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.
As I was driving home from work on Feb. 14, 2023, in Rocky Hill, NJ. the vehicle developed a sudden loss of steering control. I had it towed to Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Princeton, NJ. The service manager informed me that the area of the frame to which the steering gear box is bolted had completely rotted, and the steering box had separated. The car was not driveable and could not be repaired. The vehicle will be available for inspection until April 15, 2023.
Steering stabilizer goes out on average about 20,000 to 30,000 miles with normal street or highway driving. Steering wheel starts shaking back and forth and wheels shake violently. I see Jeep is now recalling some 2018-2019 Jeep and would like mine fixed too.
This is an update to NHTSA complaint 10919986 - death wobble, I have replaced the stock steering damper and added an additional steering damper for the driver side steering rod. This has resolved the reported death wobble when driving over 50 mph. Rod deflection has been prevented by adding the driver side damper. Please make this available as a solution. I see many people have spent well over $1,000 for new suspension parts etc. This is a $60 steering damper shock fix!! please pass along. I shocked this is not obvious at the dealer, the driver steering rod is long and will have deflection at high speed/bumps, like a tuning fork.
- East Hampton, CT, USA
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Jeep death wobble - mine too, over 50 mph, random wobble other times drives smooth, bumps do initiate it not always though, read all the complaints on NHTSA, stabilizer is key to resolving the issue and steering damper. I believe this design promotes accelerated wear of these parts which is why there are reports of it coming back after a year or so. I'm surprised there is no dealer fix for this, admitting the need for heavier steering components. I'll be getting after market heavy duty just to drive on the street. The fuel issue is another one that should be recalled, had to go through 300 plus entries here to find answers to the opda problem. Mine has not started with the fuel issue but at least I will know what it is when it does occur.
Jeep has severe death wobble when traveling @60 mph. Front wheels will start to vibrate violently at this speed and seems to start when hitting a bump or imperfection in road surface. Required action is to apply brakes until shaking stops which could involve a decrease in speed of 15 mph or more creating a dangerous situation especially in heavy traffic. I have had vehicle inspected at three shops with no worn components found. Had an alignment performed tires balanced track bar mount replaced control arm mount reinforced replaced steering stabilizer replaced tie rod end replaced sway bar links and still problem is no better. Jeep only has 49,000 miles so nothing is really worn too bad. This problem started roughly 10,000 miles ago and I am not sure what to do next other than replacing every steering and suspension component at a cost of probably a cost of thousands of dollars. From what I have read this is a common problem with the coil sprung Jeep with a track bar which seems to be a design flaw. Just want to add the vehicle is a safety hazard due to the fact you never know when the wobble will start and if you are in heavy traffic and all of a sudden you have to slam on the brakes to regain control of your vehicle it could be a very dangerous situation. Chrysler/Jeep needs to remedy this engineering flaw not expect consumers to foot the bill.
'death wobble" the Jeep shakes uncontrollably between 50 and 55 mph making speed and steering very hard to control. No one seems to know what causes it. Been to many Jeep mechanics.
While in motion on a country road, comming out of some turns the front end/stearing suddenly began shaking hard rendering the vehicle unable to control. The vehicle then began to swerve until hitting an enbankment and rolling multiple times.
The death wobble at approx 60-65 mph/ repaired steering stabilizer/front axel joint/ right outer pitman adjustment sleeve/ left hand steering arm to connecting tie rod/ left inner to LH adjustment sleeve/ alignment, repairs cost $675, have been on the highway and still shimmies.
TL * the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Wrangler. While driving between 50-65 mph, the entire front end of the vehicle began to move up and down uncontrollably. The contact had to depress the brake pedal in order for the failure to cease. The failure occurred multiple times. An independent mechanic speculated that the steering stabilizer, ball joints, brakes, or control arms needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
When reaching speeds of 55 miles per hour the Jeep shakes to a point of almost losing control of the vehicle until the Jeep reaches a speed of 65 - 70 mph then settles down.
This is second time this has happened; it has happened to me at least 4 times since 11/30/2013. I was accelerating, and when I hit about 50mph, my left tire hit a small pot hole. My front end began shaking violently; my steering wheel was literally bouncing in my hands and I could not actively control the Jeep. The shaking would not stop until I slowed down to about 5 miles per hour on a busy roadway. I almost caused an accident. This Jeep has a shimmy/wobble that occurs on some bumps. Some lead to the "death wobble, " and others do not. The shaking is so intense that the front end felt like it was going to come apart. I have new tires, and the vehicle was just purchased used from the dealership, after having received a full service. I took it into the Jeep dealership that confirmed that everything looked ok, and the bushings were fine.
Death wobble!!!! started about Dec 2011 around speeds of 55-60 mph. Car will suddenly start to violently shake. When viewing from behind in another car it appears as if the wheels may come off. I have replaced the shocks, struts, stabilizer bar, track bar, springs, spacers, calipers, hubs, new tires, balance and rotate tire every 5000-6000 miles, new front brakes, new back brakes, two rear alignments, 3 front alignments, and rotors, I death wobble has gone from bad to dangerously worse. My Wrangler is a factory right hand drive Jeep that I use to deliver mail. I was using as my primary car as well. I must drive 25 miles to work via interstate and then another 65 miles on my route. The car consistently shakes when I hit speeds of 45 mph or higher. A bump in the road will trigger the wobble as well. I spoke to two different Jeep dealerships today and was told that there is no solution to my problem. I have been to at least 6 different mechanic shops, one off road shop, and two different alignment shops. I was told that I could try replacing the gear box ($899.99) and also try replacing my rims! if the maker of my vehicle has no idea on what or how to fix it........then who will? I would like to resolve my death wobble. I am extremely annoyed! I no longer feel safe driving my car to and from work and when it rains I am a nervous wreck just knowing I will have to drive my Jeep on the interstate. Sadly its gotten to the point that I will not allow any of my kids in this vehicle. I end up having to leave my Jeep at work in another town if my husband isn't able to drive it to and from work for me. I am willing to fix the problem.......if Jeep would just let me know what that is!!!! in good conscious I could never sell and stick someone else with this problem/headache!! also, when I fill my Jeep up with gas, it overflows splashing gas everywhere!
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph over a road bump, the entire vehicle shook violently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspections and they stated that they did not have a repair available to rectify the "death wobble" he had experienced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 43,000. Updated 09/18/13
I have a 2005 Jeep Wrangler unlimited....it would not start one morning and I had it towed to my mechanic. A tiny pin in the steering column broke. This 1/2" pin is not sold separately and I had to have the whole steering column replaced at a cost over $600!
I have a 2005 Jeep Wrangler unlimited...while driving on the highway hitting a speed of about 62 my Jeep starting shaking so violently that I thought I was going to loose my front end! the steering wheel felt like it was going to come off in my hands and that my tires were ready to fall off as well! this was very very scary since I had my grandchild in the Jeep with me! I paid over $800 to have the suspension rod/tie rods replaced. Then shortly thereafter, my Jeep would not start. A little pin in the steering column broke and the that part is not sold separately so I had to have the whole steering column replaced...about another $600.
Hi, apparently my situation isn't unique, I have a 2005 Jeep Wrangler unlimited with less than 70K miles. At about 50mph it starts shaking violently, this has happened to me at least 5 times since I've owned this Jeep, about 2 1/2 months. I took it to the tire shop and they inspected the tie-rod ends and found no problem. It was shaking so bad I thought that surely my front end was coming apart so, I googled my problem and was led to a plethora of information and found the term "death wobble", I thought it felt like driving over railroad tracks, but death wobble seems to also be an appropriate term as well, because the front end seems to be shaking to death. I, like so many others, went to kevin's off road, kor, website and read about the potential causes and cures. In my particular case there hasn't been any aftermarket modifications, it's as stock as they come. Anyway, kevin's recommended solution to my "wobble" is to replace the track bar, the steering damper, control arms and bushings. The cost for this is around $366 for the parts and I'm not sure what the labor costs will be. It seems to me that maybe someone at Chrysler should actually go drive one before they say "it's not our fault". they should be part of the solution since they created the problem. My 1989 Jeep doesn't have this problem, leaf springs vs. Independent coil springs, perhaps, ... a smoother ride but at what cost" $366 plus labor for me. Can you please help apply pressure to Chrysler to make this right" thanks for your time and interest.
I was driving down a straight road at about 47 mph when I my steering wheel started shaking uncontrollably. It seriously felt as if my Wrangler was going to shake the steering wheel and tires right off. The only way I able to stop the shaking was to pull over and slow down, then as soon as I hit 47 mph this happened all over again. Did some research on this and they call it a "death wobble, " and this has been associated with Jeep Wrangler for some time now. But for some reason Chrysler doesn't want to acknowledge the severity and dangerous nature of this malfunction. This kind of defect could kill someone!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Belle Mead, NJ, USA