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 2002 Jeep Wrangler submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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
Frame is rotted out. Vehicle is well maintained and it is upsetting. After spending good money for a reputable brand, the frame did not last. It is not drivable and is unsafe to be on the road. It is not safe to travel with my family. Everyone I know that has these years wrangler TJ model has this problem. Lower and upper control arms need to be welded back because they rotted off.
PURCHASED A 2002 JEEP FROM TWIN RIVERS AUTO SALES, I DID NOT RECEIVE A VEHICLE DISCLOSURE REPORT AND IT WAS SOLD TO ME WITH A CONTROL ARM BRACKET THAT WAS DAMAGED WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME WHICH MAKES DRIVING THE VEHICLE IMPOSSIBLE IT IS NOT ATTACHED TO FRAME WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE OTHER'AND MYSELF EXTREME HARM OR DEATH. I WAS NOT INFORMED OF ANY PROBLEM WITH FRAME, AFTER PURCHASE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ZIEBART AND IT WOULD BE UNDERCOATED FOR FREE, THEY TRIED TO COVER UP WITH THE UNDERCOATING WHERE THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET BECAME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ALONG WITH OTHER DEFECTS IN THE FRAME I WAS ONLY ABLE TO DRIVE THE JEEP FROM DEALERSHIP TO ZIEBARTS FOR THE UNDERCOATING AND THEN HAD TO HAVE TOWED TO MY HOUSE DUE TO THE STABILIZER LINK BREAKING BECAUSE OF THE CONTROL ARM BRACKET BREAKING AWAY FROM FRAME DUE TO RUST, . I'VE TRIED CALL THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES WITH NO REPLY. I AM THANKFUL THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED OR DEAD IF THIS WOULD'VE HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HWY, THE PURCHASE PRICE WAS 6700.00 AND THEN ADDITIONAL 5 NEW TIRES 600.00 AND TWO LEAKING AND BENT RIMS AT 75.00 FOR A TOTAL OF 7375.00 ON A UNSAFE VEHICLE WHICH THE DEALERSHIP NEW ABOUT . I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED, AND FRUSTRATED WITH THIS SITUATION. I NEED HELP GETTING THIS RESOLVED BUT THEY WILL NOT RERUN MY CALLS AND HAVE HUNG UP ON ME I HAVE PHOTOS AND A INSPECTION SAYING THAT IT WAS SAFE WHEN FAR FROM BEING SAFE POINT BLANK THIS DEALERSHIP SOLD ME A VEHICLE THAT WAS U SAFE FOR OTHERS AND MYSELF TO BE ON THE ROAD SO NOW I AM OUT ALL OF THIS MONEY AND I CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION SO THAT THEY CAN NOT DUE BUSINESS IN THIS MANNER AND I CAN RESOLVE THIS WITH EITHER GIVING ME BACK MY COST OF THE JEEP AND TIRES AND RIMS . I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO OR WHO TO CONTACT IN TRYING TO GET MY MONEY BACK IT IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR A JEEP I CAN'T DRIVE
FOR A POPULAR ON AND OFF ROAD VEHICLE WHICH HAS A REPUTATION FOR STRENGTH AND DURABILITY, WHY WOULD THE FRAME, THE VERY FOUNDATION OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, BE SO SUSCEPTIBLE TO RUSTING OUT AND MAKING SAID VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NOT COOL , JEEP, NOT COOL.
FRAME RUSTING OUT
FRAME IS ROTTEN. THIS HAS TOOK DRIVING IT SAFELY AWAY
COMPLETE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND CANNOT BE DROVE SAFELY.
MY 2002 JEEP WRANGLER TJ X, FRAME RAILS ROTTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT ON BOTH THE SIDES AND REAR CURVE UP OF THE FRAME. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REALIZE THAT IT WAS ROTTING BECAUSE IT ROTTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. WHILE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME LOOKS PERFECTLY FINE AND PAINT WAS STILL WELL COATED, IT WAS ROTTING FROM THE INSIDE. THE PROBLEM DID NOT DISCLOSE ITSELF UNTIL THE BRACKET GOT THE SPRING ARE THE AXLE ATTACHES TO THE FRAME BROKE OFF WHEN THE ROT FROM THE INSIDE MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. WHEN IT BROKE OFF, IT CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO CRASH. THERE WAS NO FORETELLING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THE ROT FROM THE INSIDE WAS INVISIBLE AND NOT ABLE TO BE DETECTED. MYSELF I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG ENOUGH FLAW THAT SHOULD BECOME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR OR REPLACE. MY JEEP WAS TREATED LIKE MY BABY. I TOOK EXTREMELY WELL GOOD CARE OF THE ENTIRE VEHICLE INSIDE AND OUT. INSPECTING THE FRAME AND BODY EVERY YEAR IN THE SPRING TO MAKE SURE IT ALL PAINT WAS TOUCHED UP AND FRAME PARTS WERE KEPT COATED WITH PAINT. NOWADAYS PRETTY MUCH UNHEARD OF FOR ONLY A 12 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. WHEN PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2002 AT A COST OF $21,000, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT ONLY TO LAST FOR 12 YEARS IS A HIGH PRICE TO PAY. I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST THAT A RECALL RULING BE MADE FOR ALL 2002 AND OTHER YEARS THAT HAS THE INTERNAL ROTTING OF THE FRAME RAIL. EITHER NEW PATCH FRAME RAILS BE INSTALLED, OR A NOMINAL AMOUNT A MONEY BE COMPENSATED FOR THE COST OF A ENTIRE NEW FRAME, FOR THOSE WISHING TO REPLACE THE FRAME ENTIRELY. I BELIEVE THAT IF THE NHTSA FAILS TO MAKE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, COULD INCUR FUTURE ACCIDENTS THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR EVEN DEATH BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO DETECT THE ROTTING OF THE RAIL FROM THE INSIDE.
THE FRAME IS ROTTING TERRIBLY AND THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS ARE ABOUT TO CRACK OFF AND THE TRANS/SKID PLATE HAS ALREADY RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE TRANSFER CASE AND TRANS TO FALL OFF OF THE FRAME, VEHICLE WAS CITY DRIVING WHEN THIS HAPPEND
DEATH WOBBLE EXPERIENCED DAILY SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. I HIT A BUMP OR UNEVEN PATCH OF ROAD AND DEATH WOBBLE BEGINS IT USUALLY STARTS AT 35- 40 MPH. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO SLOW ALL THE WAY TO 20 MPH TO MAKE IT STOP. I HAVE REPLACED U JOINTS, REAR DRIVE SHAFT, BALL JOINTS, TIRES, STEERING STABILIZER, TIE RODS, GOTTEN WHEEL BALANCES MANY TIMES, REPLACED DRAG LINK AND ALL BUSHINGS. NOTHING HAS HELPED SO FAR.
FRAME IS RUSTING OUT BY THE REAR END
I KNOW THE JEEP IS A 2002, BUT THIS RUSTING, TO BE THIS BAD, HAD TO HAVE STARTED AWHILE AGO. I WENT TO HAVE TWO NEW TIRES INSTALLED AND WAS TOLD BY THE SHOP THAT THEY COULD NOT JACK OR LIFT THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE RUST. THIS IS PART OF THE FRAME, GOD FORBID IF IT WOULD HAVE FAILED. IT IS SO RUSTED THAT I CAN PUT MY FINGER THROUGH THE FRAME IN SPOTS. I DO NOT USE THE JEEP FOR OFF ROAD ACTIVITIES NOR PARK IT IN THE OCEAN. I ALSO WASH THE ROAD SALT OFF DURING THE WINTER. I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE RUSTED PASS SIDE AND THE NOT TOO RUSTED DRIVER SIDE. THIS IS JUST AN AROUND TOWN VEHICLE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND JEEP SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO RELEASE A VEHICLE WITH SUCH A DANGEROUS DEFECT. I WONDER IF THIS IS A VEHICLE FROM A FLOOD. FOR THIS AMOUNT OF DETERIORATION, I WOULD NOT DOUBT IT AND I WILL TRY TO FIND OUT. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE.
JEEP FRAME HAS RUSTED IN HALF IN SEVERAL PLACES COSTING$3,000.00 IN REPAIRS LUCKILY IT BROKE AT A LOW SPEED WITHOUT HARM TO ANYONE IF THIS HAPPENS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHO KNOWS HOW MANY PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED.
MY FRAME AND SUSPENSION HAVE ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. ITS COSTING ME OVER $6,000 TO REPLACE EVERYTHING.
PURCHASED A 2002 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA WITH 4 MILES ON IT. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE ROUTINELY. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD AND WAS STRICTLY A DAILY DRIVER AVERAGING 12K MILES PER YEAR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE MECHANIC BROUGHT ME INTO THE GARAGE TO SHOW ME THE FRAME WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH NEAR THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THE FRAME WHERE THE CROSS BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE HAS ALSO ROTTED. THE BOLTS IN THE BRACKET HAVE NOTHING TO HOLD ONTO BECAUSE THE FRAME HAS ROTTED THROUGH. THE MECHANIC STATED, "YOU ARE ONE POT HOLE AWAY FROM A MAJOR ACCIDENT". I BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO STATED "THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY RISK AND I WOULD NOT SUGGEST DRIVING IT." OTHER THAN THE FRAME ROTTING OUT, THE VEHICLE IS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER WITH NORMAL WEAR. I CAN PROVIDE PHOTOS IF INTERESTED. *JS
FRAME IS DANGEROUSLY RUSTED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT STATES THAT SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (F23), IN REGARD TO HER LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY TOLD HER THAT THE REPAIR WILL TAKE A FEW MONTHS. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY GET ONLY 3 PARTS A MONTH.
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45 - 50 MPH THE FRONT TIRE WOBBLED VIOLENTLY. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FALL INTO A DITCH. CAUSE UNKWOWN. *AK
A LOOSE BOLT IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSED NOISE WHILE DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD AND WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS ON A PAVED ROAD. *SCC *NLM
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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