collision, resulting in injury.
  • Airbags did not deploy in a frontal collision at low speed on a slippery road.
  • Owners under recall 16V668000 report the Occupant Restraint Control module needing replacement, but dealers had no parts available for extended periods.
  • A dealer attempted to install recall software but could not complete the fix, then asked the owner to pay for a new OCR module.
  • One owner reported the horn, located in the same module area as the airbag, failed.

When 2011 Jeep Compass airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 9, 2011, latest Sep 13, 2020.

2011 Jeep Compass airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Dec 2011Nov 2014Nov 2016Jan 2017Mar 2017Jul 2017Sep 2017
17 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2011 to Sep 2020; peak Dec 2016 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 Jeep Compass

  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.

Airbags complaints by Compass model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20076 (2%)
  2. 20084 (4%)
  3. 20094 (9%)
  4. 201018 (25%)
  5. 201117 (9%)
  6. 201228 (15%)
  7. 201316 (20%)
  8. 201491 (30%)
  9. 201516 (14%)
  10. 201613 (4%)
  11. 201710 (4%)
  12. 201822 (2%)
  13. 201910 (3%)
  14. 20202 (1%)
  15. 20212 (3%)
  16. 20224 (2%)
  17. 20232 (4%)
  18. 20244 (8%)
  19. 20253 (12%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2011 Jeep Compass?
NHTSA lists 17 airbag complaints for the 2011 Jeep Compass, which is 9% of the 187 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there an airbag recall for the 2011 Jeep Compass?
Yes. Recall 16V668000, reported September 15, 2016, covers the Occupant Restraint Controller in the airbag system; the remedy is a free OCR replacement, though many owners reported long parts delays.
Did the 2011 Jeep Compass airbag problems cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data tied 3 crashes and 2 injuries to airbag complaints for the 2011 Jeep Compass, including a case where a side air curtain reportedly did not deploy.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically show up on the 2011 Compass?
The median mileage at failure among reported airbag complaints for the 2011 Jeep Compass is 48,607.5 miles.
How does the 2011 Compass compare to other years for airbag complaints?
The 2011 model's 17 airbag complaints and 9% share are lower than 2012 (28 complaints, 15%) and much lower than 2014 (91 complaints, 30%), based on NHTSA's year-by-year data.

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.