2001 Jeep Wrangler Suspension Problems

FRAME RUSTING FROM INSIDE REAR CONTROL ARM FELL OFF CAUSING WRECK

NHTSA ID

11055526

Incident

Aug 11, 2016

COMPLETE CORROSION THROUGH THE FRAME JUST BEHIND THE REAR UPPER AND LOWER TRAILING ARMS MOUNT LOCATIONS. TWO LARGE HOLES APPROXIMATELY 1" IN DIAMETER. STRESS CONCENTRATIONS DUE TO CORRODED METAL AND CYCLICAL FATIGUE HAS CAUSED CRACK PROPAGATION AND CONNECTION OF THE TWO HOLES WITH ONE ANOTHER.

NHTSA ID

10979294

Incident

Apr 19, 2017

Mileage

175,000 mi

FRAME RUSTED COMPLETELY

NHTSA ID

10926130

Incident

Nov 14, 2016

TAKATA RECALL MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN IT LOST CONTROL ON A WET ROAD. THE CAR SLID ACROSS THE ROAD, OVER A SMALL DITCH, AND HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE CAR BOUNCED FROM THE TREE AND SWIPED THE DRIVERS SIDE WITH ANOTHER TREE AND FINALLY BOUNCING BACK TOWARDS THE ROAD. THE ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY CURVED DOWNHILL IN A SMALL TOWN. I ATTEMPTED TO USE MY BRAKES WHILE OUT OF CONTROL BUT THEY WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE THUNDERSTORMS ON AND OFF, RAINING IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE AIRBAG IS THE SAFETY RISK. THE CAR HIT THE TREE IN THE CENTER OF THE GRILL WHICH CRACKED THE RADIATOR, TWISTED THE MOTOR MOUNTS, DAMAGED THE SUSPENSION, FOLDED THE FRAME AND SEVERAL OTHER FRACTURES. THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED, BOTH A BODY SHOP AND THE TOWING COMPANY SAID IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. THE CAR IS CONSIDERED TOTALED. I WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. INJURY'S TO THE DRIVER INCLUDE BROKEN RIBS, SPRAINED ANKLE, BRUISED MUSCLES, AND A CUT ON MY FOREHEAD THAT REQUIRED 5 STITCHES AMONG A FEW MORE MINOR INJURY'S. I ALSO BELIEVE THE TALL STEERING WHEEL KEPT ME FROM BEING EJECTED.

NHTSA ID

10892672

Incident

Jul 28, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

WAS TRAVELING DOWN DIRT ROAD AT AT 20 TO 25 MPH, THEN HEARD DIFFERENT NOISE LIKE METAL SCRAPING. SHIFTING SEEMED A LITTLE HARDER BUT WAS STILL WORKING. AFTER RETURNING HOME I LOOKED UNDER THE JEEP AND FOUND THE TRANSMISSION SKID PLATE HAD RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME AND ONLY 3 BOLTS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HOLDING THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE. IF TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IF BOTH SIDES BROKE LOOSE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY. I'VE DONE SOME CHECKING AFTER THIS HAPPENS AND LEARNED THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AS WELL AS RUSTING OUT IN OTHER PLACES WITH JEEPS AND THINK THE MANUFACTURER HAS AND LEAST SOME LIABILITY WITH THIS ONGOING ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10760948

Incident

Aug 28, 2015

Mileage

159,221 mi

I HAVE A JEEP THAT HAS A FRAME THAT IS RUSTED IN THE REAR TRAILING ARMS AND WERE THE TRANSMISSION IS HELD. NO INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED YET BUT IF THIS WERE TO BREAK ON THE ROAD COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WORK FOR HYUNDAI WHO HAS A RECALL ON QUITE A FEW CARS AND SUVS FOR THE FRAME ROTTING OUT ON CARS AS OLD AS 2000 I ALSO NO TOYOTA AND NISSAN AND OTHER MANUFACTURES HAVE RECALLS ON FRAMES WHY NOT JEEP I REALIZE IT MAY BE SPECIFIC TO SALT BELT AREAS BUT THOSE OTHER COMPANIES ARE FIXING THE PROBLEM. ALSO THE CLIMATE CONTROL MELTED COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE I KNOW THIS IS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10700852

Incident

Mar 21, 2015

Mileage

214,506 mi

SKID PLATE THAT HOLDS TRANSMISSION FELL FROM RUSTED FRAME. IF I WAS GOING ON FREEWAY AT 55 OR PLUS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BAD SITUATION....LOOKING INTO FRAME I SEE THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH WRANGLERS FROM LIKE 1997 TO 2002 AND IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT....YOU HAVE RECALLED MAZDAS, TOYOTAS AND OTHER 2000ISH VEHICLES DUE TO RUSTED FRAMES...THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FRAMES REPLACED BEFORE MORE FATAL THINGS HAPPEN....I AM LOOKING IN GETTING MINE REPLACED...BUT IF I DO AND THEN IT IS RECALLED DO I GET JEEP TO PAY ME BACK FOR MY REPAIRS??? *TR

NHTSA ID

10682834

Incident

Feb 4, 2015

Mileage

134,000 mi

FRAME RUSTED ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AT BRUSH GUARD/TRANS SUPPORT, AND TRANSMISSION DROPPED WHILE DRIVING. BOTTOM OF FRAME UNDER DRIVER/PASSENGER SEAT WERE BRUSH GUARD ATTACHES IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND THE FRAME HAS STARTED TO CRACK UP THE SIDES. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE A CRASH SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME COMPLETELY RUST AWAY ON A 14 YEAR OLD CAR.

NHTSA ID

10670534

Incident

Jan 4, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

DRIVING OVER A RAILROAD TRACKS, HEARD A POP. DISCOVERED THE FRAME BY THE TRAILER ARM, ON RIGHT HAND SIDE BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED, AS IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651841

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW FROM A DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY WAY. ABOUT 2005 IT STARTED TO SHAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS AND SINCE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN MOSTLY IN TOWN IT WAS NOT NOTICED VERY MUCH. NOW THAT THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN MORE IT STARTS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND THEN IT WILL STOP WHEN SLOWED DOWN TO AROUND 40 MPH. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DEALERS, A MECHANIC AND A TIRE STORE. SINCE STARTING TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM I HAVE HAD SEVERAL REPAIRS DONE. THE TIRES WERE CHECKED, THE BALANCE WAS CHECKED, THE ALIGNMENT WAS CHECKED, NEW TIRES WERE PUT ON, SHOCKS WERE REPLACED, BRAKE ROTORS WERE REPLACED, TORSION BAR CLIPS WERE REPLACED, AND I DO NOT REMEMBER THE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WERE REPLACED OR REPAIRED. THE LAST DEALER THAT IT WAS TAKEN TO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND SAID THAT HE COULD FEEL THE SHAKE BUT HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR HOW TO FIX IT. HE SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT TO A FRAME SHOP. SINCE THEN I FOUND OUT THAT OTHER WRANGLERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THAT IT EVEN HAS A NAME. THEY CALL IT THE "DEATH WOBBLE." WHEN THIS STARTS THE VEHICLE SHAKES ALL OVER THE AND THERE IS LITTLE CONTROL UNTIL YOU GET THE VEHICLE UNDER 40. *TR

NHTSA ID

10609443

Incident

Oct 1, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND NOTICED AN UNUSUAL NOISE UNDER MY JEEP AND GOT OUT TO CHECK IT OUT AND FOUND THAT MY FRAME HAD CRACKED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WHERE THE CONTROL ARM IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. AFTER LOOKING MORE CLOSELY, THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND IS A HOLE HAS DEVELOPED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 INCHES ALONG THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME RAIL AND UP AND THROUGH WHERE THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET IS WELDED TO THE FRAME. THERE IS ONLY ABOUT 1 INCH OF WELD STILL HOLDING ON THE OUTSIDE BRACKET. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE HOME. FROM THE LOOKS OF THE RUST, THE ENTIRE FRAME COULD BUCKLE AT ANY TIME. I AM NOT A ROCK CRAWLER AND DO NOT ABUSE MY JEEP. IT IS ALL STOCK AND HAS REALLY ONLY BEEN DOWN DIRT ROADS AND NOT TRAILS. UPON SEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND THAT MANY OTHER WRANGLER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR PROBLEM SEVERAL ACTUALLY HAD THEIR CROSSOVER SUPPORT FOR THE TRANSMISSION FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I KNOW THESE VEHICLES ARE 10 YEARS OLD BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FRAME HERE. THIS IS UNSAFE AND CERTAINLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR DESIGN OVERSIGHT. AFTER ALL, IT IS A JEEP WHICH IS EXPECTED TO GET SOME USE OFF ROAD. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF I TRULY SPENT SOME TIME OFF ROAD. PLEASE TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO AT LEAST LET OWNERS KNOW THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM. I NORMALLY DON'T LOOK UNDER MY VEHICLE AND THIS COULD HAVE EASILY GONE UNNOTICED AND COMPROMISED THE ENTIRE FRAME STRUCTURE IF I HAD AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10490066

Incident

Dec 12, 2012

Mileage

71,005 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, HE DROVE OVER A BUMP AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY VIBRATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE CONTACT DROVE OVER BUMPS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10463041

Incident

Jun 17, 2012

Mileage

112,000 mi

JEEP FRONT END WOBBLES WHEN HITTING A BUMP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AKA DEATH WOBBLE. MUST SLOW DOWN IMMEDIATELY, LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

10448748

Incident

Oct 10, 2011

Mileage

160,000 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED A TERRIBLE WOBBLE IN MY FRONT TIRE THAT MAKES MY VEHICLE HARD TO MAINTAIN TO EVEN KEEP ON THE ROAD IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I COULD NOT EVEN STEER. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE IS ALLOWED ON THE ROAD WITH THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY HURT. I HOPE SOMETHING GETS WORKED OUT WITH THE "DEATH WOBBLE". *TR

NHTSA ID

10434132

Incident

Nov 2, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE REAR SUSPENSION BEGAN TO SHAKE THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE REAR SUSPENSION BY THE CONTACT, IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEAF SPRING BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS FRACTURED. ADDITIONALLY, THE LEFT SIDE WAS NOT WELDED TO THE SPRING ASSEMBLY, BUT THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET WAS ATTACHED BY WELDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169311

Incident

Sep 26, 2006

Mileage

36,000 mi

2001 JEEP WRANGLER HAS CORROSION IN THE ELECTRICAL BOX, AIR BAG IS CORRODED, PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND OIL LEAK.*MR ON THE DAY OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A BRAKE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A LEAK BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT WHICH CAUSED THE CORROSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10119219

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

VEHICLE'S FRONT STABILIZER BROKE.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER READ THE INVOICE, HE NOTICED THAT THE EXACT SAME PART HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10091678

Incident

Oct 22, 2003

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE FRONT END COLLAPSED .AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10044215

Incident

Oct 16, 2003

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE REAR AXLE BROKE.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008845

Incident

Feb 15, 2003

REAR BRAKES FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN APPLIED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO BACK DOWN A DIRT INCLINE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED, THE FRONT BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES DID NOTHING, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE BACKWARDS. THIS HAPPENED IN THE SECOND INCIDENT AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH THE REAR AXLE-DANA 44/226 MM. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE USED FOR ITS PURPOSE. RIGHT REAR AXLE SEAL LEAKED GREASE ONTO THE RIGHT REAR OF THE DIFFERENITAL, DEALER FOUND BEARING FAULTY AND REPLACED THE BEARING AND SEAL. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8014588

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SHARP TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION VEHICLE SHAKES AND WOBBLES UNTIL IT CORRECTS ITSELF TIRES ON VEHICLE ARE COPPING BECAUSE OF THE SHOCKS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

893822

Incident

Aug 1, 2001