2000 Jeep Wrangler Steering Problems

THE FRONT PORTION OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, NEARLY SEVERING THE STEERING GEAR BOX AND FRAME, FROM THE REST OF THE FRAME. IN ADDITION THE FRAME IN THE SAME LOCATION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ALSO SOFT TO THE POINT THAT I COULD COMPRESS THE FRAME WITH MY BARE HAND. I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM AFTER INVESTIGATING WHY THE JEEP WAS SUDDENLY DIFFICULT TO KEEP STRAIGHT WITHIN THE TRAVELING LANE OF WASHINGTON STREET. THANKFULLY, I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK. I WAS QUOTED $2,200 TO FIX BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME THROUGH A METAL FRABRICATOR, BUT HE SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENTIRE FRAME, AS THERE WAS FURTHER ROT CLEAR UP TO THE SPRING BUCKETS. ULTIMATELY I'LL BE FORCED TO TAKE A $4,600 LOAN TO REPLACE THE FRAME. JEEP TJ'S ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR FRAME RUST ISSUES, BUT THE FACT THAT THE RUST WAS UNSEEN JUST WEEKS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, COMBINED WITH A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING STABILITY, IS WORTH TAKING NOTE OF CONCERN. TWO YEARS AGO THIS JEEP HAD NO VISIBLE RUST ANYWHERE ON THE BODY OR FRAME. THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS REPLACED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, AND AT THAT TIME THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPROMISED.

NHTSA ID

11344261

Incident

Jul 22, 2020

Mileage

104,690 mi

ALL NOTES I HAVE FOUND INCLUDING ONLINE FORMS REQUESTING THIS YEAR KEEPS FRAME BE RECALLED, ROTTEN AT BUMPERS WHERE STEERING COMES INTO PLAY AND OTHER SPOTS MID FRAME... HUSBAND WAS DRIVING WHEN THE FRAME LET GO, HE WAS IN ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE AT ALL! THE JEEP WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND HAD TO BE TOWED WHICH CAUSED THE ROAD TO BECOME UNSAFE AS IT WAS STOPPED AT THE BOTTOM OF A HILL WITH TRAFFIC FLYING OVER THE HILL... HE ALMOST GO HIT 5 TIMES HE COULD HAVE DIED EASILY HAD HE NOT JUMPED OUT AND CALLED FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE

NHTSA ID

11032315

Incident

Feb 19, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED VIOLENTLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT BOTH FRONT STEERING MOUNTS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

NHTSA ID

10631490

Incident

Aug 30, 2014

Mileage

193,000 mi

-AT APPROXIMATELY FIFTY-FIVE TO SIXTY MILES PER HOUR, THE VEHICLE'S FRONT END BEGINS TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. I HAVE PERSONALLY RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT IT IS COMMONLY CALLED, "DEATH WOBBLE" AMONGST OTHER JEEP OWNERS. THE ISSUE TYPICALLY OCCURS AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR DRIVING AROUND A BEND ON THE HIGHWAY. SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT IN EARLY 2009, I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LOCAL MECHANICS FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND HAVE HEARD DIFFERENT SUGGESTED COURSES OF ACTION FROM EACH ONE. I HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF COMPONENTS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE (1) TRACKING BAR, (2) U-JOINTS, (3) STEERING DAMPENER ETC. I HAVE ALSO HAD AN ENTIRE NEW SET OF TIRES REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH REPLACING THE TRACKING BAR WORKED TEMPORARILY, THE PROBLEM SOON RETURNED AFTER ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 - 15,000 MILES TO THE VEHICLE. -ALTHOUGH MANY OTHER JEEP OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE OVER THE YEARS, NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN IN THE FORM OF A RECALL FROM THE FORMER "DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG" OR ITS SUCCESSOR "CHRYSLER GROUP L.L.C." OR IT'S SUBSIDIARY "JEEP CORPORATION." *TR

NHTSA ID

10505175

Incident

Feb 1, 2009

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THE RECENT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A TROUBLESHOOT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ID

10451238

Incident

Jun 6, 2007

Mileage

20,000 mi

1-DAILY DRIVING 2-43-47MPH VIOLENT FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL SHAKE (DEATH SHAKE)-DON'T WANT TO DRIVE MY ONLY AND FAVORITE VEHICLE 3-I HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE STEERING DAMPER, ROTATE THE TIRE, VERIFY THE TIRE PRESSURE, VERIFY THE TIRE ROAD WORTHINESS, CHECK THE BRAKES, BALANCE THE TIRES. IT WAS DONE IN DETROIT AND 4 MONTHS AGO. THE SHAKE NEVER WENT AWAY. THERE IS NO LOGICAL EXPLANATION. EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT AND THE STEERING DAMPER ISN'T LEAKING. *TR * UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

NHTSA ID

10203411

Incident

Mar 21, 2007

Mileage

36,598 mi

CONSUMER PURCHASED A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER AND WAS INFORMED THAT BRAKES WERE NEW AND IN GOOD CONDITION. UPON PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK PARKING BRAKE DID NOT HOLD AND HAD TO BE ADJUSTED. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP. THE FRONT PINION SEAL WAS REPLACED AND THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154092

Incident

Dec 6, 2005

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE. STEERING WHEEL JERKED BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY THEN AFTER SLOWING DOWN THE CONSUMERWAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK *TC

NHTSA ID

10091713

Incident

Sep 9, 2004

STEERING BOX LOCKED UP WHILE ON A LEFT HAND BEND. CROSSED UNCOMING TRAFFIC, ALMOST WENT OFF SIDE OF MOUNTAIN PASS. CONTACTED JEEP, THEY ARE APATHETIC ABOUT IT. HAD THIS HAVE HAPPENED AT SPEED, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE.

NHTSA ID

743877

Incident

Apr 8, 2001

WAS TOWING VEHICLE BEHIND MOTORHOME, AFTER MAKING TWO SHARP TURNS, STARTED TO FEEL A DRAGGING SENSATION. WAS NOTIFIED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST OF A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE. PULLED OVER AND CHECKED PROBLEM. NOTICED STEERING LOCKING MECHANISM HAD LOCKED UP WHEELS, CAUSING DRAGGING SENSATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

881708

Incident

Oct 16, 2000

WAS TOWING VEHICLE BEHIND MOTORHOME. AFTER MAKING 2 SHARP TURNS FELT A DRAGGING SENSATION. WAS NOTIFIED STEERING LOCKING MECHANISM HAD LOCKED UP WHEELS WHICH CAUSED DRAGGING SENSATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

881652

Incident

Oct 16, 2000