We found that electrical, transmission, and engine problems are the most commonly reported issues for Renegade owners
The 2020 Jeep Renegade is an SUV that’s designed for adventure. The automaker maintains that the newest models offer “fun on four wheels.” On the other hand, customers whose vehicles stall, engines shut off, or transmissions malfunction aren’t having fun at all.
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The most commonly mentioned component regarded as a problem in a third of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the engine. Nearly a quarter involve the electrical system. Others include the:
The most common problem relates to stalling, and engines shutting down. While most complaints are filed as an engine problem, others see it as a fuel, vehicle speed control, and electrical issue. Other issues worth mentioning include transmissions that cause the SUV to jump or jerk, and brakes that trigger the accelerator. Several complaints report injuries in crashes because of seat belt and/or airbag malfunctions.
Two recalls affect the 2020 Jeep Renegade:
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| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Seat Belts | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Air Bags | |
| Fuel/propulsion System | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Visibility/wiper |
Most of the engine problems relate to loss of acceleration, shutting down, stalling, and loss of motive power. Despite the variety of components and systems linked to these problems, there is no doubt that the engine is primarily to blame.
An owner from Indiana reports that the “Vehicle randomly stalls out (and the) engine shuts off while driving. Check engine, service fuel cut-off, parking brake, airbag, ABS, coolant temperature high, service ESC system lights, and messages. All of these warnings and messages occurred during the stall out, never before.” At the time, the Renegade was in the shop for the third time while the dealer tried to figure out the problem.
An owner from Florida tells how a 2020 Renegade would suddenly stall at various speeds, The check oil warning light illuminated but the vehicle would restart. Then one day, while turning right at approximately 10 mph into a gas station, the vehicle suddenly stalled again. It rolled backward into oncoming traffic and its rear end hit another vehicle.
Another owner states that three times during May 2023 the Renegade stalled “and a bunch of warning lights” came on. “It’s always in the middle of traffic and can be a hazard while driving.”
The first time an owner from New York’s Renegade stalled, the “pressure coolant high” warning light appeared on the screen. “To start the car, I had to put it in Park and then push the ignition button to get it started again. I continued my drive thinking it was a computer error because my coolant level was normal.” The dealer said nothing was wrong, just a loose terminal. But the issue recurred and worsened. “In researching, I’ve found that (this) has been a known issue since 2015.”
An owner from Minnesota was traveling on the freeway. When the Renegade reached 60 mph, it shut off and the check engine light came on. After restarting, the driver was unable to go above 40 mph, so pulled over and let the vehicle sit for a couple of hours. “When I put it in drive and accelerated my front end was smoking and extremely hot. When I was able to open (the) hood everything was hot. I opened (the) oil cap as I had a puddle of oil now under my car. Smoke came pouring out of where you put oil.”
All the dealer could say was that he probably needed a new engine because they couldn’t “get enough compression to diagnose (the) cause. This is dangerous with the amount of oil lost in that short amount of time. It should be noted it was just in for an oil change 2 weeks prior to the incident at the Jeep dealership where I bought the vehicle.”
When yet another 2020 Renegade kept shutting down without warning, the owner was told there were more electrical issues that would need to be addressed. “But that the main reason for the shut-off was due to not enough oil in the car even though I just had an oil change and (another) was not due for some time. Why would the car just shut off with no warnings? At least a low oil level light would be better than just shutting down.”
Several complaints about the powertrain report that the transmission is faulty.
An owner from Texas states that the Renegade started “jerking without warning” while she was traveling at 40-50 mph. Her husband, a mechanic, said the transmission was slipping and took the SUV to the dealer. However, the dealer “failed to provide a diagnostic test” and the vehicle was not repaired.
Of course, the powertrain works in conjunction with the engine, but with both systems defective, it’s amazing the Renegade mentioned in the next two complaints can drive anywhere.
An owner from Pennsylvania states that the vehicle suddenly “lost acceleration power.” The check engine light and then the service transmission light came on. “My vehicle is less than a year old with under 8000 miles on it and is regularly maintained.” The complaint adds that there was no reason for the SUV to be having problems.
The owner of a 2020 Renegade Sport states in a complaint dated January 15, 2022, “So I have a 2020 Jeep Renegade Sport. Had no issues with it up to today but I was climbing the gravel hill to my house in about 4 inches of snow. I was in 4WD snow mode and lost everything. Error messages popped and (the vehicle) got kicked into FWD. (The) Jeep went sliding. Luckily I slid into the upward side of the hill and not over the edge. Got these errors. Dynamic Steering Torque service required Service Electronic Power Steering Service Hill Start Assist system Traction Assist Turned Off/Light On Could not get 4WD to reset that day but the next morning all codes and errors were gone. I’m lucky there were no other vehicles and that I didn’t slide over the edge. Dealer is checking (the) vehicle for (the) cause of (the) issue.”
Within seven days of purchasing the car, an owner from Maryland was driving in a parking lot at 15 miles per hour. “When I hit the brakes to stop, this triggered the accelerator, and the car speed went out of control.” The more she tried to brake, the faster it went, eventually crashing head-on into a tree “with such force that the car now is totaled. This model was recalled in Brazil due to the same mechanical problem. I could have died or killed people if I was going on a highway or driving at a normal speed.
“This [SUV] is a death trap and needs to be recalled. Its main duty is to prevent possible death and human misery of innocent people. The most important component of a vehicle: brakes did not work, instead triggered the acceleration of the vehicle.” The driver was injured and unable to walk due to the impact of the crash.
A complaint regarded as a fuel/propulsion problem also implicates the brakes. While moving slowly into a parking spot at about 5 mph with his foot on the brake, “suddenly the Jeep accelerated and smashed into the wall of the building at full force. The Jeep bounced back so hard it jerked my head. The Jeep was leaking fluid, and the frame bent with body damage. It had to be towed to the body shop. I am 100% sure that my foot was NOT on the accelerator. This could have been a fatality if I was on the road with other cars. Please investigate, I feel unsafe.”
In addition to the injury reported due to a brake malfunction, several other complaints listed as airbag and/or seatbelt problems also report injuries. For instance, an owner from New York states that the “seatbelts did not stop me from hitting the dashboard/steering wheel when (a) car hit us from behind.” Two people were injured.
While driving at 40 mph another vehicle turned in front of a vehicle in Indiana. This caused the driver to crash into the passenger side of the offending vehicle. The airbags did not deploy and the vehicle was towed from the crash site. The driver and his passenger both had to be transported to the hospital with severe bruises caused by the seatbelts. They filed a police report. The entire front of the vehicle was damaged and the estimate for repairs from an independent mechanic was about $9,500.
An owner from North Carolina was approaching a stop light at about 20 mph when the Renegade suddenly lost motive power. While the vehicle didn’t crash, “the seat belt tightened causing a bruise.” Adding insult to injury, after pulling over, the driver was unable to jump-start the vehicle and it had to be towed.
If you think you may have purchased a lemon, contact Lemberg Law and we will assess your problems free of charge. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace, or pay cash settlements to thousands of lemon owners. And the law makes Jeep pay the legal fees.
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Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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