1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee Suspension Problems

EXPERIENCED 'DEATH WOBBLE' AT HIGH SPEED AFTER CONTACTING HIGHWAY "RUMBLE STRIPS"

NHTSA ID

11019917

Incident

Aug 26, 2017

Mileage

184,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED AN ABNORMAL BURNT WIRING SMELL FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10743668

Incident

Jun 6, 2015

INCIDENT OCCURRED TWICE IN ONE DAY. HAD OCCURRED BEFORE, BUT VERY INFREQUENTLY. DRIVING AROUND 66 MILES PER HOUR ON A HIGHWAY, THE CAR HIT A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD AND BEGAN TO SHAKE, VIOLENTLY AND UNCONTROLLABLY. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR SHAKES SO SEVERELY THAT I AM FORCED TO SLOW DOWN TO UNDER 15 MPH TO STOP IT. THE PROBLEM AGAIN OCCURRED LATER THAT SAME DAY, ON A DIFFERENT ROAD (A MAJOR U.S INTERSTATE), TRAVELING AT ABOUT THE SAME OR PERHAPS SLIGHTLY GREATER SPEED. THE BUMP THAT I HIT WAS VERY SMALL, BUT THE SHAKING THAT CAME AFTER CAUSED ME TO SHIFT LANES AND PULL OFF ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE TO MAKE IT STOP. ALL TOGETHER, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH MY VEHICLE ABOUT 8 OR 9 TIMES, BUT WAS THOUGHT TO BE FIXED SEVERAL YEARS AGO (BY A MECHANIC ADMITTEDLY NOT ASSOCIATED WITH JEEP). THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE BUT IS OBVIOUSLY RETURNING AND GETTING WORSE. SOME OTHER JEEP OWNERS REFER TO IT AS THE DEATH-WOBBLE, DO TO THE VIOLENT AND ALARMING NATURE OF THE SHAKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10693679

Incident

Mar 8, 2015

Mileage

179,000 mi

ALL CONTROL ARMS ROTTEN AND BROKEN ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10458878

Incident

May 17, 2012

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT TO THE RIGHT AND MAKE A LOUD TAPPING SOUND. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR AXLE AND TRANSFER CASE FAILED. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10230853

Incident

May 20, 2008

Mileage

120,000 mi

1. FRONT SUSPENSION SHAKES VIOLENTLY, CAUSING PARTIAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I RESEARCHED THIS MODEL AFTER FIRST INCIDENT AND FOUND OUT THAT OTHER OWNERS HAD A SIMILAR COMPLAINT. THEY DESCRIBE THE PHENOMENON AS "DEATH WOBBLE". WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10216922

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

147,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HAVING THE BRAKES REPLACED, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND A BROKEN WELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE LOWER RADIUS ARM WAS BROKEN AT THE DIFFERENTIAL ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT. THE FRONT AXLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10152764

Incident

Mar 15, 2006

Mileage

326,247 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WANDERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD VEHICLE JUMPED OVER TO THE NEXT LANE. CONSUMER REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR BOX AND TIRES, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE BALL JOINTS BE REPLACED. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10065377

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

Mileage

146,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING RIGHT FRONT TIRE WOULD BOUNCE OUT OF CONTROL WHEN RUNNING OVER UNEVEN ROAD OR BUMPS. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8018839

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE WAS SHAKING HARD FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO SLOWDOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AN REPAIRED FRONT END. BUT, PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8010802

WHILE DRIVING UNDER 55 MPH AND MAKING A TURN VEHICLE MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE. ALSO, STARTS TO JERK. HAD REPAIRED VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER CONTACTED.

NHTSA ID

8010459

CONSUMER STATES SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WHEN HIS REAR AXLE BROKE, CAUSING HIM TO ROLL OVER IN THE AUTO. HE SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. NLM

NHTSA ID

8006542

Incident

Mar 6, 2002

CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT END MAKES A NOISE AND THE TWO FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED DUE TO FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLY FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID

564818

Incident

Jan 3, 2002

BINDING/GRINDING/POPING OF FRONT-END WHEN TURNING @ 3-25 MPH, CAUSING ENOUGH RESISTANCE TO STOP THE JEEP WHEN AT LOWER SPEEDS, ALONG WITH HUM & VIBRATION @ HIGHER SPEEDS. REPLACED FRONT HALFSHAFTS. SEEMED OK. DROVE APPROX. 400 HIGHWAY MILES, STARTED AGAIN. HAD DIFFERENT SHOP CHECK DRIVE AXLES. AXLES OK. REPLACED FRT. HUB BEARING ASSEMBLYS, FRT. BRAKE DISC PADS, FRT. DISC BRAKE ANTI-SQEAL SHIMS,FRT. DISC BRAKE ROTORS, FRT. & REAR THRID COVER GASKET,LIMITED. SLIP ADDITIVE & LUBRICANT FRT. & REAR. PROBLEM CONTIUNES. ADVISED MAY HAVE A TRANSFER CASE LINKAGE PROBLEM COMMON TO JEEP. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP, IF NOT IS IT POSSIBLE, AND WHAT TO DO NEXT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.*AK

NHTSA ID

743325

Incident

Nov 18, 1999

ON 10-11-99 THE ABOVE AUTO HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH WAS REPLACED ON THE VECH. BY THE FACTORY ORIGINAL SPARE, A T155/90D16. THE TIRES ON THE BALANCE OF THE AUTO WERE P235/75R15. THE SPARE WAS PLACED ON THE RIGHT REAR. WHILE DRIVING A FEW SHORT MILES, THE CAR SEEMED UNRESPONSIVE IN HANDLING, AND SMOKE/FLUID STARTED COMING OUT OF THE TRANSFER CASES. THE AUTO WAS THEN TRAILERED TO THE JEEP DEALER LISTED. THE NEXT DAY THE FRONT AND REAR TRANSFER CASES WERE INSPECTED, NO DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE, SEALS AND FLUID REPLACED. SINCE THAT TIME, THE REAR OF THE AUTO HAS BEEN "GROWLING"(AS THE SERVICE TECH CALLED IT). NOW THE DIAGNOSIS IS AXLE PROBLEMS POSSIBLE, WITH THE REPAIR BILL AT APPROX $1500.00. MY CONTENTION IS THAT ALL OF THIS WAS DUE TO AN INCORRECT SIZE SPARE BEING PLACED IN THE VECHILE WHEN MANUFACTURED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THREE ENGINEERS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY THAT SAY THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITH THE SMALL SPARE. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER ACTION WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER/JEEP ON THIS ISSUE? I AM SENDING A LETTER TODAY TO JEEP SEEKINGRESOLUTION ON THE MATTER. ANY SUGGESTIONS.

NHTSA ID

719472

Incident

Oct 11, 1999

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, EVENTUALLY THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. RECALL NOTICE ON FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WAS ON 22-DEC-1999 PRIOR TO THE COLLISION. *AK

NHTSA ID

854820

Incident

Dec 31, 1999

FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY SIDE TO SIDE LIKE A BAD SHOPPING CART WHEEL AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. HAD TO STOP VEHICLE TO GET IT TO STOP. DEALER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES, AS WELL AS TWO OTHER INDEPENDANT SHOPS. THE FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED AND IT STILL DOES IT. I FEEL IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT AS I HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH MANY OTHERS OVER THE INTERNET WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

707066

VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO THE REPAIR SHOP TWICE FOR VIBRATION. WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VIBRATING. ALS0, PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T ROLL UP, IT JUST STAYS OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

836340

Incident

Feb 1, 1999

EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END SUCH AS THE STABILIZER BAR BUSHING, COIL SPRING AND DISC BRAKE PEDAL RATTLES. THE AIR CONDITIONER ALSO LEAKS COOLANT.

NHTSA ID

780557

EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END SUCH AS THE STABILIZER BAR BUSHING, COIL SPRING AND DISC BRAKE PEDAL RATTLES. THE AIR CONDITIONER ALSO LEAKS COOLANT.

NHTSA ID

780502

VEHICLE SKIDDED, LOST CONTROL, ROLLED OVER FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

NHTSA ID

514296

UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED CAUSING EXTREME VIBRATION.

NHTSA ID

525777

Incident

Sep 24, 1996

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT (55) MPH AND HITTING ANY SORT OF BUMP OR RISE IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE OUT OF CONTROL. NEED TO HIT YOUR BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM SHAKING OR DECREASE THE SPEED BY 15 MPH. ALSO, TRANSMISSION NOISY WHILE SHIFTING AND ABS BRAKE FAILURE/PEDAL SOFT. *AK

NHTSA ID

803676

Incident

Aug 17, 1996

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT. *SD

NHTSA ID

505829

Incident

Jun 20, 1996

SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE SQUEAKING.

NHTSA ID

485453

Incident

Jun 8, 1995