Jeep Renegade, from Italy, was introduced for the 2015 model year. It is a product of the Chrysler group's merger with Fiat and traverses on a platform shared with the 500X. Due to FWD-based, Renegade is meant for the city streets than rocky tracks. Yet, the right equipment has made Renegade one of the subcompact crossover parts and most competent off-roaders, making RV owners wonder if the Renegade can be flat towed so it can be used when they want to get off the beaten path.
Unfortunately, the Jeep Renegade cannot be flat towed. According to the owner's manual, although the Jeep Renegade is not compatible with flat towing with four wheels down but still has other options for towing. To be precise, the front-wheel-drive version of the Jeep Renegade can be towed on a trailer or a tow dolly. However, it has to be towed on the dolly or a trailer with the front wheel off the ground to avoid damage to the vehicle.
Four-down towing or flat towing a vehicle is one of the most suitable ways to tow your vehicle. But unfortunately, not all automobiles are convenient for this type of transportation. Flat towing vehicles with rear-wheel drive paired with a manual transmission or with four-wheel drive with a manual transfer case work best. The Renegade can't be flat towed, but which ones can exactly? Continue reading as we discuss the Jeep Renegade further and other Jeeps capable of being flat towed.
Towing A Jeep Renegade
Jeep Renegade is a satisfactory subcompact SUV. It has a sophisticated cabin with comparatively roomy seating space. It also has a large cargo area, along with a handy infotainment system. However, it doesn't fare as the best vehicle to haul behind your RV or motorhome when it comes to towing.
How do you tow a Jeep Renegade?
The problem with the Jeep Renegade is that it isn't correctly configured to be towed. Towing a Renagade isn't as simple as hooking it up to the back of your motorhome or trailer and hitting the road. Unfortunately, a Jeep Renegade should be put onto a trailer to be towed. Flat towing can cause extreme damage to your vehicle.
Can you flat tow a Jeep Renegade 4x4?
The Jeep Renegade is the smallest product in the Jeep family. The Jeep Patriot and Liberty are a few examples of 4×4 models that can be flat-towed. Apart from that, the 4×4 models of the Jeep Wrangler JL and Jeep Wrangler JK are the trendiest vehicles to flat-tow behind an RV in the country.
But sadly, the Jeep Renegade is not able to be flat-towed with four wheels down. To flat-tow your Renegade, you will need a tow dolly like the Roadmaster Tow Dolly, which has self-steering wheels and electric brakes. This is the only way that you can prepare your Jeep Renegade to flat tow.
Can You Flat Tow A Jeep Renegade With A Manual Transmission?
If your automatic transmission Jeep Renegade cannot be flat towed, then what options are you left with? If need be, these vehicles can be towed on a flat-bed truck or trailer. In some cases, automatic or manual transmission vehicles may be fixed with supplemental equipment to facilitate flat towing, but this may take aftermarket parts to do so.
The Renegade is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission powering the base, which has many consumers thinking they can flat tow the vehicle, but this isn't the case. Even using a regular dolly is not sufficient enough to tow the Jeep Renegade with a manual transmission. Double-check with your local Jeep dealer before towing your Jeep Renegade to avoid damage to the vehicle.
Are All Jeeps Flat Towable?
Not all Jeep models can be flat-towed. Jeep models with 2-wheel drive will have to use a substitute method of towing. Using a trailer with all four of the tires off the ground will work, but some of the 4×4 Jeep models can be flat-towed.
Whether a Jeep can be flat towed or not depends on few different factors. It all depends on their specific features from the manufacturer. If the vehicle has a transmission disconnect and steering lockout override, it can be flat towed. Generally, AWD and 4x4 vehicles are more widespread and are favored vehicles for flat towing. Flat-towing comprises all the wheels rolling on the ground. That implies the Jeeps wheels will be active when it's flat-towed.
It is preferred to go with a Jeep that has a manual transmission to flat tow. Here is a list of popular flat towable Jeeps according to the owner's manual:
- The Jeep Wrangler
- The Jeep Gladiator
- The Jeep Patriot
- The Jeep Cherokee (Only for ActiveDrive II or 2-speed PTU Models)
- The Jeep Liberty Jeep Commander Limited
- Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2WD
Does Flat Towing A Jeep Add Miles?
Flat towing a Jeep or any other vehicle does not add miles. When flat towing, your transfer case goes to neutral and will disconnect the transmission from spinning the drive shafts. Thus, the transmission has no spinning parts while flat towing your Jeep. Therefore, no spinning transmission implies no increase in miles will show on the odometer.
Also, if your vehicle has an electronic odometer, sensors and associated electronics would not be powered up while flat towing. Thus your odometer will not show the towed mileage. However, vehicles with a mechanical odometer will show the mileage towed as part of the odometer reading.
Not all vehicles are flat towed in the same conditions. For example, some vehicles need ACC mode to connect with a battery. For an electronic odometer, the negative battery cable must be removed to flat tow, or else it would appear that your odometer would not be affected by flat towing.
How Fast Can You Flat Tow A Jeep?
Jeeps are commonly designed to be flat towed but shouldn't be towed over the speed limit. With that being said, any vehicle being towed shouldn't exceed 70 mph for safety reasons.
While setting your vehicle up to be towed, there are a few things you should keep in mind, so you don't damage your rig. It does not take a lot of time to set up a Jeep for flat towing, and by following some simple guidelines, you can set your Jeep up for flat towing.
- Put the key in the ignition and move it to the accessory position.
- Shift the transmission into Neutral and step on the brake pedal.
- Start the engine.
- Shift into drive on an automatic or put the manual transmission into 2nd or 3rd gear
- Let off the brake pedal (make sure that the vehicle does not move).
- Shut the engine off and leave the key in the unlocked-off position.
- Shift the automatic transmission into park
- Fastener the Jeep up to the tow vehicle. Check functionalities of lights and safety chain.
- Finally, release the parking brake.
In Closing
You will love the look of the Jeep Renegade, but, regrettably, they are not flat towable. It is recommended to double-check with the dealer and the owner's manual before purchasing any vehicle for flat towing. Also, do not assume that the vehicle you are looking for is capable of being towed flat towed. At times, the dealer needs to dig a little deeper into the owner's manual and check the requirements for towing.
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