2009 Jeep Wrangler Steering Problems

Experiencing the death wobble.

NHTSA ID

11454708

Incident

May 9, 2021

THE JEEP HAS LESS THAN 40.000 IS AND IS NOT USED OFF ROAD. ABOUT 55MPH THE FRONT END GETS A OUT OF CONTROL WOBBLE. YOU HAVE TO SLOW WAY DOWN FOR IT TO STOP. IT HAS DONE A FEW TIMES BEFORE. THE LAST TIME IT WAS 4/29/20.THE TRACK BAR WAS REPLACED WITH OEM PART AND STILL DOES IT. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF WRANGLER JEEPS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. DOING SOME RESEARCH IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH JEEPS. THIS JEEP IT COMPLETELY STOCK WITH THE SAME TIRES IT CAME WITH NEW.

NHTSA ID

11323129

Incident

Apr 29, 2020

Mileage

41,000 mi

SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN OVER 40 MPH. MAINLY AFTER HITTING A POT HOLE. DEATH WOBBLE !

NHTSA ID

11309910

Incident

Feb 17, 2020

Mileage

15,652 mi

I HAVE A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED X, PURCHASED NEW. A FEW YEARS AFTER PURCHASE I BEGAN EXPERIENCING 'DEATH WOBBLE.' A MECHANIC'S DIAGNOSTIC STATED MY TRACK BAR WAS BENT AND MY BUSHINGS WERE WORN AND NEEDED REPLACING AS A RESULT OF ALL THE VIOLENT SIDE TO SIDE SHAKING. THIS WAS REPAIRED AT GREAT EXPENSE OUT OF POCKET. THIS REPAIR SEEMED EFFECTIVE FOR SOME TIME BEFORE THE SPEED WOBBLE STARTED UP AGAIN THIS PAST YEAR. DURING ONE EPISODE, THE HARSH SHAKING CAUSED MY LEFT SIDE BLINKERS AND BRAKE LIGHT TO FAIL. NO ONE SHOULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO OPERATE A VEHICLE WHEN IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SUDDENLY, UNEXPECTEDLY, UNCONTROLLABLY, VIOLENTLY, HARSHLY, AND DANGEROUSLY START SHAKING, ESPECIALLY WHILE IN OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I AVOID DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BEFORE JARRING SHAKING WILL START. ANY DRIVING IS NOW INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS TO ME, MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHER NEARBY DRIVERS. THE UNCONTROLLABLY VIOLENT SHAKING IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, FRIGHTENING, AND FORCES ME TO ABRUPTLY PULL OVER, GREATLY INCREASING MY CHANCES OF BEING SEVERELY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR JEEP OWNERS TO SUFFER THIS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR JEEP. THEY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR AND REIMBURSE JEEP OWNERS ANY AND ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REPAIRS, ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION, INJURIES, DEATHS, DISTRESS, OR ANY OTHER CONDITIONS OR COMPLICATIONS ARISING FROM, RELATED TO, OR OTHERWISE RESULTING FROM 'DEATH WOBBLE.' CAUSES FOR THIS HAZARD VARY, SO DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIRS CAN BE EXTREMELY LENGTHY AND COSTLY, NOT TO MENTION REPAIRS NEEDED FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE WORN AND DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF SUCH AGGRESSIVELY UNSAFE SHAKING. THIS IS NOT STANDARD WEAR AND TEAR, BUT A SERIOUS, DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED BY NHTSA, THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, LAWYERS, AND COURTS.

NHTSA ID

11288729

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

90,000 mi

EXPERIENCING "DEATH WOBBLE" WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT 40-50 MILES PER HOUR. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN

NHTSA ID

11281045

Incident

Nov 13, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

ON 17 APR 2017 I WAS DRIVING 70MPH ON US-31 & HIT A BUMP & MY JEEP WENT INTO THE "DEATH WOBBLE" & I HAD TO SLOW DOWN & GO TO THE SHOULDER. THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VERY BAD. IE: THE LOCAL JEEP DEALER CALLED IT THE "DEATH WOBBLE"!

NHTSA ID

10979075

Incident

Apr 17, 2017

Mileage

37,500 mi

DEATH WOBBLE AT APPROX. 45MPH.

NHTSA ID

10953834

Incident

Feb 9, 2017

Mileage

46,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING THE JEEP ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE ENTIRE FRONT END STARTED SHIMMYING FROM SIDE TO SIDE, THREATENING TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF MY HANDS. IT STOPPED WHEN I REDUCED SPEED TO UNDER 55 MPH. WHENEVER I TRIED TO GO OVER 55 MPH, THE JEEP RESUMED IT'S DEATH WOBBLE. THIS IS NOT A SAFE CONDITION TO BE DRIVING A VEHICLE IN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10939007

Incident

Dec 31, 2016

Mileage

91,000 mi

DEADH WOBBLE, REALLY BAD VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT , ESPECIALLY AFTER GOING OVER POTHOLE OR RAILROAD TRACKS, SPEEDS OVER 30 MPH . ITS GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE IS VERY EASY TO SOMEONE TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COULD EASILY CAUSE HARD TO THE DRIVER OR OTHERS INCLUDING DEAD, JEEP SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT WOBBLES TO THE POINT IS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE. A PERSON COULD GET HURT IF THIS PLOBLEM DOEST GET LOOK INTO IT. YOU GUYS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO TEST MY VEHICLE AND SEE IF YOU GUYS WOULD DRIVE A VEHICLE LIKE THIS ON THE DAILY BASIS, IS LIKE A BOMB READY TO EXPLODE AT ANY TIME. IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT, I AM ALSO DOCUMENTING THAT I SUBMITTED THIS REQUEST TO YOU GUYS JUST ENCASE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME OR ANYONE. I WILL SAY I TOLD YOU SO.

NHTSA ID

10937571

Incident

Dec 16, 2016

Mileage

87,000 mi

VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE JEEP GOES OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS IS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. THE LAST INCIDENT, THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON THE DASH PANEL CAME ON AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TURN OFF SINCE THEN. HAPPENS MOSTLY ON THE HIGHWAY OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT 45-55 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10881353

Incident

Jun 24, 2016

Mileage

62,224 mi

MY JEEP HAS THE DEATH WOBBLE. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP TWICE TO GET IT FIXED AND SPENT OVER $3,000 SO FAR TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT BE RESOLVED! NEW PARTS AND NEW TIRES HAVE NOT HELPED. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT OR KILLED. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA ID

10876393

Incident

Jun 19, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON INTERSTATE 89 IN NEW HAMPSHIRE APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, DROVE OVER A BRIDGE ABUTMENT AND THE FRONT END OF MY 2009 JEEP WRANGLER START TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE. THE VIOLENT SHAKING DIDN'T STOP UNTIL I SLOWED TO 30 MPH.

NHTSA ID

10852733

Incident

Mar 28, 2016

Mileage

87,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

NHTSA ID

10825461

Incident

Jan 28, 2016

Mileage

45,000 mi

TRAVELLING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60MPH, HIT A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE A LITTLE THEN VIOLENTLY AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE JEEP. I HAD TO COME TO A COMPETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE SHAKING WOULD STOP. I WAS SCARED TOO DEATH. I HAD THE JEEP CHECKED OVER AND NOTHING WAS BROKEN OR WORN. NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AS WELL AS THE INTERNET FOR THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN WILL THIS BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED?

NHTSA ID

10777862

Incident

Sep 21, 2015

Mileage

51,200 mi

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON BERTRAND DRIVE NEAR WEST CONGRESS STREET IN LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES PER HOUR, THE FRONT WHEELS AND STEERING WHEEL BEGAN WOBBLING VIOLENTLY. I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE SLOWLY DRIVING INTO A PARKING LOT. I PERFORMED A CURSORY INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, BUT DID NOT OBSERVE ANYTHING WRONG. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, AND LEARNED THAT THE "DEATH WOBBLE" HAD RESULTED IN CHRYSLER ISSUING TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, BUT NOT A RECALL. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO MY LOCAL JEEP DEALER AND TO CHRYSLER. CHRYSLER INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED, CHRYSLER WOULD NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT NO EXPENSE TO ME.

NHTSA ID

10767295

Incident

Sep 20, 2015

Mileage

68,300 mi

ME AND MY DAD WERE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND IT WAS 65 MILES AN HOUR ALL OF A SUDDEN THE JEEP STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND IT DID IT 3 TIMES WHILE WE'RE ON THE EXPRESSWAY. THE JEEP WAS DOIN THE DEATH WOBBLE AND BOTH OF US WERE SHAKEN UP. THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING. IT'S RIDICULOUS AND I THINK THAT THESE PARTS SHOULD BE RECALLED. I'M GONNA CALL DETROIT TOMORROW.

NHTSA ID

10766287

Incident

Sep 19, 2015

Mileage

85,215 mi

BOUGHT A USED 2009 JEEP DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A DEATH WOBBLE. I WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 60 MPH HIT A BUMP AND THE JEEP STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. ALMOST GOT HIT TRYING TO GET OFF THE INTERSTATE AND STOP. IT DOES IT EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECASUE WE BOUGHT IT USED.

NHTSA ID

10724734

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

109,000 mi

VEHICLE SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY AROUND 55 OR WHEN I HIT A BUMB , TOOK THE JEEP TWO THE GARAGE AND EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIRES SO BOUGHT NEW TIRES AND WASN'T THE PROBLEM , I LOOKED UP THE DEATH WOBBLE AND SEEN MANY PEOPLE WITH JEEPS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND JEEP CHRYSLER WON'T DO A RECALL AND THEY SHOULD BECAUSE THIS CAN VERY MUCH CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN YOU HAVE NO CONTROL , THIS IS LEFT UP TO THE OWNERS WHOM THOUGHT THEY BOUGHT A GOOD PRODUCT TO FIGURE OUT AND PAY TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT JEEP CHRYSLER SHOULD OF FIXED IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT PROFIT AND NOT SAFETY !!!

NHTSA ID

10717498

Incident

May 2, 2011

VIOLENT SHAKE THAT MADE ME FEEL LIKE THE JEEP WAS GOING TO FALL APART...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE...THIS HAPPENED ALL OF SUDDEN...I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN...CHRYSLER NEEDS TO DO A RECALL SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 15 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO....IT DOES IT EVEN AT 55-60 MILES PER HOUR... I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANICS TO BE FIXED...JOINTS, BARS, SHOCKS, AND TIRES HAVE BEEN CHANGED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10681065

Incident

Feb 1, 2015

Mileage

103,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND A CHIME SOUNDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ON THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THE AIRBAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID

10679809

Incident

Jan 26, 2015

Mileage

75,000 mi

AS THE JEEP WAS BROUGHT UP TO SPEED IT BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND OUT OF CONTROL AS THE SPEED APPROACHED 50 MPH. THE SHAKING CONTINUED AS I BRAKED TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE WITH THIS "DEATH WOBBLE". THE PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE AND HAPPENS AT THE SAME SPEED OCCASIONALLY WHEN BUMPS ARE HIT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671965

Incident

Apr 19, 2010

Mileage

18,000 mi

I OWN A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, I HAVE EXPERIENCED INCREASING ISSUES WITH MY WRANGLER IN THAT IT BEGINS TO SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN I AM DRIVING ABOVE 50 MPH AND HIT EVEN SMALL BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THIS PAST SUMMER I HAD IT WORKED ON TWICE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN STORAGE SINCE SEPTEMBER AND I DROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS PAST WEEKEND. TODAY (12/23/14), I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND IN LESS THAN 30 MILES, THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS, I HAVE TO BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP (OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS DIFFICULT, AND SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE, ON THE FREEWAY). THE SITUATION BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS TO MYSELF AND THE DRIVERS AROUND ME. I HAVE MADE NO MODIFICATIONS TO MY WRANGLER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668096

Incident

Dec 23, 2014

Mileage

57,000 mi

THREE TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK, DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55, STARTED THE JEEP DEATH WOBBLE. HAD TO STOP IN TRAFFIC TO STOP WOBBLE. STILL LOOKING FOR ISSUE. TIRES WERE REBALANCED, STILL GETTING DEATH WOBBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10667517

Incident

Dec 20, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

I WAS ON GRATIGNY PKWY, IN MIAMI FLORIDA GOING ABOUT 58 MILES PER HOUR AND WHEN I WAS CROSSING THE OVER PASS TOWARDS I-75 NORTH THE FRONT TIRES BEGAN TO BOUNCE VIGOROUSLY LIKE IF THE FRONT END WAS GOING TO FALL APART. I SLOWED DOWN AND GOT TO THE SIDE BUT IT DID NOT STOP SHAKING TILL I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE, BUT THE WARRANTY IS OVER OF COURSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663373

Incident

Oct 10, 2014

Mileage

24,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH OVER A ROAD BUMP, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL SHOOK ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING STABILIZER SHOCK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

NHTSA ID

10654000

Incident

Oct 24, 2014

Mileage

39,000 mi