NHTSA Complaint #10779964 — 2007 JEEP WRANGLER

THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN AS THE JEEP DEATH WOBBLE. ON A 25 MILE STRETCH OF ROAD BETWEEN SONOITA, AZ AND TUCSON, ARIZONA I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD 5 TIMES IN ONE TRIP TO STOP DANGEROUS AND ALMOST UNMANAGEABLE FRONT-END STEERING VIBRATIONS. JEEP AS FAR AS I KNOW HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, BUT FROM READING AUTOMOTIVE LITERATURE I UNDERSTAND THAT HAVE ISSUED 4 OR 5 MODIFICATION KITS NONE OF WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THE JEEP STEERS NORMALLY AT LOW SPEED OR ON STRAIGHT GLASS SMOOTH HIGHWAYS. HOWEVER ABOVE 40 MPH WITH ANY RHYTHMIC RIPPLE OR INDIVIDUAL POTHOLE A FRONT END HOPPING VIBRATION STARTS THAT CAN ONLY BE CONTROLLED BY STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND THEN PULLING BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I HAD A NON-DEALER GARAGE FIX IT ONCE AND JEEP REIMBURSED ME (BUT NO FORMAL RECALL). THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED IN SIX MONTHS AND I PRESSURED THE GARAGE INTO FIXING IT AGAIN. SOME TIME AFTER THAT THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. ACCORDING TO AUTOMOTIVE LITERATURE JEEP AS ISSUED 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT ENGINEERING CHANGES FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT NONE HAVE PRODUCED A PERMANENT FIX. THIS TELLS ME THAT THE "JEEP DEATH WOBBLE" IS LESS IF A WEAR ISSUE, BUT RATHER AN ENGINEERING FAILURE. ONCE THE FRONT END STARTS TO BOUNCE THE TIRE IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD WILL STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THEN THE TIRE ON THE OTHER SIDE COMES DOWN AND STEERS THE OTHER DIRECTION AND THE FRONT END BOUNCES SIDED-TO-SIDE WITH INCREASING VIOLENCE.