This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I own a 2005 Jeep Wrangler with 29,500 miles on it. Recently, the front-end has started to wobble/shake violently at speeds around 40-45 miles per hour causing near loss of control. When it happens, the only solution is to apply the brakes and come to a complete stop. I have checked the internet and it appears to be very common, in fact, it has been labeled the "death wobble". problem is, no one seems to have identified the exact cause or fix. Some of the recommendations include: Install after-market heavy steering stabilizer (did that, no change), alignment, wheel balance, steering box, camber angle, etc. Any suggestions?
Jeep shakes violently when a bump is hit or road is uneven. The problem started about 2 months after purchasing the used vehicle. The problem did not show itself during the test drive but after investigating through the internet their are several Jeep Wrangler owners with the "deathwobble" problem. I clicked on your link provided by a local television news station wsoc channel 9 in charlotte, nc after they covered a story about another Chrysler vehicle. I implore you to do what is right and ask Chrysler to recall or repair, at their expense, my vehicle and other vehicles affected by this defect. An extended warranty was purchased from the dealership, crossroads Ford P&a code 00994, and we were told at the time of purchase Chrysler's warranty was still valid. After taking it back to the dealer several times and even taking it to the Jeep dealership no one will accept accountability. We have no other choice but to drive it and fear for the life of our son.
I was driving on Texas F.M. 722 in the afternoon. It had started to hail and I had slowed to appx. 45 mph when I lost all steering. My Jeep skidded sideways then went into the bar ditch and through a fence, narrowly missing a power pole. Further evaluation by a mechanic showed that the steering gear box shaft had been cracked, "for a long time", based on the rust present half way through the shaft. The shaft then snapped as I was slowing down causing complete steering failure.
Paris rent a car rented 2 @2005 Jeep Wrangler that had bald tires, bad brakes and inproper steering while visting St. Johns, virgin island. Paris rent a car, P. O box 1155, cruz bay, St. John vi 00831.
2005 Jeep Wrangler. Severe wheel shimmy at speeds between 50-55 mph. Shimmy occurs after hitting a bump. Dealer and Chrysler say steering damper needs to be replaced but part is on national back order. A technical service bulletin NHTSA 10020334 has been issued.
- Apalachin, NY, USA
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Email from constituent requesting that NHTSA investigate the Jeep Wrangler in reference to a problem called the "Jeep death wobble" caused by a defective steering dampener. The dealer informed the consumer that the steering damper needed to be replaced on her vehicle.
Steering dampener needs replacing on 2005 Jeep Wrangler. The wheel shakes so bad at 50 mph if you hit a bump it can be ripped from your hands. Part is backorder until August. Dealership said that there is a waiting list of 2000 people for this part. Thus it might warrant a recall.
Driving Wrangler at 50 mph when the front end began to shake violently. This was very traumatic, I had to pull off the road. When I searched the internet, I found that this has been a recurring problem among Jeep owners. Dealership didn't seem to know about problem. Dealer stated that the steering damper and stabilizer bar went bad. Of course these items were not covered by warranty. Jeep needs to acknowledge problem and fix it. Someone is going to die from this. Please google "death wobble"happened to my wife and children. Will not take kids in this vehicle.
2005 Jeep Wrangler X. this is a stock vehicle, no modifications. Between 45-55 mph both accelerating and decelerating has the death wobble (dw). First major dw was June 07 (12,819 miles) as I was driving on a smooth speed limit 50mph road, dealer replaced both steering damper and front trac bar. Next major dw in April 08, dealer replaced front trac bar again. Next major dw 1 May 08, dealer replaced steering gear. Next major dw 12 May 08, dealer stated manufacturer has developed a stronger steering damper and there are over 1,600 on back order, expect to be installed in July 08. Current mileage is 20,631. The Jeep death wobble is a serious safety issue and Jeep needs to fix it. Dealer service manager and lead Jeep mechanic both state this is a recurring problem on Jeep Wrangler.
I have researched "death wobble" in Jeep Wrangler extensively and found that not only is this a wide spread problem, but Jeep completely denies it's existence. What happens is at 40-70 miles per hour a harmonic action starts the front end vibrating and will cause a severe shimmy, to the point where the vehicle needs to be slowed or stopped. This has happened on the freeway and streets, both with hair raising results and near miss accidents. I have replaced tires, shocks, stabilizers, springs. This will fix the problem for a short time but eventually it comes back. Under warranty they fix a couple things which masks the problem, but it still will return. This is a design flaw, Jeep issue and they will not repair or acknowledge this problem. The designers need to come up with a fix, with a recall and soon before people are killed.
I bought my 2005 Jeep unlimited with 6,000 miles on it. I have been to the dealership seven times to have it fixed. My major complaint is it surges out of control when taking my foot off the brakes from a stopped position. It does it in drive and in reverse without warning. The dealership has no solution. I also have a problem with the steering wheel shaking once I hit a small bump in the road, as small as the reflectors that line the middle of streets. There are times the steering wheel shakes so hard that I have to let go of the steering wheel. They have replaced my steering stabilizer arm, I've had the rotors turned I've replaced the brakes.replacing the stabilizer arm seemed to help for a short time. My other issue with this lovley death trap of mine is when I run the A/C the whole thing bogs down like I'm pulling an eighteen wheeler out of a ditch. The dealership solution was to come in and test drive another Jeep to see if I "actually have a problem". when I take my car to the dealership they keep it for at least two weeks and the problems are still there.my advice to other Jeep owners with these problems is to always take the back roads and always leave a car length of space all the way around your Jeep, and never use the A/C!these problems began at about 10,000 miles and my Jeep just rolled over32,000 miles.
We purchased our 2005 Jeep Wrangler X used in may of 2006. The first time we took it above 50 mph, we noticed a serious vibration in the front end. We took it back to the dealer, they checked it out and could not find anything wrong. We took it back to the dealer again about two weeks later, and they took it to a Jeep dealer and had there mechanics look at it, and they couldn't find anything wrong. After taking it back and complaining again, they came to the conclusion that the tires were bad. They replaced the tires. That seemed to solve the problem for a little while. Since then, we never took the vehicle on highways or any roads that you had to travel above 50 mph. We just had it inspected in June of 2007, and it passed with no problems. Two days ago, we had to travel on an interestate that the speed limit was 65. We never made it above 55. We had to brake and the front end began to shake so bad that we almost lost control of the vehicle. I know of other people that have had the same problem with the same year Jeep. There is a very serious problem going on with these vehicles. I just hope that someone doesn't have to be killed before something is done about it. Needless to say, this Jeep will never see 55 mph again until this problem is resolved. Also, now we now why someone would get rid of it. It only has 29000 miles on it. I have an 88 Bronco II that I feel safer driving than I do this Jeep.
Steering feels loose and wobbly when going above 45 mph. Taking it in to get looked at next week - closet appt. I can get - I will not drive this anywhere. Other problems too and there is only 18K miles on it.
I had the first experience with the front end shimmying when I had approximately 15,000 miles on the Jeep. It happened after crossing a seam in the pavement on the highway at 70 mph. It happened several times since then when hitting any small bump in the road. I took the Jeep to the dealer, and they replaced the steering stabilizer with a heavy duty model but it made no difference. I still had the problem. I could not let my wife or children drive this vehicle because it could easily send you either off the road or into oncoming traffic when the shimmy occurs. You have to come to almost a complete stop before it will stop shaking and drive normal again.
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Wrangler. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle engages in a "death wobble" (uncontrollable shaking) caused by steering suspension failure. The dealer replaced the steering dimpler, but the problem still exists. The current and failure mileages were 9,617. The VIN is unknown.
Uncontrollable handling ( in the front end) when going an excess speed of 45 miles or more and hit any kind /size bump in road. Found out it was the stabilizer bar. When I first took my car in (months ago) they told me ( Chrysler) it was my rotors. Didn't understand how my rotors could do that since I wasn't braking at the time the shaking was happening. I ended up taking it to a mechanic and they figured out what it was. The guys at Chrysler have a nickname for it; "sudden death". not once did I get a recall letter about this problem. They must of been worried about it because it only took them about 2 hours to fix it. They went and bought an after market stabilizer bar. I have had oil changes from the same place that have taken longer. I had the car for about a year when I first noticed the shaking but I heard about other Wrangler having the same problem. Someone needs to let other Jeep owners about this problem. It's very dangerous.
Purchased 2005 Wrangler rubicon unlimited on January 14th returned vehicle to dealership for steering shudder and awful front end handling on January 17th and dealership found bad steering stabilizer from the factory.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- El Cajon, CA, USA