NHTSA Complaint #10470224 — 2006 JEEP WRANGLER

ON FRIDAY, 07.27.12, WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE/WOBBLE WILDLY, AND I THOUGHT THAT I HAD A BLOWOUT IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. I PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER, BUT, TO MY SURPRISE, THE TIRE WAS FINE, AND I COULD SEE NO VISIBLE PROBLEMS. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE HIGHWAY, BUT, AFTER ABOUT A MILE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE/WOBBLE WILDLY AGAIN (ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY), TO THE POINT WHERE I LITERALLY THOUGHT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS FALLING OFF. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I DROVE SLOWLY ALONG THE SHOULDER, EXITED THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY, AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER MAKING SURE THAT THE LUG-NUTS WERE TIGHT, I DROVE (VIA CITY STREETS, TO MINIMIZE SPEED) BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHEEL BALANCING. THAT SAID, WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S RIGHT FRONT END STILL WOBBLES. IN THE INTERIM, I DID SOME GOOGLE'ING, AND I FOUND THAT NUMEROUS OTHER (?DEATH WOBBLE?) CASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED NATIONWIDE (INCLUDING HUNDREDS TO THE NHTSA). CHRYSLER HAS ISSUED MULTIPLE TSBS, AND THERE IS A MAINTENANCE NOTICE ACKNOWLEDGING ?STEERING VIBRATION? (A MONUMENTAL EUPHEMISM; THE ISSUE GOES WAY BEYOND A SIMPLE VIBRATION) ON THE JEEP WEBSITE. IN SHORT, CHRYSLER IS WELL-AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE AND SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM. THE MATTER HAS BEEN ADDRESSED BY A SAN FRANCISCO TV STATION (KGO-TV), AND EVEN TWO MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS WHO SENT INQUIRIES/COMPLAINTS TO BOTH CHRYSLER. DESPITE ALL OF THE FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS, PUBLICITY, AND REQUESTS FOR ACTION, THE NHTSA HAS DONE NOTHING. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW/DEFECT, AND THE NHTSA NEEDS TO FORCE CHRYSLER TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL. JEEP OWNERS NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE/POSSIBILITY OF THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION, AND CHRYSLER SHOULD INCUR THE COSTS OF ITS DIAGNOSIS AND CORRECTION. *TR