Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
THE JEEP WILL START TO SHAKE WHENEVER YOU HIT A BUMP REALLY BAD SHAKING . ALSO WHENEVER YOU COME TO A STOP AFTER DRIVING 10 MILES THE MOST , THE CAR WILL NOT TURN ON AGAIN FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. AT SOME POINT I ROCKED THE CAR FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND AFTER THAT IT WILL START. ALSO TOO THE STEERING COLUMN SEEMS LOOSE . MY SHOCKS LIKE IT DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE JERKED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE "DEATH WOBBLE". THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT AN ALIGNMENT WAS NEEDED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VIBRATION STOPPED WHEN DECELERATING TO LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THEN BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW POWER STEERING GAUGE AND A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WERE NEEDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
CHEROKEE BEGAN TO SHAKE VERY VIOLENTLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS RECENTLY AFTER HITTING MINOR BUMPS AT 55 MPH. SHAKING WOULD NOT STOP OR EVEN SUBSIDE UNTIL CAR WAS PULLED OVER. SHAKING SO VIOLENT IT CAUSED AN EXHAUST LEAK. NEVER AN ISSUE UNTIL RECENTLY - SEVERAL RECENT INCIDENTS. *TR
ALL OF A SUDEN THIS VERY BAD SHAKING PROBLEM HAS OCCURED AT ABOUT 50 MPH. VERY UNSAFE. MY CETIFIED ASE MECHANIC HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM FOR OVER A WEEK NOW - NO LUCK SO FAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRACKET THAT HELD THE FRONT AXLE IN PLACE FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE HAD NO BUMPER AND COULD RESULT IN INJURIES IF THERE WAS A CRASH. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE SUPPORT ARMS FOR THE AXLE WERE CORRODED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE FRONT AXLE BRACKETS, SUPPORT ARMS, AND INSTALL A NEW BUMPER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
1. EARLY THIS YEAR, JUST AFTER THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY, '09, OUR '96 JEEP CHEROKEE (152K IN EXCELLENT CONDITION) BEGAN SHAKING OR WOBBLING VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 52 TO 56 MPH. ON INQUIRING IN A HANDFUL OF WEB SITES ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF JEEP CHEROKEE OWNERS AND OWNERS OF OTHER JEEP MODELS IN A BROAD RANGE OF MANUFACTURE DATES BETWEEN '86 AND AS RECENT AS '05. ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" OR "DEATH SHAKE". ADDITIONALLY, IN MY INTERNET RESEARCH, MANY JEEP OWNERS ATTEMPTING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM HAVE TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES TO PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS INCLUDING CHRYSLER-JEEP DEALER/SERVICE CENTERS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED, SPEND HUNDREDS, IN SOME CASES WELL OVER A THOUSAND $, ONLY TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE RETURNED WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE WOBBLE CONDITION. 2. WITH OUR JEEP, THIS WOBBLE HAS NOT SUBSIDED. IT HAPPENS ON EVERY OCCASION WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAYS WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AS WE ACCELERATE UP TO THE 55 MPH RANGE. UPON ACCELERATION, AT APPROXIMATELY 51 TO 52 MPH A VIBRATION BEGINS, THEN UPON ACCELERATING AT 53 TO 55 MPH THE VIBRATION BECOMES A VIOLENT WOBBLE TO THE EXTREME THAT WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES WHEN WE HAD TO DECELERATE DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH OR LESS IN ORDER TO REGAIN CONTROL WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IF THERE IS A SAVING GRACE OUT OF THIS PROBLEM, IT IS THAT WE CAN ACCELERATE OUT OF THE WOBBLE BY GETTING BEYOND 55 MPH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IN PHOENIX HIGHWAY DRIVING, THIS IS NOT ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. THOUGH' NOT IN EVERY INSTANCE AS DURING ACCELERATION, THE SAME CONDITION EXISTS @ 55 DURING DECELERATION AS WE EXIT THE HI-WAY. 3. THUS FAR, AS WE'VE READ AND HEARD OF SO MANY JEEP OWNERS SPENDING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AT A PROF. AUTO REPAIR CENTER WITH NO RESOLUTION, THE POSSIBLE REMEDY, AND AVOIDING HIGHWAY DRIVING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. IN ADDITION, THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE SWAYED OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED OVER. THE CONTACT WAS SEVERELY INJURED. THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE COLLISION CENTER AND WAS LABELED AS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 106,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE UPPER AND LOWER RIGHT BALL JOINTS. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE SHAKING HAD BECOME WORSE AND THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 120,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. UPDATED 02-04-08. *KB
THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE WAS REPLACED AT THE ADVICE OF JEEP SERVICE. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS WOULD NOT NOT SEAT IN THE AXLE AS THE "RACES" WERE WORN BEYOND THE POINT OF HOLDING THEM IN. BECAUSE I NEEDED THE VEHICLE FOR MY BUSINESS, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THEM REPAIR IT WHILE THEY HAD IT APART AS I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO DO THE JOB MYSELF. IT WAS A THREE WEEK WAIT FOR PARTS AS IT WAS. THEN I NOTICED THE "MUSTY" SMELL. UPON FUTHER INVESTIGATION I DISCOVERED THE ENTIRE JEEP WAS SATURATED UNDER THE CARPETS ON BOTH SIDES. MOLD EVERYWHERE. NO WONDER MY ALLERGIES WERE KILLING ME. I'VE SINCE GUTTED THE VEHICLE AND BLEACHED THE ENTIRE FLOOR AREAS. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM SO I CAN PASS IT ON TO OTHER JEEP OWNERS. CHRYSLER HAS A BULLETIN OUT ON A PROCEDEURE TO CLEAN THE A/C DRAIN BUT IT DOES NOT WORK AS IT COMES BACK EACH YEAR. I'VE FOUND THAT GLUING NYLON SCREENING IN THE AIR INTAKE UNDER THE HOOD KEEPS ALL OF THE DEBRIS THAT CLOGS THIS DRAIN TUBE OUT OF THE HEATER BOX. NOW I AM WORKING ON A WAY TO STOP THE WATER FROM RUNNING BACK INTO THE DASH AREA THROUGH THE FIREWALL WHERE IT DRAINS OUT INTO THE FRAME. NOT ONE DEALERSHIP WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT THIS. I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE BULLETIN. ALSO, I FOUND THAT THE "VENTS" BEHIND THE REAR FIXED GLASS ON THE CHEROKEE HAVE A SMALL HOLDING CUP AND A TUBE WHICH THE WATER THAT ENTERS THAT AREA DRAINS INTO, WHAT I COULDN'T BELIEVE WAS THAT IT DRAINS INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, INSIDE, WHICH RESULTS IN THE ENTIRE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECOMING WET UNDER THE REAR RUG. THIS PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY PUNCHING A HOLE THROUGH THE FLOOR AND EXTENDING THE FACTOY DRAIN TUBE THROUGH THE FLOOR SO THE WATER DRAINS OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE WHERE IT BELONGS. I AM A CAR BUFF AND PRETTY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT REPAIRS AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES WHEN I SAW THESE DESIGN FLAWS. THEY ARE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS.
WHEN DRIVING, IF VEHICLE EXCEEDED OVER THE SPEED OF 50 MPH AND I RAN INTO THE LITTLEST BUMP IN THE ROAD THE TRUCK WILL BE SHAKING, NONE STOP UNTIL I SLOW DOWN BELOW 25 MPH OR IT WILL KEEP SHAKING BADLY. ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769316. *AK *JB
1. ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDER LEFT SIDE DASH, MAIN WIRE BUNDLE GOING TO FUSE BOX RUBBED AGAINST BOLT AND WORE THROUGH WIRE CAUSING A SHORT. 2. NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH GONE BAD. 3. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RAIL BROKE SOMEWHERE AND SEAT ROCKS AROUND. 4. REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAVE A NEGATIVE ARCH IN THEM CAUSING REAR TO SAG AND WHEELS TO RUB WITH MINIMUM WEIGHT IN VEHICLE. DT
THE LEFT FRONT BEARING AND HUB FAILED. NLM
STABILIZER CONNECTING RODS FAILED LEAVING VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. *AK
HEARD A SNAP AND AUTOMOBILE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, AND LOST CONTROL. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 55 MPH. *AK
WHENEVER DRIVING BETWEEN 40-50MPH VEHICLE WOULD SHIMMY. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 15 TIMES FOR VIBRATION. DEALERSHIP CLAIMED VEHICLE JUST PULSATED. VEHICLE ACTUALLY SHOOK HARD. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK
REAR END SHAKES WHILE IN MOTION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
REAR SUSPENSION EXPERIENCES EXTREME VIBRATION.
FRONT COIL SPRINGS WEAK.
WHILE GOING IN REVERSE NOTICED RUBBING GRINDING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION BUT NOISE CONTINUED.
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT EVEN AFTER REPAIRS.
WHILE DRIVING 60-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RECEPTACLE FAILED, PREVENTING PROPER LATCHING.
VEHICLE MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 45 MPH TO 55 MPH. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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