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 2007 Jeep Wrangler 4-Dr 4X2 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
THERE IS A HORRIBLE WOBBLE IN THE JEEP. FELT VERY UNSAFE AS IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR
DEATH WOBBLE AT HIGH SPEEDS FEELS LIKE JEEP IS FALLING APART
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".
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. *JS
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. *TR
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.
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. *TR
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. *TR
I AM EXPERIENCING WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS JEEP WOBBLE AND EVEN HAS BEEN CALLED DEATH WOBBLE. DRIVING AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY AND WILL NOT STOP UNTIL SPEEDS GO BELOW 20 MPH. THIS OCCURS AT TIMES WITHOUT UNSTABLE ROAD CONDITIONS AND IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS OCCURRING WHEN CROSSING A BRIDGE OR ANY WHERE THAT THE ROAD SURFACE CHANGES. JEEP HAS REPLACED THE STEERING STABILIZER AND DAMPENER THREE TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS AND REPLACED THE SHOCKS AS WELL. *TR
DRIVING ON THE ROAD GOING ABOUT 45MPH AND THE JEEP STARTED TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE (DEATH WOBBLE), FELT LIKE I HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT, PULLED OVER, NOTHING WAS WRONG, DROVE AWAY AND WAS FINE. SCARED MYSELF AND MY 10 YEAR OLD SON! I HAVE THE VEHICLE BEING INSPECTED NOW. *TR
WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 40 AND 60 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT, FEELING SIMILAR TO SUDDEN WHEEL IMBALANCE AND AS IF FRONT WHEELS MIGHT COME OFF WHEN I HIT A BUMP, USUALLY SMALLER ONES LIKE GAPS IN BRIDGE SURFACES OR DIPS IN THE ROAD. IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN BLOGS AND WEB POSTINGS AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". TO STOP THIS ACTION I HAVE TO SLOW DOWN BELOW 30 MPH AND SOMETIMES HAVE TO STOP COMPLETELY. IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS CAUSES DANGEROUS TRAFFIC SITUATIONS SINCE THE NATURAL INSTINCT IS TO APPLY BRAKES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS DOES NOT OCCUR EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP, BUT OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY AS TIME PASSES. THE DEALER HAS ROTATED TIRES, DONE REAR END WORK, REPLACED BRAKES, AND REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER RELIEVES SYMPTOMS FOR 2-3 MONTHS,(UP TO 2,000 MILES) BUT IT STARTS AGAIN, LIGHTLY INITIALLY, THEN INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND FREQUENCY. THE SAME DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO SERVICE THIS PROBLEM FOUR TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, BUT HAS NOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT "RE-CREATE" THE CONDITION AND CAN NOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSES IT. THEY ALSO SAY THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED OTHER COMPLAINTS. CHRYSLER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKERS DEFER TO THE DEALER. THIS IS A VERY FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN IT OCCURS. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN OFF ROAD AND HAS ONLY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 JEEP WRANGLER 4X2. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICALLY AND WOULD NOT CEASE UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO INSTALL A HEAVY DUTY STEERING DAMPER TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE BEFORE DETERMINING IF THEY WOULD ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH AND HITTING A SLIGHT BUMP OR DIVET IN THE ROAD JEEP WRANGLER JK BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY UNTIL I AM FORCED TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER AND BRING IT UNDER 30MPH. IT HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY OTHER DAY, BUT OCCURRED FOUR TIMES TODAY ALONE. AT THE PRESENT TIME I HAVE HAD IT TO THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS WHERE THE ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN CHECKED FOUR TIMES, THE TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AND ROTATED BACK, A NEW STEERING STABILIZER HAS BEEN INSTALLED ALONG WITH A NEW BUSHING, NEW TRACK BAR AND NEW BALL JOINT. *TR
DEATH SHAKE IN FRONT END . STEERING STABILIZER FAILURE. TO REPLACE HAD TO BUY FROM CHRYSLER A MODIFICATION BRACKET AND SHOCK. COULD NOT BUY AFTERMARKET. MY POINT IS I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A BRACKET THAT THEY DID NOT MAKE RIGHT IN THE 1ST PLACE. I ALMOST WAS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING NORMAL CONDITIONS. THEY COMPARED IT TO A DELL COMPUTER THAT IF I NEEDED A UPGRADE I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. DON'T YOU THINK THAT DRIVING A VEHICLE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN A COMPUTER SITTING ON A DESK? I DO NOT OFF ROAD AS THIS IS A 2 WHEEL DRIVE JEEP. I LIKE WHAT I DRIVE BUT I THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BEFORE NOW. *TR
I HAVE A 2007 4DR JEEP WRANGLER NOT 4 WHEEL DRIVE. JUST RECENTLY HAS A PROBLEM STARTED ON MY JEEP. I WILL BE DRIVING AT 35-65MPH AND HIT A BUMP OR A SERIES OF SMALL BUMPS AND MY JEEP WILL BEGIN SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND WILL NOT STOP UNLESS I IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF THE ROAD OR SLOW TO ABOUT 20MPH. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING TO WHICH THEY REPLIED I HOPE IT'S NOT THE 'DEATH WOBBLE'. FROM WHAT THEY COULD SEE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AS FAR AS STEERING AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT JEEP DEALERSHIP TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION. I BEGAN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE VIA THE INTERNET AND IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN BY JEEP OWNERS AS A 'DEATH WOBBLE'. IN ALL CASES THEY HAVE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN AND GET OUT OF TRAFFICS WAY TO REGAIN CONTROL, IN SOME REPORTS READ IT HAS CAUSED WRECKS AND EVEN A BROKEN WRIST. I AM WRITING HOPING THAT THERE ARE MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND HOPEFULLY AN INVESTIGATION CAN BEGIN ON THE SUBJECT BECAUSE IT IS TERRIFYING WHEN THIS ISSUE BEGINS AND YOU ARE ON A HIGHWAY OR ANY BUSY ROAD. I BELIEVE THEIR NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF RECALL TO GET THIS PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF IF IT IS A COMMONLY KNOWN DEFECT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING 50 TO 70 MPH IF THE VEHICLE HITS ANY SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD IT THEN BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THERE IS A TERM GIVEN BY JEEP OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS YEAR JEEP CALLED THE "DEATH WOBBLE." THERE ARE MANY OF DISCUSSION GROUPS ONLINE THAT TALK ABOUT IT AND THERE IS EVEN FOOTAGE ON YOUTUBE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE WOBBLE IS TO STOP THE VEHICLE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN. NOT SAFE AT ALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE? GENERAL MOTORS WAS SAVED BY THE TAX PAYERS OF THE U.S. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PUT VEHICLES THAT ARE UNSAFE ON U.S. HIGHWAYS. I ONLY HOPE NO ONE HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED FROM THIS ISSUE. MY JEEP IS ALL STOCK FROM THE FACTORY. I HAVE HAD NO WORK OR MODIFICATIONS DONE TO IT. THERE IS NO REASON WHY JEEP OWNERS THAT PAY $24,000 OR MORE FOR THEIR JEEP TO PAY OVER $1000 TO FIX A SAFETY ISSUE THAT GM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. I HAVE HAD A FEW RECALL ON MY JEEP FOR MINOR ISSUES AND HAD THEM FIXED. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. *TR
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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