Chrysler-Jeep Compass MOT pass rate & common failures
The Chrysler-Jeep Compass appears in 1,779 MOT tests spanning model years 2007–2016, and 70.5% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 23.5% of the time, so this is 6.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 19.7% of all tests — 5.1 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, ball joint and headlamp — pins and bushes alone was recorded 190 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 36.7% once past 150k — 3.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.4pp more often than petrol ones (32.0% vs 26.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 39.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Compass model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 125 | 66.4% | 33.6% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 197 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 233 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 799 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 417 | 75.8% | 24.2% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 19.7% | 350 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 260 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.0% | 124 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.1% | 109 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.6% | 100 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.3% | 77 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 63 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 190 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 181 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 118 |
| 4 | Wipers | 84 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 80 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 79 |
| 7 | Track rod end | 78 |
| 8 | Sub-frame | 77 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 39.9% | 710 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.9% | 478 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.4% | 452 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.7% | 226 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.9% | 159 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.6% | 117 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 30 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 275 | 24.7% |
| 60-90k | 707 | 26.5% |
| 90-120k | 531 | 34.1% |
| 120-150k | 205 | 35.6% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 36.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 927 | 32.0% |
| Petrol | 852 | 26.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 436 | 28.2% |
| 2022 | 412 | 29.6% |
| 2023 | 364 | 29.9% |
| 2024 | 308 | 29.9% |
| 2025 | 259 | 30.1% |
What to check before buying a Chrysler-Jeep Compass
- Suspension (19.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (14.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Chrysler-Jeep Compass?
70.5% of the 1,779 Chrysler-Jeep Compass MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.4% fail rate, across model years 2007–2016.
What does the Chrysler-Jeep Compass most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 19.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.6%).
How much does mileage affect Compass MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 36.7% for 150k+, a 26.7-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Compass more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 26.6% of the time against 32.0% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,779 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.