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Jeep · NHTSA safety record

2016 Jeep Renegade

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

429

Complaints

9

Crashes

10

Fires

15

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 Jeep Renegade have filed 429 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2016 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 172 of them (40%). The typical failure was reported at 36,065 miles, the median across the 306 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints fell 40% year on year: 15 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 25 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 1 recall covering this vehicle.

Recalls (1)

TRAILER HITCHES

16V545000 · July 20, 2016

The defect
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.
The risk
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.
The 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.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 8,581 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 429.

ENGINE 172 40%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 119 28%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 75 17%
POWER TRAIN 73 17%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 29 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 27 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 26 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 23 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 21 5%
AIR BAGS 17 4%
STEERING 15 3%
SEAT BELTS 14 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 115.

2016 2019 2026
2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

6 injured · crash · towed · 6,000 miles

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED MAY 16, 2016. ON AUGUST 6, 2016 THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THE ELECTRONIC TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE LIGHTS SHUTOFF COMPLETELY. IT ONLY TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 20-30 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND STAYED ON. AFTER THE STOP, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE TO REMOVE IT FROM THE INTERSTATE. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART, DID NOT TURN OVER; ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENED. SHORTLY AFTER THE COMPLETE SHUTOFF, THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. NOW THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP, THE BODY SHOP IS

NHTSA complaint 10899148, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed · 52,000 miles

MY COMPUTER HAD STARTED TO GLITCH WITHIN LESS THAN 100 MILES OF ME BUYING THE CAR I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE THE OIL WAS LOW NOW I HAVE A SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND WITHIN A DAY MY CAR HAS LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE WITH EVERY LIGHT POWER STEERING HAS GONE AND I'VE ALREADY GOTTEN AN ACCIDENT WORTH ALMOST THE WHOLE CAR -1 GRAND SO IT WAS NOT TOTALED NOR CAN ANYBODY EXPLAIN WHY MY CAR DID THIS AND I GOT THE BLAME FOR IT WHEN I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THIS CAR THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED THIS HAPPENED TO ME ON THE HIGHWAY AND SIDE ROADS I HAVE NO E BREAK AND I CANNOT STEER MY WHEEL NOR DO I KNOW IF THE AIRBAGS ARE EVEN GOING TO WORK BECAUSE I GOT AN A $10,000 ACCIDENT AND THEY DID NOT GO

NHTSA complaint 11341462, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 51,000 miles

MY 2016 JEEP RENEGADE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT OCTOBER 4TH, VEHICLE TOTALED BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH THE RENEGADE WAS ON AND THERE WAS A PASSENGER (BUCKLED IN) IN THE VEHICLE. HAD FCA RUN THEIR 'INVESTIGATION' THOUGH THEY WILL NOT SHARE THE RESULTS OF WHICH WITH ME EVEN THOUGH I'VE ASKED. THEIR RESPONSE 'YOUR REQUEST FOR OUR INSPECTION REPORT IS PROPRIETARY, PAID FOR BY US, BELONGS TO US, AND THEREFORE, UNAVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH OUR HANDLING, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE THE RIGHT TO HIRE YOUR OWNER INSPECTOR, AT YOUR EXPENSE, TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE . WE HAVE CLOSED THE FILE REGARDING THIS MATTER.' BOTH MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND BODY SHOP (WHO ASKED FOR THE

NHTSA complaint 11366756, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

1 injured · crash · 2,092 miles

VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK FOOT OFF THE BRAKE FROM DEAD STOP AND THE RENEGADE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR. THE INSTURMENT PANEL FLASHED AND FLICKERED VARIOUS TROUBLE INDICATIONS AND THEN STOPPED WITH THE MESSAGE TO SERVICE THE ELECTRIC EMERGENCY BRAKE.

NHTSA complaint 10861448. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

WHEELS
Understanding the vehicle is not under wheel stud recall but it needs to be. The exact same thing happened to my Renegade as the recall states. At the Jeep dealer because the wheel came off when my wife was driving. Towed to Jeep dealer and all stud/ nuts are stressed and stretched and causing this life threatening situation. Wrong tourque specs published. Luckily my wife wasn’t hurt or killed. I have attached pictures and video. Talked to Jeep customer care with no help. This is a very serious situation and needs to be addressed.

NHTSA complaint 11751094. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In the past year, I have already had to replace the bulb for the "daytime running light" on the front passenger side of my Renegade. Now, the light has just popped back onto my dashboard for the 3rd time stating that the light is out again for the 3rd time in a year. I have also noticed several other Renegades in my area driving with the same exact light out on their vehicle as well. The first 2 times I took my vehicle to my mechanic to be repaired, both times they stated all they found was the bulb not working. Being the 3rd time, they have advised me to reach out about a recall to have this fixed.

NHTSA complaint 11746662. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Electrical warning lights turn off and on on panel. Fob stopped working and car became immobilised blocking traffic. Car towed by AAA to an AAA recommended repair shop, has been there one week, diagnosis leads back to fob and programming/ electrical system. Battery checked and was not an issue. Fob and electrical programming systems is the issue. I will have itemized receipts once fob/programming work is completed.

NHTSA complaint 11744731. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

127,000 miles

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound while the cooling fan was in operation. The contact stated that the sound became louder over time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with fan bearing and spindle failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that after leaving the dealer, the engine started to overheat, and the coolant temperature gauge moved into the red zone. No warning lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

NHTSA complaint 11744762. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

my car suddenly caught fire while driving on the freeway. i heard a boom, felt my car shake and saw flames out my back window, i pulled over immediately and got out of the car. going around the passenger side to inspect my tires and car. as in doing this i noticed that the entire car by then underneath was completely consumed in flames. i ran from the car in fear of my safety. my car burned to the ground in front of my eyes. there were no warning lights on my dash, no flashing, no indication of anything wrong.

NHTSA complaint 11732056. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
I had a service airbag, service parking brake and the seatbelt light starts flashing. It happens every time I drive the vehicle and I had it looked at by a mechanic and they see no issue with the sensors. They told me to check for any recalls and I don’t see any here.

NHTSA complaint 11729237. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Jeep Renegade

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2023 20 2 —
2022 25 2 —
2021 66 2 —
2020 62 3 —
2019 78 4 —
2018 440 2 —
2017 562 3 —
2015 511 3 —

Other 2016 Jeep models

Cherokee 1,403 Patriot 457 Wrangler 456 Grand Cherokee 308 Compass 292

Every Jeep on this site — 104 vehicles, 303 recall campaigns and 7 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst