Jeep has always made vehicles that are rugged and practical. The Jeep Renegade definitely offers great practicality and the utilitarian build suggests that this subcompact SUV would last a long time. With over 60,000 units sold, the 2015 Renegade has a fair share of the market when compared to cars like the Kia Soul, the Ford Escape, and the Chevrolet Trax. When it comes to the issues and complaints, NHTSA reports a total of 450 complaints and 4 recalls for the Renegade, which isn’t a lot considering the numbers sold.
2015 Jeep Renegade Problems, Issues, Complaints, Recalls, and which year to avoid
User complaints and problems
Electrical Problems
- Door latch – Users weren’t able to lock the doors using the key fob even though they tried changing the batteries. The dealers were able to identify this as a programming error and the locks had to be reprogrammed in order to fix the issue.
- Infotainment – The media screen seemed to be corrupted and didn’t operate as intended. It would restart on its own and certain features like the radio failed to work. The dealers suggested resetting the Uconnect software but that would only fix the issue temporarily.
- Battery – The claimed battery life on the Jeep was 3-5 years but users started having issues within a year of purchasing the car. The car would start with a delay after turning the key and the electrical functions intermittently failed. Users also found the key to be stuck in the ignition due to the low voltage that wasn’t properly able to engage the safety mechanism. It was found that the battery had bad cells and had to be replaced.
Mechanical Problems
- Cooling – Users reported hearing a rattling noise from under the hood and noticed smoke coming out while driving. It soon turned into a fire and upon inspection, the cooling fan was found to have melted. After some research, it was found that a design flaw and poor manufacturing is what caused the issue and this led to the engine drastically overheating.
- Fuel line – The car was said to not start in cold temperatures and after getting it towed to the dealers, it was found that the fuel lines had developed condensation through the gas tank. The only solution to this was to leave the electronics on for a while to let the battery spread some heat to get rid of the condensation. It was also noticed that the fuel would leak continuously that needed a fuel line replacement as they tend to rub against metal objects and wear.
- Engine – The car was said to lose power abruptly while driving and the engine would ultimately stall. When inspected, the oil levels were said to be low but the issues arose soon after a refill and it was diagnosed to understand that the Renegade burns oil at a much faster rate.
- Transmission – It was stated that the car would lose power while jerking when shifting gears and even stall at times. The transmission health was diagnosed and found to be good which suggests that the PCM and TCM needed an update.
- Brakes – The emergency braking system was reported to slam the brakes way too hard without any obstacles ahead. This was later found to be caused due to a short circuit that had to be replaced.
Safety Problems
- Seatbelt – The rear passenger seatbelts were reported to not unlatch and this could impose a huge safety concern during a crash. It was said that the latch was faulty and that the seatbelts had to be replaced.
Interior Problems
- Seats – The driver’s power seat wasn’t working and made it difficult to drive the car in a comfortable position. The dealers stated that the fuse had blown and needed a replacement to solve the issue.
Exterior Problems
- Fog lamps – Users noticed the fog lamp housing to completely melt like it was set on fire. It was found that there was no heat-reflecting coating, leading the housing to absorb all the heat from the bulb.
- Windshield – The windshield was noticed to crack and shatter randomly and it was a very common issue for which the dealers had no explanation. The users suspect a manufacturing defect to be the cause of this issue.
2015 Jeep Renegade recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
20 July 2016 |
16V545000 |
Trailer hitch assembly may separate from the vehicle |
Without the proper amount of fasteners, the trailer hitch assembly may separate from the vehicle. |
Dealers will add two additional fasteners per side. |
|
2. |
12 July 2016 |
16V529000 |
Transmission may shift unexpectedly to neutral. |
Unexpectedly shifting to neutral while on the move can drastically decrease the momentum of the vehicle and lead to a crash. |
The powertrain control module will be reprogrammed. |
|
3. |
18 February 2016 |
16E013000 |
Rear control arm bracket weld failure. |
This can cause the rear axle to move while driving, resulting in the loss of control. |
The brackets will be inspected and replaced if necessary. |
|
4. |
12 August 2015 |
15V508000 |
Radio software security vulnerabilities. |
This can lead to unauthorized remote modification and control of certain system features. |
A USB drive with software to get rid of the vulnerabilities will be provided to the owners. |
Should you buy the 2015 Jeep Renegade?
The 2015 Jeep Renegade offers a lot of reliability and as it was noticed, the vehicle has had a lot of software and electrical glitches which can easily be fixed through software updates and reflashes. The only concern it raises among the buyers is that the Jeep misses out on NHTSA star ratings but as far as the usage and testing goes, the Jeep Renegade has proven itself to be a dependable vehicle and this vehicle can also handle rough patches and off roads, which other vehicles in this segment fail to do.
