CarComplaints.com Notes: Be warned the previous model year (2015) Jeep Renegade has a large number of complaints reported by owners. Time will tell whether the 2016 Renegade has the same issues.

8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$220
Average Mileage:
22,850 miles
Total Complaints:
7 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (6 reports)
  2. new battery (1 reports)
2016 Jeep Renegade electrical problems

electrical problem

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2016 Jeep Renegade Owner Comments

problem #7

Sep 252019

Renegade Latitude 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The battery was dead all of a sudden. When I tried to jump it off, I could never get a charge enough to start the Jeep. I'm not sure what the issue is.

- Andrew B., tucker, GA, US

problem #6

Jul 042019

Renegade Latitude 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,741 miles

Drove vehicle the day and evening before. Start was normal, and there were no warning lights or indications that a charging problem existed. Went out in the morning to start the vehicle, and it started flashing a bunch of warnings. Attempted start, and the gauges jumped and bounced, but there was no starter sound. After multiple attempts to start, the vehicle stopped responding and the dashboard went dark. Attempted to jump with a booster pack. Starter would fire, but the vehicle would not start. As soon as the booster was unhooked, the dashboard would go dark again. Last check while running a week or two ago showed 14v on battery. With all the myriad of system warnings that it is apparently capable of showing, I am very frustrated that there were no warnings of a charging problem prior to it dying.

Update from Jul 6, 2019: Another jump attempted with a different booster was successful. Voltage meter showed 14.4V while connected and running. Continued to run when disconnected. Drove for 10 minutes. Internal meter showed 14.8V while driving, which generally indicates the alternator is putting out power. Stopped to have the battery checked, and it registered at 12.6V. Did not drop below normal threshold while cranking. Internal meter showed 13.2V while idle and went back up to 14.8V when driving for the remainder of the day.

It was suggested that maybe the starter stuck. However, the starter worked as soon as a charge was connected to the battery, and dimming lights/no lights would be an indication of a charging issue rather than a starter problem. No indication yet why the battery seemed to be dead.

Update from Aug 5, 2019: Same problem on July 18, exactly two weeks after initial failure. Dash lights were slightly more responsive, there were fewer warning messages, and lights were not turning off. However, there was not enough power to turn the starter. Connected a small jump box I purchased after the first failure, and it started right up.

May be related to the security system. I noticed that, both times, I either locked the vehicle from the inside door panel or with the fob while the driver door was open. I have been locking the vehicle with the fob after closing the door since this day and have not experienced the problem again.

- Erin C., Calhoun, US

problem #5

Apr 152017

Renegade LX 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,000 miles

Brand new Jeep Renegade with less than 5k miles was left sitting for 30 days without being driven and when we went to use it the battery was dead. Dealer replaced battery and said all is fine now, except if it sits very long without being started the battery will die as it has done today for the 4th time since new...

- pauleys, Selma, US

problem #4

Dec 142017

Renegade Limited

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,534 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

for a start, the car hat to be picked up on a transporter and taken to jeep garage until after the weekend. on Monday they told me that the battery was dead have to have a new one which had to be ordered. one more day without car .When picked up they gave it back with all the dashboard totally in a different language, so they said I must reset myself. In 50 years of owning cars I have never changed a battery after 2 years use.

- Beatrice S., huelva, Spain

problem #3

Jan 122017

Renegade Trail Hawk 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,800 miles

I purchased my Renegade in June of 2016, 5 months and 4800 miles later I have problems starting the vehicle. The battery wasn't totally dead because other electrical components worked (radio, headlights, etc.) but not strong enough to start the car. Brake pedal got really stiff and a miscellaneous service lights flashed on the dash, and the GPS navigational system went out of whack (it had me located somewhere over the Pacific Ocean). Fortunately I have a portable car starter in the trunk and used it to start the car. It happened again two weeks later and that's when I took it to the dealership. Upon this visit dealer diagnosis was inconclusive with the exception of "low voltage" emitting from the battery. Unfortunately for me the cart started for them at every attempt. They recharged the battery, updated some of the software and gave me back the car hoping for the best.

The car was functional for 2 weeks and then the same issue happened-couldn't start the car, I jumped started it again and brought it back to the dealership. Fortunately they let it sit over night, looked at it the next morning and they couldn't start the car. They've had it now for 2 weeks and the only thing they could tell me is that there is an "ignition draw" when the car sits. In other words-something is draining the battery when the car is not in use. The problem is they don't know what that "something" is. As of this writing the dealership is stumped and is relying on Chrysler/Jeep headquarters for input. It's been 2 weeks, this is NOT encouraging folks! The only consolation is the loaner car they gave me until I get mine back.

After reading through everyone else's similar issues with this Jeep model while continuing to endure mine I am half hoping that they can't fix it at all so I can demand my money back. As of now I have no confidence whatsoever in them on the corporate or local level to resolve this problem, and I am growing increasingly frustrated and angry. Hopefully there will be a real diagnosis and resolution to this soon, if so I will update here to help others with the same problem.

- apca, Hercules, CA, US

problem #2

Jan 042017

Renegade 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,115 miles

• 9:15 am when pulling out from stop sign on a slight grade uphill engine shut off. This is not the first time this has occurred. Has happened around 15 times since purchasing the vehicle. However, this was the first time that when I Immediately let off gas and car came back to life and was able to drive however the check engine warning as well as notification light illuminated on the dash board. Millage on issue 3090 Contacted dealership and made appointment for vehicle to be taken in on Tuesday December 27th to be looked at. • Tuesday December 27th. Took vehicle in at 9:00 am and was told to leave it while they ran diagnostics on the vehicle. Later in day, they called and stated vehicle was ready to pick up. Stated that they upgraded the computer settings and found a faulty thermostat. They ordered the part and stated they would call when in. Told that the updates on the computer took care of the check engine warning issue. • Dropped car off on January 3rd to have thermostat replaced. January 4th retrieved my vehicle. When I picked up my car I noticed 2 things wrong. Mileage when dropped off was 3095 (however they had it marked in as 3094) and mileage at pick up was 3106 (but receipt states 3095). I went back in to question the mileage difference as well as where it is driven to and was provided the response in a sarcastic tone “we can put up to 15-20 miles on your vehicle when you bring it in for service. We replaced the thermostat and they needed to drive it to get all the air pockets out”. I took my vehicle and left. • Next morning (January 5th) went out to start my vehicle to head to work. Took 2 failed attempts to start before it was successful. Time of day: 11:00 am. At 8:15 pm when leaving work to come home it again took several attempts to start vehicle. When engine is warm, it will start. However when the engine is on a cold start, it takes multiple attempts. Contacted the dealer on Friday Jan 6th and told them what was happening. That evening I recorded a video to show them but they did not want to see it. They stated that they wanted the car there for first thing Tuesday morning and asked it to be dropped off Monday evening. Again, no rental car and forced to walk to work on Tuesday. The car has not started successfully yet since I have picked it up from the dealership when they replaced the thermostat. • Tuesday January 10th 2017. Did not hear from dealer. Called them at 2:59 PM and was told they had it back in the shop now and would have the person assigned to me call back. He called back at 3:43 pm to explain what they found. Stated that they did a ‘test’ on the gas and found an odd color that matched another vehicle that they recently took in for service and felt that it was a gas issue. However, also stated that they had a call into corporate to see if they knew anything different. • Wednesday January 11th 201 . I called them at 2:00 pm to find the status since I did not hear from them. The guy that I was talking with immediately began to blame it on the gas. When I started to tell him that it is the same. . . He cut me off and said in a stern tone “Ma’am, let me finish”. He did that to me twice. When he finally finished, I stated that the gas was put in the car before the issue started with the not starting (that issue did not start until the very next day of me picking it up on Jan 5th. The gas was in the car since Dec 26th. He suggested for us to run the gas out of it. I stated that will take me two months of dealing with this just “to see” since I don’t drive much each day. He then stated to then top off the tank and see if mixing it with new gas would fix it. I replied that if you feel this is an issue with the gas, why don’t you drain the tank and put fresh in to find out. His reply was “if we do that, we will have to charge you for that service then”. I was so angry. At that point I disconnected the call and immediately called my husband. • My husband immediately called them and was provided the same reasoning that he gave to me. My husband had them come pick him up to go get the car from them. When he picked it up, they still blamed it on the gas. My husband was also told at that time that we needed to take it to a different dealership in the future and that “they contacted corporate”. (all because I was upset and hung up on them) • Thursday the issues returned when my wife went to leave for work at 10:30 am with taking the second attempt to start. Tank was filled (was at half tank) as dealership had suggested to see if ‘topping off’ would fix it. Gas this purchase was from Sheetz. Did not fix the issue. • Friday January 13th. Morning start took 6 attempts to get it to finally start. • Friday January 13th. Evening start took 8 failed attempts (all recorded however I do not have access to post to YouTube to upload to her . . . but that will soon be out there as soon as I figure out how to do it).

Vehicle is scheduled to go into the new dealership on Monday in hopes that they can find what the other dealership did to it to cause this issue (did not do this until they replaced the thermostat). Vehicle has only 3139 miles on it.

- Lisa F., Greensburg, PA, US

problem #1

Dec 032016

Renegade Latitude 1.4L Turbo

  • Manual transmission
  • 3,500 miles

I have 2 vehicles, so i don't drive the jeep everyday. It had been about 3days since i had driven it. Went out to start it and the key fob wouldn't unlock the door (no lights flashed, etc). unlocked it with the key, and the unlock button on the door wouldn't work either. Put the key in and nothing came on, turned the key - notta, no lights no clicks, nothing... DEAD. (only 3,500 miles on it). So i jumped it, it took about 10mins with the cables on and the durango running before it would start. finally did start, drove it saturday. Started it again sunday morning, no problem. Didn't drive or start it on Monday. Started it Tuesday evening and it almost didn't start.. turned the key and click, click, click, and then finally turned over and got a.high coolant temp fault once it started. (engine temp was fine on the gauge). Drove it that night. didn't drive wednesday. Tried to start it Thursday morning to go to work, and click, click, click, click notta. got another high coolant temp fault... turned if off and called the dealership. Having it towed there today.

- Kara R., Garrett, IN, US

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