When making a vehicle purchase, it's always a good idea to check into every detail before you commit. If the Jeep Compass is one of the vehicles you're considering, then one of those details may be whether or not it comes with a spare tire. We've checked into it, and we found some answers for you.
Most trim levels of the Jeep Compass do not come with any kind of spare tire at all. The Trail Hawk is the only trim level that has a spare tire in the standard package. However, some trim levels have a spare tire as an add-on option. These trim levels are:
- Latitude
- Limited
- Sport
- Sun & Safety
- North
- Sun & Wheel
- Altitude
- High Altitude
If a trim level does not have a spare tire, it does come with a tire repair kit.
If you want to know more about the trim levels that include a spare tire, what the tire repair kit includes, and what size spare tire you may need, then you're in the right place. We discuss all this and more, so continue reading below.
Jeep Compass Trim Levels With A Spare Tire
Since the 2018 model year, the spare tire has become optional equipment on almost all Jeep Compass trim levels. It has remained standard on only one trim level since that time, the Trail Hawk. The Trail Hawk has a full-sized temporary use tire.
The Compass trim levels that do not have a standard spare have the option to add a compact spare tire. The trim levels this applies to are:
- Latitude
- Limited
- Sport
- Sun & Safety
- North
- Sun & Wheel
- Altitude
- High Altitude
Tire Service Kit
Trim levels without a spare tire come with a tire service kit instead. This kit includes a small compressor and a bottle of tire sealer. It will inject the sealer and inflate the tire, with the idea that it will be enough to get you home or to a safe place to have your tire repaired. You can see how it works in the video below.
How A Tow Package Affects The Spare Tire
One way to guarantee that your Jeep Compass has a spare tire is by adding the trailer tow package. This package includes the following:
- Class III hitch receiver
- Wiring harness
- Full-size temporary use spare tire
This spare tire is a nice addition, but is only available on the following tow package trim levels:
- Limited 4x4
- Sun & Safety 4x4
- Altitude 4x4
- High Altitude 4x4
- Latitude 4x4
Note that in order to get the tow package with the spare tire, you have to pick a 4x4 model.
Where Is The Jack Located On The Jeep Compass?
The jack can be found underneath the load floor behind the rear seats. There is a holder containing the jack and lug wrench below the spare tire. This only applies if your Jeep Compass is equipped with the optional compact spare, the full-size spare that comes with the trailer tow package, or if you have the Compass Trail Hawk.
This video will help you easily find it:
Why Do Some Cars Not Have Spare Tires?
A lot of manufacturers are no longer including a spare. Some reports show that about one-third of new cars no longer come with a spare. The reasons offered are varied, but a few often cited are:
- Not having a spare reduces weight, making it easier to meet new fuel standards
- Expense of adding a spare
- Space the spare takes up
- Many new cars come with run-flat tires
Whatever the reason, most cars that do not come with a spare tire do come with some kind of tire repair kit. While it won't take care of major damage, it may get you to the next stop, where you can safely find assistance.
Many people don't even think about their spare tire, but some experts suggest drivers verify what their car has before they have a flat and find out at the worst possible time.
How Do You Know What Size Tire You Need?
If you need to purchase new tires for your car, you are going to need to know the correct size. There are a few places you can find that information, some more reliable than others.
Driver's Door Tire Placard
One of the most reliable ways to find the correct tire size for your vehicle is to look for a tire size placard on your car. This usually takes the form of a sticker on the inner door jamb area of the driver's door.
Alternate Placard Locations
If your car does not have a placard in that location, and especially if it was made before or around 2003, you may find it in one of these locations:
- Inside the glove box
- Inside the center console
- The underside of the trunk lid
- Rear door jamb on the passenger side
- Engine compartment
- Fuel filler door
Owner's Manual
If you have no luck locating the tire placard, your next best bet is to check your owner's manual. Most of the time it will have a chart or table with the same information that was contained on the tire placard.
Tire Websites
The next best place to check, if all the above fails, is on a website that sells tires. Many sites let you enter your vehicle information and will find the correct tires for your car. This is not always as accurate as the placard, but they most likely have the information if all of the above has failed.
One downfall of this strategy would be if your vehicle is available with multiple sizes of tires. If that is the case, go to the next step and see if it matches with one of the sizes the tire site suggested. If so, that's probably correct.
Current Tire Sizes
The last, and least reliable way to find your correct tire size, is by looking directly at the tires you currently have on the vehicle. Unless you are replacing the original tires that came on the car from the factory, you can't be certain the tires on the car are the correct size for it.
If you choose to look at the current tires for the size, you will find a number that looks something like "P225/60 R16". Whatever the number on your tire is, that is your tire size.
The image below shows how to read a tire. In this example, it is a P215/65 R15.
In Closing
With the current generation Jeep Compass, the only trim level that comes standard with a spare is the Trail Hawk. All other trim levels have the option to add a compact spare. There is not a full-size spare option unless you opt for a 4x4 Compass. Then you can add the trailer tow package, which adds a full-size temporary use spare tire.
Before you go, make sure to check out these other articles that may be of interest:
Driving With A Donut - What You Need To Know
Where can I purchase a 2020 jeep Compass Sport AWD spare donut and wheel only? I don’t want a triangle jack, nor do I want to purchase the Mopar spare kit. Tire size is 215/65R16.
Where can I purchase spare tire for Jeep compass 2019?