YearToAvoid

2012 Jeep Compass Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 26 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Jeep Compass, 14% of that year's 184 total complaints. There are no related recalls, and the median mileage at failure is 79,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
26
14% of 184
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
79,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle fails to shift into drive or reverse at startup while the engine idles high, sometimes revving to 5000 RPM.
  • Sudden hesitation or loss of acceleration when merging or maintaining highway speed, in some cases followed by a complete stop without warning.
  • Transmission dipstick tube cracks or breaks loose and drags under the vehicle, sometimes noticed as a dangling metal or black tube.
  • Transmission overheats and triggers a warning light, causing loss of acceleration until the unit cools down, reported near 92,000 miles.
  • Vehicle rolls away unexpectedly after being parked, with dealers unable to diagnose the cause.
  • Sputtering, shaking, or near-stalling with no forward power response when the accelerator is pressed.

When 2012 Jeep Compass transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 27, 2012, latest Apr 23, 2021.

2012 Jeep Compass transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month2Mar 2012Jan 2013Mar 2016Jun 2017Jan 2018Jul 2019Mar 2020Sep 2020
26 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2012 to Apr 2021; peak Jan 2013 (2).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2012 Jeep Compass

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Compass model year

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

  1. 20104 (6%)
  2. 201137 (20%)
  3. 201226 (14%)
  4. 201327 (34%)
  5. 201435 (11%)
  6. 201510 (9%)
  7. 201644 (15%)
  8. 201742 (18%)
  9. 2018151 (16%)
  10. 201937 (11%)
  11. 202028 (20%)
  12. 20219 (11%)
  13. 202219 (9%)
  14. 20236 (13%)
  15. 20246 (12%)
  16. 20251 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2012 Jeep Compass have?
NHTSA lists 26 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Compass, which is 14% of the 184 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for 2012 Jeep Compass transmission problems?
No. NHTSA shows no related recalls tied to this Transmission & Powertrain complaint category for the 2012 Compass.
At what mileage do 2012 Compass transmission problems usually appear?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 79,000 miles, though individual complaints range from very low mileage to well over that figure.
Are 2012 Jeep Compass transmission issues linked to crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows zero crashes, zero fires, and zero injuries reported among the transmission-related complaints for this year.
How does 2012 compare to other Compass years for transmission complaints?
The 2012 Compass's 14% share is lower than 2013 (34%) and 2020 (20%) but higher than 2015 (9%) and 2019 (11%), based on NHTSA complaint data by model year.

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.