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2016 Jeep Renegade

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Renegade years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Jeep Renegade are substantially higher than the model-year median of 79.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

306 reports with mileage · 123 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 172 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 119 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 73 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports10 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

172 reports
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38,000 miles · Oct 1, 2017
Engine

ON TUESDAY 9/6 MY RENEGADE WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND STARTED SMOKING AND SMELLED LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WE CHECKED THE OIL AND IT SMELLED BURNT AND DID NOT REGISTER ON THE DIPSTICK. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE OIL CHANGE WAS 1000 MILES OVERDUE. WE PUT A QUART OF OIL I…

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ON TUESDAY 9/6 MY RENEGADE WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE AND STARTED SMOKING AND SMELLED LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. NO INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON. WE CHECKED THE OIL AND IT SMELLED BURNT AND DID NOT REGISTER ON THE DIPSTICK. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE OIL CHANGE WAS 1000 MILES OVERDUE. WE PUT A QUART OF OIL IN AND THE NOISE STOPPED. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WERE TOLD THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS. ONE WEEK LATER ON 9/13 IT MADE THE SAME NOISE AND AGAIN STARTED SMOKING AND SMELLED LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. AGAIN NO INDICATED LIGHTS CAME ON. I LET IT COOL A FEW MINUTES THEN DROVE TO MY DESTINATION 2-3 MINES FURTHER. AT THAT TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS A FAN MOTOR. THE PART IS ON BACKORDER UNTIL SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 39000 MILES AND IS 1 1/2 YEARS OLD.

NHTSA ODI #11030710

20,276 miles · Sep 22, 2017
Engine

MY JEEP RENEGADE BEGAN OVER HEATING DUE TO THE RADIATOR FAN FAILURE. MY VEHICLE ISNUNDER WARRANTY AT 20,276 MILES . THE PARTS ARE BACKORDERED FOR MONTHS AND AM NOT BEING OFFERED A LOANER OR GETTING TRUE RESPONSES FROM JEEP ONLY GENERIC WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR STRUGGLES OF BEING A FAMILY OF 5 WITH DIFFERENT WORK SCHEDULES . CHEERAN…

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MY JEEP RENEGADE BEGAN OVER HEATING DUE TO THE RADIATOR FAN FAILURE. MY VEHICLE ISNUNDER WARRANTY AT 20,276 MILES . THE PARTS ARE BACKORDERED FOR MONTHS AND AM NOT BEING OFFERED A LOANER OR GETTING TRUE RESPONSES FROM JEEP ONLY GENERIC WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR STRUGGLES OF BEING A FAMILY OF 5 WITH DIFFERENT WORK SCHEDULES . CHEERAND BAND ETC. THERE MUST BE A RECALL TO SAVE OTHER OWNERS WITH THIS ISSUE AND ONES THAT WILL ARISE

NHTSA ODI #11025088

37,700 miles · Sep 19, 2017
Engine

RADIATOR COOLING FAN FAILURE (SEIZED). PARTS ON BACKORDER LEAD-TIME 2 MONTHS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. HAD A BURNING SMELL WITH SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. STOPPED TO CHECK THE MOTOR, DISCOVERED THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN WAS NOT RUNNING. PUSHED THE FAN BLADE, IT WAS SEIZED. THE WATER TE…

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RADIATOR COOLING FAN FAILURE (SEIZED). PARTS ON BACKORDER LEAD-TIME 2 MONTHS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. HAD A BURNING SMELL WITH SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. STOPPED TO CHECK THE MOTOR, DISCOVERED THE RADIATOR COOLING FAN WAS NOT RUNNING. PUSHED THE FAN BLADE, IT WAS SEIZED. THE WATER TEMP GOT UP TO 250+, HIGH TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON, STOPPED AND LET IT COOL DOWN ENOUGH TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. COOLED TO 130, DROVE APPROX. 5 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT IT AT THE NIGHT DROP (SUNDAY 9/17/2017).

NHTSA ODI #11024197

32,000 miles · Sep 14, 2017
Engine

I LIVE IN SW HOUSTON AND WORK A 20/10 SCHEDULE IN MIDLAND, TEXAS. MY 2016 JEEP DECIDED TO OVERHEAT BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FAN CONTROL MODULE 550 MILES AWAY FROM HOME IN AN HEB PARKING LOT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NOT 2 MINUTES EARLIER, FOLLOWED BY THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR ME TO EVEN FIND A…

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I LIVE IN SW HOUSTON AND WORK A 20/10 SCHEDULE IN MIDLAND, TEXAS. MY 2016 JEEP DECIDED TO OVERHEAT BECAUSE OF A FAULTY FAN CONTROL MODULE 550 MILES AWAY FROM HOME IN AN HEB PARKING LOT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON NOT 2 MINUTES EARLIER, FOLLOWED BY THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR ME TO EVEN FIND A MECHANIC AS FROM BEGINNING TO END ALL OCCURRED IN LESS THAN 2 MINUTES IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC. COOLANT CAME BUBBLING UP THE RESERVOIR AND CONVINCED ME I HAD A LEAK. SEE PHOTOS. AFTER THE TOW, I WAS STRANDED BECAUSE THE DEALER COULDN'T PROVIDE A LOANER SO I HAD TO FLY BACK TO HOUSTON, LEAVING MY RENEGADE AT ALL AMERICAN DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP OF MIDLAND. I WAS TOLD THERE IS A NATIONWIDE BACK-ORDER OF 7000 UNITS, AS OF SEPTEMBER 6TH. TURN AROUND TIME IS APPROX 6 WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID MY CAR IS SCHEDULED TO BE FIXED IN NOVEMBER. FOR REFERENCE, TODAY IS THE 14TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER. IF I HAD A M-F JOB, I WOULD'VE BEEN FIRED BY NOW. THEY ARE SO SLOW TO RESPOND! ALSO, THEY ARE ONLY ABLE TO REIMBURSE ME UP TO $35 A DAY FOR A RENTAL. THE OPTIONS ARE VERY LIMITED AND I NEED A 4X4 FOR WORK. NOT TO MENTION, I HAVE TO PAY USING MY OWN CARD AND SUBMIT A RECEIPT TO GET REIMBURSED, A PROCESS I'M TOLD COULD TAKE BETWEEN 30 TO 60 DAYS. DID I MENTION THAT MY CAR HAD ONLY 32,000 MILES ON AND IS UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 36,000 OR MAY 2018?

NHTSA ODI #11023400

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2017
Engine

THIS VEHICLES ELECTRIC COOLING FAN HAS WORN OUT WITH LESS THEN 45,000 MILES. AFTER CALLING AROUND TO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND PARTS DEPARTMENTS. INFORMATION OBTAINED IS THERE ARE MORE THEN 2500 BACK ORDERS FOR THIS PART. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT 3 TO 4 WEEKS BEFORE WE COULD SEE THIS PART BEING DELIVERED TO MAKE REPAIRS. SEEMS TO ME…

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THIS VEHICLES ELECTRIC COOLING FAN HAS WORN OUT WITH LESS THEN 45,000 MILES. AFTER CALLING AROUND TO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND PARTS DEPARTMENTS. INFORMATION OBTAINED IS THERE ARE MORE THEN 2500 BACK ORDERS FOR THIS PART. WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT 3 TO 4 WEEKS BEFORE WE COULD SEE THIS PART BEING DELIVERED TO MAKE REPAIRS. SEEMS TO ME THAT IF YOU HAVE THIS MANY BACK ORDERS THEN MAYBE THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE PART.

NHTSA ODI #11021479

Mileage unknown · Aug 24, 2017
Engine

JEEP HAS A BACKORDER ON THEIR COOLING FANS. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OUR JEEP RENEGADE FOR 3 MONTHS BECAUSE THERE IS A BACKORDER OF 1400 COOLING FANS JUST IN MY AREA. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CHECK INTO THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG. FAN MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHILE RUNNING. AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, FEAR OF SOMETHING CATC…

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JEEP HAS A BACKORDER ON THEIR COOLING FANS. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE OUR JEEP RENEGADE FOR 3 MONTHS BECAUSE THERE IS A BACKORDER OF 1400 COOLING FANS JUST IN MY AREA. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CHECK INTO THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG. FAN MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHILE RUNNING. AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, FEAR OF SOMETHING CATCHING ON FIRE.

NHTSA ODI #11019276

38,600 miles · Aug 18, 2017
Engine

FIRST COOLING FAN MODULE BURNED OUT AT 15K MILES OCT 2016, ONLY DETECTED BY ELECTRICAL SMOKE POURING FROM FAN MOTOR. NO DUMMY LIGHT. CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR SECOND COOLING FAN MODULE AT 38K MILES. BOTH HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING WHILE IDLING.

NHTSA ODI #11016158

40,000 miles · Aug 18, 2017
Engine

RADIATOR FAN MOTOR BURNED OUT. CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT, CREATED SMOKE CONDITION AND FAILURE OF ALL SYSTEMS. CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. PARTS ARE BACK ORDERED. INTERNET COMMENTS INDICATE THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI #11016134

33,300 miles · Aug 11, 2017
Engine

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AND WHEN I GET HOME AND OPEN THE DOOR WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE I NOTICE A REALLY HARD NOISE. I DECIDE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE, AND I NOTICE THAT THE NOISE CAME FROM THE FAN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL RUNNING UNTIL IT STOP. SO, I DECIDED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND TURN ON AGAIN THE ENGINE, WHEN I TOOK A LOOK I NOTI…

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, AND WHEN I GET HOME AND OPEN THE DOOR WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE I NOTICE A REALLY HARD NOISE. I DECIDE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE, AND I NOTICE THAT THE NOISE CAME FROM THE FAN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL RUNNING UNTIL IT STOP. SO, I DECIDED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND TURN ON AGAIN THE ENGINE, WHEN I TOOK A LOOK I NOTICE THAT THE FAN WAS WOBBLING SO MUCH AND IT WAS HITTING SOME OTHER PARTS, IMMEDIATELY I KNEW THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THAT PART SO I DID A RESEARCH ABOUT THE CAR AND FOUND THAT SOME OTHER PERSONS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. LATER, I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE CAR ONLY HAVE ONE YEAR AND IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER CHECKED MY CAR AND SAYS TO ME THAT THEY HAD A COUPLE OF THE SAME CARS A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY SAYS THAT I NEED TO WAIT THREE WEEKS FOR THE REPLACEMENT, AND THAT IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS IF I DRIVE THE CAR IN THAT CONDITION BECAUSE I COULD HAVE AN ACCIDENT. SO, I CALL CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE (800-992-1997), AND I TRIED TO HAVE A BETTER SOLUTION TO PROBLEM, BECAUSE I NEED TO GO TO MY WORK, AND SAYS THAT I COULD DO A RENTAL OUT OF POCKET AND SUBMIT THE CLAIM WITH A "POSSIBLEREIMBURSE.

NHTSA ODI #11014637

13,000 miles · Jul 17, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control

2016 JEEP RENEGADE TRAILHAWK LOSS OF POWER ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, TURNING/MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FORM A SLOWED/STOPPED POSITION, VEHICLE STOPPING UP HILL. 13,200 MILES THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT ON, ENGINE POWERED DOWN TWICE WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP & TURNING LEFT W/ SLIGHT INCLINE, ONCE GOING STRAIGHT ACROSS A 2-…

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2016 JEEP RENEGADE TRAILHAWK LOSS OF POWER ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, TURNING/MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FORM A SLOWED/STOPPED POSITION, VEHICLE STOPPING UP HILL. 13,200 MILES THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT ON, ENGINE POWERED DOWN TWICE WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP & TURNING LEFT W/ SLIGHT INCLINE, ONCE GOING STRAIGHT ACROSS A 2-LANE HWY, & ENGINE POWERING DOWN WHEN MERGING. DEALERSHIP SAID DUE TO AN UPDATE NEEDED. TWO WKS AFTER THE UPDATE, ENGINE POWERS DOWN MAKING A RIGHT TURN FORM A STOP SIGN. DEALERSHIP COULDN'T REPLICATE & TOLD TO DRIVE CAREFUL. A FEW WKS LATER, I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I MADE A LEFT-HAND TURN W/ AN INCLINE. AS I STARTED ACCELERATING, THE RENEGADE SUDDENLY LOST SPEED & CEASED TO MOVE AS I WAS PRESSING THE GAS PETAL. THOSE FEW SECONDS OF PULLING OUT W/ ONCOMING TRAFFIC COULD QUICKLY LEAD TO A WRECK WHEN YOU LOSE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I FELT A GREAT DEAL OF PANIC, DISTRUST OF MY RENEGADE. I FEARED FOR MY SAFETY. I TAKE THE RENEGADE BACK TO THE SHOP NO REAL RESOLVE. I WAS DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL AT WHICH TIME MY RENEGADE COMPLETELY STOPPED AS I WAS NEARING THE TOP OF THE HILL. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS WAS TERRIFYING TO SAY THE LEAST! WHEN THE RENEGADE STOPPED, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE ANYONE FOLLOWING BEHIND ME. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE ANGLE & STEEPNESS OF THE HILL, I WAS PANICKED THE RENEGADE WOULD ROLL DOWN. I NEVER PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK & CONTINUED TO PUMP THE GAS. AFTER ABOUT 5 PUMPS ON THE GAS, THE RENEGADE BEGAN TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE. I WAS GOING AT A RATE OF SPEED OF AROUND 30MPH, 1/4 OF TANK OF GAS, & DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10 MINS BEFORE INCIDENT. CHRYSLER ISN'T TAKING THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT W/ THEM ON A CORP. LEVEL AS WELL. THE RENEGADE HAS HAD 3 MORE INCIDENTS OF LOSING POWER WHEN ACCELERATING IN A TURN FROM A STOP. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE & AM STUCK W/ AN UNTRUSTWORTHY NEW VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11005852

Official recalls

1

16V545000 · Trailer Hitches

Jul 20, 2016

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jeep Renegade vehicles manufactured August 25, 2014, to June 25, 2016, equipped with a factory-installed optional trailer hitch package. The trailer hitch assembly may have been attached with only a single fastener per side, not three per side as required.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Without the proper amount of fasteners, the trailer hitch assembly may separate from the vehicle, and any towed vehicle may no longer be properly connected, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install two additional fasteners per side, free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S62.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.