2006 Jeep Wrangler Tires & wheels Problems

MY JEEP EXPERIENCES WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE." IT HAS HAPPENED FOR YEARS, BUT I HAD ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT MY TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE, OR THAT I NEEDED A FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THOSE FIXES WOULD HELP FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THEN THE SHAKE WOULD RETURN. JUST IN THE LAST 6-8 MONTHS DID A MECHANIC ACTUALLY TELL ME ABOUT THE WOBBLE, WHAT REALLY SEEMS TO CAUSE IT, AND THAT IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITH JEEPS. MY JEEP IS STOCK, WITH NO MODIFICATIONS, BUT I STILL GET THE WOBBLE. IT OCCURRED 3 TIMES THIS MORNING ON THE 5 FREEWAY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, EACH TIME AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 55-68 MILES PER HOUR. THE FRONT END OF THE JEEP SHAKES VIOLENTLY, AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE SHAKING IS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. LUCKILY, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. A FEW MONTHS AGO IT HAPPENED, AND A CO-WORKER WAS FOLLOWING ME IN A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. HE SAID MY FRONT TIRES WERE ACTUALLY SMOKING BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE TIRES MOVED ON THE FREEWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10588232

Incident

Jul 1, 2010

Mileage

40,000 mi

I HAVE AN 06 JEEP WRANGLER WITH THE DEATH WOBBLE. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. I HAVE REPLACED MY TIRES THREE TIMES. I TOOK MY JEEP AND HAD THREE MECHANICS LOOK IT OVER TODAY, EACH WITH THE SAME RESPONSE, " I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT COULD BE." I'VE CALLED JEEP SEVERAL TIMES, I REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER AS THEY RECOMMENDED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10514411

Incident

May 1, 2006

Mileage

15,000 mi

I HAD A SET OF BF GOODRICH MUD TERRAIN TIRES 33" ON A 06 WRANGLER. THE TIRES WERE ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD BUT HAD BARELY BEEN USED, APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE TREAD WAS LEFT. I SWAPPED THESE TIRES FROM A 73 CJ5 THAT I JUST WASN'T USING THAT MUCH ANYMORE. AFTER AROUND 4000-5000 MILES AFTER THE SWITCH THE TIRE POPPED ON ME GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY DOING 75-80 MPH. THE VEHICLE SHOOK FOR 2-3 SECONDS THEN I HEARD A "POP", INSTANTLY THIS THREW MY VEHICLE WHERE IT FLIPPED AND ROLLED AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO BE AIRLIFTED AWAY AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. INVESTIGATORS FROM JEEP AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY BOTH CONCLUDED THAT THIS WAS A PRODUCT DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. WHILE TAKING UP THE ISSUE WITH BF GOODRICH THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE TIRE IN TO BE INSPECTED. THE TIRE STORE STATED AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS OF LOOKING AT THE TIRE THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AT ALL DURING THIS 4 HOUR TRIP THAT I WAS JUST ON AND THE TIRE WAS INFLATED AT 35 PSI. BF GOODRICH DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE ACCIDENT OR MY INJURIES. THEY DID OFFER ME 30% OFF A NEW TIRE. TOO BAD I DON'T HAVE A VEHICLE TO PUT A TIRE ON ANYMORE. I CHECKED THE AIR PRESSURE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP FROM SAN DIEGO TO PHOENIX. I ALSO FILLED UP WITH GAS AND WALKED AROUND THE JEEP, TO WASH THE WINDOWS, AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TIRES. THE ROAD THAT I WAS TRAVELING ON WAS WELL MAINTAINED AND FREE FROM OBJECTS. I DID NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING. I DO HAVE CUSTODY OF THE BAD TIRE STILL ON THE RIM AND PLENTY OF PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE TIRE FAILURE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. ONE PERSON SAID THAT THE TIRE LOOKED ALMOST LIKE IT WAS RE-TREADED. *KB

NHTSA ID

10413359

Incident

Jul 10, 2011

Mileage

52,916 mi

WHEN I ATTEMPT TO FILL MY GAS TANK, THE GAS COMES BACK OUT OF THE TANK. I HAVE TRIED THIS BY GOING SLOW & WHEN THE GAS SHUTS OFF, I SHAKE THE JEEP TO GET THE AIR OUT OF THE TANK - WHEN I DO THIS THE AIR POCKET PUSHES GAS BACK OUT OF THE TANK EVEN WHEN I DON'T HAVE THE FUEL NOZZLE STILL IN THE TANK. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED - I PURCHASED THE JEEP IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FL IN JAN., 2011 & I HAD TO GET GAS RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING IT. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE AUTO SHUT-OFF ON THE GAS FILLER - IT CLICKED OFF & GAS STARTED FLOWING BACK OUT OF THE TANK. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT THE GAS FILLER NOZZLE WAS DEFECTIVE, & NOTIFIED THE CONVENIENCE STORE ABOUT THE OVERFLOW - I ASKED FOR SOME "DRY AGENT" TO CAPTURE THE GAS THAT HAD SPILLED OVER. THE ATTENDANT SHUT THE PUMP STATION DOWN, & SAID THEY WOULD CALL SOMEONE TO CHECK OUT THE FILLER NOZZLE. THE NEXT TIME THAT I NEEDED GAS (BACK IN ORLANDO, FL) THE JEEP WAS BACK NEAR EMPTY (FUEL LIGHT "ON"). I USED THE AUTO CLICK-OFF ON THE FILLER - SAME[XXX], DIFFERENT DAY! I HEARD THE "CLICK" OF THE AUTO-SHUT OFF & WITHIN A SECOND, GAS WAS POURING BACK OUT OF THE FUEL NECK OF THE JEEP. PEOPLE WHO WERE PUMPING THEIR OWN GAS HEARD THE FUEL COME OUT OF THE TANK (AND HEARD ME CURSE, LOL!) THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAW. I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH FUEL POURED BACK OUT OF THE FUEL NECK OF THE JEEP (AND THE TANK FOR THAT MATTER), BUT THERE WAS A POOL OF FUEL ON THE GROUND. I NOTIFIED THE FUEL ATTENDANT OF THE SITUATION & THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY DRY-SORB CHEMICAL TO ABSORB THE FUEL. I USED PAPER TOWELS TO CLEAN IT UP. NOW I HAVE TO RESORT TO FILL THE JEEP WITH NO MORE THAN 12 GALLONS (NO MORE SHAKING OR THE FUEL MAY COME BACK OUT). I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE INTERNAL VALVE IS DEFECTIVE OR THAT THE USE OF ETHANOL IN THE JEEP HAS DESTROYED THE INTERNAL VALVE. I DON'T GIVE A [XXX] WHAT HAS CAUSED IT - THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF JEEPS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM - DO YOUR JOB NHTSA.GOV!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDO

NHTSA ID

10396588

Incident

Apr 1, 2011

Mileage

75,979 mi

I BOUGHT A USED 2006 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE FOUR TIMES FOR EXCESSIVE SHAKING WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS AROUND 50 MPH. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHAKES UNTIL I EITHER SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL THE JEEP WHILE IT IS SHAKING! I HAVE HAD ALL THE "POSSIBLE CAUSES" CHECKED, REPLACED OR BALANCED INCLUDING: TIRES, FRONT END ALIGNMENT, SHOCKS, STABILIZER, BRAKES, ROTORS (TWICE). THE SHAKING MAY GO AWAY FOR A SHORT TIME BUT THEN RETURNS. (THIS WRANGLER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BRAKE RECALL EARLIER THIS YEAR.) *TR

NHTSA ID

10353739

Incident

Aug 31, 2010

Mileage

25,000 mi

I OWN A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER AND BESIDES EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR WHICH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CANNOT SEEM TO FIX, MY LATEST PROBLEM IS WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM . ORIGINALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO GET A NEW ONE THE PARTS SALESMAN TOLD ME THAT MY PROBLEM WASN'T WITH THE SWITCH (AND HE WAS RIGHT) THE PROBLEM IS A PIECE OF PLASTIC BETWEEN THE SWITCH AND THE TUMBLER AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE PLASTIC PIECE WAS TO BUY THE COMPLETE STEERING COLUMN. IN THAT PHONE CALL HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT HE KNEW THIS DUE TO THE FACT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WRANGLERS 1997 ON UP AND THE FACTORY HASN'T DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THIS LITTLE 50 CENT PIECE WAS TO BUY A $500.00 STEERING COLUMN. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM DUE TO THE FACT THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM AND I AM AFRAID THAT WHILE I'M DRIVING THE VEHICLE COULD SHUT DOWN SO I AM NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY SO IF IT DOES SHUT DOWN I WONT HAVE AN UNCONTROLLABLE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10336842

Incident

Jun 10, 2010

Mileage

49,280 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 07/26/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, THEY STATED THE BELTS IN THE TIRES HAD SEPARATED, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THE STEERING DAMPENER FAILED. UPDATED 08/06/10*JB UPDATED 11/19/10. *LJ UPDATED 11/24/10

NHTSA ID

10334607

Incident

May 22, 2010

Mileage

35,000 mi

ENTERING THE INTERSTATE AND DRIVING UP TO APPROXIMATELY 60-65MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT WHERE I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN DRASTICALLY TO STOP THE VIBRATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON THE13TH OF MARCH AT EWALD JEEP IN FRANKLIN WHEN THEY TOLD ME TO REPLACE THE FRONT TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE 2/32. I TOLD THEM THE TIRES HAVE ONLY 15,000 MILES ON THEM THEN THEY TOLD ME TO SEE THE PLACE (POMPS IN RACINE) THAT SOLD ME THE TIRES. POMPS SAID I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THEN, ON THE 8TH OF APRIL DRIVING AT 40MPH ON A BUMPY ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AGAIN WITH WHAT FELT LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS WERE LOOSE. TO STOP THIS VIBRATION, I NEEDED TO SLOW TO 10 TO 20 MPH. I CALLED FOR SERVICE ONCE AGAIN TO EWALD ON THE10TH OF APRIL. THEY REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPER ($126.28 AND $98 FOR LABOR). THEY ALSO PERFORMED A 2 WHEEL FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THEN ON SATURDAY THE 18TH OF APRIL, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AS SOON AS I GOT HOME, I CALLED EWALD AND TOLD THEM THE SHAKES ARE BACK. WENT IN ON MONDAY THE 20TH AND HAD A SERVICE TECH DRIVE IT. HE SAID NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY OCCURRED WHILE HE DROVE IT. MINOR SHAKES IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT 'THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST', HE SAID. THEY PROCEEDED TO LOOK INTO IT MORE AND 20 MINUTES LATER, THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE REPLACING THE STEERING DAMPER THEY REPLACED ONLY 10 DAYS EARLIER. I OWNED A 1997 JEEP WRANGLER AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS THEN. AFTER TALKING WITH OTHER JEEP OWNERS, I BELIEVE IT TO BE A BAD DESIGN AND HOPE CHRYSLERJEEP CAN CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10266312

Incident

Mar 10, 2009

Mileage

39,400 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. THE VEHICLE HAS GOODYEAR WRANGLER GSA TIRES, SIZE 225/70/R15 (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE MALFUNCTION CAUSED STEERING DIFFICULTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO A COMPLETE STOP AND BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND NOTICED BLISTERING ON THE SIDEWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO BLISTERING OF A DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED FOR FREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURE FOR THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE; HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,118.

NHTSA ID

10247529

Incident

Apr 10, 2008

Mileage

3,000 mi

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE FIRST LANE. AS I WAS GOING DOWN, I FELT MY VEHICLE PULLING TO THE SIDE VERY SLIGHTLY, AND AT FIRST I PUT THE FEELING OFF AS ME OVERREACTING OVER SOMETHING OR IT WAS JUST THE ROAD BEING A LITTLE ROUGH. I WAS GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AROUND 75MPH, AND EVENTUALLY MY REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE RUPTURED EFFECTIVELY DESTROYING ALL OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. I MANAGED TO STAY IN CONTROL AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER THE INCIDENT AND UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE FAILED TIRE AT HOME, I FOUND THAT THE RUBBER PART WHERE THE VALVE STEM MEETS THE WHEEL OF THE TIRE WAS MOSTLY CRACKED ALMOST TO THE POINT OF DETACHMENT. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE TIRE FAILURE, WHERE I LOST AIR PRESSURE CAUSING THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE TO GIVE AWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN PICTURES OF THE TIRE AND THE VALVE STEM DAMAGE IF NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235105

Incident

Jul 18, 2008

Mileage

27,000 mi

CRACKED VALVE STEM CAUSED TIRE TO RAPIDLY DEFLATE ON EXPRESSWAY. AFTERMARKET TIRES AND WHEELS WERE PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2007 FROM DISCOUNT TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232802

Incident

Jun 28, 2008

Mileage

5,049 mi

I OWN A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER X WITH 9,060 MILES. I HAVE GOODYEAR GS-A TIRES. I AM REPLACING MY SECOND TIRE ON THE JEEP IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. THIS TIRE HAS A "SIDEWALL FAILURE" AND MUST BE REPLACED. I ALSO HAVE OWNED A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. I PUT 24,000 MILES ON THAT CAR BUT HAD TO REPLACE 3 GOODYEAR TIRES SIMILAR TO THE GS-A'S. THE LATEST INCIDENT INVOLVING MY JEEP AND GOODYEAR TIRES TRANSPIRED TWO DAYS AGO. I NOTICED THE TIRE WAS LOSING AIR BEFORE I GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL. CONSIDERING I WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE ON A HIGHWAY, IT MAY HAVE BEEN RECIPE FOR DISASTER. I PUT AIR BACK INTO THE TIRE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A SEARS AUTOMOTIVE CENTER. THE MECHANICS INFORMED ME THAT THE TIRE HAD A "SIDEWALL FAILURE" AND WAS UNFIXABLE. SEARS DID STATE THAT THE TIRES HAD LITTLE TO NO WEAR ON THEM AND WERE "LIKE NEW". I CONTACTED GOODYEAR PERTAINING TO THE ISSUES. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WAS NOT ENTIRELY HELPFUL. I GAVE MY HISTORY WITH THE GOODYEAR TIRES AND THE JEEP WRANGLER TO GOODYEAR. I WAS TOLD TO SEEK A SECOND OPINION BY GOODYEAR. I HAD ANOTHER GOODYEAR RETAILER LOOK AT THE TIRE WITH THE SAME RESULT. I CONTACTED GOODYEAR AGAIN. GOODYEAR WAS QUITE UNHELPFUL AND I FELT "BLOWN OFF". I SINCERELY HAVE A CONCERN THAT EVERY TIME I GET IN MY JEEP ONE OF MY TIRES MAY BECOME DAMAGED. JEEP WRANGLERS ARE AN SUV, SO THE CHANCES OF ROLLOVER ARE HIGHER. THE FIRST TIRE THAT WENT ON MY CURRENT 2006 JEEP WRANGLER ALMOST CASED ME TO SPIN OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. THAT INCIDENT TRANSPIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006. I AM HOPING THAT THIS COMPLAINT WILL INSPIRE SOME SORT OF INVESTIGATION INTO THE PRODUCT, GOODYEAR DID NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN DOING SO. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK THERE ARE JEEP WRANGLERS ON THE ROAD, MANY OF THEM WITH THESE SAME GOODYEAR GS-A TIRES. THAT IS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE POTENTIALLY AT RISK, ALONG WITH THOSE WHO MAY BE TRAVELING AT THE SAME TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, I HONESTLY HOPE THIS CAN BE ADDRESSED AND APPROACHED FOR THE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS MANNER THAT IT IS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208411

Incident

Nov 6, 2007

Mileage

9,047 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE FELT UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE BUBBLE AND TREAD LOSS ON THE RIGHT REAR FIRESTONE TIRE. THE TIRE SIZE WAS P23575R15. THE DOT NUMBER AND TIRE INFORMATION WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 14,600 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,500.

NHTSA ID

10192550

Incident

May 29, 2007

Mileage

14,500 mi