2020 Jeep Renegade: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2020 Jeep Renegade
On the 2020 Jeep Renegade, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, with 10 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 10,000 miles. Overall it scores 79 out of 100, severe risk for a 2020.
Severe risk for a 2020 — 67th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. 90 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 32 named failure modes on the 2020 Jeep Renegade, and the three most-reported carry 23% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other engine problem leads with 10 reports and about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other electrical problem follows with 6 reports.
Infotainment screen failure follows with 5 reports.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (20), electrical (9) and infotainment (8).
The mileage the reports cluster at
24 of the reports on the 2020 Jeep Renegade came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 10,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 92% by 50,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 46% of the dated reports.
75% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 32. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 14 mention a crash, 2 a fire and 12 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 5.51, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, infotainment screen failure at $400–$2,600 and parking brake failure at $250–$1,300. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
30% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other engine problem | engine | 10 | 6 | — | 7k | — | 0.6 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 5 | 2 | — | 133 | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 4 | 1 | — | 25k | — | 0.2 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 49k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 1 | — | 12k | — | 0.2 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 2 | 1 | — | 25k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 2 | 2 | — | 20k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 133 | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 41k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 1 | — | 50k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 16k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 13k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 9k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 8 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 0.5 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2020 Jeep Renegade draws about 5.4 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 86th percentile of complaint rates among 2020 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 16,821 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2020 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2020 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2020 Jeep Renegade, affecting an estimated 29,983 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:frontal, back over prevention: sensing system: camera and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
337,128 vehicles 2024-07-03- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia, 2018-2025 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, 2019-2023 Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, and 2024 Fiat 500E vehicles. A seat belt buckle switch sensor may be improperly connected, preventing the front seat air bag from deploying as intended.
- Consequence
- A front seat air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will repair the connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning August 27, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 82B.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
319,610 vehicles 2020-09-10- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- Consequence
- The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
1,353 vehicles 2019-12-19- Defect
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X vehicles. The right rear brake caliper could have been fractured during the casting process.
- Consequence
- A cracked right rear brake caliper can fail, reducing braking performance and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the right rear brake calipers, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VE8.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2020 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2020 compares with the other years
Severe risk for a 2020 — 67th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 9 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2023 comes out best at 70 and 2018 worst at 81, with 2020 itself at 79.
If the model year is negotiable, 2023, 2021, 2019 and 2022 score lower than 2020 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2019–2023 generation specifically, 2023 is the strongest year at 70 and 2020 the weakest at 79.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2019-2023 generation, 2023 Jeep Renegade scores best at 70 and 2020 Jeep Renegade worst at 79.
Where these figures stop being useful
90 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 90 reports, 24 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 27% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Renegade?
The most-reported failures are other engine problem (10 reports, median 5,000 miles), other electrical problem (6 reports) and infotainment screen failure (5 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2020 Jeep Renegade reliable?
It scores 79 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 67th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2020 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Jeep Renegade is best?
Within the 2019–2023 generation, 2023 scores best at 70 out of 100 and 2020 worst at 79. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed