[rpt319]

I just had an unusual experience with my '08 Jeep Compass. I was returning home after a 2 hour highway trip, where I had the cruise on the whole way. As I pulled into the city, I had shut off the cruise and slowed down to the in city speed limit of 50 km/h. The light was red, so I stopped and when the light turned green, I attempted to accelerate as normal. However, it sputtered and the ETC light started flashing and the ESP light came on and stayed on. I pulled into a parking lot, turned the engine off and started it again and the lights turned off and it ran fine. I stopped at the gas station before heading home, and turned the vehicle on and off again and it was fine.

As I wasn't sure what the symbols meant, I checked the owners manual and it says when the ETC light flashes, I should get it checked immediately. The dealer in town is closed until tomorrow, but my question is since the lights went off and it seemed to run fine, should I bother taking it in?

I had it in a week ago for an oil change and to check the Malfunction Indicator Light. The code it threw was a charging/starting/ignition systems problem, but the mechanics found no reason for the problem. So was this a warning for what happened or are they not related at all?

 

[Lunch Box]

Honestly, with the combination of the two problems occurring so close together, I would recommend taking it in, both of those sound like they could be serious stuff.

 

[rpt319]

Honestly, with the combination of the two problems occurring so close together, I would recommend taking it in, both of those sound like they could be serious stuff.

I was going to call them tomorrow. One small problem with living in a small city is that the service departments are closed on Sundays.

I wonder why it would happen already though? It only has 31,000 km on it. On the bright side that likely means its covered by the warranty.

 

[Lunch Box]

If you bought the car new, I believe you should have a lifetime warranty on the powertrain, but either way, most warranties would be valid at this point I suppose.

 

[rpt319]

If you bought the car new, I believe you should have a lifetime warranty on the powertrain, but either way, most warranties would be valid at this point I suppose.

It was leased brand new, so I assume it should be valid. I'm not entirely sure though since I borrowed it from my father, who actually leased it.

From my cursory Googling, it seems this is a common problem with Compasses. The lease is up in March and I had intended to buy it out, but if this vehicle is a lemon maybe I will reconsider.

 

[Lunch Box]

Well I would say if they can fix it, then Id recommend actually buying it. I've done a lot of... unintelligent things in my little jeep and found it to be pretty durable and reliable.

 

[rpt319]

Well I would say if they can fix it, then Id recommend actually buying it. I've done a lot of... unintelligent things in my little jeep and found it to be pretty durable and reliable.

Until this last week and a half I have nothing bad to say about it. So we'll see what they say hopefully tomorrow.

 

[Lunch Box]

Well good luck with that dude. Hope it turns out alright.

 

[nukedcompass]

Let us know what they say. It seems ive seen atleast one other post with someone having a similar issue.

 

[rpt319]

I called the dealer this morning and the guy in the service department I was talking to basically said don't worry about it. He told me that occassionally there's a onboard computer glitch that can cause it to do that, but that it isn't caused by a fault of any sort. He said since the lights didn't stay on when I turned it off and then back on, that it wouldn't have thrown any codes. He said keep an eye on it, but if it keeps running fine, it was simply a computer glitch. If it does it again, he told me to definitely bring it in.

So this does make me slightly leery, I was planning on taking a 2 hour trip to a lacrosse game next weekend. I'd hate for it to die in the middle of nowhere, if there is a bigger fault.

 

[nukedcompass]

I think at that point I would take it in anyway. Especially if its still under warranty. Sometimes a persons professional opinion is not accurate.

 

[Feel for life]

I agree with Nuke here.................who knows what went wrong here and maybe the computer's history can tell................good luck !

 

[rpt319]

So I did take it in back then and was told it was nothing. It did it again a few weeks later and I took it back and was told it was nothing. It had been fine until now. It did it again last night after another 2 hour trip with the cruise control. It is running fine again, so I'm going to take in to the dealership again on Monday and have them look at it.

Since I last posted in January of 2010, has anyone else had a problem like this? Did it turn out to be anything? Having this happen 3 times in 2 years make me think that it must be caused by something more than simply the on board computer misfiring.

 

[rpt319]

So it has done this again. I'm beginning to think that Jeeps have a problem with their onboard computers. This is the 5th time in 3 years that I have had this happen and each time the dealer tells me there is nothing wrong with it. I realize with 77,000 km on it now we are getting to the stage where slightly more major things might start happening. But from a Googling I did, there is an issue across Jeep platforms and all say that turning it off and turning it back on fix the issue.

 

[airgunero]

Hi.. i'm from Mexico, n' i have the same problem,, don't have any codes n' no body knows whats it is happening??