NHTSA Complaint #10716022 — 2007 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA

BRAKE LIGHT HAS BEEN IN FOREVER, HAD CHECKED, NOT AN ISSUE BUT...BEGAN NOTICING ON HIGHWAY. NOT SO SEVERE TO HAVE TO STOP TO REGAIN CONTROL. ABOUT A YEAR AGO IIT HAPPENED AT LOWER SPEEDS, AS FEW AS 35MPH, ANY UNEVEN SURFACE, BUMP, TEXTURE OR LEVEL CHANGE SETS IT OFF. TAPPING OR USE OF THE BRAKES. "DEATH WOBBLE" OCCURS. A SLIGHT TREMOR RADIATING FROM STEERING COLUMN THEN THROUGH THE ENTIRE JEEP. SO INTENSE THAT IT FEELS LIKE THE TIRES ARE TURNING SIDEWAYS, MAINTAINING CONTROL, STEERIN AND BRAKING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. REGULAR BRAKING DOES NOT HELP. HARS BRAKE ONLY. HAVEN'T COME TO COMPLETE STOP. I'VE ALWAYS STOPPED, PUT BACK INTO PARK AND TURNED IT OFF. THINKING MAYBE SOME SORT OF RESET MAY OCCUR. IT HELPS ME TO RESET MY OWN SELF ANYWAYS! VERY SCARY! ESPECIALLY IF IN A VENDOR CURVED PART OF ROADWAY. . BRAKE LIGHT STILL ON EVEN AFTER INSPECTED (?) TOOK INTO SHOP. MECHANIC SAID BALL JOINTS NEEDED REPLACED. DEATH WOBBLE WENT AWAY FOR A FEW WEEKS AND IT'S BACK. PRIOR ALIGNMENTS~ ONLY REGULAR ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED. I TRIED TO PAY ATTENTION AFTER THIS 'FIX' AND DETERMINED THAT BRAKING (EVEN JUST A TAP) STARTS IT AND ANY SURFACE CHANGE IN THE ROAD OLDER JEEPS HAD A SIMPLY FIX, TIGHTENED A BOLT ON STEERING COLUM. MY SON IS IN TRAINING, DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE STEERING COLUM. SAYS SEEMED TO ME SOME EXTRA PLAY, NOTHING LIKE A BOLT LOOSE BUT DARK OUT, MULTIPLE COMPONENTS ALONG COLUMN, UNSURE WITHOUT A LENGTHIER INSPECTION. NOTHING BY SIGHT. WE STOPPED DRIVING AND TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT OF FRONT END BALLJOINTS. TIRES HAVE AN UNFAMILIAR PATTERN OF WEAR. USING FACTORY RECOMMEND TIRES, SIZE AND PRESSURE. VERY LITTLE OFF ROAD. MOSTLY DRIVEN FOR IN TOWN/ HIGHWAY DRIVING. I HOPE THIS HELPS. VERY VERY SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. OH I'VE TRIED TO OUTRUN. DOESN'T WORK. LATELY I'VE SHIFTED TO 4THBEING AND CAN USUALLY REGAIN CONTROL..