Head-to-head reliability
JEEP Renegade vs FORD F 150
How the JEEP Renegade and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
JEEP Renegade vs FORD F 150: The Renegade averages 244 complaints per year, while the F-150 averages 1,131. The Renegade's top issues are engine and electrical, while the F-150's are powertrain and electrical. Both have recalls, but the F-150 has more. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the JEEP Renegade or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
JEEP Renegade
The Jeep Renegade, a subcompact SUV, has accumulated 2,196 complaints over nine years, averaging 244 per year. Owners report a range of issues, but the most frequent involve the engine, electrical system, and powertrain. These complaints often describe sudden power loss, hard bangs from underneath, and electrical glitches, suggesting a vehicle that may be unpredictable in daily use.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a much higher total of 11,311 complaints over ten years, averaging 1,131 per year. The dominant problem area is the powertrain, with many owners reporting harsh shifting and transmission failures. Electrical issues and exterior lighting problems also appear frequently, indicating that while the F-150 is a workhorse, its transmission and electronics can be sources of frustration.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | JEEP Renegade | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,196 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 24 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 79 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 244.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 62 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
JEEP Renegade
- 01ENGINE847
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM615
- 03POWER TRAIN423
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER417
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM286
Owners report loud bangs from underneath during acceleration or deceleration, and difficulty starting with shuddering and hesitation. These symptoms suggest possible engine or drivetrain issues that could affect reliability and safety.
Complaints include false LaneSense warnings and blind spot alerts, as well as loss of headlights and daytime running lights. These electrical gremlins can be distracting and compromise visibility at night.
Reports include strong fuel vapor odors, vehicle shutdowns, and loss of power. These issues point to potential fuel system or transmission problems that could leave drivers stranded.
“First NO WARNINGS Signs of Any Kind were shown at time of 1st & 3rd issues, 1st under hard acceleration or deceleration and sometimes while in turns under acceleration & deceleration you get a Large Bang from underneath the vehicle and it’s not only the sound…”
“The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing difficulty starting. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered, lurched, and hesitated to res…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
Many owners describe hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even complete loss of power with the 10-speed automatic transmission. This is a significant reliability concern that could lead to costly repairs.
Common complaints include front camera malfunctions and pre-collision assist errors appearing on the dash, as well as loud bangs from the transmission area. These electrical issues can affect driver assistance features and overall vehicle control.
Problems with headlights are frequent, which can reduce visibility and increase the risk of accidents, especially at night.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
JEEP Renegade — 24 recalls
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Renegade vehicles. The incorrect bumper reverse light assembly may have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, an…
The risk: The incorrect reverse lights may have reduced visibility, and not alert pedestrians and other drivers that the vehicle is backing up, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bumper reverse light assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this rec…
The defect: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Renegade vehicles. The incorrect bumper reverse light assembly may have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, an…
The risk: The incorrect reverse lights may have reduced visibility, and not alert pedestrians and other drivers that the vehicle is backing up, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the bumper reverse light assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 30, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this rec…
The 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.
The risk: A front seat air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: 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.
The 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.
The risk: A front seat air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: 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.
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
JEEP Renegade or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Jeep Renegade has fewer complaints per year (244) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Renegade's problems are still significant, and the F-150's higher volume may reflect its larger sales base. In practice, the Renegade may offer a more trouble-free ownership experience on average.
Key differences
- The Renegade has a higher proportion of engine complaints (847) relative to its total, while the F-150's powertrain complaints (3,553) dominate its profile.
- Electrical system issues are common in both, but the Renegade's electrical problems include false safety alerts, while the F-150's often involve camera and sensor malfunctions.
- The F-150 has a much higher number of recalls (145) compared to the Renegade (24), suggesting more widespread safety campaigns.
- The Renegade's complaints often mention sudden power loss and bangs, while the F-150's focus on transmission shifting problems.
- Inspect the engine and transmission for any signs of unusual noises, especially during acceleration or turns, as owners report loud bangs.
- Check all electrical features, including LaneSense and headlights, for intermittent failures.
- Test drive the F-150 through various speeds to feel for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th and 6th gears.
- Verify that the front camera and pre-collision assist systems are functioning properly, as they often malfunction.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to check for any open recalls on both models.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on the engine, transmission, and electrical systems.
- During the test drive, accelerate and decelerate hard to listen for any bangs or clunks.
- Check all lights, including headlights, brake lights, and turn signals, for proper operation.
- Ask for maintenance records to see if any major repairs have been done.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | JEEP Renegade | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 20 | 1507 |
| 2022 | 25 | 3432 |
| 2021 | 66 | 5234 |
| 2020 | 62 | 33 |
| 2019 | 79 | 36 |
| 2018 | 441 | 56 |
| 2017 | 563 | 43 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific JEEP Renegade or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- JEEP Renegade vs FORD F 150
- JEEP Renegade total complaints
- 2,196
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- JEEP Renegade total recalls
- 24
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- JEEP Renegade avg complaints/year
- 244.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- JEEP Renegade
- JEEP Renegade top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN