It had hardly been over a month with my Jeep Compass Model S when I started facing a very irritating problem with the UConnect infotainment system. The touchscreen of my 2023 Jeep Compass abruptly blacked out and stopped working. In this tutorial, we’ll check out some possible fixes for issues like the touch screen not working, turning or responding on the Jeep Compass, Trailhawk, Meridian, Commander, Renegade, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, and other FCA vehicles with UConnect.
The new generation of Jeep vehicles sport an amazing infotainment system with a user-friendly interface. Compared to the older version of UConnect, the latest iteration of the UI brings about a bunch of changes that enhance the experience. As for the touch screen, it’s fast and very responsive but it’s not without flaws.
The touch screen of my 2022 Jeep Compass started freaking me out one evening and kept bothering me until I managed to fix it. As you all know, the new Compass has a dedicated “Screen off” button that lets you turn off the touch screen. I turned the screen off while listening to music. When I started the vehicle after 10 minutes or so, the music stopped playing, the infotainment system displayed the Jeep logo and then the screen turned black instantly. Nothing worked except the rear and front cameras and the 360º view.
Since the camera view was working, I was sure it was only a software-side problem. The black screen on the touch screen also lit up and worked fine when I made calls using my smartphone. If the infotainment system touchscreen of your Jeep vehicle is not working, don’t panic as I did. There are a few possible fixes to resolve the issue. I’ll be mentioning the solutions below.
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Table of Contents
Fixing Touchscreen not Working in Jeep Vehicles
Since I own the 2023 Jeep Compass powered by UConnect 5, the steps below are based on that. However, if you have the new Jeep Trailhawk, Grand Cherokee, or Wrangler, you can use the same tips to fix the touch screen that has turned black and is completely responsive.
Method 1: Turn off the Vehicle
This simple tip has worked for me most of the time my SUV’s touch screen went black and unresponsive. Press the engine Start/Stop button and open and shut the driver-side door. Wait for a couple of minutes and start the vehicle again.
Method 2: Soft Reset the UConnect System
If your Jeep vehicle’s touch screen is not turning on at all and is all black, you can use the following tip. This will not reset the UConnect settings and customizations.
- Start your Jeep vehicle.
- Press and hold the Power/Volume and Enter/Tune buttons simultaneously.
- Keep both buttons pressed for 15-20 seconds, or until you see the Jeep splash screen.
Doing so should fix the touchscreen issue.
Note: In some cases, you may need to press the buttons for about a minute. Also, you may need to repeat this method 2 or 3 times if it doesn’t work in the first attempt.
Method 3: Remove the Pen Drive
I always use a 32GB pen drive in my Jeep Compass to enjoy music while driving. If you use a pen drive too and it’s full of music files, the UConnect system might hang while trying to load it. If you use a 16GB pen drive, for instance, you should keep 50-60% of its storage free.
Keeping it almost full might create issues with the touch screen of your Jeep SUV. Pull out the pen drive, insert it into a computer, empty some space, and re-insert it into the USB port of your vehicle. Try starting your car then, the touchscreen problem should be solved. If doing so doesn’t help, jump to the next tip.
Method 4: Reset the Jeep UConnect Touchscreen
I presume you have already paired your Android phone or iPhone with your Jeep vehicle via Bluetooth.
- Use your Android or iOS device to call a number when the engine is running.
- Doing so will wake up the black touch screen for about 30 seconds.
- This is the time to tap the Vehicle Settings icon at the bottom of the screen.
- You should now be able to navigate to the Reset option under Settings.
- Tap the Reset button and you will see a range of options listed there.
- Start by tapping the Restore Settings to Default option and select Yes when prompted to confirm your selection.
- Then tap Clear Personal Data and select Yes again.
Now, turn off the engine and start it after a minute. The touch screen not working issue in your Jeep Compass, Trailhawk, Grand Cherokee, or Wrangler should be fixed.
If clearing the personal data doesn’t fix the touchscreen problem, you can try the Factory Reset option as your last resort.
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Method 5: Make a Call from a Connected Phone
You might find it funny but this tip might work for you as it did for me. If your Jeep vehicle’s touchscreen is not working or it’s blacked out and not responding at all, try this tip. If you have paired your phone with your car or connected it via Android Auto or Apple Car Play, open the phone app on your smartphone and dial a number. In my case, the UConnect screen just turned on when I made a call.
Method 6: Reset the UConnect System using Hardware Buttons
If you cannot access the UConnect settings, you can still reset the touch screen of your Jeep vehicle using the hardware buttons. Once you reset the UConnect system using the steps below, the touchscreen issue should be fixed.
- Start your Jeep Compass in the Accessories Mode. You can do so simply by pressing the engine Start/Stop button without pressing the Brake pedal.
- Hold the Volume button located under the rear surface of the steering wheel on the right-hand side and the Enter/Browse (round) button located in the middle of the left-hand media controls.
- You need to hold both buttons simultaneously for about 10-15 seconds. The UConnect system will reset and the touch screen of your Jeep Compass or Cherokee will turn back on.
Depending on the make year and model of your Jeep vehicle, the hardware button combination to reset the touch screen might differ. In case the above trick doesn’t work for you and the touch screen not working problem persists, try the following key combination.
- Put your Jeep vehicle in the Accessories Mode by pressing the Start button without putting your feet on the Brake pedal.
- Before the UConnect system fully boots, quickly press and hold the Green Phone and the Voice Command buttons for about 30 seconds.
- After that, release both buttons.
- Now, press the Start/Stop button to turn off the UConnect system. The touch screen will go black.
- Then open the driver-side door for about 30 seconds and close it.
- Finally, turn on the engine by pressing the Start button and the brake pedal.
- Wait until the UConnect infotainment system boots up. The black touchscreen issue should be fixed.
Method 7: Disconnect and Reconnect Battery Terminals
In case performing the soft reset didn’t fix the black and unresponsive screen of your vehicle, you can try the following trick to fix it. I tested this method on a friend’s Jeep Commander during a group trip. I read in a forum that removing and reconnecting the negative terminals from the battery works like a hard reset on the UConnect system like in vehicles like Jeep Compass, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Renegade, Jeep Gladiator, and Jeep Patriot. Let’s see how to do it.
Doing this allows all the stored charges in the system to completely discharge. Here is how this works.
- Open the bonnet of your SUV.
- Now, remove both the negative (black) and positive (red) terminals from the battery.
- Leave it that way for 5-10 minutes so that all stored charges in the system drain away.
- Connect the terminals again.
- Close the bonnet and start your vehicle.
Method 8: Update the UConnect Software
If the touch screen going black issue is a random affair, it may be due to a bug in the UConnect software. In that case, updating the software might be the only solution to fix the touch screen not working on your Jeep vehicle.
You can easily check if new software is available for your Jeep Compass, Trailhawk, Cherokee, or Wrangler by visiting the official UConnect portal and entering your Jeep vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number). If you are told that your “YOUR VEHICLE IS UP TO DATE”, you should visit the nearest Jeep service center to get the latest firmware installed by the company engineer.
Method 9: Unplug and Replug the Fuses
Finally, there is another tip to help you fix the touch screen not working issue on your Jeep Compass or some other Jeep SUV. If you tried all the tips mentioned above and your problem was not solved, there might be some issue related to the electric supply that powers the UConnect infotainment system. This tip should work, especially if the touchscreen of your vehicle doesn’t light up and stays black all the time.
Modern vehicles come with an array of fuses to support the electrical system and so does your Jeep vehicle. Be it the memory seat, sunroof, audio system, headlights, power liftgate, or any other feature that requires a power supply, there is a particular fuse for that. FCA uses a 25 Amp Clear (ATO / Uni-Val Fuse) F02 (fuse number) for the infotainment system. If the fuse number F02 blows away for some reason, the UConnect system won’t get the power supply.
Jeep fits the fuse boxes in its vehicle in the following places:
- On the left side of the engine compartment adjacent to the battery.
- Below the headlight and foglight control buttons compartment on the left-side dash panel under the instrument panel.
- In the rear cargo or boot area.
You will find F02 fitted in the fusebox behind the driver-side light control buttons. It’s clear in color with a little bluish tint so you can easily find it. Pull this fuse out and check if it’s normal or blown.
Just pull out the F02 fuse from the fuse box, clean it, and plug it back in. If the fuse is blown, you will have to get it replaced to fix the touch screen not working issue in your Jeep Compass or Cherokee.
If none of the tricks works for you, there are chances that the touch screen of your Jeep vehicle is faulty and you need to get it fixed or replaced.
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