Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Jeep Compass owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was recently driving my vehicle at a speed of 50mph when all of a sudden the engine light and the electrical light came on and I was unable to accelerate. I was able to pull over. Restart the car and get to my mechanic. A diagnostic was run and it was determined it was the throttle body actuator. I said fix the part. Apparently it is on backorder and there is nothing Jeep can to and the only way you can get one emergently, is to have your car break down The following day I was driving and my vehicle completely stopped without warning. I was able to pull over. My car was not drivable and had to be towed. I called Jeep and the service manager laughed and said the part was on backorder. My brother was able to find an aftermarket part to replace it. I filed a claim with Jeep to cover it and replace the part and they told me there is no recall and they will not do it. …
While driving the vehicle shut down, I lost all steering. It has a history of stalling while driving, stalling while idle, and not restarting for random periods of time. After getting the vehicle restarted it stalled again two more times while driving. I parked in a parking lot for a shopping center. When I cam out after a period of 30-45 minutes - the vehicle will not start and just turns over and over. I used FIXD to determine the camshaft position sensor was listed as a "major" issue - error P0335. I believe this vehicle is unsafe and it is only a matter of time when I will be injured due to the stalling and non-restarting issues. I also believe Chrysler is responsible for this problem. Considering the vast amounts of user evidence online of other owners having the same issues - Chrysler is just waiting for them to age off the road. …
In May 2020 as I was driving down the road at approximately 50 mph I suddenly lost the ability to accelerate and dropped down to 25 mph immediately. I tried to accelerate, but the vehicle would not go over 25 mph. The check engine, traction control and another light illuminated on the dash. I pulled the vehicle over and shut it off. I waited approximately 5 minutes and restarted the vehicle. All of the lights went off except the check engine light. I started to drive again and it appeared that I had function back with the accelerator. This happened again several days earlier. It seemed to happen most when I needed to accelerate to climb a hill or slight incline. This is not safe, especially when in traffic or with traffic behind you. I brought it to my local garage and it was diagnosed with a bad throttle body sensor. The sensor was replaced in May 2020. …
I drive a 2016 jeep compass and I was heading into work at 5AM when my electronic throttle control light, check engine light and traction control light all came on. I lost the ability to accelerate so I pulled off on the side of the road and turned off my car. When I turned it back on only the check engine light came on so I started driving once again but my throttle control light blinked on a couple of times causing my vehicle to automatically slow down. I limped my car to work then home again with the same problem(same lights on). I have looked up to see what other jeep owners have said about this and they're several complaints of the throttle body failing but jeep not doing anything about it. This is a big problem that needs to be taken care of before someone seriously gets hurt when it goes out.
This morning (08.20.21) I was driving to work when about 1 mile in I was going 45mph and my car started stalling, causing it to drop to 10mph. The engine light and traction control light are consistently on. The electronic throttle control light is constantly blinking when I have the ignition on. My car has been in limp mode all day and will not go over 10mph. I almost got hit by the car behind me when it happened and almost hit someone else trying to get out of their way. I've been looking into it all day and I found that there was a recall "S89" on Jeep Compass 2016 made anytime between May 9, 2016 and July 15, 2016 and which came equipped with 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engines. Mine was manufactured July 15, 2016 and is a 2.0-liter.
While driving on the highway, the electronic throttle control light suddenly flashed and the car refused to accelerate. This happened multiple times while driving so I took it to the dealership and they say the throttle body needs to be replaced for $993. Many reviews online report the same exact problem and the dealership just laughs at them and says there isn't a recall on the part. The speed limit on the road I was on was 55 mph so being shot down to 20 mph while my car jerked unexpectedly was very dangerous for me and my son in our vehicle and the cars around us. There was no warning and the car hasn't had any problems before besides a slow start about once every other month. This needs to be fixed and recalled before people end up dead.
Occasionally, while driving, the vehicle will exhibit catastrophic electrical system failures. I was driving home just last night, and my headlights, turn signals, horn, windshield wipers, dash lights, hazard lights, and cruise control all turned off. I was able to limp it home with the help of someone driving in front of me, because I could not see. Imagine doing 45 mph on a turn at night, in an area with no streetlights, and all of a sudden your headlights and running lights turn off. I'm lucky I didn't hit a tree. No hazards means no one would have seen me on the road waiting for help until it was too late.
The reason for the recall on this make and model is what I'm experiencing now. The whole car will shutdown power while driving with no warnings. In traffic the car will just roll to a stop with cars closely behind me. I bought the call September 2016 yet I just saw a recall when I signed up for triple a. The last 12 months I have been on n and out of shops trying to find the reason. Starter was fixed. Battery replaced. Cables replaced. Throttle body replaced yet the car still shutdown in traffic. I don't want to cause an accident.
Have replaced Cam Shaft AND Crankshaft Positioning sensors to no avail. Check engine light will come and go, sometimes with the traction control lights as well if the brake is engaged for any length of time. After these lights come on, the jeep loses the ability to accelerate, leaving the car in limp mode. Light goes off after each sensor is replaced, will drive fine for a day or so, and then will leave you stuck. All attempts to diagnose, end in codes that have already been fixed
Electrical components failed car shut down while driving and put me and my daughters at risk I had to have a part with the lightning bolt that come on the dash replaced but that's all the inspection there was no warning only flashing engine light and it shut down it first happened June 2025 and has happened 3 times since. Also the cruise control when set will accelerate on its own and I have to hit the button multiple times and the brake to get it to stop and shut off.
Acceleration complaints in other Compass years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2016 Jeep Compass?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2016 Jeep Compass, 10% of the model year's 293 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Jeep Compass acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2016 Jeep Compass, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Jeep Compass acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 54,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.