1998 Jeep Wrangler Suspension Problems

JEEP TJ FRAME SEPARATED AT THE TORSION BAR ON PASSENGER REAR WHEEL MAKING VEHICLE UNSTABLE AND UN- USABLE.

NHTSA ID

11251841

Incident

Aug 27, 2019

Mileage

178,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. I'VE OWNED MY JEEP FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. WE WERE CHANGING THE SHOCKS A FEW WEEKS AGO AND NOTICED SEVERE RUST DAMAGE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. IT'S SEVERE. YEARS BEFORE I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LAND RD AND HAD TO PRESS MY BRAKES HARDER THAN I USUALLY WOULD DUE TO A CAR PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AT THAT MOMENT I BLEW A BRAKE LINE. I COULD NOT GET MY VEHICLE STOPPED. LUCKILY IT'S A 5 SPEED. I GEARED DOWN AS FAST AS I COULD AND MANAGED TO PULL IT OFF THE MAIN ROAD ONTO A HILL TO GET IT STOPPED. AFTER INSPECTING MY VEHICLE I FOUND SEVERE DAMAGE. THE MOTORS MOUNTS ARE BARELY THERE. THE PART WHERE THE FRAME MOUNTS TO THE BODY IS ACTUALLY MISSING ONE DUE TO RUSTING COMPLETELY OUT. EVERY SINGLE BOLT AND NUT IS RUSTED. EVERY SINGLE SQUARE INCH OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT JEEP POORLY DESIGNED THE FRAME WITH SIDE HOLES FOR WATER AND DIRT TO ENTER BUT DID NOT DESIGN IT WITH DRAINAGE HOLES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. WATER AND DIRT ENTER AND NEVER LEAVE. IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE READ THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11165433

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

69,000 mi

"TJ WRANGLER FRAME RUST" - SEVERE RUST OCCURRED IN THE FRAME OF MY 1998 JEEP WRANGLER. VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER PASS PA STATE INSPECTION. RUST WAS DUE TO NO DRAINAGE HOLE AND FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT. RUST OCCURRED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR CONTROL ARMS AND EXTENDED FRONT TO THE TRANSFER CASE MOUNTING POINTS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND IT IS VERY COMMON AND MANY POOR JEEP OWNERS ARE PARTING OUT PERFECTLY GOOD JEEPS DUE TO THEM NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS STATE INSPECTIONS - LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN HARMED DUE TO THIS FRAME DAMAGE THAT I AM AWARE OF - SOME VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET SHOW THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED AWAY! THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF JEEP AS THIS IS OBVIOUS A DESIGN FLAW AND OWNERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED. IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT OF HOW SEVERE THIS IS SIMPLE DO A GOOGLE SEARCH! TOYOTA TOOK CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS!!!

NHTSA ID

11056998

Incident

Oct 1, 2017

Mileage

96,000 mi

THE RUST IS SO BAD ON THE JEEPS IT'S RIDICULOUS IT'S NOT SAFE YOUR GOING TO KILL SOMEONE WHEN THERE REAR AXLE SHOOTS OUT FROM UNDER THEM THIS IS A ISSUE YOU SHOULD FIX NOT THE CONSUMER I WILL NOT BE BUYING THIS PRODUCT AGAIN IF IT IS MY FIXED. 98 TJ JEEP WRANGLER

NHTSA ID

10731857

Incident

Feb 5, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

DUE TO EXCESSIVE ROT THAT IS COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE, WHILE TRAVELING I HIT A BUMP AND SNAPPED MY DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM. THIS CONSEQUENTLY MADE FOR A DANGEROUS RIDE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR IT I NOTICED HOW BAD THE FRAME WAS ROTTED, BUT UNLIKE NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE WOULD HAVE EQUAL CORROSION. THE INSIDE WAS ROTTED MUCH WORSE, AND PARTS OF THE FRAME EASILY CRUMBLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10713501

Incident

Apr 14, 2015

Mileage

99,945 mi

THE FRAME AROUND THE CONTROL ARMS ARE RUSTING, THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ADDRESSED AND THERE ARE MORE 97-06 WRANGLERS WITH RUSTED FRAMES THAN NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10702422

Incident

Feb 18, 2015

Mileage

128,000 mi

NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING HOME THE OTHER DAY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN MY EXHAUST RATTLING AROUND, SO I GOT UNDER VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE NOISE, AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT THE REAR PART OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AWAY AND THE BRACKETS FOR THE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALLOWING THE ARMS TO DROP, AND ON THIS PARTICULAR SIDE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ATTACHED TO THIS CONTROL ARM. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAD A SIMILAR RECALL ON THE TRUCK FRAMES FOR RUST PERFORATION, AND THAT JEEP HAD ONE ON THE LIBERTY FOR THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS RUSTING AND BREAKING. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND MY PERSONAL JEEP IS NOT THE FIRST ONE I HAVE SEEN WITH THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I ALSO GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT ITS VERY COMMON IN THESE VEHICLES AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10573095

Incident

Mar 17, 2014

Mileage

112,000 mi

THE FRAME IS ROTTEN OUT, AND THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JEEP TJ'S. I HAVE A HOLE ON MY TAIL SECTION OF FRAME AND ON THE REAR CONTROL ARM AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10507033

Incident

Apr 3, 2013

Mileage

107,000 mi

DEATH WOBBLE, FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHER FREEWAY SPEEDS. VERY FEARFUL TO DRIVE ON OTHER THAN STREETS. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THE LAST 2 YEARS. PURCHASED JEEP USED 5 YEARS AGO BUT ONLY STARTED TO HAVE WOBBLE LAST 2 YEARS SINCE IM RETIRED AND DON'T DRIVE LONG DISTANCES VERY OFTEN AND NOT DON'T WANT TO DRIVE ANYWHERE THAT REQUIRES ME TO USE FREEWAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10482490

Incident

Oct 26, 2012

Mileage

150,000 mi

JEEP DEATH WOBBLE. SCARY! *TR

NHTSA ID

10465611

Incident

Jul 13, 2012

Mileage

104,251 mi

RUST HAS EATEN COMPLETELY THROUGH JEEP FRAME IN REAR SUPPORT AREA THROUGH ABOUT MIDWAY OF THE DOOR SECTION. THIS IS NOT MINOR SURFACE RUST, BUT LARGE GAPING HOLES THAT I CAN PUT MY WHOLE HAND INSIDE OF. THE JEEP WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 1998 AND HAS NEVER BEEN OFFROAD. IT HAS VERY LOW HIGHWAY MILEAGE AND IS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WINTERS ARE MILD, SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ROAD SALT USED DURING THE WINTERS HERE. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. I HAD RECENTLY TAKEN IT TO A FABRICATION SHOP TO SEE IF IT COULD BE REPAIRED, AND AFTER EXAMINATION THE SHOP OWNER SAID THERE IS NO SOLID METAL LEFT IN THE FRAME FOR A REPAIR TO BE POSSIBLE. HE SAID THERE ARE NO DRAIN HOLES ON BOTTOM OF THE JEEP FRAME, BUT ONLY HOLES THAT THE MANUFACTURER PUT ON THE SIDE OF THE FRAME. HE SAID, AS A RESULT ROAD GRIME ENTERED THE FRAME FROM THESE MANUFACTURED SIDE HOLES, GOT TRAPPED INSIDE THE FRAME AND CAUSED IT TO RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. HE SAID THAT IS WHY I HAD NOT DETECTED THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST PROBLEM BEFORE NOW. THE SHOP OWNER PUT HIS HAND INSIDE THE FRAME AND PULLED OUT A HANDFUL OF MOIST ROAD GRIME AND LOOSE RUST FLAKES TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE THE PROBLEM. THE SHOP OWNER WENT ON TO INFORM ME THAT MY JEEP IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IN STARK CONTRAST, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY OF THE JEEP HAS ABSOLUTELY NO RUST AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454042

Incident

Mar 28, 2012

Mileage

54,986 mi

PURCHASED REPLACEMENT FRONT BALL JOINTS FOR JEEP WRANGLER(1985-1998) FROM AUTOZONE. NOTICED THAT THE TWO PARTS WERE DIFFERENT, BUT THE BOX HAD THE SAME PART NUMBER. ONE FIT PERFECTLY, BUT THE OTHER COULD ONLY BE INSTALLED IN A WAY THAT COULD CAUSE FUTURE SUSPENSION FAILURE. I WENT TO ANOTHER AUTOZONE STORE AND FOUND THE SAME TWO DIFFERENT PARTS MARKED WITH THE SAME PART NUMBER, SO IT WAS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. THE PART NUMBER IS FA1633. *TR

NHTSA ID

10226978

Incident

May 1, 2008

MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. WATER PUMP LEAKED - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, GAS TANK SEAL LEAKED - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, SEATS RIPPED - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, SUCTION CUP MARKS ON WINDOW - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, FRONT STABILIZER SHOCK LEAKED - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, REAR WINDOW SEAL LEAKED - REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY TWO TIMES AND STILL LEAKS, INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILS - OUT OF WARRANTY NOT REPAIRED, RADIATOR FAILED - OUT OF WARRANTY FIXED AT MY COST, STABILIZER ARM FAILED BOTH SIDES TWICE - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE AND THE OUT OF WARRANTY FIXED AT MY COST, EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED - OUT OF WARRANTY - FIXED AT MY COST, CLUTCH FORK FAILED - OUT OF WARRANTY FIXED AT MY COST, LEAK UNDER THE DASH BOARD PASSENGER SIDE - FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. OF ALL THE PROBLEMS ABOVE... LOSS OF INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDLESS OF IN OR OUT OF WARRANTY. LOSS OF GAUGES IS A DRIVING DISTRACTION AND CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. JEEP NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS LONG AS THIS VEHICLE IS ON THE ROAD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10204168

Incident

Jan 15, 2000

Mileage

25,000 mi

THIS IS NOW THE 3RD SWAY BAR END-LINK I'VE REPLACED ON MY JEEP, AND THE 2ND I'VE REPLACED ON MY FRIEND'S 97 JEEP WRANGLER. I ASKED MY MECHANIC ABOUT THIS AND HE TOLD ME HE GETS THIS PROBLEM ALL THE TIME. HOW CAN SUCH WIDE SPREAD FAILURE OF AN IMPORTANT SAFTEY ITEM LIKE THE SWAYBAR END LINK ESCAPE BEING PART OF A RECALL. MY JEEP HAS FAILED THE PENNSYLVANIA SAFETY INSPECTION FOR TWO YEARS NOW BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN THE FALL OF 2002 WHILE MAKING AN SUDDEN EVASIVE MANUVER, MY JEEP HANDLED THE SITUATION SO POORLY THAT I ENDED UP CRASHING THE VEHICLE. I FOUND, DURING REPAIR, THAT THE SWAYBAR END-LINK WAS NOT IN WORKING ORDER.*AK

NHTSA ID

10061857

Incident

Sep 15, 2002

Mileage

28,000 mi

CONTROL ARM BRACKET SNAPPED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM BRACKET SNAPPED OFF AND LEFT CONTROL ARM BRACKET TWISTED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND RAN OFF OF THE ROAD. *YH

NHTSA ID

8008655

Incident

Apr 5, 2002

WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ALL PRETAINING TO THE FRONT END, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START SHAKING REALLY BAD AT BETWEEN 40-50 MPH AND WE HAVE HAD LOUD BANKING NOICE COME FROM THE FRONT END AND WHEN SHIFTING. THE TIRES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES BEFORE THEY EVEN HAD 9,000 MILES ON THEM. THE VEHICLE IS A REAL LEMON. THERE HAS BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE PAINT PEELING AS WELL AS PROBLEMS WITH THE BALL JOINTS. THEY ARE NOW REFUSING TO FIX THE FRONT END AGAIN THAT WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SINCE WE BOUGHT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

761175

Incident

Apr 4, 2002

VEHICLE SWAYS AT +55MPH DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF SWAY BAR LINKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

737159

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

1. THE TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED JUMPING IN AND OUT OF 3RD GEAR IN THE 32 TO 50 MPH RANGE. BUBBLES ARE PRESENT IN THE FLUID INDICATING A SEAL IS FAILING. REPAIR ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME IS OVER $1000. THIS FAILURE IN SNOWY DRIVING CONDITIONS CAUSES VEHICLE CONTROL PROBLEMS.2. PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTS INTERMITTENTLY. THE PASSENGER WILL LEAN FORWARD AND BACK MAY NOT NOTICE THE SEATBELT HAS NOT RETRACTED. THIS CAN CERTAINLY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. 3. SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT IDLE. VEHICLE IDLE WILL JUMP FROM 1.5K TO 3K WITHOUT WARNING. OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. 4. ANTI-SWAY BAR LINK FAILURE. THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST INSIDIOUS FAILURE. THE STABILIZER BAR LINK BALL WILL CORRODE IN THE SOCKET AND CAUSE IT TO SEPARATE. THE RUBBER BOOT AROUND IT COVERS THE FAILURE. WHEN AN EMERGENCY TURN IS REQUIRED, THE JEEP WILL SWAY VIOLENTLY. I TALKED TO THE CHRYSLER PARTS ATTENDANT AND HE SAID HE SELLS ABOUT 12 A WEEK TO THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOTICE THE FAILURE. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT NOTICE THIS, IT IS A TIME BOMB. THE PARTS ATTENDANT TOLD ME I WOULD BE BACK SOON TO REPLACE MORE. WHAT HE SAID IS TRUE.

NHTSA ID

736981

Incident

May 24, 2000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THEN, VEHICLE VEERED TO LEFT. A CLICKING NOISE CAME ABOUT AFTER INCIDENT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

874950

Incident

Nov 10, 2000

DUE TO THE DESIGN OF SUSPENSION IT IS RUBBING AGAINST RADIATOR HOSE, PUNCTURING THE HOSE WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

869368

VEHICLE LEANS ON ONE SIDE MORE THAN ON THE OTHER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE SUSPENSION , IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE BODY MOUNTS CAUSING TILTING. *AK

NHTSA ID

853338

DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING DUE TO A MALFUNCTION OF THE U BOLT THAT CAUSED THE I BEAM TO BREAK. DRIVER RAN INTO A TRUCK. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

852191

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, WHERE THEY WERE DOING ROAD WORK, FRONT END VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY, EVEN LOST CONTROL AFTER DECELERATION. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

NHTSA ID

848931

Incident

Sep 24, 1999

SUSPENSION.

NHTSA ID

609110

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND GOING OVER A BUMP, THE STEERING WHEEL IS VIBRATING AND THERE IS SOME KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FEELS THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN MECHANISM DOES NOT FIT CORRECTLY CAUSING LOOSE FITTING. AK

NHTSA ID

844087

Incident

May 1, 1999