2001 Jeep Cherokee Suspension Problems

2001 JEEP CHEROKEE, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL/TIRE BROKE FREE FROM HUB ROLLING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF ROAD. UNIT 1 COASTED TO OUTSIDE BERM. *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, 1 OF 5 BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT HUB, 1 OF 5 STUD BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE RIGHT REAR HUB AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS BALD AND EXPOSING STEEL BELTS. THE FIVE STUD BOLT HOLES IN THE RIM WERE SEVERELY WORN. IT WAS ALSO NOTICED THAT THE FRONT BALL JOINT WAS BAD. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0864-90) UPDATED 02/15/11 *BF

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH UPHILL, THE VEHICLE SHOOK DRASTICALLY. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL AXLE SHEARED AND THE WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

PURCHASED A 2001 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT IN NOVEMBER, 2004. IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS, I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE; MOST OFTEN AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. KEPT HAPPENING, AT SPEEDS OF 35-45 MPH. DIAGNOSED AT BELLE TIRE AS A BAD TRACK BAR.TOOK IIT TO ANOTHER JEEP DEALERSHIP; TRACK BAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS REPLACED. SAID PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT 2 DAYS LATER, WHILE ON FREEWAY (65 MPH) IN RIGHT-HAND LANE, EXTREMELY VIOLENT SHAKING OCCURRED. I BARELY GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE, BECAUSE THE STEERING WASS UNCONTROLLABLE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HAD I BEEN IN ANY BUT THE RIGHT HAND LANE, I WOULD HAVE HIT ANOTHER CAR. I WAS ABLE TO RE-ENTER THE RIGHT HAND LANE BUT KEPT MY SPEED AT 35 MPH AND EXITED IMMEDIATELY. CAR WENT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. THEY SAID IT COULD BE CAUSED BY 10-15 DIFFERENT THINGS AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WOULD BE TO REPLACE EVERYTHING, STARTING WITH STEERING DAMPNER (NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) BUT HAD NO IDEA IF THAT WOULD FIX IT. I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR 6 MONTHS AND HAVE ALREADY SPENT ALMOST $1,000 ON TRYING TO HAVE IT FIXED (INCLUDING NEW TIRES AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT). THE DEALER WAS COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT TO THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE DIRECTOR SAID IT WOULD COST ME A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE EVERYTHING REPLACED, AND EVEN THEN, COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE PROBLEM WOULD BE FIXED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THESE EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY THE ONE ON THE FREEWAY, WHICH I WOULD RATE A 10 ON A SCALE OF 1-10 (THE OTHERS RANGING FROM 1-4), HAVE SHAKEN ME TO THE VERY CORE; I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I CAN NEVER AGAIN DRIVE THAT CAR AND FEEL SAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE DEALER HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR HOW TO FIX IT. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND 38,000 WEBSITES DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM; PREVALENT IN JEEPS. THE PROBLEM IS APTLY DUBBED "DEATH WOBBLE".

HAD PROBLEMS W/ FRONT END SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CHANGED LANES OR PUT ON THE BRAKES AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THOUGHT IT WAS A BRAKES OR ALIGNMENT PROBLEM, BUT AFTER HAVING BRAKES REPLACED AND THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED, I RESORTED TO GOING TO THE JEEP DEALERSHIP. AFTER DEALER REPLICATED THE SYMPTOMS, INFORMED ME OF A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM LAST YEAR AND THEN REPLACED THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM UNDER WARRANTY. (NOTE: THE CAR HAD 18,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME.) THE SYMPTOMS ARE RETURNING LESS THAN A YEAR LATER. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 55 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A HEAVY VIBRATION. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE DRIVE SHAFT YET THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURRED. *NLM

FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. DRIVER MUST COME TO A NEARLY COMPLETE STOP IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT'S BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO SEVERAL DEALERS, UNDERGOING OVER $1,000 IN REPAIRS, BUT NOTHING HAS SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. BEGAN AT 18,000 MILES AND CONTINUING NOW AT 58,000 MILES. *JB

THE CONSUMER HAS A UP LIFT SUSPENSION PACKAGE CAUSING THE FRONT END TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH. AND THE VEHICLE VIBRATES PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

AT HIGH SPEEDS STEERING WHEELVIBRATES AND LOSES STEERING CONTROL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

THE AXLES MAKE NOISE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

THE SHAKING IS GETTING WORST EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR, IT IS GOING TO THE CAR DEALER IN MY AREA TO HAVE IT FIX, I WANT THIS TO BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY SINCE I HAVE ONLY OWE THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS.

VEHICLE WILL NOT TRACK, CONSTANTLY PULLS RIGHT, DEALER ADDRESSED AND IT STILL PULLS RIGHT. VIBRATION FELT BETWEEN 35-50 MPH FROM REAR, DEALER REPLACED MANY AXLE PARTS, VIBRATION STILL FELT*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING ONE INJURY, UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT EXPERIENCE DEPLOYMENT, CONSUMER HAD BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO TAILLIGHTS INOPERABLE AND HEADLAMPS INOPERABLE PRIOR TO ACCIDENT, DEALER REPLACED FUSES AND FOUND CONNECTOR'S LOOSE. CONSUMER STATES FRONT END PULLED TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES ON NORMAL BRAKING, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND DURING ABOVE MENTIONED ACCIDENT BRAKES LOCKED CAUSING A BLOCK OF SKID MARKS, PRIOR TO ACCIDENT WHEN DEALER COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH ABS OR HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM. VEHICLE HAD STALLED ON 2 OCCASIONS AT STOPS, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM AND 3000 MILES LATER THE STALLING OCCURRED AGAIN, HOWEVER DEALER STILL COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, POSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEM. *SLC

CONSUMER STATES FRONT ROTORS CONTINUE TO WARP AFTER (2) REPLACEMENTS. WHEN EVER THE TRUCK HITS A BUMP WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH OR ABOVE WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY. OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT CONTROLLING THE TRUCK WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *JB ALSO THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE WHICH WAS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE, THE TRANSFER CASE WAS LOOSE, THE GASKET AND THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO A COOLANT LEAK, CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE AIR CONDITION AND HEATER ONLY BLOWS AT DEFROST VENTS, THE REAR LUGGAGE RAIL CAME OUT.*JB

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH VEHICLE STARTED WANDERING SIDE TO SIDE UNTIL LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE, WENT OFF, AND AVOIDED CRASHING. THEN, DEALER HAD CHECKED BRAKES, BUT DID NOT FOUND THE CAUSE. *AK

FRONT ROTORS AND THE PADS ARE WEARING EXCESSIVELY. FRONT ROTORS WERE TURNED TWICE, AND REPLACED ONCE. BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED ON THREE OCCASIONS FROM 15.000 MILES TO PRESENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING AND FRONT END SHAKES. *YH

JEEP PULLS TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. IT DOESN'T DRIVE RIGHT AND VIBRATES. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS NOT RIGHT. CHECK BY MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP. NOTHING COULD BE DONE. JEEP IS HAZARDOUS ON THE ROAD WITH THE WAY IT DRIVES AND PULLS. ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID A BELT WAS BROKE IN THE RIGHT TIRE

FRONT END PROBLEMS CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL AT ANY SPEEDS SLIGHTLY TO RIGHT OR HARD TO THE LEFT, POSSIBLY DUE TO OUT OF ALIGNMENT WHICH DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX 3-4 TIMES, BUT CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK