1996 JEEP CHEROKEE Steering Problems

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 TO 75 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE IN THE FRONT END SO SEVERELY WE HAD TO SLOW COMPLETELY DOWN AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TO A STOP COMPLETELY. THE JEEP IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND I HAVE READ OF OTHER INCIDENTS THAT THEY HAVE NAMED IT THE DEATH WOBBLE. IT COULD HAVE MADE US FLIP OVER AND WE COULD HAVE DIED IN A ROLL OVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US BEFORE AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SHOCKS, BUT THAT HAS EVIDENTLY NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS FROM WHAT WE READ AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM IN THE FRONT END AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THEN BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW POWER STEERING GAUGE AND A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WERE NEEDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ON THE WASHINGTON DC BELTWAY WHEN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. SUBSEQUENTLY DIAGNOSED AS THE "JEEP DEATH WOBBLE".

AFTER VIEWING WEB SITE FOUND INFORMATION ON THIS 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE THIS RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALL INCOMPLETE STATUS PURCHASE THIS JEEP IN AUGUST 2011 NOTICE VEHICLE STEERING BOX WAS LOOSE.I FEEL THAT JEEP WAS NOT UNEXPECTED GOOD HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS AS LOOKING INTO THE DATA PURCHASE THIS FROM THIS COMPANY HAVE TO CALLIN FOR VEHICLE THEY FINALLY SHIP THIS IS NOT SAFE.NEEDSOME ASSISTANCES OF GETTING A REFUND THEY HAD TO KNOW THIS SOME INFO WAS SEND A BOUT THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACE THEY NEVER TRY TO COMPLETE THIS BEFORE SELLIN THE VEHICLE THIS IS UNSAFE THANKS GOD FOR THIS WEB SITE OF COURSE RIDING LIKE THIS NOT COOL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH OVER A POT HOLE, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V069000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, HE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE STEERING GEAR BOX. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

CHEROKEE BEGAN TO SHAKE VERY VIOLENTLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS RECENTLY AFTER HITTING MINOR BUMPS AT 55 MPH. SHAKING WOULD NOT STOP OR EVEN SUBSIDE UNTIL CAR WAS PULLED OVER. SHAKING SO VIOLENT IT CAUSED AN EXHAUST LEAK. NEVER AN ISSUE UNTIL RECENTLY - SEVERAL RECENT INCIDENTS. *TR

1. EARLY THIS YEAR, JUST AFTER THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY, '09, OUR '96 JEEP CHEROKEE (152K IN EXCELLENT CONDITION) BEGAN SHAKING OR WOBBLING VIOLENTLY AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 52 TO 56 MPH. ON INQUIRING IN A HANDFUL OF WEB SITES ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I LEARNED THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF JEEP CHEROKEE OWNERS AND OWNERS OF OTHER JEEP MODELS IN A BROAD RANGE OF MANUFACTURE DATES BETWEEN '86 AND AS RECENT AS '05. ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" OR "DEATH SHAKE". ADDITIONALLY, IN MY INTERNET RESEARCH, MANY JEEP OWNERS ATTEMPTING TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM HAVE TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES TO PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS INCLUDING CHRYSLER-JEEP DEALER/SERVICE CENTERS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED, SPEND HUNDREDS, IN SOME CASES WELL OVER A THOUSAND $, ONLY TO HAVE THEIR VEHICLE RETURNED WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE WOBBLE...

THE STEERING GEAR TO MY 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE COMPLETELY CAME OFF THE FRAME RAIL WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. LUCKILY SHE WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT FIVE MILES PER HOUR. WHAT HAD HAPPEN IS THAT THE THREE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE STEERING GEAR TO THE FRAME RAIL BROKE OFF. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING A BOLT FROM THE STEERING BOX SHEARED OFF. *AK THE STEERING BOX FELL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL STEERING. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO RESTRAINT ON THE STEERING GEAR, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED TOO FAR, BREAKING THE CLOCK SPRING WHICH CAUSED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE AIR BAGS. *SC

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

FRONT COIL SPRINGS WEAK.

STEERING BOX LEAK.