[raz-0]

Hmm. 4 cylinder engines have a beat tone/frequency to them. This can cause vibration as the sound impulse is really powered by the combusting fuel, so the energy input is pretty significant. It seems the renegade/2.4/9speed combo puts that beat just above the target efficient RPMs. I have noticed this slightly boomy slightly grumbling sound since day 1. Putting it in a forced 4wd mode elminates it because it loads up the engine quicker, which means that where the beat tone happens is moved. Since it seems to go away, I'm assuming it is moved to something between idle and ~1500rpm which is a span the revs move through pretty quickly.

I suspect 1.4T engines and the over seas offerings don't have this issue because they don't get this drivetrain combination.

The AWDF system with it clutches is also kind of noisy. Similar to late 90s audis with torsen diffs.

 

[raz-0]

We are seeing the exact same thing. ... Thinking of invoking the lemon law. We had our computer flashed with an upgrade which helped slightly but it is still there.

Curious to know if you have seen any improvement.

I think you may have an issue invoking the lemon law for a noise if it doesn't actually impair the use of the vehicle.

For the folks complaining, it might be useful to post audio or video with sound to describe what you mean.

It's not like the engine is a particularly refined piece of work in this vehicle.

 

[raz-0]

If you are complaining about a noise, you might want to post an example.

The driveline in the renegade is not super quiet. There's a difference between not liking something and it being broken.

Without an example, we can't tell if you are complaining about something actually wrong, or just about the way the car is.

If the car isn't actually broken, good luck with the lemon law attempt. There are usually requirements to be met regarding the nature of an issue. Simply not liking the way the vehicle sounds probably doesn't make the cut.

 

[raz-0]

I tried turning off TC today and it makes a "thunk" and the growl goes away.

Interesting. I'll have to try it, but when I usually get the growling, it's under conditions that should not be setting off traction control in my opinion.

I've also done some stuff in the vehicle that should definitely set off traction control and no growling.

I'll have to poke at it some more.

 

[raz-0]

Yeah I know the groan in question. Exact same symptoms as described, including being intermittent and know be of random. However, it was present on mine as well as two other renegades I test drove.

There's another thread where a couple people suggest it stops immediately if you disable esc.

In trying to figure it out, I know it also seems to stop immediately if you switch to 4wd.

 

[raz-0]

I finally got a trip where I got the noise, and could experiment with it.

Traction control goes of, about a two second count and noise goes away.

 

[raz-0]

Can someone post a video of this rumble sound? And note the rpm, speed, and gear it's in when it does it. I have not noticed any unusual sounds with my Trailhawk.

I've been trying to pin it down. So far one of the reproducible situations is 30mph, about 1500rpm, 6th gear either going uphill without hard acceleration or downhill coasting. About 20 degree incline as a guesstimate.

 

[raz-0]

You should have it checked out. Mine does the same thing and they are replacing the trans.

Yeah except if it were the transmission you'd think it wouldn't stop when you disable esc.

 

[raz-0]

I have the same issue. Took mine into the dealership and they said there were no errors in the system logs and they couldn't reproduce it. I just came back from a 2,000+ mile trip to the U.P. and would hear the noise every so often. I had the vehicle on dirt roads and highways, up to 80 MPH at times. Everything still seemed to work fine. Before I left for vacation, I sent an email to the Jeep customer service department and they called me back while I was still in the U.P. The woman I talked to told me the noise has something to do with the learning process the transmission goes through trying to figure out how you drive and there isn't anything wrong with the car. I did notice the mention of a learning process the transmission goes through and I've notice the noise doesn't appear as often as it use to (Wishful thinking?). I've never noticed any real problems while driving the car. Guess time will tell.
Now if they'd just fix the noise the MySky makes and improve my low beam headlights.

Any time you hear "learning process" you can be pretty certain they are lying to you. Every single time I have heard that, then gotten my hands on the technical parameters, there has been a grand canyon sized gap between what the customer facing person claims the learning period is vs what the technical specs claim.

Also, I forgot to add that it is most definitely coming from the rear of the vehicle near the rear diff. It isn't odd that there's noise given that's where multiple clutch like objects engage and disengage to manage AWD and left-right torque distribution to the rear wheels. What is odd is that it's generating chatter on dry, straight, well maintained roads.

 

[raz-0]

@JeepCares any updates on this issue? Has FCA confirmed its a software issue and not something that will require maintenance beyond a simple update? Ironically this made it to Edmunds.com this week in their long term review of the Renegade and it appears they are referencing our thread.

http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/renegad...lhawk-the-renegade-rumble-is-not-a-dance.html

Why is it ironic? The edmunds tester posted asking about it here on the forum.

 

[raz-0]

The rumbling noise is heard and felt throughout the Jeep. It happens when you let off the gas or when coasting at the 20-40mph range. It sounds like a manual transmission that downshifted one gear too many. I have the automatic transmission but it allows me to put it into the "manual" mode and when I do that, it stops for a little while.


Jeep called me today and said that after 3 times taking it in, they have no idea what is causing it, and nothing looks damaged. They flashed the computer on the 2nd visit and it helped for about 4 days.


Not sure how to go forward with the issue at the moment.

There's another thread that I believe deals with the same issue. As a test, next time you hear it turn off the stability control via the ESC button. See if it goes away.

Lots of people have the noise, and turning off ESC and putting it in 4wd makes it go away. Not sure if yours is the same noise, but if it is it is pretty universal, and may just be the normal sounds of the vehicle. Or it may be a common problem that need to be resolved. I find it odd that ESC is making noises, which implies doing something, on dry, straight, paved road.

However, drive a 90s audi with all the torsen diffs, and it's a noisy bugger too, so....

 

[raz-0]

Mine does it at almost any slower steady state driving situation. It probably always did, it's just that until now, the AC was always going. Now I'm driving on occasion with the windows up and the blower on low settings.

 

[raz-0]

Doesn't matter if it feels different or not, if it's not something that you like, then you don't like it, and no car should shift/feel this way. At this point, a little anger has subsided for me now that I've read enough of these posts and realize that the dealerships have probably been kept in the dark about all of this and they're just trying to calm customers. I too, have apparently become my dealer's first problem Renegade, but I'm fairly sure I won't be the last.

Look, a car is what it is. Liking it is something you sort out in the test drive. They have no obligation to make it in a manner you like, nor to make it behave in a manner you approve of. Once again, the test drive thing. Lots of people dislike CVTs. Manufacturers are under no obligation to fix that dislike under warranty unless something is actually broken.

I have the odd noise, and I could care less about the noise as it is pretty unobtrusive, and quite honestly not that loud compared to some AWD systems I have encountered over the years. What I DO care about is if it is actually working as intended or is beating itself up with hyperactive stability control. The manufacturer does have a responsibility to sell you something that is working properly and is not defective.

FYI, the general consensus so far is it seems stability control related. Turn AWD on and it goes away, but the vehicle also feel and behaves noticeably different beyond the sound. Having managed to make the awd auto engage a couple times now I'm reasonably confident that same change in character blips on and off when the car engages awd. However, without the feel changing one bit, the sound vanishes if you hit the ESC button and turn it off. It comes right back after turning it on if you have a good stretch of road that induces the sound frequently.

 

[raz-0]

No firm updates at this point, but I received a tentative timeline to roll out the fix sometime in November. I'm continuing to look into this to try to get more details as to what exactly the repair will be (software, part replacement, etc.) and if we have a rough idea of when in November this may be rolled out.

Well between getting the opportunity to do some quiet driving in minimal congestion and doing some careful listening, I've noticed the following:

1) It's coming from the area of the rear differential/haldex looking unit.

2) That if you are very quiet and listen, even when you aren't getting the sustained grumble, if you engage and disengage the ESC, you get the noise briefly in three pulses (at least on mine it's three) on engagement and disengagement.

So my guess is it is whatever mechanism is used to control the rear wheel torque split engaging and disengaging and being triggered by the ESC algorithm. Why it does so on straight dry road is what I don't get.

 

[raz-0]

Thanks for the info Raz, pardon my lack of mechanical know-how but if it is what you think, the mechanism used to control the rear wheel torque split, do you think this can cause any further damage?


I currently drive with ESC off to prevent this noise from occurring, mostly because it annoys me but also because I'm not sure if it is going to damage anything.

If someone really forced me to bet money on it? I'd say that it is likely going to make something wear out quicker as it is reasonably likely that friction surfaces are involved and engaging/disengaging more than necessary. That wear could range form negligible to shortening the service life of a component in the extreme (making something that should last 10 years last 5 for example). The parts involved could be cheap or expensive, it's hard to say. Depending on how the unit works, the noise could also be due to a pump that controls the pressure to certain parts of the unit, and what we are hearing is the pump running/cycling more than it should.

 

[raz-0]

If you consider how many inputs and how variable they are, getting the software right to filter out something it is failing to filter while keeping it functional AND validating it could take serious effort. The other possibility is they may be rolling up multiple fixes of various things into one and this one is waiting as it may primarily be a nuisance issue than a real near term problem.

 

[raz-0]

Well i hope they come up with a fix soon, the noise is getting worse, which doesn't give me the warm fuzzies that associated wear is going to be minor.

 

[raz-0]

So the RDM is not part of the Rear diff? Are them two different parts to be ordered separately?
Good to know...

As near as I can determine, the rear diff is a haldex like system with a diff and one or more wet plate clutch systems. Systems like these are often controlled by varying oil pressure in them. The RDM is likely the module that control that. So basically some electronics and a pump.

 

[raz-0]

I had my Jeep one day before I heard this noise. All I could think was great, already a problem. Then I figured out it was the Funeral flag they had stuck to the roof of my jeep for the drive to the cemetery. Long shot, but anyone have some sort of flag mounted?

No, this has nothing to do with flags. It's pretty demonstrably the rear diff and the traction control involved.

 

[raz-0]

I have the same issue!

When doing about 30-50 miles an hour there is a terrible hum coming from the gear box as if the transmission is not fully engaged into the proper gear. There is no way that this is normal (although could be since a 9 speed on a 2.4 liter is an awful combination).

I think the issue you experience is similar to the issues that plagued the 2015 Renegade. And you should not settle for this by driving the car in auto stick, that unfair. The transmission and engine combo have a dark history, so don't be afraid to quote from it.

I am negotiating terms of my lease because this vehicle is not worth what I pay for it.

Good luck.

This is a known problem. It isn't the transmission. It's an issue with the rear differential unit. It will sound like it is coming from the cargo are up to about the arm rest in the vehicle. If it sounds like it is in front of there, it's probably something else.