RoadVitals

2008 Jeep Commander Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Feb 21, 2022
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 325 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Jeep Commander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 21, 2022

I was in the freeway going 68-70 mph with my wife and kids where a red lightning ⚡️ Appears on the upper right corner, vehicle steering locked and tuned off while cars were coming. I was able to turn vehicle back on and move to the right of the freeway. Turns out it has a recall on it. I took it to Browning Dodge in Norca Ca. They say they fixed my recall I picked up my Jeep , it drove ok for a few days and it started doing the same malfunction. They said they are unable to work on my vehicle due to throttle body that was replaced by a professional mechanic.

NHTSA ID
11453291
Incident
Nov 20, 2021
AirbagsElectricalSteering
Filed Jul 29, 2020

HAVING AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH ISSUE WITH MY JEEP. THE KEY LOCKS IN THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WILL NOT START. ALSO THE AIRBAG SIGN SAYS SOMETHING IS WRONG.

NHTSA ID
11342137
Incident
Jun 29, 2020
Mileage
11,000 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 4, 2016

MY COMMANDER KEEPS SHAKING VIOLENTLY AT FREEWAY SPEED. HAVE TIMKEN IT TO GET STRUTS/SHOCKS REPLACED,BALANCED,AND DID AN ALIGNMENT AND ROTATION AND IT STILL DOES IT. VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE KIDS AND NEED MY JEEP TO TRANSPORT THM FROM POINT A TO POINT BUT

NHTSA ID
10893319
Incident
May 13, 2016
ElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 18, 2015

WHILE RELOCATING AND DRIVING ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE PRE-OWNED VEHICLE WITH 87,684 AT TIME OF PURCHASE, THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM CAME ON BY ITSELF AND STAYED IN HIGH AND IS STILL IN HIGH AND IF THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN WILL NEED TO BE DISCONNECTED. THE POWER STEERING LOCKED, SHREDDED BELTS. THEN, THE ENGINE RAN HOT FOR NO MORE THAN A MILE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH NO WARNING. DUE TO THE POWER STEERING LOCKING UP, COMBUSTION CAUSED HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
10749556
Incident
Aug 1, 2015
Mileage
91,000 mi
EngineSteering
Filed Jul 9, 2015

I HAVE BEEN THE OWNER OF 2008 JEEP COMMANDER LIMITED EDITION FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IT WAS MY DREAM TRUCK.. HOWEVER IT HAS NOW BECOME MY BOMB WAITING TO GO OFF KILLING ME AND MY CHILDREN. THIS TRUCK RANDOMLY SHUTS OFF DURING HIGH SPEEDS, DOESNT ALLOW ME BREAK SOMETIMES FOR READ LIGHTS AND PUT MY LIFE AT RISK DAILY WHEN I DRIVE. I HAVE CONTINUALLY CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND HEADQUARTER ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS MY TRUCK HAS BECOME. I HAVE MISSED COUNTLESS DAYS OF WORK AND BE LEFT STRANDED WHEN THE ENGINE WONT TURN OVER. I HAVE BEGGED FOR HELP AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE. WILL IT TAKE A ME BEING KILLED OR HURTING ANOTHER FOR SOME TO FINALLY HELP. THEY CONTINUE TO TELL ME THE RECALL IGNITION PIECE ISNT IN AND THAT THEY CANT HELP ME. I'M AT RISK OF LOSING MY JOB BECAUSE THE TRUCK I PAY FOR MONTHLY ISNT SAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME.

NHTSA ID
10732900
Incident
May 19, 2015
Mileage
119,189 mi
ElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 25, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP COMMANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF AND THEN TO THE ON POSITION IN ORDER TO REGAIN FUNCTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V567000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ID
10690591
Incident
Feb 25, 2015
Mileage
101,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteeringSuspension
Filed Nov 9, 2014

IT SEEM THAT THE MAJORITY / EVERY JEEP COMMANDER OR G. CHEROKEE HAS GONE THROUGH ONE OR MORE RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENTS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO EVEN FIND A STEERING RACK TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ONE... AS IF THAT WILL LAST LONG. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS IF THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH ISSUES WITH THESE NEWER JEEPS. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A 2005 OR NEWER JEEP AGAIN! CHRYSLER HAS REALLY DROPPED THE BALL ON THIS AND COMPLETELY RUINED A GREAT NAME FOR JEEP AND THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS JEEP IS FALLING APART AT NOT EVEN 80K MILES. IF I HAD TO PAY SOMEONE - THE DEALER /"STEALER" TO REPLACE ALL THE DEFECTIVE PARTS I WOULD HAVE TO SELL MY HOME. I HAVE BUCKETS AND BUCKETS OF PARTS (RUBBER SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, BALL JOINTS, SEIZED BRAKE COMPONENTS ETC ETC) AND NOW THIS. NOTHING CAN BE WORKED ON, IF YOU TAKE IT APART YOU BETTER BUY A NEW ONE. EVERYTHING IS THROW AWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10653697
Incident
Oct 3, 2014
Mileage
79,995 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Aug 1, 2014

DRIVING ON STRAIGHT RESIDENTIAL ROAD AT 35 MPH. ABRUPT POWER LOSS TO VEHICLE OCCURRED. GAS GAUGE WENT FROM HALF FULL TO BELOW EMPTY. DIFFICULT STEERING AND BRAKING. VEHICLE COASTED ENOUGH TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURN INTO A SIDE STREET. STOPPED VEHICLE, REMOVED KEY FROM IGNITION, PUT THE KEY BACK IN, AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. EXACT SCENARIOS REPORTED IN THE NEWS. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2008 MODEL AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL THAT WAS RECENTLY ANNOUNCED WHEREBY THE RECALL YEAR STOPPED AT 2007. . *TR

NHTSA ID
10618172
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
62,670 mi
ElectricalFuel systemSteering
Filed Apr 3, 2013

MY 2008 JEEP COMMANDER OVERLAND EDITION HAS SHUT OFF MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE I AM DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 60 + MPH. I LOOK ALL FUNCTION WHEN THIS HAPPENS; POWER STEERING, GAS, ELECTRICAL, ETC. I HAVE TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART IT. IT ALWAYS RESTARTS RIGHT AWAY. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN 4-6 TIMES TO ALLEN SAMUELS DODGE, JEEP IN KATY TX TO TRY AND HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. EACH TIME THEY KEEP MY CAR FOR MULTIPLE DAYS AND THEN TELL ME THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM GETTING NO HELP FROM THEM EITHER. THEY KEEP TELLING ME TO TAKE THE CAR IN TO GET IT LOOKED AT SO THEY CAN DIAGNOSE IT. YET EACH TIME I TAKE THE CAR IN TO GET A DIAGNOSIS, I AM CHARGED FOR A RENTAL CAR FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT THEN TOLD THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THEY SEND ME ON MY WAY. WITHIN WEEKS, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS IN THEIR 2008 JEEP COMMANDER. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW. I FEEL THE CAR IS EXTREMEMLY UNSAFE, YET CHRYSLER IS DOING NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10505503
Incident
Mar 27, 2013
Mileage
83,300 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .