Jeep Renegade Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. 861 of the 2,182 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015–2023 Jeep Renegade (39.5%) name the engine, 2.0× the median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2017, 2018 and 2016.
Engine complaints
861
Filed with NHTSA, 2015–2023 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
39.5%
of 2,182 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Jeep Renegade engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 165 | 32.3% | 9 | — | 50 |
| 2016WORST | 178 | 41.6% | 4 | — | 48 |
| 2017WORST | 270 | 48.3% | 6 | 18V131000 | 30 |
| 2018WORST | 192 | 43.7% | 4 | — | 31 |
| 2019 | 15 | 19.5% | 3 | — | 20 |
| 2020 | 21 | 33.9% | 2 | — | 20 |
| 2021 | 9 | 14.3% | 1 | — | 19 |
| 2022 | 8 | 34.8% | 0 | — | 15 |
| 2023 | 3 | 15% | 0 | — | 13 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Jeep Renegade engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 861 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Jeep Renegade years to avoid for the engine
2017 Jeep Renegade
270 engine complaints (48.3% of the year's 559). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving. Covered by engine recall 18V131000.
2018 Jeep Renegade
192 engine complaints (43.7% of the year's 439). Most often described: stalling or shutting off while driving.
2016 Jeep Renegade
178 engine complaints (41.6% of the year's 428). Most often described: overheating or coolant loss.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Jeep Renegade years to avoid.
Jeep Renegade engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Jeep Renegade model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 18V131000 · 2018-02-22 · 2017 models
These vehicles may be equipped with a cracked oil pump housing/balance shaft module (BSM), which can cause the oil pump to fail and the engine to stall.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2017 Jeep Renegade have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 270 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2017 Jeep Renegade, 48.3% of all 559 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (139 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 18V131000. 6 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2018 Jeep Renegade have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 192 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Jeep Renegade, 43.7% of all 439 complaints for that year. The most common description is "stalling or shutting off while driving" (113 complaints). 4 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2016 Jeep Renegade have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 178 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Jeep Renegade, 41.6% of all 428 complaints for that year. The most common description is "overheating or coolant loss" (60 complaints). 4 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Jeep Renegade years have the most engine complaints?
2017 (270), 2018 (192) and 2016 (178), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Jeep Renegade engine problems?
In the 861 engine complaints, owners most often describe stalling or shutting off while driving (40%), oil consumption or oil leaks (19.9%) and misfire or check-engine light (18.1%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Jeep Renegade model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration