Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 53 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 53, in the owner's own words
LATELY I BEEN HAVING TROUBLE STARTIMG THE JEEP. AT FIRST IT SEEMS AS IF THE BATTERY IS LOW. SOUNDS LIKE IT WONT START BUT THEN IT SLOWLY PICKS UP AND STARTS IF I PRESS THE GAS. I CHANGED BATTERY BUT STILL HAVING TROUBLE. BUT ONCE ITS ON AND RUNNING IT SEEMS FINE. I ALSO HAVE A STEERING PROBLEM. TRUCK SEEMS TO PULL TO THE LEFT
STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT OF CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY.
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT OF CAR IS SHAKES/WOBBLES VIOLENTLY
MY JEEP VIOLENTLY SHAKES WHEN I'M DRIVING SPEEDS OF 50+ AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW HIGHWAYS AND FREEWAYS ARE SPEEDS BETWEEN 55 AND 70 AND I CANNOT DRIVE OVER 50. THE OTHER DAY IT STARTED TO SHAKE SO BAD THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER AND ALMOST HIT THE CEMENT GUARD RAIL. I HAVE TO TRANSPORT MY GRANDCHILDREN FROM TIME TO TIME AND GOD FORBID ANYTHING HAPPEN TO THEM CHRYSLER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND THIS ISSUE IS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE AND IS THE PERFECT NAME FOR IT. THEY NEED TO DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. PLEASE MAKE CHRYSLER DO THE RIGHT THING AND FIX THIS PROBLEM.
OUT OF KNOW WHERE THE ENGINE JUST STARTED KNOCKING, AND THE SMELL OF GAS AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED ACTING OUT OF CONTROL. I HAD TO PARK IT AND GET ANOTHER CAR. BUT I STILL HAVE IT BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE MY JEEP!
1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE FRONT END SHAKE "DEATH WOBBLE" HE EXPERIENCED. *SMD THE CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT, FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STEERING DAMPER, TIE ROD END, AND THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *JB
WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS MY JEEP'S ENGINE HAS SHUT OFF" WHILE DRIVING" AT VARIOUS SPEEDS 5 DIFFERENT TIMES BUT NOT EXCEEDING 60MPH. FOUR OF THE SIX TIMES I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE ENGINE, TWO TIMES I HAD TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. THE INCIDENT AT 60MPH HAPPENED ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY AND LUCKILY I WAS CLOSE TO THE SHOULDER WHEN IT SHUT OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND NO ONE WAS HURT. THE COMPUTER NEVER REGISTERS ANY PROBLEM AND MY MECHANIC HAS STATED THAT IT COULD BE NUMEROUS ISSUES BUT NOTHING FOR SURE. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE JEEP HAS NEVER ISSUED A WARNING OR RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND AN ACCIDENT JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITH AN AFTERMARKET DRIVE WORKS TIE ROD, PART NUMBER: DE-ES3475. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT?S HOME WHERE A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT DRIVER?S SIDE INNER TIE ROD TREAD, WHICH SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE NUT AND PIN TO RELEASE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AN A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 236,000. UPDATED 8/5/13 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIE ROD END HE PURCHASED FROM HIS LOCAL RETAIL STORE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE THREADS ON THE END, WERE WORN.
FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, THE VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING OVER 50MPH, DEVELOPS WHAT ONLINE RESEARCH DESCRIBES AS "DEATH WOBBLE". THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES SUDDENLY IN YOUR HANDS, THE FRONT END WOBBLES AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. SLOWING DOWN BELOW 50MPH USUALLY RESOLVES THE ISSUE...BUT THAT IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SOLUTION. SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP AND HAS TRAVELED 20+ MILES. A MAJOR NATIONAL TV CHANNEL HAS PRODUCED A NEWS ARTICLE ABOUT THIS WITH FILM OF THE VEHICLE DURING THE "DEATH WOBBLE". WE BELIEVE THAT CONGRESS HAS ASKED JEEP ABOUT THIS ISSUE PREVIOUSLY. THE JEEP COMPANY IN OUR TOWN SUGGESTED ROTATING TIRES AND CHECKING BRAKES. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THERE ARE LOTS OF ONLINE COMPLAINTS. IN ADDITION TO LOTS OF COMPLAINTS, THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF MONEY SPENT ON LOTS OF PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX THE ISSUE. EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM AND SOLUTION ARE. EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE ONLY 45000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, IT CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO PROVIDE A SAFE JOURNEY. WE ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE COMPANY AND VEHICLE. HOPING FOR A RECALL SOON! (ON A SIDE NOTE, A NEIGHBOR OF OURS HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE WITH HIS JEEP. IF WE ARE AWARE OF 2 PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE, IT HAS TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE.) PLEASE HELP. THANKS. *TR
FAULTY CLOCK SPRING CAUSED THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON AND NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH, THE STEERING GEAR IN MY 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LOCKED UP. WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED FREELY BUT THE STEERING OF THE CAR DID NOT CORRESPOND. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS IT ALMOST CAREENED INTO A DITCH. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, CAUSING MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE TO SHRUBBERY BUT NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY TO PASSENGERS OR OTHER MOTORISTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST, THE STEERING WOULD ONLY TURN APPROXIMATELY 20% TO THE RIGHT SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEAR MY RESIDENCE AT TIME OF INCIDENT AND WAS SLOWLY DRIVEN HOME, THEN TAKEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE. THE DEALERSHIPS DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY STEERING GEARBOX, AND THAT THE TRAVEL STOPS WITHIN THE STEERING GEARBOX HAD BROKEN OR OTHERWISE MALFUNCTIONED, REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING GEARBOX UNIT. THIS PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THE STEERING GEARBOX RECALL DAIMLER-CHRYSLER ISSUED ON 2000 YEAR MODEL JEEP GRAND CHEROKEES MANUFACTURED WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THIS VEHICLE. THE COST FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE THE GEARBOX AND FLUSH OUT ANY OLD STEERING FLUID IS ESTIMATED AT $1,006.95. THE SERVICE HISTORY ON THE VEHICLE INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP (ONCE OR POSSIBLY EVEN TWICE) WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. THE GEARBOX ASSEMBLY HAS NEVER REQUIRED SERVICE, AND NEVER GIVEN ANY PRIOR INDICATION OF BEING FAULTY. A TELEPHONE CALL TO THE JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE RESULTED IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO HAVE JEEP SHARE IN THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THE FAULTY GEARBOX. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS AND NO POWER STEERING WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT 2-3 MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A FEW TIMES AND THEY STATED THAT THE CRANK SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED ALL THE CODES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES AFTERWARDS. SHE RETURNED TO THE DEALER IN APRIL OF 2008 AND WAS INFORMED THEY WOULDHAVE TO RUN MORE TESTS. THE CONTACT THEN TRADED IN THE VEHICLE FOR A NEWER MODEL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,074 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,808. UPDATED 07/15/08. *LJ THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEN THE CONSUMER MADE LEFT TURNS. THE HATCH SHOCKS WERE REPLACED
THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON A FEW WEEKS AGO. I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. A CLOCK SPRING HAD BROKEN IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG, RENDERING THE AIRBAG UNDEPLOYABLE. THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR WAS $309+ TAX. THE MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR BUT REALIZED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE AIRBAG IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF $1800. I CALLED CHRYSLER TO REPORT THIS ISSUE TO THEM, AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THEIR DESIGN THAT RENDERED THIS REPAIR OF AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE SO EXPENSIVE IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 30-35 MPH TRIED TO ROUND A BEND IN THE ROAD AND THE STEERING FAILED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE AND CROSSED THE CENTER LANE OF THE ROAD AND CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A SCHOOL BUS. THE VEHICLES WERE TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND MY VEHICLE WAS LATER INSPECTED BY AN ENGINEERING FIRM TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WHICH WAS TIE-ROD DEFECT/PITARM FAILURE. THE REPORT INDICATED THAT THIS AREA DOES NOT HAVE GREASE FITTINGS. THE FAILURE OF THE PART WAS DUE TO IMPROPER MANUFACTURING. *TR
TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED . COOLING FAN SENSOR , FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS, REAR DIFFERENTIAL COMPLETELY REBUILT, WHAT'S NEXT? WILL NEVER BUY A CHRYSLER PRODUCT AGAIN!!!!!!!!*JB
WHILE DRIVING MY 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE ON NOV. 20 2005, I LOST STEERING, CAUSING ME TO COLLIDE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE THEN RUN OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A SIGN. THIS ALL HAPPENED BEFORE I COULD GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH. AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT THE BALL JOINT CONNECTING THE TIE ROD TO THE PITMAN ARM HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED CAUSING A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT DEFINITELY WARRANTS A RECALL. *NM
1999 DEFECTIVE CHRYSLER GRAND JEEP CHEROKEE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS. THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED HARD VIBRATION NOT ONLY IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, SEAT AND INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VIBRATION WAS SO SEVERE THE CONSUMER WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ROTORS WOULD HEAT UP, THE CALIPER FROZE. THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED, THE REAR LATCH WAS LUBRICATED DUE TO SQUEAKING. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HAD A HARD TIME STARTING THE VEHICLE. *JB
1999 GRAND CHEROKEE JEEP, BRAKE FAILURE AND HEAD GASKET REPLACED. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE SEIZED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE WHO REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE, RACK AND PINION, AND SPIDER GEARS. *JB
A MECHANIC AND THE STATE INSPECTOR INDICATED, UPON INSPECTION THAT THE TRUCK WILL FAIL INSPECTION. THE LEFT OUTER TIRE ROD AND LEFT UPPER BALL JOINTS ARE LOSE AND THE TRUCK SHOULDN'T BE DRIVEN.*AK
WHILE PARKING VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO STEER OR TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, BUT MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH, CONSUMER SWERVED TO AVOID AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD ANS LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE ROLLED, AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
I WAS DRIVING ALONG IN A MAJOR CITY, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WHEELS STOPPED TURNING AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN. I CALLED 911 AND ASSISTANCE WAS IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED. I WAS DRIVING A 1999 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. ONCE THE TOW TRUCK AND A VEHICLE MECHANIC ARRIVED IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT WAS DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE STEMMED FROM A FACTORY DEFECT. I WOULD LIKE FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO TAKE PLACE REGARDING THE AFOREMENTIONED TYPE OF VEHICLE TO SEE IF THIS INDEED WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. I HAVE A TOWING AND VEHICLE MECHANIC BILL THAT I HAD TO PAY REGARDING THIS INCIDENT THAT I THINK SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER IF THIS PROVES TO BE A PROBLEM CREATED BY THEM. THIS COULD HAVE VERY WELL BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR ME AS WELL AS FOR MY 3, 13, AND 18 YEAR OLD PASSENGERS HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE OR AT ANY RATE OF SPEED HIGHER THAN THE SPEED OF ABOUT THE ESTIMATED 15 MPH OR SO WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THE TURN. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU REGARDING THIS MATTER.*AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: NO HORN, INTERIOR LIGHTS, OR DOOR LOCKS, THE ABS/BRAKES LIGHTS WERE ON, CONTINUOUS OVERHEATING WHEN IDLED, DESPITE REPEATED BRAKE WORK, THEY WERE STILL A PROBLEM, THE DASHLIGHTS DIDN'T GET BRIGHT AS NORMAL, HISSING NOISE IN THE BRAKES (BOOSTER WAS REPLACED), BLOWER MOTOR WAS INOPERATIVE ALONG WITH MODE POSITION (REPLACED BLOWER MOTOR RESISTER WIRING HARNESS), FRONT PINION SEAL LEAKED AND WAS REPLACED, THERE WAS A BROKEN BOLT IN THE REAR STABILIZER BAR (REMOVED), WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN DRIVE FROM PARK, IT SHIFTED HARD (REPLACED DRIVESHAFT), THE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, THE BRAKES PULSATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS (TSB WAS COMPLETED), THE BLOWER MODULE WAS REPLACED, ALL GAUGES STOPPED WORKING,ALL WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED HIGHER THAN NORMAL (REPLACED THE FAN POWER TRANSMITTER), THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND THE ARM HAD BROKEN (REPLACED THE REAR ARM). THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE DEALER TO BACK THE VEHICLE. MR SCC
WHILE DRIVING TO FLORIDA IN OUR 1999 JEEP GRANG CHEROKEE, THE TIE ROD ON DRIVERS SIDE DROPPED TO THE GROUND. FORTUNATELY FOR US, WE WERE NOT GOING FAST AT THE TIME. THE TIE ROD END WHICH CONSISTS OF A BALL AND SOCKET CAME APART. INSPECTION BY A JEEP DEALER DETERMINED THAT ALL 4 TIE ROD ENDS (2 TIE ROD AND 2 DRAG LINK) WERE LOOSE AND IN DANGER OF FAILING. IF WE HAD BEEN MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, WE WOULD HAVE LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL. THERE ARE NO GREASE FITTINGS ON THE FAILED AND FAILING PARTS AND NO MENTION OF HAVING THE TIE ROD ENDS CHECKED AT REGULAR INTERVALS IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. WE ENDED UP HAVING ALL FOUR TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED, THE VEHICLE ALIGNED, AND BUYING FOUR NEW TIRES, BUT THAT BEING SAID, WE JUST FEEL FORTUNATE WE WEREN'T IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR WORSE. THE FAILURE OF THE TIR ROD ENDS SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL FOR THE PROTECTION OF OTHER JEEP OWNERS.
CONSUMER STATES THAT STEERING PULLS TO LEFT WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER ALSO ADVISED THAT STEERING PULLS "DRAMATICALLY" TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER HAS REPLACED/REPAIRED SEVERAL COMPONENTS INCLUDING TIRES, STEERING GEAR BOX AND 3 ALIGNMENTS. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TS
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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