Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Jeep Compass owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while at the traffic light, the auto Stop-Start feature turned off the engine; however, the engine failed to restart. The message "Stop-Start Unavailable" was displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle and manually disengaged the auto Stop-Start feature. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The message "Coolant Overheating" was displayed. The contact veered to the side of the road, turned off, and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start the following day. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the infotainment screen began to display a pixilated and distorted image. Due to the failure, the rear-view camera failed to operate while in reverse(R). The failure persisted, and several lines appeared on the infotainment screen before the screen went blank. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was informed that the radio was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure on several occasions, and the contact was provided with a case number. The dealer offered to cover half the cost of the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the 4WD engaged and disengaged while driving down the road. The contact stated that the brakes locked up while 35 MPH. Additionally, the computer became inoperable. The contact stated that the battery was replaced, but the vehicle failed to charge. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The Service 4WD message was displayed and the Auto START/STOP feature was inoperable. During inclement weather of snow or rain, the 4WD failure was more prevalent. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and both batteries in vehicle were replaced. On another occasion, the contact turned on the heater in the vehicle; however, there was no heat coming out of the vents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, no failure was found. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 32,000.
The contact owned a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that the navigational screen was black. The contact stated the navigational screen failed to turn on as needed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
On 4 occasions, months apart, my 2020 Jeep Compass has given me a dashboard alert stating "coolant temperature too high" and the engine immediately stalls and shuts down. The first 3 times this occurred, the check engine light would come on and the vehicle would not restart and other alerts such as "service 4WD system" and "EBS not available" would display. At no time was the vehicle overheating or the actual coolant temperature above normal operating temperature. After sitting in the middle of an intersection for 5-10 minutes, the vehicle would finally turn on with the check engine light being off and no alerts displayed. The vehicle would then drive like nothing ever happened for a few months. …
On several occasions, when idling in traffic, the engine stalls and the parking brake engages. On another occasion when stopping at a stop sign, the parking brake engaged while vehicle engine still on and the steering wheel would not turn, nor would the gas pedal move the car in any direction. On 1/3/24, the vehicle stalled, was cranked up, and would not go faster than 5 mph. The vehicle was turned off, the engine rested for approximately 5 minutes, it cranked and was driven to a Jeep dealership that date. The safety of myself and others was put at risk when sitting in traffic and the engine stalled and parking brake engaged. There have been no warning lamps or messages to indicate any problem with the vehicle. This could have led to serious accidents. The vehicle was dropped at a Jeep dealership two weeks ago (01/03/2024) but it has not been inspected as of yet. …
Two recurring issues that happen at the same time. The auto stop/start feature stops working. Error message "Stop/Start Unavailable Service Stop/Start System" is displayed. If this were to happen at a traffic light, the failure to restart the vehicle could cause accidents. At the same time, the door locks become inoperative in one of several ways. They may not unlock by using the in-car button on the door. At the same time, using the key fob may or may not unlock the door. If you are outside of the vehicle, the key fob may not unlock the doors. If you are in the car when it happens, you may be trapped. That is an obvious safety issue. If you are trying to lock or unlock, using the key fob, from outside the car and the door locks are not responding, your safety can be compromised by not being able to enter the car in a dangerous situation. …
At first my car would only display the "Coolant Temp Too High" message if I came to a complete stop, and went again.. or if i would go over a certain speed. At that time, i could pull over, turn it off, wait a few minutes, and turn it back on and i could watch my coolant temp drop drastically.It has progressively gotten worse to the point that i cannot drive the vehicle longer than five minutes without it overheating. I do the same thing, pull off and wait and turn it back on. It starts to go down a bit, however, as soon as i pull out and begin to drive it, it starts to raise back up immediately. There have been times where the message will display as soon as i turn the car on in the morning.. Please help me. I am a young college student and I have not been able to drive my car for over 6 months. …
The first incident happened with my 2020 jeep Compass on 12/27/23 while on the freeway the temp light flashed the gage didn't indicate overheating I got off the freeway check the engine no sign of overheating waited for awhile then started the car again within five minutes car gage went to overheating had it towed the oil cooler went out out mixed with the coolant paid big bucks for the repairs. I got my jeep back on 1/10/2024 drove it for one week then on 1/16/2024 while driving the dash panel flashed car lost speed even pressing the gas peddle to the floor no acceleration while pulling over the emergency break engaged stoping the car in the road. restarted still no acceleration and car won't move in natural or reveres wheels lock can only move forward at low speed, 01/25/2024 car towed from my mechanic to dealership. …
Electrical complaints in other Compass years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2020 Jeep Compass?
NHTSA has 66 complaints about the electrical system of the 2020 Jeep Compass, 46% of the model year's 143 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Jeep Compass electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2020 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 2020 Jeep Compass electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 34,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
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.