Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Jeep Wrangler submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 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
WE HAVE FOUND THAT AFTER REMOVING THE BOLTS FROM THE CROSS MEMBER UNDER THE JEEP THAT THE HOLES ARE RUSTED OUT. IN FACT THE FRAME ON BOTH SIDES OF OUR JEEP ARE RUSTED THROUGH FROM NOT HAVING ANY DRAIN HOLES FOR THE WATER TO DRAIN OUT.
FRAME ROTTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AROUND THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THE CHASSIS IS OTHERWISE RUST FREE, BUT IT SPONTANEOUSLY ROTTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, LEAVING THE REAR AXLE FREE FLOATING, UNSTABLE, AND VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE A CRASH. THE FRAME HAS HOLES IN IT THAT LET WATER IN. THERE IS NO DRAINAGE HOLE WHERE THE FRAME GOES FROM FLAT ON THE BOTTOM AND CURVES UP AROUND THE WHEEL WELLS. WATER GETS INTO THE FRAME, SITS THERE, AND ROTS IT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE THIS ROT FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX IT WITHOUT CUTTING OPEN THE FRAME AND WELDING IN REPAIRS. IF YOU GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH "JEEP TJ FRAME ROT" YOU CAN SEE OTHER CASES OF THE FRAME FAILING IN THE EXACT SAME LOCATION. HERE'S A BLOG POST WITH SEVERAL INSTANCES OF IT HTTPS://SARAHSTONESADIE.BLOGSPOT.COM/2019/05/JEEP-TJ-FRAME-RECALL.HTML IF YOU GOOGLE "TJ FRAME CAP" YOU'LL SEE THERE'S AN ENTIRE SUB MARKET OF PRODUCTS SPECIFICALLY MADE TO ADDRESS THIS FAILURE. TOYOTA HAD A FRAME RECALL, WHY CAN'T JEEP? IT'S CLEARLY FAILING IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE AND CAN CAUSE SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES. ATTACHED IS A PICTURE "PRE_ROT" THAT SHOWED IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS(?) BEFORE IT COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH. THE OTHER PICTURE IS AFTER IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS A SMALL RUST BUBBLE THAT STARTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT THAT FAIRLY RAPIDLY RESULTED IN COMPLETE STRUCTURAL FAILURE.
2000 JEEP WRANGLER TJ WITH VISIBLE FRAME RUST IN FRONT OF REAR WHEELS. LACK OF DRAINAGE HOLES ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THROUGH FACTORY DRILLED FRAME HOLES LOCATED IN FRONT AND REAR WHEEL WELLS AND ACCUMULATE IN THE LOWER PARTS OF THE FRAME. BY THE TIME RUST IS VISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME, THE INSIDE HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPROMISED TO A GREATER DEGREE AS THE RUST PROGRESSES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. THERE ARE READILY AVAILABLE KITS TO REPAIR THESE JEEP FRAMES FROM SEVERAL PRIVATE COMPANIES WHICH ILLUSTRATES THE SEVERITY AND PREVALENCE OF THIS PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND INEXPENSIVE, THE COST OF INSTALLATION AS WITH MOST MAJOR VEHICLE REPAIR, IS DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES WELDING WITH SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND SKILLS. A REPAIR COMPLETED BY AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR USE ON PUBLIC ROADS. THIS VEHICLE HAS 175000 MILES DRIVEN ENTIRELY (EXCEPT ONE TRIP TO ATLANTA) IN TENNESSEE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN ALMOST ENTIRELY ON PAVED PUBLIC ROADS. *TR
MY JEEP HAS 149,000 MILES. I AM ONLY THE SECOND OWNER. ON APRIL 20, 2019 I DROVE MY JEEP WRANGLER TJ SPORT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES. I PARKED IT AND WENT BACK 5 MINUTES LATER. WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE THREE RUST HOLES IN THE BRAKE LINES WHICH WERE LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. HE ALSO INFOMRED ME THAT THE FRAME WAS SO RUSTED THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT HIGH SPEEDS. I TOOK IT TO A AUTO FRAME SHOP AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $6,100.00 TO HAVE THE FRAME REPAIRED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND DISCOVERED THAT THEIR IS A COTTAGE INDUSTRY WHICH HAS SPRUNG UP DUE TO THE MULTIPLE JEEPS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY NOTE IN THEIR ADVERTISING THAT THE CHRYSTLER/JEEP WRANGLER T.J. FRAMES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT DRAIN HOLES. THE FRAMES DO HAVE HOLES ON THEIR SIDES JUST BEHIND AND TIRES. WATER FROM THE TIRES GETS SPLASHED UP INTO THE FRAMES. IF YOU LIVE IN THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THAT MEANS HIGHLY COROSIVE SALT WATER IS BEING SPLASHED UP INTO THE FRAMES ON THESE JEEPS AND RUSTING THE FRAMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I HAVE READ ABOUT MULTIPLE JEEP WRANGLER TJ'S SUFFERING FRAME FAILURES DUE TO THE RUST. I AM SHOCKED THAT CHRYSTLER/JEEP HAS NOT RECALLED THE WRANGLER TJ'S TO INSPECT, REPAIR OR REPLACE THE FRAMES ON THEM. I CANNOT BELIEVE CHRYSTLER/JEEP IS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TOYATA HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRUCK FRAMES AND THEY HAVE RECALLED VEHICLES. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE NHTSA HAS NOT STEPPED UP AND FORCED CHRYSTLER/JEEP TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. THE OLDER VEHILES ARE NOT SAFE. IT IS YOUR ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT THE CONSUMERS!
JEEP HAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES AND IS WELL MAINTAINED NEVER OFF ROAD. . WAS DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE WHEN THE REAR END FELT LIKE IT WAS SEPARATING FROM THE BODY OF THE JEEP. JEEP BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL AND I WAS ALMOST HIT TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. JEEP WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC WHO SAID THE FRAME IS NO GOOD REAR CONTROL ARMS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME THE FRAME HAD RUSTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE. THERE IS NO SOLID STEEL LEFT TO WELD ONTO.
FRAME RUSTED FROM INSIDE OUT CAUSING BOTH UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND PASSENGER REAR TO SEPARATE. LUCKILY IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING , WAS NOTICED WHEN SAFETY INSPECTION WAS DONE.
JEEP FRAME HAS RUSTED FROM INSIDE TO OUT. COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS. MADE POPPING NOISE.
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
FRAME HAS BEEN RUSTING PREMATURELY FOR MANY YEARS AND IS A DANGER!
TAMARA RECALL MY 2000 JEEP WRANGLER THE FRAME IS ROTTED AWAY IN THE REAR WHERE IT GOES ABOVE THE REAR AXEL.
WHEN DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THE PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM ON THE REAR AXLE DETACHED FROM THE FRAME BECAUSE OF RUST. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE WHOLE FRAME IS EXTREMELY RUSTY AND HAS HOLES IN IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS SERVICING THE VEHICLE, HE OBSERVED THE CHASSIS WAS RUSTED. AS A RESULT, THE ENTIRE CHASSIS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000. UPDATED 11/18/15*LJ
PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 21013 FROM A PRIVATE SELLER. UPON CHANGING THE ENGINE OIL ONE DAY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME AREA, WHERE THE REAR, LOWER CONTROL ARM IS MOUNTED, WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH! I HAVE SINCE HAD THIS REPAIRED, AT AN ADDITIONAL COST OF $800.00. ALSO, NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME ALL ALONG WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE IS MOUNTED - IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH ALONG APPROXIMATELY 8" ALONG THE BOTTOM! I CAN RUN 4 FINGERS IN THE BOTTOM OF THIS FRAME! AND, THE FRONT SKID PLATE NUTSERTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SKID PLATE, ARE GONE! RUSTED AWAY - COMPLETELY! PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE SKID PLATE ACTUALLY WELDED TO THE FRAME! THIS SHOULD NEVER, EVER HAPPEN! I HAVE A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH ZERO FRAME RUST - ZERO! LOOKS BRAND NEW TO THIS DAY! COME TAKE A LOOK. MANY, MANY, MANY AND WAY TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME FRAME RUST PROBLEM ON THEIR JEEPS. WHY IS THIS? THIS IS NOT SAFE, YET THESE VEHICLES ARE RE-SOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS IS 2015. NO OTHER VEHICLE - AMERICAN OR IMPORT - HAS THIS PROBLEM. WHY IS THIS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN? MUST PEOPLE GET KILLED DURING THEIR ENJOYMENT OF THEIR SUPPOSEDLY "SAFE", IN THIS CASE, AMERICAN MADE VEHICLE BEFORE DEALERS AND THE NHTSA WILL APPLY A REPAIR BULLETIN? TOYOTA, IS STILL BUYING BACK TRUCKS WITH FRAME RUST - WHY ISN'T THE AMERICAN COMPANY CHRYSLER? HMMMM. *TR
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS FRAME HAS EXTREME RUST ISSUES. THE INTERNAL FRAME WAS NOT CORRECTLY PROTECTED FORM WEATHER RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE RUST THAT HAS A HIGH RISK OF FRAME FAILURE. *TR
I HAVE A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER WITH ONLY 44,500 MILES. ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN IN THE SNOW OCCASIONALLY, IT IS NOT A DAILY DRIVER AND IS KEPT IN A GARAGE. THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES AT THE ATTACHMENT POINT OF THE REAR AXLE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN ALL JEEP TJ TYPE WRANGLERS AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF DRAIN HOLES IN THE FRAME. PERHAPS A RECALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL. *TR
AFFECTED PARTS: FRAME AND SUSPENSION LAST WEEKEND I WAS DRIVING 2000 JEEP TJ THOUGHT I HAD A SHOCK MOUNT BREAK. THE JEEP WOBBLED AND I LOST CONTROL OF KEEPING THE JEEP STRAIGHT IN MY LANE ALMOST HITTING A CAR IN THE OTHER LANE. I CHECKED UNDER THE JEEP AND NOTICED THE REAR PASSENGER LOWER TRAIL ARM BROKE TOTALLY AWAY FROM THE FRAME DUE TO RUST. LOOKING ON FORUMS AND THE WEB READ ABOUT SAFETCAP AUTORUST FRAME SECTIONS. SO THINKING THIS MIGHT BE AN OPTION TO REPAIR IT ASKED A FRIEND THAT USED TO WORK AT A BODY SHOP TAKE A LOOK. HE TOOK A LOOK AND WAS SHOCKED HOW BAD THE JEEP WAS RUSTED FOR BEING A 2000. DIDN'T NOTICE UNTIL WE LOOKED AGAIN BUT THE SKID PLATE IS ALSO FALLING AWAY FROM THE FRAME. HE IS NOT SURE HE WOULD HAVE ANY GOOD METAL TO WELD TO AND ALSO SAID IT WILL BE LIKE DOMINOS THERE WILL BE MORE FAILED RUSTED PARTS UNDER THE JEEP LIKE BRAKE LINES ETC. FRIEND SAID SAFETY IS A HUGE CONCERN EVEN IF YOU WERE ABLE TO PATCH IT BECAUSE SO MUCH OF THE FRAME AND COMPONENTS ARE RUSTED SO BAD. I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, KNOWLEDGE OR EXTRA MONEY TO THROW COUPLE GRAND AT IT AND REPLACE THE FRAME. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE HAS ANYONE HAD ANY LUCK COMMUNICATING THIS TO JEEP CHRYSLER DEALERS OR HEARD ANYONE THAT HAS? COUPLE OPTIONS I SEE NOW ARE TO PART IT OUT OR TRY TO SELL IT AS IT STANDS. ANY SUGGESTIONS? I NEVER WENT ON ANY ROUGH TRAILS BECAUSE IT WAS A PRIMARY VEHICLE. FOR A 2000 JEEP WRANGLER SPORT TJ THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. DOES JEEP NOT TREAT THE FRAMES WITH RUST PROTECTION? IS THE FRAME JUST POORLY DESIGNED? WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER JEEP VEHICLE. *TR
-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
I WAS DRIVING ALONG A RURAL ROAD WHEN I HIT A BUMP AND THE TRANSMISSION CROSSMEMBER TORE AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT IN TO 2ND, 4TH, OR REVERSE. IT IS DUE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME ROTTING AWAY. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME IS ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR AND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKETS ARE IN DANGER OF BEING RIPPED FROM THE FRAME IF VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE FRAME HAS PREMATURELY ROTTED AND IS A DANGER TO ANYONE WHO DRIVES OR ENCOUNTERS THIS VEHICLE ON THE ROAD IN PASSING. I HAVE INVESTIGATED THE POSSIBILITY OF REPLACING THE FRAME BUT HAVE FOUND IT HARD TO FIND A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT DUE TO THIS PROBLEM BEING VERY WIDESPREAD. IT IS IN FACT SO WIDESPREAD THAT A COMPANY CALLED AUTO RUST REPAIR MAKES PREFAB FRAME PATCHES. THESE INCIDENTS OF ROT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONES THAT CAUSED TOYOTA TO RECALL MANY PICKUPS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO. *TR
DRIVER WAS GOING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND APPROACHED A SLIGHT CURVE AND THE ENTIRE LEFT REAR WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP DOWN AND AGAIN IT FLIPPED BACK UP, TOTALING THE VEHICLE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
SEVERE SHAKING AT 55 MPH. VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY.*AK
WHILE COMING TO A STOP, THE STABILIZER BAR FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VIBRATE HEAVILY. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE NOTIFIED. *AK (MODEL/SAHARA) *SC *JB
VEHICLE VIBRATES AND SWAYS VIOLENTLY WHEN ENCOUNTERING ROAD SURFACE BUMPS OR IRREGULARITES.*AK
BEARING IN THE FRONT END "SLIPPED". THIS COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL, DAMAGED THE AXLES, TIE RODS, AND SHOCKS. BASICLY DESTROYED THE FRONT END. *JB
WHEN DRIVING STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE. STEERING WHEEL WILL SHAKE EVEN MORE WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALSO, WHEN SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE LEFT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK
THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR BOLT FELL OFF OF THE REAR STABILIZER TWICE. FIRST, DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND SECOND DUE TO MECHANIC'S FAULT RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL, WHICH WAS ALMOST FATAL. *YH
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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