Fault File
All models / All cars / Small SUVs / Jeep Renegade

Jeep Renegade

All generations and engines together · 28,795 MOT tests in the 2025 data · typical mileage at age 7: 57k

First-time failure at age 7
27.4%
Across 2,891 tests. The average across all tracked models is 19.5%.
Rank at age 7
204 of 239
1 = lowest failure rate among the models tracked.
Typical mileage at age 7
57k miles
Check the mileage view below; low-mileage models can look better by age than they are.

How this model wears

Jeep RenegadeClass average, all tracked models

Known issues

Measured

Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.

What testers flag

Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.

Faults with the car itself

The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 20,961 tests in this band.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Advisory
17.5%class 6.6%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
Minor
11.8%class 0.7%
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
Fail
10.3%class 0.5%
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Fail
6.5%class 1.3%
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
Fail
4.4%class 0.9%
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
Fail
4.1%class 1.2%
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
Advisory
3.8%class 2.0%
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Fail
2.5%class 0.4%
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
Advisory
2.4%class 0.6%
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
Advisory
2.1%class 0.4%

Wear, upkeep and luck

Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Advisory
32.5%class 22.9%
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
Advisory
18.2%class 10.1%
A tyre seriously damaged
Advisory
11.0%class 11.1%
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
Advisory
9.1%class 8.7%
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
Advisory
5.8%class 3.4%
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
Fail
4.4%class 2.2%
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
Minor
3.8%class 2.0%
Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
Advisory
3.4%class 2.2%

Unconfirmed issues

Reported

Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.

Front suspension knocks and clunks

Partly in the MOT data

Owners report clunks and knocks from the front end over bumps and speed humps, usually blamed on strut top mounts, drop links and anti-roll bar bushes. One Honest John owner review describes a first MOT throwing up £700 of suspension work the dealer refused to cover under warranty because nothing had been flagged earlier. Suspension is the measured MOT fault signature for this class of small SUV, and the folklore lines up: it's the wear part owners complain about loudest, though which specific component gives out varies case by case.

Reported from around 20-60k miles · sources: Honest John owner reviews, Jeep Renegade Forum

Right-side engine mount failure

Confirmed pattern

A batch of Renegades built in late 2018 were recalled because the right-side engine mount bolt didn't have enough thread engagement, risking the mount coming loose. Separately from the recall, owners on the Jeep Renegade Forum describe engine mounts wearing and causing clunks or a vibration through the cabin under load on cars outside that build window too. If you're buying a 2018-19 car, check the recall work was actually carried out.

Recall covers cars built 18/10/2018-05/12/2018 · sources: car-recalls.co.uk UK recall database, Jeep Renegade Forum

EGR and DPF clogging on the diesel

Diesel only

The 1.6 and 2.0 Multijet diesels are reported to clog their EGR valves and DPF earlier than you'd want, especially on cars used mostly for short runs. Symptoms are a warning light, sluggish acceleration, more frequent regeneration cycles and noticeably worse fuel economy. Owners describe a first wave of niggles from around 40,000 miles and a second, costlier round involving the injection pump from 100,000 miles or so; EGR cleaning or DPF replacement runs from a few hundred pounds up to over £1,000 if the pump's involved.

Reported 40-100k+ miles · sources: Autodoc UK, Jeep Renegade Forum

Automatic gearbox hesitation and clutch wear

Automatics only

Two different automatics get complaints. The ZF 9-speed fitted to 4x4 diesel autos has a long history of hard, hesitant shifts and, on some UK-spec cars, simply refusing to select 9th gear at all; Jeep issued software updates in the US that owners say only partly fixed it. The 6-speed DCT fitted to automatic petrols is a dry dual-clutch unit that a UK gearbox specialist flags for clutch wear, sometimes at low mileage, and for shift flare. Repairs on either range from a few hundred pounds for a clutch pack to well over £1,500 for a full unit.

Reported from new to 60k miles · sources: Jeep Renegade Forum (UK-spec threads), Eco Torque (UK gearbox specialist)

Early clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear (manual)

Emerging

Manual cars turn up with clutch and dual-mass flywheel failures well before you'd expect, with forum reports of clutches burning out anywhere from 18,000 to 60,000 miles rather than the 80,000-plus you'd hope for. A Honest John owner review describes a clutch and flywheel failure at 18,000 miles costing around £1,500. Judder or chatter on take-up, or a rattly idle that clears when the clutch is pressed, are the tells.

Reported 18-60k miles · roughly £1,000-1,800 to replace · sources: Honest John owner reviews, Jeep Renegade Forum

Panoramic sunroof and roof water leaks

Emerging

Cars with the optional panoramic sunroof turn up repeatedly in owner threads with water finding its way into the cabin or boot, usually from blocked or kinked drain tubes, a worn seal, or water tracking in around the roof aerial base. Buyers notice a damp headliner, water pooling in the boot corners after rain, or a musty smell. It's a fiddly, not-always-permanent fix rather than a single part swap, so it's worth checking on a wet car before buying.

Reported across the model range · sources: Jeep Renegade Forum

Viewing one? Ask this

Built from the two sections above.

Check the MOT history for repeated suspension advisories on the same component. The same advisory two or three years running means the wear part flagged in the MOT data is being patched, not fixed.
Drive over a few speed humps and rough tarmac listening for clunks from the front end. A knock on rebound points to worn top mounts, drop links or bushes, or a loose engine mount.
On a 2018-19 car, ask to see proof the engine mount recall was carried out. No record of the work means it may still be outstanding, and it's a free fix the seller has no excuse for skipping.
On a diesel, watch the exhaust on a hard pull and ask how often it regenerates. Visible smoke or frequent regens points to a clogging EGR or DPF and an expensive clean-up ahead.
On an automatic, pull away from cold and drive it up to motorway speed. Hard, hesitant or flared shifts, or the gearbox refusing to reach top gear, is the known ZF/DCT complaint, not a one-off.
On a manual, feel for judder as you bring the clutch up and listen for rattle at idle that vanishes when you dip the pedal. Either sign points to a clutch or dual-mass flywheel on the way out, regardless of the mileage on the clock.
On a car with a panoramic sunroof, check the headlining and boot corners for damp staining after rain. Staining or a musty smell means the roof has already let water in at least once.

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