NHTSA Complaint #11414458 — 2018 JEEP WRANGLER

I PURCHASED THE JEEP WRANGLER AS THE FIRST OWNER IN 2018. I IMMEDIATELY FELT INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE STEERING. THE STEERING FELT LOOSE. AT THE TIME I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE JEEP FROM, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY JEEP FOR THE 'DEATH WOBBLE' AND THAT IT WAS LIKELY THE RESULT OF THAT. THE RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED WITHIN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF PURCHASE. THE RECALL REPAIR DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE STEERING CONTINUED TO FEEL LOOSE AND AS TIME WENT ON BECAME MORE EVIDENT. WHEN DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY ONTO AN EXIT AT 40-50MPH I FOLLOWED THE SLIGHT CURVE AND THE STEERING FELT UNSTABLE AND WANDERED. THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE WHAT OCCURRED WOULD BE THAT IT FELT LIKE THE FRAME WAS FALLING OFF THE WHEELS. THIS CONTINUED MORE FREQUENTLY AND LAST WEEK BECAME UNMANAGEABLE. WHILE DRIVING 70MPH DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY, I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT FELT LIKE I WAS DRIVING A BOAT ON WATER. I FELT CONFIDENT THAT THE FRAME OF THE JEEP WAS LEAVING THE WHEELS. AT THIS TIME I NOTICED THAT THE GEARS WERE SLIPPING AS WELL. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION EXAMINED. THE EARLIEST AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS 6 DAYS OUT, SO I DECIDED TO SNEAK UNDER THE JEEP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION LEAK. WHAT I OBSERVED WAS SHOCKING TO FIND ON A 2018 VEHICLE AND CONSIDERABLY OVERWHELMING. MY DEGREE IS CRIMINAL SCIENCE, SO FAR FROM HAVING ANY AUTOMATIVE/ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, BUT CONTEXTUAL CLUES ARE EVIDENTIARY CLEAR TO ME. THE FEELING OF THE FRAME BEING DISPLACED FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IS A PROBABLE RESULT. I HAVE A DEEP CONCERN WITH THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE WELDING OF THE FRAME AND THE CONDITION OF THE UNDERBODY.