Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4X2 steering problems

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AT ABOUT 50 TO 70 MPH, THERE IS A VIOLENT SHAKING. I'VE LOOKED IT UP AND MAY HAVE REFERRED TO IT A 'DESTH WOBBLE' EXTREMELY TERRIFYING AND YOU HAVE TO SUDDENLY SLOW DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO. ONLOOKERS CAN GET DISTRACTED DUE TO THE SHAKING AND HAVEN AN ACCIDENT AS WELL. IT FEELS LIKE EXTREME TURBULENCE. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 5 TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #11152496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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WHEN DRIVING ON A BUMPY ROAD, SOMETIMES THE CAR GOES INTO A REALLY SERIOUS VIBRATION MODE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED; ALL TIRES WERE FINE, AND I DROVE AWAY LIKE NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. THIS CONDITION HAS OCCURRED THREE SEPARATE TIMES, NOW I MOVE TO THE RIGHT AND SLOW WAY DOWN AND THE VIBRATION STOPS. I'M AFRAID TO TAKE THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA complaint #11073943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, ALONG WITH TWO TODDLERS IN THE BACKSEAT, AT 50 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING, THE SUSPENSION BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. AS II HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE, MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO APPLY THE BRAKES, AS I HAD ABSOLUTELY ZERO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WRONG MOVE! THIS CAUSED THE JEEP TO HOP, AND SKIP , I ALSO LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER. I THEN BEGAN TO PRAY FOR MY BABIES, WHO HAD BEEN ASLEEP IN THE BACKSEAT. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM BRAKES, AND FOUGHT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL UNTIL I COULD CRAWL TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!!! I WAS SO SHAKEN UP, THAT I FEAR FOR MY TEENAGE SON, WHO I SHARE THIS VEHICLE WITH. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, AND SOME EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, I CANNOT BELIEVE THESE VEHICLES ARE ALLOWED ON THE ROAD! THEY ARE A HAZARD TO SO MANY INNOCENT LIVES. THANK GOD, THERE WAS NOT ANY INCOMING TRAFFIC, ON THE HIGHWAY AT THIE TIME. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE! TAKE ACTION PLEASE!!!

NHTSA complaint #10926590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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THERE IS A HORRIBLE WOBBLE IN THE JEEP. FELT VERY UNSAFE AS IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10924090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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DEATH WOBBLE AT HIGH SPEEDS FEELS LIKE JEEP IS FALLING APART

NHTSA complaint #10871546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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ANOTHER JEEP SAME YEAR AND MODEL HAD TO HAVE ALL THEIR FRONT END PARTS REPLACED TOO AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP. SECOND WATER PUMP IN TWO YEARS EGR VALVE REPLACED BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON MAINTENANCE WAS DONE BY THE MANUAL WITH THIS JEEP

NHTSA complaint #10789190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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WHILE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE HITS ROUGHLY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE STEERING WHEEL NEARLY SNATCHES OUT OF MY HAND IN A VIOLENT MATTER. THE VEHICLE FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS ABOUT TO CRASH. I HAVE TO SLAM ON BREAKS, HOPING NO ONE IS BEHIND ME, TO SLOW THE VEHICLE TO STOP THE VIOLENT SHAKING. THE SHAKING IS KNOWN AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE".

NHTSA complaint #10721327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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EXPERIENCED VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY ACCESS ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH; SITUATION COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. INSPECTION REVEALED A LEAKING STEERING STABILIZER WHICH WAS PROMPTLY REPLACED. SITUATION RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER AND THE STABILIZER WAS AGAIN LEAKING. ANOTHER STABILIZER WAS INSTALLED. SITUATION RECURRED AGAIN AFTER 3 WEEKS BUT THE STABILIZER WAS NOT LEAKING. THE TRACK BAR WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE MOUNTING BOLTS AND THE TIRES WERE BALANCED AND ROTATED. SITUATION RECURRED WITHIN 24 HOURS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND ALIGNED THE FRONTEND. SITUATION RETURNED LATER THAT DAY AND REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE SHOCK ABSORBERS. SITUATION RECURRED WITHIN 24 HOURS AND THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED DUE TO BEING UNSAFE TO DRIVE. SITUATION CURRENTLY UNRESOLVED.

NHTSA complaint #10683555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW TO MODERATE SPEED, THE FRONT END SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AND YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE STEERING. THIS HAPPENS DRIVING SLOW, OR AT 60 MPH, STRAIGHT-A-WAYS OR CURVES. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT STOPPED IS TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND COME TO A STOP. THIS JEEP HAS NOT BEEN LIFTED, IT HAS THE SAME PARTS ON IT AS WHAT WAS ON IT WHEN PURCHASED AND I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS DONE TO IT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGERS AND SCARY FOR THE DRIVER.

NHTSA complaint #10579204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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I HAVE FILLED A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED I HAVE HAD 2 STEERING DAMPERS REPLACED BY JEEP IN THE PAST, NOW THEY ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEFECT BUT NOT OFFERING ANY KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO FIX THE DEATH WOBBLE ( VIOLENT SHAKING AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE) THIS IS STILL HAPPENING WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON MY CAR, WE LIKE THE JEEP BUT WE ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT MUCH OR TAKE ON ROAD TRIP THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE I AM A SINGLE MOM I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE STEERING COMPONENTS REPLACED AT MY COST SO I AM FORCED TO DRIVE A CAR THAT IS UNSAFE FOR ME AND MY DAUGHTER , MY WRANGLER HAS A BAD NAME DUE TO SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS IT IS UNSELLABLE. IM STUCK WITH A VERY DANGEROUS JEEP! THIS HAS GONE ON TOO LONG WHY ARE YOU NOT FORCING A RECALL ARE YOU WAITING FOR DEATHS DUE TO THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10546974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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THE "DEATH WOBBLE" HAS OCCURRED AT MULTIPLE SPEEDS, TYPICALLY ON HIGHWAY. I HAVE SOME VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS HAPPENING EVEN AT SPEEDS OF 35-50. VEHICLE BEGINS SEVERELY SHAKING AND IS NOT SAFE AT ALL - DRIVER NEARLY LOSES ALL CONTROL. CAN BE INDUCED BY BRAKING, BY ROAD BUMP, OR APPARENTLY JUST RANDOM ONSET. REPLACED TIRES AND HAD SUSPENSION WORK DONE AND STABILIZER SHOCKS REPLACED TWICE. THIS HAS HELPED BUT NOT ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM AND I EXPECT IT TO DETERIORATE ONCE AGAIN. ONCE DEATH WOBBLE OCCURS, IT CAN BE RESOLVED BY EITHER SLOWING DOWN OR SPEEDING UP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND ONE OF TWO KNOWN JEEP DEFECTS THAT THEY REFUSE TO CORRECT, WITH THE SECOND PROBLEM BEING THE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS THAT POP OUT OF GEAR. VERY DISSATISFIED CUSTOMER!

NHTSA complaint #10511927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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WHILE DRIVING ON 1-20 ABOUT 60MPH, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND STEERING WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I JUST BOUGHT MY 2008 JEEP AND GOT THE CAR FAX AND MAINTENANCE REPORT AND EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD. IM GOING ON MY 3RD MONTH OWNING THIS USED 2008 JEEP & IT HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES AGAIN, AND ONCE TO MY HUSBAND. SO A TOTAL OF 6 DIFFERENT TIMES. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO MECHANICS SO THEY COULD TELL US WHAT IT COULD BE, AND I GET DIFFERENT ANSWERS. THEY TELL ME IT COULD BE THE STABILIZING BAR NEEDS CHANGING, OR NEED AN ALIGNMENT OR CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE, OR I NEED TO CHANGE THE CONTROL ARM, OR THE STEERING SHAFT. I DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BE PUTTING INTO A VEHICLE THAT I JUST BOUGHT, AND WAS NOT CHEAP AND NO LONGER HAS WARRANTY DUE TO THE YEAR EXPIRATION. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM. SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AND CLEARLY A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT THAT I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD CONSIDER THIS AS A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR US. JEEPS HAVE A REPUTATION OF BEING DURABLE VEHICLES AND LAST A LONG TIME, BUT NOW WITH THIS PROBLEM, IM SCARED WHEN I GET IN MY JEEP. I DON'T' HAVE ANOTHER CAR TO USE AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS FACTORY PROBLEM. WE NEED YOUR INTERVENTION BECAUSE OUR HIGHWAYS AND THE OWNER OF THESE 2008 JEEPS ARE NOT SAFE AND PUTS MANY PEOPLE AT RISK EVERY DAY. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US!

NHTSA complaint #10496897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP WRANGLER 4-DR 4X2. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WHICH RESULTED IN A SLIGHT LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FIVE TO SIX TIMES FOR THE DEFECT. THE STEERING STABILIZER WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE REPAIRS CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE FRONT END TIE ROD, INCLUDING A REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX MONTHS AFTER THE STEERING STABILIZER WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA complaint #10494475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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DEATH WOBBLE IS NOW OCCURRING ON THIS JEEP, AS WITH NUMEROUS OTHER JEEP ALREADY REPORTED TO THIS WEBSITE. NOT MUCH ELSE TO ADD, EXCEPT IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA complaint #10491919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP WRANGLER 4X2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO FURTHER INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,744.

NHTSA complaint #10487576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING VIBRATING LOSS OF STEERING..... DEATH WOBBLE TILL STOPPED AND PULLED OVER JEEP HAS SERVICED IT 3X AND ACTING LIKE IM CRAZY REPLACED STABILIZER BAR AND DAMPENER ONLY HELP FOR FEW WEEKS IM AFRAID TO DRIVE AND CAN NOT AFFORD ANOTHER CAR IT HAS 30000 MILES STOCK EVERYTHING AND NO OFF ROADING EVER.

NHTSA complaint #10466392 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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THE FRONT END BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLABLE WOBBLE AT ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO GRADUALLY SLOW DOWN TO A STOP. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR IT TO BEGAN. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING WAS AN IMPROVED SMOOTH PAVED ROAD. THE CAR COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED.

NHTSA complaint #10464554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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MY 2008 JEEP SHAKES VIOLENTLY WHEN IT HIT A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 10 TIMES TO ME THE FIRST TIME WAS 4/06/2011 THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS 3/26/2012. I HAVE REPLACED THE DAMPER BAR (3) TIMES, ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. I HAVE TAKEN MY JEEP TO GLENDALE AND SOUTH COUNTY JEEP IN ST. LOUIS, MO AND THEY TELL ME I NEED TO REPLACE THE DAMPER BAR AND GET NEW TIRES. [XXX] FROM CUSTOMER CARE AT CHRYSLER HAS BEEN VERY NICE BUT NOT VERY HELPFUL. I AM NOT CONVINCED THIS IS THE PROBLEM SINCE READING THAT MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I HOPE THE US GOVERNMENT STEPS UP AND HELPS. PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMEONE GET KILLED. I LOOK FORWARD TO SOMEONE CONTACTING ME SINCE JEEP FEELS THEY DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10457962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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JEEP SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR; ALSO KNOWN AS A DEATH WOBBLE. WE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM 1 YEAR AGO. THE STEERING STABILIZER WAS CHANGED BY THE DEALERSHIP. ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR LATER, APRIL 2012, WE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AGAIN. I PERSONALLY CHANGED THE STEERING STABILIZER AGAIN, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED THE NEXT DAY. WE RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CHANGED THE TIE-ROD AND ALIGNED THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END. TWO DAYS LATER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. WE HAVE RETURNED THE JEEP TO THE DEALER AGAIN, AND THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE STEERING STABILIZER AGAIN. THAT WILL BE THE 4TH STABILIZER ON THE VEHICLE IN A YEAR. IT SEEMS THERE SHOULD BE SOME OTHER UNDERLYING ISSUE WITH THE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA complaint #10456638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

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I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE "DEATH WOBBLE" IN MY JEEP, AND IT IS TERRIFYING. WHEN DRIVING ANYWHERE FROM 40-65 MPH, THE FRONT END WILL OCCASIONALLY BEGIN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND IT FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF CONTROL. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW WAY DOWN AND TRY TO GET OFF THE ROAD (DIFFICULT IN MANY CONDITIONS). I RECENTLY TOOK IT IN TO THE JEEP DEALERSHIP AND THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE BALL JOINTS, THE STEERING DAMPER, AND THE FRONT SHOCKS ($1,700). IT SEEMED TO BE OK FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 MONTHS, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. I CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE AT THIS TIME, BUT THE "DEATH WOBBLE" IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION (ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING 60 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY!), AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA complaint #10439185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.