YearToAvoid

2015 Jeep Renegade Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2015 Jeep Renegade has 511 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 63, earning a Caution verdict, ranked 4th worst of 9 model years. Engine problems dominate at 36% of complaints, followed by transmission and electrical issues, with 3 recalls on file.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
63/100
#4 of 9 Renegade years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
511
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
8
reported in complaints
Fires
8
Injuries
1
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2022
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25.5
23 city / 30.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Top 2015 Jeep Renegade problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine186 (36%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain170 (33%)
  3. Electrical System139 (27%)
  4. Other97 (19%)
  5. Brakes54 (11%)
  6. Fuel System39 (8%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (5%)
  8. Steering15 (3%)
  9. Airbags14 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts14 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Engine compartment fires or smoking reported while driving at moderate speeds, sometimes preceded by a loud pop and sudden loss of power.
  • Check engine light and burning odor tied to a defective cooling fan module, with some owners told the vehicle was unsafe to drive.
  • Transmission unexpectedly shifted into reverse or failed to engage drive, in one case causing a collision.
  • Electrical warning lights flickered in sequence and the transmission locked up, preventing normal shifting.
  • Cooling fan failures around the 51,711-mile mark tied to a stored diagnostic code and illuminated service engine light.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in low-speed crashes, and a seat belt failed to retract properly in a rear-end collision.
2015 Jeep Renegade complaints: complaints filed per quarter502015 Q22016 Q42018 Q22019 Q42021 Q22022 Q42024 Q22025 Q4
511 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q2 to 2026 Q2; peak 2019 Q3 (50).

2015 Jeep Renegade recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V545000Jul 20, 2016Structure & Body8,581 vehicles

    Trailer hitches

    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.

    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.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 16V529000Jul 12, 2016Transmission & Powertrain329,540 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee and 2015 Chrysler 200, Jeep Renegade, RAM ProMaster, and 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles equipped with 9-speed automatic transmissions. The transmission sensor clusters may have insufficient crimps in the transmission wire harness, and as a result, the transmission may unexpectedly shift to neutral. On August 29, 2016 Chrysler added the 2016 Fiat 500X vehicles to this recall.

    Risk: If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral, there is an increased risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module and the Transmission Control Module and if necessary replace the transaxle range sensor wire harness, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S55.

  3. NHTSA 15V508000Aug 12, 2015Electrical System7,810 vehicles

    Electrical system:cybersecurity

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jeep Renegade vehicles manufactured September 18, 2014, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles are equipped with radios that have software vulnerabilities that can allow third-party access to certain networked vehicle control systems.

    Risk: Exploitation of the software vulnerability may result in unauthorized remote modification and control of certain vehicle systems, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify and mail affected owners a USB drive that includes a software update that eliminates the vulnerability, free of charge. Optionally, owners may download the update to their own USB drive from http://www.driveuconnect.com/software-update/ or take their vehicle to a Chrysler dealer for immediate installation. In an effort to mitigate the effects of this security vulnerability, Chrysler has had the wireless service provider close the open cellular connection to the vehicle that provided unauthorized access to the vehicle network. This measure may not have been implemented on all vehicles and does not address access by other means that will be remedied by the software update. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R45.

2015 Jeep Renegade fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23 MPG
Highway
30.5 MPG
Combined
25.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,825
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2015 compared with other Renegade years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100201520162017201820192020202120222023
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Caution63511325.5
2016Avoid75430125.5
2017Avoid100564325.5

All Jeep Renegade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Jeep Renegade reliable?
NHTSA data shows 511 complaints for the 2015 Renegade with a complaint index of 63, giving it a Caution verdict. It ranks 4th worst among the 9 model years with data.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Jeep Renegade?
Engine issues make up 36% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 38,000, followed by transmission and powertrain problems at 33% and electrical system issues at 27%.
Does the 2015 Jeep Renegade have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 Renegade covering a trailer hitch fastener issue, a 9-speed transmission reprogramming, and a radio software vulnerability fix. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2015 Renegade compare to other model years?
The 2015 model's complaint index of 63 is better than 2016, 2017, and 2018, which are all rated Avoid, but worse than 2019 through 2023, several of which earn Good or Best verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Jeep Renegade?
EPA rates the 2015 Renegade at 25.5 mpg combined (23 city / 30.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,825.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.