If your Jeep Compass won’t start in the cold, your battery may be dead—but you could also be dealing with clogged fuel lines, frozen coolant, or the wrong type of engine oil. Don’t try to drive the car until you can identify the source of the problem.

Smaller than the Jeep Grand Cherokee and tamer than the trail-ready Wrangler, the Jeep Compass is a hardy off-road vehicle. But even the best off-road SUV can experience engine start problems in the cold. If your Compass won’t start in the cold, here are the most likely reasons—and what to do about them.

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The 5 most common reasons your Jeep Compass won’t start in the cold

1. Dead battery

The problem: Your battery is too old or has lost power from sitting in the cold for too long.

What to do: Jump start the battery. If that doesn’t work, you may need to replace it.

How much it should cost: $0 – $355

Any time your Jeep Compass fails to start, the battery is the most likely culprit. A typical Jeep Compass battery lasts from three to five years, so if you haven’t replaced yours in a while, it might be on its last legs. Cold weather can exacerbate problems with your battery by speeding up corrosion on the battery terminals, so you might not realize the problem until that first really chilly day hits.

Start by troubleshooting. Call a friend or neighbor, pull out those jumper cables, and try jump-starting the battery. If you have a voltmeter, you can use it to check the battery’s health. If a jump start doesn’t work, or if your battery’s voltage is less than 12.4 volts, it’s likely time for a new battery.

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2. Weak battery

The problem: Your battery has insufficient cold cranking amps (CCA) either because it’s aging or because you installed the wrong battery.

What to do: Replace the battery.

How much it should cost: $305 – $355

Your battery might not be dead—it might just be too weak to start your Compass in the cold. That can happen due to age or corrosion, but it’s also possible that the wrong battery was installed in your Jeep in the first place.

The issue here comes down to cold cranking amps (CCA). Simply put, cold cranking amps give a measure of how good your car battery is at starting the vehicle in the cold. In general, your engine needs about one CCA per cubic inch of engine displacement—meaning that you probably need between 250 and 600 CCA for your Compass. If the battery you’re working with doesn’t have sufficient cranking power in the cold, you’ll be a sitting duck until you replace it.

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3. Clogged fuel lines

The problem: Condensation in the fuel tank can lead to starting problems in the cold if it clogs the fuel lines.

What to do: Clean out the lines with a vacuum or plunger.

How much it should cost: $80 – $150 or more

If you’ve tested your battery and everything seems okay, your Jeep Compass starting problems might be related to the fuel system—specifically, the fuel lines that carry gas from your tank to the car engine. In cold weather, condensation in the fuel tank can lead to a clogged fuel line,

fuel filter

, or fuel pump.

Flushing the fuel lines is fairly simple if you have the right tools, but if there’s a clog in the filter or pump, you’re looking at a more expensive replacement. If you end up needing to replace the fuel pump, the cost could be close to $1,000—and more if you bring it to a dealership.

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4. Incorrect engine oil

The problem: You’re using engine oil that’s too viscous in the cold, preventing the engine from moving as it’s meant to.

What to do: Replace your oil with the correct type recommended by the manufacturer.

How much it should cost: $45 – $75

You already know that engine oil is essential to keeping your Jeep running properly—but you might not realize the effect that oil viscosity can have on your Compass in the cold.

Jeep recommends SAE 0W-20 fully synthetic engine oil for most Compass models. The “W” in the first half of that code refers to the oil’s viscosity in Winter—and “0” means that the oil is very thin even in cold weather, allowing for smooth operation in low temperatures.

Check your owner’s manual to see the recommended oil type for your Compass and replace the oil with the correct viscosity if necessary.

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5. Frozen coolant

The problem: Coolant keeps your engine at the correct operating temperature, but if it freezes, it can cause the engine to overheat.

What to do: Thaw out the vehicle using a fan heater (or wait it out).

How much it should cost: $0

One more sneaky way the cold can affect your Compass is by freezing the coolant that keeps your engine running at an optimal temperature. If this happens, you might have trouble starting the car—and if you’re able to get it running, frozen cooling could cause your engine to overheat, leading to catastrophic damage.

If you suspect

frozen coolant

, don’t try to drive the vehicle. Engine overheating could lead to even more serious problems. Instead, give the coolant time to thaw, ideally for a few days. A heater can help you to warm the coolant up, but don’t drive the vehicle until you’re sure it’s no longer frozen.

MORE: Antifreeze vs. coolant: what’s the difference?

Other causes: bad alternator, faulty starter, or insufficient fuel

While battery problems, clogged fuel lines, and mismatched oil are the most common causes for a Jeep Compass that won’t start in cold temperatures, you could also have starting problems that aren’t directly related to the weather.

For example:

Faulty alternator: Your car’s battery is what starts the engine, but if the alternator that charges it is worn out or malfunctioning, the battery won’t have sufficient power. Dim accessory lights and a dashboard battery light are classic signs of

a worn-out alternator

Broken starter: If you hear clicking sounds when trying to start your Compass, the

starter motor

, solenoids, or

ignition switch

could be at fault.

Out of gas: This is a pretty basic problem, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to overlook! Make sure your gas tank is full if you’re not able to start your Compass in the cold—and check for a fuel leak if you filled it up recently.

Dirty spark plugs: Your car’s

spark plugs

are essential to starting the vehicle up, so dirty or broken plugs can lead to problems starting in any weather.

Dead key fob battery: It might not be your car battery that’s at fault for your non-starting Compass—the much smaller battery in your

key fob

could be to blame, especially if your remote start function isn’t working.

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What to do if your Jeep Compass won’t start in the cold

If you head outside to start your Jeep on a snowy morning and can’t get it going, your first instinct might be to panic—or rage. Don’t. Instead, take these simple steps to give your Compass a fighting chance against the chills of Mother Nature.

Bring the battery inside

The battery is at the heart of the majority of Jeep Compass starting problems, so warming up your battery may be the first step to getting your Jeep going again. You can do this by literally bringing it in from the cold—disconnect the battery, carry it inside, and leave it for a few hours to warm up before trying to start the engine again.

Turn on accessory mode

A simpler way to give your Compass a minute to warm up is to turn on accessory mode—that is, lights and accessories like the radio—without starting the engine. Leave the vehicle in accessory mode for about 10 minutes before you attempt to start the engine again.

Invest in an engine block heater

If you live in an area where cold weather is a regular occurrence, installing an engine block heater could save you significant headaches and costs during the winter. You can plug this device in overnight to prevent starting problems in the morning, and it can even improve winter fuel economy!

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