2018 Jeep Renegade: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
441 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
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The cheap crossovers: Dodge Journey, Jeep Compass and Renegade, used, including 2018 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 441 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 55.12
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
I was driving down the interstate at a low speed due to traffic being backed up and my vehicle started stalling as I was driving at a lower speed. The week before I was driving at a low speed in a parking garage and my vehicle stalled while driving. And I was at a stop sign a couple months ago and it stalled on the hill. It's also stuttered trying to merge on the interstate. Other vehicles same year and model have be…
Backup camera screen went out 2 months after purchasing. I googled and multiple forums including Reddit had 2018 renegade owners reporting the same thing Definitely a safety issue when half the screen is out. Unable to use backup camera as purposed for safe driving It also makes it diffCult and thus unsafe to make selections on the touch screen for radio Bluetooth and other important settings Screens and cameras are…
The "my sky" sunroof on this vehicle will open but not close. It has been a problem since the vehicle was purchased in 2018. It has been in and out of Central Avenue Chrysler Jeep for repairs. There are two cases with Jeep customer care. The sunroof was supposedly repaired in Octover 2024 but it still never operates properly. Now the sunroof is frozen in the open position. Even the dealership cannot get it to c…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V524000 | Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid… |
| 18V731000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Renegade 4X2 flex fuel/E85 vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. In certain operating conditions such as high power demand in conjunction with high altitude and/or high ambient temperatures, a manufacturing error in the fuel pump assembly may result in a loss of fuel pressure. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 25 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine189 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System131 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other93 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Fuel/Propulsion System90 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Power Train58 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Service Brakes20 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Jeep Renegade years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Jeep Renegade?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (189 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2018 Jeep Renegade a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 41/100, computed from 441 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2018 Jeep Renegade's most common problem?
189 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2018 Jeep Renegade sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2018 Jeep Renegade cost to run per year?
About $5,287 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,435 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2018 Jeep Renegade have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2018 Jeep Renegade, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 09/08/2018. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2018 Jeep Renegade really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 441 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 441 NHTSA complaints on record (55.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (13.2/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems