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Jeep RenegadeModel year report

2020 Jeep Renegade Problems

Compared with other Jeep Renegade years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

32/100 0.7× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
64filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
10,598miles, 19 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 1.3L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Jeep Renegade (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Jeep Renegade most often describe the engine stalling or shutting off without warning while driving, sometimes with oil consumption or oil leaks involved. A second common theme is the center touchscreen and backup camera glitching, blacking out or failing, which owners say affects reversing and navigation. Many reports arrive at low mileage, and several owners mention that dealers could not reproduce a fault or found no stored codes.

  1. Engine

    Engine stalls or shuts off while driving

    • 25 complaints (39%)
    • median 24,813 mi at 1.9 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2025

    Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds, from parking-lot speeds to highway driving, sometimes with a cluster of warning messages appearing at the same moment. Owners report having to coast to the shoulder or restart the vehicle, and some say it happened repeatedly within a short period. Several owners state the dealer found no stored codes or could not reproduce the problem; a few were told the cause was low oil or a fuel pump failure. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 80,000, at all speeds and in ordinary driving conditions.

    What to check: Ask for service records showing whether stalling complaints were investigated and what codes were found. Check the oil level and note any recent oil or fuel-system repairs before a longer test drive.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving my 2020 Jeep Renegade it will just shut itself down with no warning. I was on the freeway going 60 mph when the car just shut off causing me to have to pull over on the side of the freeway (which is illegal) and then having to restart the car - this happened 6 times in a matter of 24 hours causing me to have to bring my Jeep to the dealership. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11530419, filed 2023-07

    “My car system simply failed in the middle the road while driving. I had More than enough gas as well as great battery in the car. My car would not turn over to completely start but will turn on just to have a battery use. During my car stopping in the middle of the street many cars almost rammed into the back of me because i could Not get the car to turn on or move. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11627478, filed 2024-11
  2. Electrical system

    Touchscreen and backup camera glitch or go blank

    • 13 complaints (20%)
    • typically at 5.1 yrs old
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2022–2026

    Owners describe the center display flickering, showing lines or discoloration, freezing, or going completely black, which leaves the backup camera image unavailable when reversing. Some report the radio turning itself off and on, or navigation freezing when a phone is connected. Complaints say dealers acknowledged the problem but in some cases were unable to fix it, and that replacing the whole unit is expensive. Reported across a wide mileage range, sometimes within the first few thousand miles; a few owners link it to hot weather.

    Recall 20V1910001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Test the touchscreen and backup camera in reverse, and check whether the radio software update described in the service bulletin has been applied. Ask whether the display unit has already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The backup camera failed after being replaced one month ago. The safety of others is at risk because if I have a blind spot that the backup camera usually shows, I am at risk of accidentally hitting someone or something. It has not been inspected since it stopped working. The camera started lagging around two weeks ago which could have also put someone in danger.”

    NHTSA complaint #11475893, filed 2022-07

    “UNKNOWN- When phone is connected to car and navigation is used the screen in car freezes, lags and turns the radio off and on. It happens too many times to keep count as I drive for a living. I took my jeep into the dealership to address the problem and get it fixed. The dealership told me they are aware of the problem. They had already tried to fix the problem on several jeeps, and they were brought back with the same complaint. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11541325, filed 2023-08
  3. Engine

    Excessive oil consumption and oil leaks

    • 13 complaints (20%)
    • median 7,000 mi at 1.6 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2026

    Complaints describe the engine using a quart of oil over short distances, dark smoke from the exhaust, and oil leaks traced to a vacuum pump, gasket or engine valley area. Some owners say low oil was offered as the explanation for stalling or shutdowns, and one report says low compression led to an engine replacement recommendation. Others mention leaks appearing around the engine and transmission coupling. Mostly reported between roughly 7,000 and 80,000 miles, with some leaks noted in the first year of ownership.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Check the oil level and look for fresh oil residue around the engine and under the vehicle. Ask whether any oil leak repair or engine work has been done and keep an eye on the level between changes.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Was driving and entering onto a freeway going about 40-50mph. I was able to reach 60 mph on freeway. All of a sudden the thing where car shuts off when stopped at light that came on and then check engine light and then had to slow down however after slowing I was not able to go above 40 mph and had to try to get over to pullover. I let my car sit for a couple hours and when I put it in drive and accelerated my front end was smoking and extremely hot. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11427259, filed 2021-07

    “My 2020 Jeep Renegade has been burning a quart of oil every 1,000 miles or so. Im sure many people do not check it as consistently as i do. Burning oil im sure is hard on the spark plugs, catalitic converters, and the emissions.”

    NHTSA complaint #11704182, filed 2025-12
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission jerks, slips or loses power

    • 8 complaints (13%)
    • median 22,406 mi at 1.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2020–2024

    Owners report the vehicle jerking or hesitating when accelerating, the transmission slipping at highway speed, and warnings such as a service transmission message appearing. Some describe sudden loss of acceleration or the vehicle dropping into a low-power mode. Complaints mention dealers clearing codes without a repair, or a transmission replacement in some cases. Reported from under 10,000 miles up to about 50,000, both at low speed and during highway driving.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: During a test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and at highway speed and note any hesitation or harsh shifts. Ask whether transmission work or a software update has been performed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “On 4 separate occasions, traveling around 45-60 MPH, the engine went into what was described as limp mode and the speed decreased to 20 MPH with the tach reading ~6500 and was not able to attain and maintain safe traveling speeds. The first three occasions were on a rural road, twice in a slight curve and once in a straight away. It felt like the car had been rear-ended and then was not able to achieve highway speeds (which I turn right onto from my road). …”

    NHTSA complaint #11382755, filed 2020-12, 1,903 miles

    “Problem began on 1/1/22. I was out running errands when vehicle lost acceleration power, check engine light came on followed by a service transmission light. My vehicle is less than a year old with under 8000 miles on it and is regularly maintained. There is no foreseeable reason for it to be having problems”

    NHTSA complaint #11445859, filed 2022-01

Buying note. A 2020 Renegade is worth a careful pre-purchase inspection that covers the cooling system, oil level and leaks, transmission behavior on a test drive, and the touchscreen and backup camera. Ask for service records so you can see whether stalling or electrical complaints were investigated.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 53 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 64 consumer complaints for the 2020 Jeep Renegade. 19 of the complaints include a mileage, and 89% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 10,598 miles. Of all complaints, 10 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 10 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 329 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 7 Jeep Renegade model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 32 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Wheels (2), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (1), Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Forward collision avoidance (1), Steering (1), Body and structure (1), Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “Camshaft pcv-(pressure control valve) doesn't work properly=(in wrong direction). Asking for a recall. Can cause accident because of low idle and improper vacum in brakes causing them to fail.”

NHTSA complaint #11415751, filed 2021-05, 7,000 miles

Electrical system: “Vehicle stopped dead went into park. All lights came on of temperature control throttle without any warning of check engine prior to I was in busy traffic and having to get towed to the dealership now the dealership doesn’t know what’s wrong with it and I’m without a vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11628957, filed 2024-12

Other or unknown: “I was park at a public parking spot(post office) waiting for my friend, the engine was running. When my friend got to my car, I press the brake to put the car in reversed. It reversed about 3 feet and suddenly stop. I went and put my foot on the brake and switch it to drive and it wont go forward either . My friend got out and check front and back to see if something was blocking the tires from moving forward or reverse. There was nothing. I decided to put the car in park again. The ebrake button lights was not on nor any indicator in the dashboard. But once I pressed the button. …”

NHTSA complaint #11340791, filed 2020-07, 3,200 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Go to step on gas to accelerate my jeep it will limp backwards on speed then all of a sudden take off like a rocket, jerking everybody in the car like g force, jerking head & necks, also driving down the road car has several times shut completely off, having me to pull vehicle over to side of road, & restarting the car.I I’ve had radio system shut completely off by itself for no reason. …”

NHTSA complaint #11601115, filed 2024-07

Mileage when problems were reported

89% of the 19 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 4,300 and 25,000 miles.

47%0–1026%10–2516%25–505%50–755%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (19 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 10,598 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

202020212022202320241520252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Jeep Renegade. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Renegade · SUV AWD★★★★☆4 / 4453 · 22.8% risk
Renegade · SUV FWD★★★★☆4 / 4454 · 17.9% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2020 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning not available, automatic emergency braking not available.

Neighbouring years: 2021: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2020 Jeep Renegade version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Renegade 2WD1.3L 4-cyl9-speed automatic243227$2,500
Renegade 2WD2.4L 4-cyl9-speed automatic223025$2,700
Renegade 4WD1.3L 4-cyl9-speed automatic232926$2,600
Renegade 4WD2.4L 4-cyl9-speed automatic212924$2,800
Renegade Trailhawk 4WD1.3L 4-cyl9-speed automatic222724$2,800

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2020 Jeep Renegade → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 329 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 329 bulletins →

Other model years of the Jeep Renegade

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20232013,0002426—Too new
20222710,52024270 · FewerRising
20216810,000242715 · FewerRising
20206410,598342732 · FewerRising
20198022,5004—2719 · FewerRising
201844416,000242586 · MoreStable
201756628,274342699 · MoreFalling
201643136,065142662 · TypicalFalling
201551235,0003—2683 · MoreFalling

All Jeep Renegade model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Renegade?

Owners of the 2020 Jeep Renegade most often describe the engine stalling or shutting off without warning while driving, sometimes with oil consumption or oil leaks involved. The issues reported most often: Engine stalls or shuts off while driving; Touchscreen and backup camera glitch or go blank; Excessive oil consumption and oil leaks.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 Jeep Renegade have?

NHTSA recorded 64 consumer complaints for the 2020 Jeep Renegade as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Jeep Renegade is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 22 complaints (34% of the total), followed by electrical system with 14.

Has the 2020 Jeep Renegade been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2020 Jeep Renegade do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2020 Jeep Renegade 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Jeep Renegade get?

The EPA rates the 2020 Jeep Renegade (Renegade 2WD, 1.3L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 24 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Jeep Renegade reported?

Among the 19 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 10,598 miles and the middle half falls between 4,300 and 25,000 miles; 89% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.