2018 Jeep Compass: loss of power steering

Filed May 21, 2025 · Electrical · NC

The car's dashboard will periodically show all the lights and indicate that the car will stop. In some cases, the car does stop, and you lose power steering. When we brought it into the dealership in early April 2024, they cleared the codes and indicated that start/stop relay may need to be replaced. A few weeks later, the same thing happened and the dealership repaired the start/stop relay. Since then, the lights will periodically come on and turning it off eventually clears the codes. May 18, 2025, it happened again. On the radio, it showed P2AF5. We brought it to the dealership and while there were 30-40 codes that were showing (some active and some stored), the P2AF5 code didn't display. The dealership cleared all the codes in hopes that it would only turn on the code that caused all the other codes. No new codes displayed. They offered no further diagnostic suggestions and said to bring it back if it occurs again. Because losing power steering while driving is a safety hazard and because a lot of people on various sites indicate they have similar problems due to the start/stop relay, I want to report this issue in hopes that you can find a pattern and determine a fix.

Filed Dec 1, 2024 · Driver assistance, Electrical · MI

Systematic electronic issues culminating in electronic failures while driving on highway including successive “shut-down” of electrical systems, all codes displayed including but not limited to the following: -Forward Collision -Services Transmission -Service Engine -Service Alternator -Service EMS System Disruption to electrical functions including loss of power steering, acceleration, and brake system “locking” up. Tow service and repairs, required.

Filed Jan 10, 2024 · Driver assistance, Electrical · VA

Jeep Compass shut off without warning at highway speeds, in the middle of highway route 1 while I was going 50 miles per hour. State police had to stay while I got car towed out of road hazards way. When this has happened, the vehicle was no longer able to accelerate, and the power steering did not work. Loss of power steering made the vehicle difficult to steer off the roadway to safety.

Filed Mar 26, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · WI

While driving vehicle, warning lights came on stating "Stop Safely Vehicle will shut off soon". There was no other indication of any issue with the vehicle. The engine then shut off in the middle of the road with no power steering or any other features. Safety was put at risk not being able to control vehicle while driving in the middle of the road. Vehicle restarted 10 minutes later with no issue. Warning light issue repeated itself a week later.

Filed Mar 7, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 16,800 miles · RI

At the end of february 2020 my 2018 jeep compass engine would seize, while I was driving. It would shut off, and automatically put on the parking brake. I would no longer be able to accelerate, I'd lose power steering, and then it would struggle to restart. This obviously put me at high risk for causing an accident or being involved in a collision. Before the engine shut down, I would see "cannot shift while vehicle is in drive" on my dashboard screen. I had it towed to dealership, as I was rightly terrified to drive it, and they said it was a loose electrical shifting wire. They stated that they secured it and that it should be fine. It happened again two days later, this time with no dashboard screen indication, only the d on my gear stick flashed, and I brought it back. Upon inspection the dealership said that I was out of oil and this was triggering the engine shut off. I was 800 miles over for an oil change (that I had scheduled but was unable to drive to because of the car malfunctioning) however my car had given me no indication whatsoever that it needed oil. I now must go back to the dealer in 1000 miles for an oil consumption test. Dealership predicts I may possibly need a new engine. My car also jerks when I switch gears and at times it struggles to start. Even if the engine is replaced there is no guarantee that the car engine won't seize again if it is low on oil, or thinks it is, and I shouldn't have to manually check the oil of a 2018 vehicle that I purchased with the expectation that it was safe and reliable. Really disappointed with chrysler. I've owned jeeps in the past that were great and lasted forever. This is really something that chrysler should consider recalling the whole make/model for. I'm afraid to drive anywhere or have other people in my car. My car is a liability not a safe passenger vehicle.

Filed Feb 27, 2020 · Engine · 27,000 miles · NY

A couple of days during a week's time the engine will shut down while taking my daughter to school in the morning as I was turning onto the main road out of my neighborhood. The engine shut off, the steering became difficult, and the parking brake engaged. A couple days after the second time the oil pressure light came on for a second. I check the oil and it was 3 quarts low. No other warning lights came on. After looking for information on the web I learned the engine was low or out of oil and shutting down is a safety feature as is engaging the emergency brake in traffic. I wasn't due for an oil change for quite some time based on jeep's recommended schedule, but I was forced to do one so they could verify the issue. I am concerned for my safety, my family's, as well as other drivers as I do not know when the car will shut if I don't act like I have my first car from the 1960's and had to check the oil weekly.

Filed Jan 26, 2020 · Engine · 27,948 miles · NY

Two days in a row the engine shut down less then one mile into my morning commute as I was turning onto the main road out of my development. The engine shut off, the steering became difficult, and the parking brake engaged. No warning lights came on, and nothing indicated why the car was shutting down. When taken into the dealer after the second incident in as many days, I was told the engine was low or out of oil and shutting down is a safety feature as is engaging the emergency brake in traffic. I wasn't due for an oil change for another month based on jeep's recommended schedule, but I was forced to do one so they could verify the issue. I was also told the compass has a new highly efficient engine and these new engines are so efficient they burn/leak oil, and I am to check my oil every 500-1000 miles and always have a quart in the car to top it off. When I asked why there wasn't a dashboard indicator the oil was low I was told the compass does not have such an indicator. I am concerned for my safety, my family's, as well as other drivers as I do not know when the car will shut down again.

Filed Jan 2, 2020 · Brakes, Engine · 48,500 miles · TX

1) the jeep compass was traveling in motion on a farm to market road and stalled. It completely shut down. No steering, no braking. Complete failure. No way to signal or let others traveling down the same highway that the vehicle was stalled. 2) the hood has popped open while traveling down a major highway. 3) all the alarms in the vehicle have gone off while traveling down the road. 4) the low oil pressure light and alarm has gone off while traveling down the road. 5) settings, such as park brake and radio, have changed indiscriminately. **by far, the most serious and dangerous problem is the vehicle stalling when in motion. Then, it was hard to restart, in the middle of the road!!**

Filed Sep 14, 2019 · Brakes, Steering · 12,200 miles · NJ · crash

The steering wheel in the jeep compass 2018 locks up causing the brakes to not work and as the driver I lost control of the vehicle because the steering didn't have full functionaliy. The vehicle stalls, and brakes don't work properly. There have been time where the car randomly shuts off completely in the middle of a highway after a sharp turn. Loss of power steering compounds the problem by making the vehicle difficult to steer off the roadway or highway and caused a collision. The engine has also randomly shut up, and car has jolted in the past a few times creating a major problem and has happened a few times while driving. There are over 1,000 of complaints on line about this vehicle, make and model. The vehicle keeps moving and loses control leaving the drive unable to have control to stop an accident or drive.*dt consumer stated I don't remember it happened a few times, the earliest I recollect is when I was between 4,000-7,000 miles. Dealership was notifie, dealership told contact it is normal for the car to do that sometimes.

Filed Sep 12, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 3,000 miles · PA

Car has a known mechanical defect in the car causing it to burn oil at an accelerated rate. Causes the car to stall and lose steering brakes, and all computer operated systems. Service bulletin # 09-007-18 rev a. Was failed to be disclosed at time of purchase causing vehicle to be unsafe to be driven. Have happen around feb 2019, july 2019 and again in september of 2019. Car was bought in the end of november of 2018. *dt

Filed Jul 18, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 45,000 miles · CA

I stopped at the stop light and the engine shut off with the normal function of auto start/stop but when I took foot of the brake the car stalled out in the middle of the road. After which there was loss of power steering and the parking brake would stay engaged. The loss of power steering made it really difficult to steer the vehicle off the road to safety.

Filed Jun 18, 2019 · Engine, Steering · 4,000 miles · CA

This happened three times over the past two weeks. I have been driving my car in heavy traffic and car will throw itself in emergency brake mode and engine will turn off. Loss of steering control is gone as well. Have been extremely lucky to not get in an accident. Dropped car off to dealer who blamed it on "low oil." due to "low oil" levels however car is only 7 months old and just 4k miles. He recommended I change the oil every 750 miles! 750! A standard car is every 5,000 miles. The fact that my oil change could be the determining factor between my engine turning off mid drive and getting in an accident is absurd. While researching there are hundreds of similar cases with the same car. People have gotten in accidents due to the car stalling on highways and intersections. Not safe to drive. Do not recommend. Legitimately scared to drive. Should not be allowed on the road!