NHTSA Complaint #10154194 — 2003 JEEP WRANGLER

IN JULY 2005, AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP IN THE HIGHWAY, I EXPERIENCED SEVERE SHAKING OF THE FRONT END OF MY 2003 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA AT ABOUT 45-50 MPH. THE SHAKING STOPPED AFTER SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO ABOUT 30-35 MPH. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (FRANK PARRA JEEP IN IRVING, TX) FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR, JOHN BALLARD, THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY IN JEEPS AND THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE STEERING DAMPENER. FRANK PARRA REPLACED THE STEERING DAMPENER. THE PROBLEM RECURRED IN MARCH 2006 AND I AGAIN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR, TIMOTHY SIMPSON, THAT THE STOCK STEERING DAMPENER WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND THE LOAD IMPOSED BY THE 30 IN. WHEEL GROUP, WHICH COMES STANDARD ON THE SAHARA MODEL, AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE AN UPGRADED STEERING DAMPENER, THE "RANCHO" MODEL, BUT THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE DAIMLER CHRYSLER WARRANTY. WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TRY THE STOCK STEERING DAMPENER AGAIN. IT FAILED ON THE DRIVE HOME FROM THE DEALER. I FILED A WARRANTY CLAIM WITH DAIMLER CHRYSLER AND CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY SAFETY RECALLS ON THE STEERING DAMPENER. DAIMLER CHRYSLER DENIED MY CLAIM AND SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT ONLY NHTSA CAN AUTHORIZE A RECALL. IT SEEMS THAT THE STEERING DAMPENER WAS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY FOR THE LOADS IMPOSED BY THE STANDARD WHEEL CONFIGURATION AND SHOULD BE UPGRADED SO THAT IT IS ENGINEERED PROPERLY. ALTHOUGH THIS HAS NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, IT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AND RAISES THE POSSIBILITY OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *NM