NHTSA Complaint #10899209 — 2011 JEEP WRANGLER

DEATH WOBBLE - I HAD HEARD OF OTHER JEEP WRANGLER DRIVERS TALKING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS, BUT HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED IT UNTIL LAST WEEKEND. IT STARTED WITH A SLIGHT SHIMMY AT AROUND 35MPH AT THE BEGINNING OF A ROUGHLY 250 MI. ROAD TRIP. BEFORE HITTING THE END OF THE TRIP, THE SHIMMY HAD TRANSFORMED INTO AN INCREDIBLY VIOLENT JERKING MOTION OF THE STEERING BETWEEN 10:00 - 2:00 AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. VERY NEARLY RESULTED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS, WHEEL BEARINGS, TIE ROD ENDS, STEERING STABILIZER, TRACK BAR AND DRAG LINKS. THE TRACK BAR BOLTS IN THE END SLEEVES SEEMED FAR TOO SMALL IN DIAMETER AND ROUTED OUT THE BUSHINGS OVER TIME AND THIS LOOKED TO BE ONE OF THE MAJOR CULPRITS OF THE PROBLEM. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION AND ALSO AN INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE FIX AS ALL OF THESE PARTS ARE AFFECTED AND INTERCONNECTED. WHEN ONE STARTS TO GO IT HAS A DOMINO EFFECT ON THE OTHERS.