Jeep Renegade Lemon Law

The Renegade has a history of powertrain and electrical failures that can leave the vehicle stalled or unable to move. On certain 2018 Renegades, a faulty voltage-regulator chip inside the powertrain control module could cause the engine to stall or fail to start; Chrysler addressed those vehicles under NHTSA recall 18V524 by replacing the powertrain control module. Stalling is dangerous because it can strip away power steering and braking assist without warning.

The nine-speed automatic transmission has drawn its own complaints. On earlier Renegades, a wiring problem in the transmission sensor cluster could make the transmission unexpectedly shift into neutral, and owners across model years report harsh, delayed, or erratic shifting, hesitation, and warning lights. Manual-transmission Renegades have faced separate clutch-related concerns.

Layered on top are electrical gremlins — battery drain, sensor faults, infotainment and warning-light issues — that can send a Renegade back to the dealer again and again. When a stalling, transmission, or electrical defect isn't fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts, or your Renegade racks up too many days out of service, California's Lemon Law may entitle you to a buyback or replacement.

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it's the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free repair. California's Lemon Law (the Song-Beverly Act) comes into play when a substantial defect can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, or when your Renegade has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative days.

If your Jeep Renegade qualifies, you may be entitled to a buyback (a refund of what you've paid, minus a mileage offset), a replacement vehicle, or a cash-and-keep settlement — and Jeep pays your attorney fees on a successful claim, so pursuing your case costs you nothing out of pocket.