Problems · NHTSA complaints
2018 Jeep Renegade problems
Owners filed 444 complaints about the 2018 Jeep Renegade with NHTSA between May 2018 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (189).
Complaints
444
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
8
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine189
- Electrical system131
- Fuel/propulsion system91
- Power train58
- Service brakes17
- Vehicle speed control16
- Visibility/wiper11
- Steering11
- Fuel system, gasoline10
- Exterior lighting9
- Air bags9
- Electronic stability control (esc)8
- Structure6
- Engine and engine cooling5
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
21
97
88
40
29
46
58
41
24
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 21 |
| 2019 | 97 |
| 2020 | 88 |
| 2021 | 40 |
| 2022 | 29 |
| 2023 | 46 |
| 2024 | 58 |
| 2025 | 41 |
| 2026 | 24 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
189 reports3 crashes2 fires
“Car has 66,000 miles. Description of the Safety Defect and Incident:Component Malfunction: The radiator cooling fan motor and the low-speed resistor circuit suffered a complete internal electrical failure. The defective part is being removed and is available for inspection upon request.Safety Risk: While idling stationary in live traffic, the vehicle unexpectedly and severely overheated. This created an immediate, dangerous traffic-stall hazard that put my personal safety and the safety of surrounding drivers at risk of a collision.Professional Confirmation: The problem has been fully reproduced, diagnosed, and confirmed by a certified independent service center. Their diagnostic scan tool commands failed, and electronic connector testing proved an open resistor and a faulty, high-resistance motor.Inspections: The vehicle and component have been inspected and verified by the independent service center. No police or insurance representatives were involved as I successfully safely towed the vehicle before a collision occurred.Warning Lamps & Symptoms: There were no symptoms prior to the failure. The problem appeared suddenly while idling. The dashboard cluster…”
Electrical system
131 reports1 crash5 fires1 related recall
“Backup camera screen went out 2 months after purchasing. I googled and multiple forums including Reddit had 2018 renegade owners reporting the same thing Definitely a safety issue when half the screen is out. Unable to use backup camera as purposed for safe driving It also makes it diffCult and thus unsafe to make selections on the touch screen for radio Bluetooth and other important settings Screens and cameras are supposed to make it safer for drivers. In this case, it is a hazard! It only gets worse the while screen goes out the longer the jeep is in use”
Fuel/propulsion system
91 reports1 fire
“I was driving down the interstate at a low speed due to traffic being backed up and my vehicle started stalling as I was driving at a lower speed. The week before I was driving at a low speed in a parking garage and my vehicle stalled while driving. And I was at a stop sign a couple months ago and it stalled on the hill. It's also stuttered trying to merge on the interstate. Other vehicles same year and model have been recalled but mine has not been included. Also the vehicle has trouble starting all the time.”
Power train
58 reports
“UConnect screen is out. Started glitching but now it is completely black yet the touch part of it is responsive?? Now if only i could remember EXACTLY where everything is located and in what order.. haha. Not. Also I have no backup camera view, not being able to see what temp my ac/heat is at or which mode it is on. What time is it even? How do i turn on the passenger heated seat for my daughter in the mornings and evenings when the temperature outside is below zero? How do i know where my next turn is when i am driving to a destination with my children and this is the first time i have ever seen, much less been on this road? It sucks!! And my android auto is no longer an option... music?? The safety i could put myself and others in by having to look at and use my phone to change songs, artists, podcasts, make a call or change a gps route... not cool! Also the "fog light" running light on my passenger side does not work at times despite having changed the bulb, wiring, even though the fog light works just fine? And i have often felt like my transmission was slipping when accelerating from stop signs or at other times and that is insane considering the vehicle…”
Service brakes
17 reports3 crashes2 fires
“The entire radio system begins to get white ghost lines which affects the rear back-up camera and rear safety systems, and it also affects the parking brakes when the vehicle is in park or stopped. The use of the radio system is required to do basic maintenance on the vehicle such as brake changes.”
Vehicle speed control
16 reports
“I am writing to report a severe safety defect regarding my 2018 Jeep Renegade. The vehicle suffers from an extreme internal oil consumption defect, burning 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. According to certified automotive diagnostics, this is five times the normal operating rate. This rapid oil depletion causes the vehicle to abruptly lose power, stall, and completely shut down while driving in active traffic without warning. Sudden engine failure at highway speeds creates an immediate, critical risk of collisions. The vehicle’s history directly matches documented manufacturer issues. The original purchasing dealership notified me that the vehicle was impacted by Customer Satisfaction Notification W80 for abnormal oil consumption. My research also confirmed related under-hood wiring recalls for this model year that cause fuel pressure drops and engine stalling. However, when I presented the vehicle to an authorized Jeep dealership in Newnan, Georgia, due to repeated stalling, the service department refused recall coverage because my specific VIN was not flagged in their database. They replaced a valve cover gasket instead, but the severe oil depletion and…”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.