NHTSA Complaint #11288729 — 2009 JEEP WRANGLER

I HAVE A 2009 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED X, PURCHASED NEW. A FEW YEARS AFTER PURCHASE I BEGAN EXPERIENCING 'DEATH WOBBLE.' A MECHANIC'S DIAGNOSTIC STATED MY TRACK BAR WAS BENT AND MY BUSHINGS WERE WORN AND NEEDED REPLACING AS A RESULT OF ALL THE VIOLENT SIDE TO SIDE SHAKING. THIS WAS REPAIRED AT GREAT EXPENSE OUT OF POCKET. THIS REPAIR SEEMED EFFECTIVE FOR SOME TIME BEFORE THE SPEED WOBBLE STARTED UP AGAIN THIS PAST YEAR. DURING ONE EPISODE, THE HARSH SHAKING CAUSED MY LEFT SIDE BLINKERS AND BRAKE LIGHT TO FAIL. NO ONE SHOULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO OPERATE A VEHICLE WHEN IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SUDDENLY, UNEXPECTEDLY, UNCONTROLLABLY, VIOLENTLY, HARSHLY, AND DANGEROUSLY START SHAKING, ESPECIALLY WHILE IN OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I AVOID DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC BEFORE JARRING SHAKING WILL START. ANY DRIVING IS NOW INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS TO ME, MY PASSENGERS, AND OTHER NEARBY DRIVERS. THE UNCONTROLLABLY VIOLENT SHAKING IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, FRIGHTENING, AND FORCES ME TO ABRUPTLY PULL OVER, GREATLY INCREASING MY CHANCES OF BEING SEVERELY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR JEEP OWNERS TO SUFFER THIS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR JEEP. THEY SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR AND REIMBURSE JEEP OWNERS ANY AND ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH REPAIRS, ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION, INJURIES, DEATHS, DISTRESS, OR ANY OTHER CONDITIONS OR COMPLICATIONS ARISING FROM, RELATED TO, OR OTHERWISE RESULTING FROM 'DEATH WOBBLE.' CAUSES FOR THIS HAZARD VARY, SO DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIRS CAN BE EXTREMELY LENGTHY AND COSTLY, NOT TO MENTION REPAIRS NEEDED FOR OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE WORN AND DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF SUCH AGGRESSIVELY UNSAFE SHAKING. THIS IS NOT STANDARD WEAR AND TEAR, BUT A SERIOUS, DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED BY NHTSA, THE CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, LAWYERS, AND COURTS.