YearToAvoid

2016 Jeep Renegade Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2016 Jeep Renegade has a complaint index of 75, ranking 3rd worst out of 9 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict. Engine problems dominate at 46% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 38,000 miles.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
75/100
#3 of 9 Renegade years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
430
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
9
reported in complaints
Fires
10
Injuries
15
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2022
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
25.5
23 city / 30.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
15 / 0

Top 2016 Jeep Renegade problems

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

  1. Engine198 (46%)
  2. Electrical System131 (30%)
  3. Other78 (18%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain73 (17%)
  5. Brakes45 (10%)
  6. Fuel System28 (7%)
  7. Airbags17 (4%)
  8. Structure & Body17 (4%)
  9. Steering15 (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

  • Vehicles stall or lose power suddenly at low speeds, sometimes with gray or burning smoke from under the hood or vents.
  • Electric cooling fans have failed and produced smoke or fire while the vehicle was being driven.
  • The parking brake indicator shows engaged when the brake has not actually set, allowing the vehicle to roll.
  • Traction control activates unexpectedly during turns, causing a sudden loss of momentum that owners linked to crashes.
  • Frontal airbags have deployed during low-speed impacts, in one case causing injury.
  • Electrical glitches have triggered multiple warning lights at once along with loss of power steering.
2016 Jeep Renegade complaints: complaints filed per quarter342016 Q12017 Q32019 Q12020 Q32022 Q12023 Q32025 Q12026 Q3
430 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q2 (34).

2016 Jeep Renegade recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign 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.

2016 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.

2016 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
2018Avoid88442225

All Jeep Renegade years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Jeep Renegade reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2016 Renegade a complaint index of 75, the 3rd worst among 9 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Engine issues make up 46% of its 430 complaints.
What problems does the 2016 Jeep Renegade have?
Owners most often report engine problems (198 complaints, median 38,000 miles), followed by electrical system issues (131 complaints) and transmission/powertrain concerns (73 complaints).
Does the 2016 Jeep Renegade have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall for the 2016 Renegade, covering a trailer hitch fastener issue on vehicles built with the optional hitch package. It is not a do-not-drive recall.
Which Jeep Renegade years are worse than 2016?
The 2017 model year is worse, with a complaint index of 100 and an Avoid verdict, the highest among all 9 years covered.
Which Jeep Renegade years are better than 2016?
The 2022 and 2023 model years rank Best, with complaint indexes of 13 and 0 respectively, far below the 2016 model's 75.

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.