More Transmission Woes - 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk Long-Term Road Test


Our long-term 2015 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk hasn't received much praise for its 9-speed automatic transmission. Herein, yet another editor gives it the thumbs-down.
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I'd read on Allpar that there was another firmware update a few months ago that finally sorted out the Cherokees with this transmission. I wonder if it's applicable to Renegade too?
I could go on and on... luckily I have a manual again so I don't have to worry about it now. I think one of the main problems of modern autos is that they aggressively upshift in the name of fuel economy, which can put you in a gear you have no business being in and lead to some of these clunky shifts.
Will anyone be sad to see this car go? The one-liner conclusion I've drawn from following your 12 months with this car is, "With its compact size and offroad capability the Renegade showed promise... but with its quirky, ineffective transmission it failed to deliver."
It's easy to theorize that the 5-4 shift while slowing down might be the culprit since it is one of the gear changes that use a dog clutch. It doesn't have to be that shift that is causing the sensation, but people do like to blame what they don't understand, or what is new. Capturing one of these events on a data recording would be the first step to prove/disprove that theory. What "might" be seen is when the shift is commanded, the throttle is opened to speed the engine up slightly which would be normal. When the harsh shift occurs the timing of the engine speed change might be offset from the actual shift event. It easily could be that the engine hesitates slightly, requiring more throttle and then the result is too high of an rpm when the shift completes.
Buyers expect their cars to respond predictably. The actual number of gears isn't important, whether its a 1-spd EV, a CVT, a 6-spd auto, or a 9-spd ZF with dog clutches. Uneven shifts or throttle response can be unsafe, contribute to shorter drivetrain life, and lower customer satisfaction. Having test-driven a 2.4/9A Renegade, I wouldn't touch this transmission in a new car, let alone in a used car.