2004 Jeep Wrangler Steering Problems

HIT A REGULAR BUMP IN THE ROAD, AT 35 MILES PER HOUR ON A STRAIT STRETCH OF ROAD AND THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION PULLED AWAY FROM THE FRAME AND I LOST CONTROL OF THE JEEP, UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE CENTER SECTION OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT ON BOTH SIDES, THE FRAME SHOULD BE THE LAST THING TO FAIL ON ANY VEHICLE, THIS JEEP HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROADED OR ABUSED. FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS KNOWN TO LAST 200K MILES PLUS TO HAVE FRAME FAILURE AT 65K MILES IS NOT ONLY NEGLIGENT ON CHRYSLERS BEHALF BUT IT ALSO POSES A REAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING THESE JEEPS DOWN THE ROAD AT 70-80 MILES PER HOUR WITH A FRAME THAT COULD FAIL AT ANYTIME. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE JEEPS AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEFORE MORE LIVES ARE LOST, IN 10 YEARS MANY OF THESE VEHICLES WILL STILL BE ON THE ROAD AND THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE. PLEASE HELP

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING HER DRIVEWAY CARPORT GOING 10 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH SEIZED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES WHICH FAILED CAUSING, THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE CARPORTS POLE ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. NO EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED. NO INJURIES, NO POLICE REPORT FILED, NO MEDICAL ATTENTION, NO DAMAGE'S TO THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED, AND NO DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

I HAVE A RIGHT HAND DRIVE 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. THE RIGHT SEAT BELT LATCH IS ALWAYS STICKING CAUSING MY SEAT BELT TO COME LOOSE. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN REACHING SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH,IF YOU HIT A BUMP, OR IF IT'S WINDY OR AN 18 WHEELER PASSES YOU ON HIGHWAY, THE JEEP WILL ROCK SIDE TO SIDE LIKE IT'S GOING TO TURN OVER. IT'S VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I HAVE CHILDREN TO HAUL AROUND.

TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE FRONT WHEELS BEGAN TO WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY. I COULD NOT GET THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL UNTIL I SLOWED DOWN TO AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER CONTROL I WAS ABLE TO CAUTIOUSLY ACCELERATE BACK TO SPEED AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY FURTHER TROUBLE. THE INITIAL PROBLEM STARTED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I WAS AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED BECAUSE OF MY QUICK DECELERATION TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM BOTH TIMES AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ROADWAYS. BOTH TIMES THE EXTREME WOBBLING WAS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNT ON OUR 2004 JEEP WRANGLER BROKE OFF FROM THE FRAME WHILE DRIVING. WHILE ACCELERATING ON A CITY STREET, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, AND THE JEEP BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND STARTED WANDERING ALL OVER THE ROAD. UPON PULLING OVER AND LOOKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE EXTREME AMOUNTS OF RUST AND CORROSION INSIDE THE FRAME THAT WAS VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS RUST CAUSED THE ENTIRE LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNT TO BREAK OFF FROM THE FRAME. ANOTHER ROT HOLE WAS FOUND FURTHER UP THE FRAME NEAR THE TRANSMISSION SKIDPLATE/CROSS-MEMBER ASSEMBLY AS WELL.

DEATH WOBBLE

WHILE MOVING DOWN HIGHWAYS 40 TO 65MPH IVE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER I HIT POT HOLES OR BUMPS MY CAR IMEDIATELY GOES INTO A MAJOR WOBBLE LIKE I HAVE A FLAT TIRE, HOWEVER AS SOON AS I TAP MY BRAKE IT STOPS. MY FRIEND TOLD ME THIS IS A DEATH WOBBLE FACTORY RECALL BUT JEEP DEALERS TELL ME MY CAR VIN ISNT INCLUDED. WHY NOT SINCE IT HAS THE PROBLEM?!

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ANYWHERE ABOVE 40MPH AND HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD SENDS THE VEHICLE INTO A VIOLENT SHAKE/WOBBLE. THIS DOES NOT STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS SLOWED DOWN TO BELOW 40. THE JEEP IS COMPLETELY STOCK. NO LIFT, NO BIGGER TIRES.

MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON NORMAL DRY PAVEMENT WHEN THE CASTING THAT ANCHORS THE TIE ROD TO THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL SNAPPED OFF. THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING IT TO GO OFF THE PAVED ROAD SURFACE AND CRASHING INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SUSPENSION AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAS NEVER BEEN MODIFIED.

"JEEP DEATH WOBBLE"....VIOLENT SHAKING OF FRONT END CALLED......AFTER HIGHWAY BUMP OR UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE......HAD TO PULL OVER ONTO SHOULDER TO STOP IT.......... I HAVE HAD THIS FIXED NUMEROUS TIMES, WITH NEW TIRES, ALIGNMENT, AND IT KEEPS COMING BACK.... *TR

MY JEEP WRANGLER SHAKES SPORADICALLY AT 45 MPH AS DESCRIBED IN PREVIOUS POSTS BY OTHERS. WHEN MY JEEP SHAKES IT IS VERY AGGRESSIVE AND I OFTEN HAVE TO APPLY MY BRAKES SUDDENLY TO EASE THE JOLTING OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE ALMOST WRECKED MY JEEP A COUPLE TIMES, I HAVE SPRAINED MY WRIST, AND HAVE HAD BRUISES MERELY FROM MAINTAINING MY VEHICLE. I JUST TRADED IN MY OTHER CAR FOR THIS IN APRIL 2013 AND CAN'T AFFORD TO TRADE AGAIN. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. I CAN'T EVEN TAKE MY CHILDREN IN MY JEEP OR TOW MY CAMPER. ALL BECAUSE I CAN'T EVEN REASONABLY BEGIN TO FIX THE PROBLEMS THAT I PURCHASED WITH MY JEEP. I WISH I HAD KNOWN I WAS PURCHASING A DEATH TRAP BEFORE HAND. THERE IS A VERY GOOD REASON THESE LOW MILAGE JEEP'S HAVE MADE WAY TO USED CAR DEALERSHIPS. *TT

DRIVING ONTO HIGHWAY. SPEEDING UP TO 35-40 MPH. JUST SHIFTED TO 4TH GEAR. WHOLE VEHICLE BEGAN WOBBLING VIOLENTLY. HAD TO ALMOST STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY TO GET IT STOP SHAKING VIOLENTLY. VEHICLE BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS ME. STEEP SHOULDER COULDN'T PULL OVER. I THINK THIS IS REFERRED TO AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". HAVE READ ABOUT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS WITH JEEP WRANGLERS ON THE INTERNET AFTER THIS HAPPENED TODAY. I WISH I WOULD OF KNOWN OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. *TR

WHEN DRIVING THE WRANGLER DOWN ANY ROAD SURFACE THE WHEELS WILL START TO WOBBLE AND SHAKE VERY HARD LIKE YOU ARE LOOSING CONTROL. THEN YOU HAVE TO STOP QUICKLY INORDER TO KEEP YOUR CAR FROM DRIVING OFF THE ROAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JEEP WRANGLER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE BOUNCED ALL OVER THE ROAD, THE FRONT END SHOOK VIOLENTLY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE APPLIED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT STEERING DAMPER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER A COUPLE MORE TIMES AND REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

THE FIRST TIME I HAD DEATH WOBBLE WAS WHILE TOWING MY KAYAKS AND KAYAK TRAILER AFTER HITTING A BUMP.SINCE THEN I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING IT TILL I GET SOME CASH TO START DIVING IN TO FIND THE FIX. *TR

2004 JEEP WRANGLER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVERAL ISSUES FOUND DURING INSPECTION AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY SHE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED SOME PLAY IN THE STEERING, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO MISS A LITTLE, AND THE CD PLAYER IN THE RADIO SEEMED TO WORK WHENEVER IT WANTED TO. THE NEXT DAY, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL LEAKED AN OIL SPOT ON THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRE-SALES ESTABLISHMENT AND THE INSPECTION REVEALED, THE REAR AXLES WERE LEAKING ON BOTH SIDES, THE PINION SEAL IN THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT TRACK BAR HAD PLAY, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED A NEW PILOT BEARING; AS THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AND THE REAR SWAY BAR LINKS WERE LOOSE. *JB

A WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I HIT A SMALL, SHARP BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE AND WOBBLE UNCONTROLLABLY. ONLY BY SLOWING DOWN TO 45 MPH WAS I ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER THIS. I HAD THE TIRES BALANCED, ROTATED AND AN ALIGNMENT DONE ON IT. THE WOBBLE HAPPENED AGAIN, SOMETIMES AT EVEN HIGHER SPEEDS AND SOMETIMES, NOT AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER JEEP DEALER AND ACCORDING TO THEIR RECOMMENDATION, HAD A NEW STEERING STABILIZER, NEW SWAY BAR LINKS AND TIE ROD INSTALLED AND AGAIN HAD THE TIRES BALANCED AND AN ALIGNMENT DONE ON IT. THE VEHICLE STILL EXHIBITS THE SAME BEHAVIOR. I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN THREE TIMES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND LUCKY ENOUGH EACH TIME I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE AND ABLE TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER TO REDUCE SPEED AND GAIN CONTROL AGAIN. EACH TIME ON THE INTERSTATE MY SPEED WAS BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I DROVE 20 MILES BACK HOME ON CITY STREETS IN ORDER TO KEEP MY SPEED BELOW 50 MPH. THE "DEATH WOBBLE" DOES NOT HAPPEN BELOW 50 MPH ALTHOUGH I CAN SOMETIMES FEEL IT STARTING TO SHAKE AS I APPROACH THAT SPEED. AS I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER DEALER, REPLACED THE RECOMMENDED PARTS AND HAVE DONE THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE, I FEEL THAT THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUILT INTO SOME OF THE VEHICLES LIKE MINE. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS MANY JEEP WRANGLER OWNERS THAT I HAVE TALKED TO AND AUTHORIZED DEALERS ALSO WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM "DEATH WOBBLE" IN CONJUNCTION WITH JEEP WRANGLERS. IN FACT, AS I WAS DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM TO ONE OF THE AUTHORIZED CHRYSLER JEEP DEALERS, HE INTERRUPTED ME BY SAYING, "AH, THE "DEATH WOBBLE". ONCE IT HAPPENS TO YOU, YOU KNOW THAT IT IS A VERY APT DESCRIPTION OF THE BEHAVIOR.

FRONT END SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, USUALLY WHEN THE JEEP IS APPROACHING 50 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. FEELS LIKE THE JEEP IS GOING TO EXPLODE. PUTTING ON THE BRAKES, AND PRAYING, AND DOWN SHIFTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH, AND PRAYING, AND EVENTUALLY SLOWING DOWN TO BELOW 40 IS THE ONLY THING THAT ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO STOP SHAKING. THIS APPARENTLY HAS BEEN REPORTED MANY, MANY TIMES, AND IS KNOWN AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE". IS THERE A GOVERNMENTAL COVER-UP ABOUT THIS? HOW IS THIS KNOWN ISSUE ALLOWED TO GO UN-ADDRESSED?

TURNED ONTO THE COUNTY HIGHWAY AND AS I APPROACHED APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. HAD TO PULL OVER AND STOP FOR IT TO STOP. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE. ASKED MY MECHANIC IF HE COULD SEE ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS AND HE DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING. IT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN AS WELL ONE TIME BEING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR. I WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IT IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS "DEATH WOBBLE" HAPPENING ON JEEPS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR THE FIX IS.

I OWN A JEEP WRANGLER X 2004. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE JEEP "DEATH WOBBLE" ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS PAST SUNDAY BEING THE WORST. I HAVE HAD MY ENTIRE FRONT END REPLACED WITH NO RESULTS. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR ANSWERS AND EVERY SUGGESTION THAT I HAVE FOUND HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE ON MY JEEP. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH A JEEP MECHANIC THAT WE KNOW AND HE STATED THAT IT IS A "KNOWN PROBLEM" AND THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. AT THIS POINT I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND I AM LOOKING FOR ANSWERS. I HAVE FOUND A WEBSITE FOR CONGRESSWOMAN ESHOO AND I AM AWARE OF THE REQUEST FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. PLEASE, I HOPE THAT YOU ARE TAKING THIS MATTER VERY SERIOUSLY. THIS IS A VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURING IN JEEPS. *TR