Jeep Compass MOT pass rate & common failures
The Jeep Compass appears in 44,103 MOT tests spanning model years 2007–2025, and 85.2% of them passed. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 11.6% of the time, so this is 3.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Compass years
Ranked across Compass years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 89.4% of 2021 examples pass against 77.9% of 2013 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and visibility (4.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 1,705 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.5% in the 0-30k band and 29.5% in the 150k+ band, a 20.0-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 13.9% fail against 16.9% for diesel, a 3.1-point gap across 44,102 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.5% 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 | 104 | 78.8% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 172 | 70.3% | 29.6% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 269 | 66.9% | 33.1% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 792 | 74.6% | 25.4% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 1,308 | 78.4% | 21.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 2,507 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 2,556 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 123 | 81.3% | 18.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 13,601 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 14,357 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 5,426 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 2,774 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 2,558 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.7% | 2,071 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.5% | 1,977 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.1% | 1,802 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.3% | 1,018 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 831 |
| 7 | Steering | 0.7% | 294 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 183 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 1,705 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,678 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 886 |
| 4 | Washers | 862 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 715 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 704 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 606 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 576 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 27.7% | 12,210 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.2% | 7,138 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.7% | 5,592 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.2% | 4,497 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,469 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 1,241 |
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 | 16,710 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 18,832 | 15.7% |
| 60-90k | 6,102 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,955 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 407 | 26.5% |
| 150k+ | 78 | 29.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 30,263 | 13.9% |
| Diesel | 13,839 | 16.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,346 | 13.8% |
| 2022 | 7,792 | 13.1% |
| 2023 | 9,655 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 11,029 | 15.4% |
| 2025 | 11,281 | 16.5% |
What to check before buying a Jeep Compass
- Tyres (5.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (4.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (4.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 Jeep Compass?
85.2% of the 44,103 Jeep Compass MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 14.8% fail rate, across model years 2007–2025.
What does the Jeep Compass most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, then visibility (4.7%).
Which Compass years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 89.4% and 2013 the weakest at 77.9%, from 2,774 and 2,507 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Compass MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.5% for 150k+, a 20.0-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Compass more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 13.9% of the time against 16.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 44,103 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.