2018 Jeep Compass Exterior Lighting
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
THE INTERIOR INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONSOLE LIGHTING WILL NOT DIM AT NIGHT. THIS LEADS TO A BLINDING SITUATION. THE DIMMER SWITCH FUNCTIONS ONLY INTERMITTENTLY BUT THE IP LIGHTS WILL GO FULL BRIGHT AFTER A SHORT WHILE AFTER A VEHICLE RESTART. THIS OCCURS WHETHER OR NOT THE CAR IS MOVING OR PARKED. HEADLIGHTS ARE SWITCHED ON. THE LIGHTS BEHAVE THIS WAY DAY OR NIGHT. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AFTER TAKING DELIVERY ON 9-27-2017
IN VIOLATION OF FMVSS SECTION S 5.3.2.2 (B) THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE NOT CAPABLE OF BEING DIMMED. THEY REMAIN AT BRIGHTEST LEVEL REGARDLESS OF ANY PARKING OR HEADLIGHT SETTINGS, AND CANNOT BE DIMMED OR TURNED OFF. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS CONDITION DURING NIGHT TIME VEHICLE OPERATION. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THIS EVEN AFTER TWO VISITS, AND HAS MADE NO PROGRESS IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED ONE MONTH AGO.
THE VEHICLE'S DASH BOARD LIGHTING DIMMING FUNCTION IS NOT WORKING AND IMPAIRING THE DRIVERS NIGHT VISION ALWAYS BEING AT THE HIGHEST SETTING. REPORTING THIS ISSUE AS THIS IS NOT ONLY AFFECTING A SINGLE VEHICLE, BUT MULTIPLES. THE JEEP HEADQUARTERS WERE CONTACTED BY MULTIPLE EFFECTED OWNER AS EVIDENT IN THE REFERENCE FORUM POST, BUT JEEP DOES CURRENTLY NOT TAKE ACTION. REFERENCE POSTS: HTTP://WWW.MYJEEPCOMPASS.COM/FORUMS/2ND-GEN-JEEP-COMPASS-FORUM-GENERAL-DISCUSSION/35673-DASH-LIGHTS-DO-NOT-DIM.HTML HTTP://WWW.MYJEEPCOMPASS.COM/FORUMS/2ND-GEN-JEEP-COMPASS-FORUM-GENERAL-DISCUSSION/34985-DASH-SCREEN-NOT-DIMMING.HTML
DIMMER FOR DASH LIGHTS / GAUGES DOES NOTHING. ALL INTERIOR GAUGES, CONTROLS, DIALS, ETC. STUCK ON FULL BRIGHTNESS. VERY DANGEROUS - MAKES IT HARD TO OPERATE VEHICLE AT NIGHT WITH GLARING GAUGES.
INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WILL NOT DIM ON AUTOMATIC LIGHTS SETTING OR WHEN DISPLAY LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON FOR LONGER THEN 8 SECONDS. THE DASH LIGHTS AND STEREO LIGHTS ARE TOO BRIGHT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. HAVE TO STOP CAR, TURN OFF CAR ALONG WITH TURNING OFF ALL LIGHT SWITCHES. HAVE TO WAIT FOR AT LEAST A MINUTE THEN CAN START THE CAR AND ADJUST THE BRIGHTNESS BEFORE HAS BEEN ON FOR 8 SECONDS. WHEN ON INTERSTATE THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DO. NEED TO BE ABLE TO DISPLAY DASH AND SHOULD WORK AUTOMATICALLY. DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER PARKED OR MOVING. LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK ON THE AUTOMATIC SETTING. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED. PLEASE SEE THIS YOUTUBE.COM VIDEO BECAUSE OUR ISSUE IS THE SAME. HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=6AJAAEMP7W8
SPEEDOMETER LIGHT AND THE CENTER DASH (GPS, RADIO, UCONNECT) SCREEN ILLUMINATION CAN NOT BE DIMMED AT NIGHT USING THE ROTARY KNOB (WHEEL) LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH. THE ILLUMINATON COMING FROM THESE SCREENS IS INCREDIBLY BRIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING ON RURAL ROADS WHERE DEER, FERREL HOGS AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS RUN INTO THE ROADWAY. I CAN NOT SEE THESE OBSTACLES AND BELIEVE THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD FOR ANY DRIVER WHO TRAVELS ON NON-ILLUMINATED ROADS. THE LIGHT FROM MY SPEEDOMETER CAN NOT BE DIALED DOWN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SITTING IDLE, OR IN DRIVE AND WHEN PARKED OR IN MOTION. IT HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY AND THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THEY ARE CLUELESS AND SINCE THE DEALERSHIP OPEN AFTER 5 PM TO OBSERVE THIS PROBLEM DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. NUMEROUS OTHER JEEP COMPASS OWNERS 2017 AND 2018 MODEL YEARS, HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. DEER ARE THE SAME COLOR AND CONTRAST OF GRAY ASPHALT AND THEY ARE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT, DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING ILLUMINATION FROM THE CENTER DISPLAY AND SPEEDOMETER BRIGHTNESS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE MY PURCHASE 3 MONTHS AGO AND CONTINUES TO THIS EVENING. I PLAN ON UPLOADING A VIDEO TO YOUTUBE SOON. I AM RETIRED FROM FILM AND TELEVISION AND TAUGHT THIS SUBJECT AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY HERE IN TEXAS.
INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER LIGHTS DO NOT DIM WITH DIMMER DIAL. DASH LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT ENOUGH TO TURN THE WINDSHIELD INTO A MIRROR AT NIGHT (SEE INSIDER VEHICLE BETTER THAN OUTSIDE).
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2018 Jeep Compass has 32 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.